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Applying for Financial Aid. To apply for financial aid, all students
need to access www.fafsa.ed.gov
and complete or renew the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
CCSU’s Federal ID number is 013078. The FAFSA may be completed beginning
January 1 for the next academic year starting in the fall. Students
should access the Financial Aid website at
www.ccsu.edu/finaid to
learn about any posted priority processing deadlines and to better
understand the financial aid process at CCSU.
Financial aid for graduate students at CCSU is awarded on the basis of
demonstrated financial need as determined by the data provided from the
FAFSA. Graduate students enrolled in the nurse anesthesia and teacher
certification programs have special circumstances which may affect how
much aid they may receive; therefore, it is incumbent upon them to
contact the Financial Aid Office for further information.
Eligibility Criteria. To be eligible to receive federal aid
assistance, a student must be: (1) a U.S. citizen or an eligible
non-citizen; (2) matriculated; i.e., admitted to a graduate program and
enrolled in courses applicable to the program; (3) attending classes for
at least six semester credit hours; (4) making satisfactory academic
progress (SAP) toward the degree as defined by the University and in the
Graduate Catalog; and (5) have demonstrable financial need.
Eligibility for financial aid can be determined only after the FAFSA has
been filed and all other requested documentation has been submitted to
the Financial Aid Office. Students will be notified if they qualify for
any financial aid by an award letter and in the student’s CCSU Central
Pipeline Account.
Sources of Financial Assistance. The Federal Stafford Loan
Program of subsidized and unsubsidized loans is the primary source of
financial assistance for graduate students. Congress authorized a
graduate Plus loan which may also be awarded upon request.
• Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan—Subsidized loans are based on
need. Loan repayment begins after a six-month grace period following the
date that studies terminated or dropped below the six semester credit
hour minimum. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8 percent. The graduate
student annual limit is $8,500, and the aggregate loan limit is $65,500.
• Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan—Unsubsidized loans are
awarded to students without demonstrated financial need. The student is
responsible for the accruing interest while in school, with an option to
capitalize the interest payment. Loan repayment begins after a six-month
grace period following the date that studies terminated or dropped below
the six semester credit hour minimum. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8
percent. The graduate student annual limit is $10,000, and the aggregate
loan limit is $73,000.
• Other Sources—In addition to the federal Stafford loans,
students are encouraged to personally explore other sources of financial
aid assistance, including graduate assistantships, private scholarships,
Veteran/GI Bill benefits, and the National Guard and Army Reserve. A
variety of part-time job referrals, on and off campus, are available at
the Financial Aid and Human Resources offices. Contact the Financial Aid
office about personal, low interest alternative signature loans which
may be available.
Award Notification. When financial aid eligibility has been
determined after receipt of the FAFSA, an award letter outlining the
types and amounts of aid offered will be sent by mail and posted in the
student’s CCSU Central Pipeline account. It is important that the
student respond electronically, to accept and/or decline, and sign the
aid offered.
Failure to respond may delay the posting of aid awarded and accepted to
the student’s Bursar's Office billing or result in cancellation of the
aid. The award letter may require the completion of a Master Promissory
Note and Entrance Counseling Interview upon acceptance of the federal
Stafford loan.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To remain eligible for
financial aid, a student must earn a minimum of semester credit hours
during a given academic year and remain in good academic standing. In
addition, a student must be making satisfactory progress toward degree
completion. Failed and audited courses will not be counted toward the
minimum number of semester credit hours required for financial aid SAP.
• Full-time Graduate Students—SAP is defined as the successful
completion of at least 18 semester credit hours of academic work toward
the graduate degree or approved program each academic year for students
who initially enroll for the fall semester. Full-time students initially
enrolling for the spring semester, or for the fall semester or summer
session only, must complete nine semester credit hours during the
academic year. They must maintain a 3.00 GPA to remain in good academic
standing. Full-time students are eligible for financial assistance for
up to four semesters of full-time attendance, or until certified for
graduation, whichever comes first.
• Part-time Graduate Students—SAP is defined as the successful
completion of at least 12 semester credit hours of academic work toward
the graduate degree or approved program each academic year for students
who initially enroll for the fall semester. Part-time students initially
enrolling for spring semester, or for the fall semester or summer
session only, must complete six semester credit hours during the
academic year. They must maintain a 3.00 GPA to remain in good academic
standing. Part-time students are eligible for up to eight semesters of
part-time attendance, or until certified for graduation, whichever comes
first.
Students who do not successfully complete the required number of
semester credit hours during the fall and spring semesters may complete
the needed credits during the summer session. Any student who does not
complete the needed credits will be ineligible for financial aid
assistance the following academic year.
However, upon presentation of evidence of medical or other legitimate
personal or family emergency, a student denied financial assistance
under this policy may appeal to the campus officer designated by the
University President.
The Financial Aid Office is located in Memorial Hall, Room 103. For more
information, call (860) 832-2200 or e-mail
financialaid@ccsu.edu .
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