Office of Financial Aid|

Special Circumstances FAQs

Why would I file a Special Circumstance Appeal?
When a student or parent has special circumstances that significantly change their available income for the current or coming year the financial aid office may be able to make additional allowances when income drops (involuntary only), marital status changes from married to single, a parent returns to college, or when certain expenses exceed the amount already allowed. This may increase the student's eligibility for aid.

If your family income is dropping due to circumstances beyond your control such as a job lay-off, change in Social Security benefits or divorce, you may want to file an appeal. If you have had extraordinary expenses in the areas of housing, food, transportation, educational expenses, childcare or medical expenses, the following chart will help you determine if you should file an appeal. If you have another unusual expense not listed here, contact the Financial Aid office to determine if you would benefit from filing an appeal.

What is the deadline?
Parents or students wishing to file a Special Circumstances Appeal must have submitted a FAFSA for the year in question, and must complete the appropriate form, attach all required documentation and submit the form to the financial aid office no later than 30 days prior to the end of the semester. Incomplete or late submissions may not be able to be considered. For students who are receiving state aid, no adjustments will be made to their FAFSA until after the 4th week of classes. Click here for access to forms available.

When will I hear the result?
Appeals will be reviewed by the Special Circumstances Appeals Committee and the student notified of the result within 30 days of submission. Adjustments requiring a FAFSA correction must be approved by the U.S. Department of Education before aid can be adjusted. Students can view their financial aid package at any time through OneStart's Self-Service tab. Appeals that will have no affect on aid will be closed without a ruling and the student will be notified.

Income Protection Allowance:
This is the amount the government has allowed for living expenses when calculating your financial aid. This figure includes allowances for housing, food, transportation, medical and other expenses. The charts below shows the Income Protection Allowance (IPA) and how that allowance is distributed:

If your expenses in the following areas exceed the following percentages you could benefit from filing a special circumstances appeal.

See an Example.

Excessive transportation and educational costs such as the cost of purchasing a computer or instrument also are allowed for with a budget increase.

Adjustments for excessive medical expenses and drops in income are made by reducing the student's or parent's Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on their FAFSA. These changes can only be made by a financial aid professional. The student must submit copies of previous year tax returns and Income Statements for themselves (and their parents if they are dependent students) along with the special circumstances form and any other required documentation.

Go to Appealing Your Eligibility page|

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SSACI FAQs

What is the "SSACI HEA" award and what does it cover?
This is a state grant that students do not have to ever pay back if they come to school full time each semester they receive it. It will only cover tuition and fees, so none of the award will be refunded to the student.  Eligible students can receive up to 8 semesters of awards.  For more information visit the SSACI website.

What happens to my "SSACI HEA" award if I don't come to school full time?
Students who do not enroll and maintain a 12 credit hour enrollment will have their award removed. Some of the students in fewer than 12 credit hours may be eligible for Part Time SSACI HEA awards. These will be awarded about 6 weeks into the semester. However, these awards are not guaranteed because each school has a certain number they can award.

What does the "SSACI HEA Fee Remit Diff" award mean?
Students will only get this award if they are enrolled in more than 12 credit hours. This money will not disburse to a bursar account until 6 weeks into the semester and will be adjusted to match a students actual enrollment. For example, a student in 13 credit hours will receive a portion of the SSACI HEA Fee Remit Diff award they see on their OneStart account. A student in 15 hours will receive the full amount they see on OneStart, while a student in 12 credits will have the award removed.

So the amount on the notice from SSACI, is that what I get?
Yes, approximately, but only if you were to come to school for 15 hours. The actual award will adjust based on the hours you are enrolled in and your actual cost of tuition, activity and technology fees combined.  Lab, Material, Parking and other fees are not included. 

I get a National Guard award but it isn't showing on my account, why is that?
National guard awards will be awarded manually. That report is sent to us by SSACI and should be on student's accounts by the fourth week of classes. This award only covers tuition and fees.

I got a letter from the state saying that you all need to send a school code (or a TUIT code) before I get my money. Why hasn't it been sent?
These are sent every Tuesday from IU Bloomington for our campus here at IUS. If a student has a notice from SSACI it was sent prematurely. As long as a student is admitted to IUS the TUIT code will be sent and they can disregard the letter. If a student is not currently enrolled the TUIT code will be sent upon their acceptance to the university.

Do I have to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to get money from SSACI?
Yes, and this includes 21st century, National Guard, and award to Children of Disabled Veterans. All student receiving aid from these programs must maintain a 2.0 GPA, complete 75% of their classes (no W's or failing grades), and must be making accepted progress towards a degree. Any student not meeting SAP will be notified by our office.
View Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (PDF)

CVO

Does a student need a CVO form for every school they go to?
Yes. If you are a student who received this benefit from another school you must complete a new Application for Remission of Fees for A Child of a Disabled Veteran or a POW/MIA if you transfer schools. These forms are available in our office and the completed verified original must be kept by our office. In addition to this state form, students must also complete a FAFSA through the federal government. These forms are available on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov or in our office if needed.

Please visit the Forms page to download the Application for Remission of Fees for a Child of a Disabled Indiana Veteran or a POW/MIA

What does CVO cover?
Only tuition and fees, so it does not cover lab fees or course related costs of any kind. In addition, the CVO benefit cannot be used with SSACI HEA grants.

How do I find out how much CVO I have left?
You may go to the states E-grads site at http://www.in.gov/ssaci/ and see the information for the student. You will need your social security number and birth date to check the information.

What if I don't enroll for a full time class schedule?
The CVO award adjusts with enrollment and will cover your tuition regardless of enrollment. As a student, you may enroll in as many, or as few, credit hours as you would like.

What if I miss a year of school? Can I still keep my CVO?
Yes. There is no limit on when you must use your hours.

Does CVO cover Graduate School?
CVO will cover a total of 124 credit hours and can be used for graduate school programs.

Pell

Why was my Pell taken away?
There are a few possible reasons:

1) the student reduced their hours and we returned funds
2) the student received Pell at another school that year and met their eligibility. The second scenario rarely occurs but is more frequent with mid year transfers from another school.


Go to Scholarships & Grants page|

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Summer Aid FAQs

How do I apply for summer financial aid?
If you already filed a 2006/2007 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), all you have to do is register for summer classes. We will automatically package you for summer aid. There is no additional application for summer.

How much will my Federal Pell Grant be for summer?
The amount you will receive in Federal Pell Grant depends on how much you used during the academic year and your summer enrollment.  If your initial summer enrollment is before the Summer I census date, May 11, 2007,  your Federal Pell Grant will be calculated based on the number of hours in which you are enrolled on May 11, 2007.  If you add classes after May 11 you will not receive an increase in your Federal Pell Grant.  If your initial enrollment is after May 11, 2007 your Federal Pell Grant will be calculated based on your enrollment at the time we post the award to your account.

Summer Pell Scenarios

On 5/11 Betty is registered in 12 hours for the summer, 6 hours in Summer Session I and 6 in Summer Session II.  Betty is award a Full-Time Federal Pell Grant.  A week before the start of Summer Session II, she drops 3 hours.  Since she did not attend at least one class meeting of the course she dropped, her Federal Pell Grant is reduced to reflect 9 hours of enrollment.

On 5/11 Sheena is registered in 6 hours in Summer Session I.  She is awarded Federal Pell Grant based on 6 hours of enrollment.  On 5/24/06 she added 6 hours for Summer Session II.  Her Federal Pell Grant is not adjusted because on 5/12 she was in 6 hours.

Rueben registers for 6 hours in Summer Session II on 6/16.  This is his is first registration for the summer.  He is awarded a Federal Pell Grant based on 6 hours of enrollment.

I didn't apply for aid in Fall nor Spring - can I get aid for summer?
Yes, you need to file a 2006/2007 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) using your 2005 tax returns and W2s. The FAFSA filing deadline is June 30, 2007.

Are there Summer Scholarships?
Yes, there are summer scholarships available. If you have at least a 3.0 GPA and register in six hours by April 1st, you will be considered for a $500 scholarship.  Scholarship recipients will be randomly selected from all those that qualify.  At least 50 summer scholarships will be awarded. You do not have to submit a scholarship application. Summer scholarships can only be used during the Summer term and cannot carry over to the next academic year. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid is not required to receive a summer scholarship.

How will I know if I received summer aid?
We will package summer aid in April. Summer financial aid award notifications will be emailed in mid to late April. You will also be able to see your Summer aid online through OneStart.

How many hours do I need to take to qualify for Summer Aid?
To qualify for Summer Scholarships and Stafford Loan as an undergraduate you must be enrolled in at least 6 hours for the entire summer. (This can be 3 hours in Summer I and 3 hours in Summer II or it can be 6 hours in either session.) Graduate student must be enrolled in at least 4 hours for the entire summer. Pell Grants and Perkins loans require a minimum of 3 hours enrollment.

How do I know if I have remaining eligibility?
Summer eligibility is determined by the amount of aid you received during the academic year. If you attended less than fulltime in Fall and Spring you could have remaining Pell eligibility. Stafford loan eligibility is based on your class level and the corresponding annual borrowing limits.

You can determine the amount of your loan eligibility by doing a few simple calculations.

1. View the Stafford Loan Limits (below):
   1. Note your current 'Class Standing'
   2. Combine the amount of 'Sub/Unsub Amount Combination' with the 'Additional Unsubsidized Independent Student.' You will use this amount to determine your loan eligibility.
      
      
   **This is the total amount you are eligible for, once you have met this amount you are no longer eligible for student loans for the Academic Year.
   
   
2. Go to OneStart and view 'My Financial Aid Account Summary' within your Financial Aid section.
3. View your 'Academic Year Totals'
4. Make note of your 'Accepted Total' (this is the amount you should have already received)
5. Subtract the amount accepted from your total eligibility.

**Please note, if your class standing changes, your total eligibility may increase.

What if I don't have any remaining Stafford Loan eligibility? We have summer Perkins loan money available. Preference is given to students with the most need and the lowest EFC. If your aid package did not include a Perkins Loans, please call us at (812)941-2246 or email us at FinancialAid@ius.edu and request a Perkins Loan for summer.

Go to Other Aid page|

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Verification FAQs

What is the FAFSA due date?
The FAFSA needs to be RECEIVED by the Department of Education by March 10th to be considered for state aid. The due date for each state is listed on the front of the FAFSA as well as on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov

What is the last day to file the FAFSA?
The last day to file is June 30th of the current academic year.

When can I be considered an independent student?
This is determined by the seven questions in step three of the FAFSA.

• Were you born before January 1, 1982?
• At the beginning of the 2005-2006 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as an MA,MBA,MD,JD,PhD,EdD, or graduate certificate, etc.)?
• As of today, are you married?(Answer "Yes" if you are separated but not divorced.)
• Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Do you have dependents (other then your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30,2006?
• Are both of your parents deceased, or are you (or were you until age 18) a ward/dependent of the court?
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?

If you (the student) answer "No" to every question you will need your parent's information.
If you answer "Yes" to any question you can be considered independent.

Do I need to fill out the FAFSA every year?
Yes

What is SSACI and how do you apply?
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana.
How do you apply for SSACI?
The FAFSA is the document necessary to apply for all types of state aid available.

Go to SSACI FAQs

How do I let you know if I want a loan?
We no longer require separate loan applications for fall and spring semesters. If you mark on the FAFSA that you are "interested in student loans" then a loan will be processed for you. If you did not mark that you are interested in a student loan you can fill out a loan application at the financial aid office or by sending a message to FinancialAid@ius.edu

What is the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized?

Subsidized: If you receive a subsidized Stafford loan to attend IU Southeast, the federal government pays the interest on your loan while you attend school at least half time.

Unsubsidized: If you receive an unsubsidized Stafford loan to attend IU Southeast you are responsible for paying the interest while you are in school. If you do not want to make the interest payment, the interest will be added to your principal balance through a process called capitalization.

Do I need to fill out the FAFSA to receive a student loan?
Yes, these are federal loans and they are a type of financial aid.

School code:
001817

What is verification?
Your application has been selected by Central Processing for review.

The financial aid office will request:

• Tax Return documents
• W2's
• Verification worksheets for review

Once these documents have been reviewed, we may need to request additional information or make necessary changes to your application.

Go to Qualifying For Aid page|

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Work-Study FAQs

I'm running out of work study money. Can I get more?
YES, in many cases. Contact FinancialAid@ius.edu to request additional work study money. You will be notified within a few days with your new limit, if we are able to increase your award.

I want to change to a different work-study position. What do I do?
If you have already found another position on campus or at an authorized off-campus location, contact Financial Aid for the required forms. You cannot switch work-study jobs without prior authorization. Talk to your current employer about the change. Remember, this is a real job. Communication with your employer is very, very important.

Can I have more than one work study job?
Yes, you can. If your first work study employer cannot give you enough hours within the semester for you to earn all of your award, you can apply for a second job. Notify the Financial Aid office immediately if you are hired in a second job. You must split your award between both jobs and be sure you do not earn more than your award in either job.

I'm having trouble with my employer. What do I do?
If you have a problem with your employer try speaking with them directly. If you are not able to resolve the issue directly with them contact IU Southeast Human Resources for assistance.|

Go to Workstudy page|

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Transferring Student FAQS

How do I transfer my Financial Aid?

See ‘How do I update my FAFSA?’

How do I update my FAFSA?

Go to http://www.Fafsa.ed.gov click ‘Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA’ enter appropriate information until you are able to add the IU Southeast school code of ‘001817’.  IU Southeast Financial Aid will receive your correction within 5-7 business days from the date you submitted your correction.

Do I need to transfer my loans?

NO.  The loans processed at your previous school are now being monitored through the National Student Loan Database System (NSLDS).  You are not able to have federal student loans at two different institutions at the same time.  Contact your previous school’s Financial Aid Office and cancel ALL subsequent aid (including loans) scheduled for disbursement.  You should expect information on how to complete ‘Exit Counseling’ from your previous school.

Will my scholarship transfer? And will the amount be the same?

Scholarship eligibility is based on the type of scholarship awarded (private or institutional), please visit http://www.ius.edu/financialaid/ScholarshipsGrants.cfm   for additional information.  In most cases, institutional based awards are not transferrable, whereas, private scholarships may be transferable.  Please contact the donor of the scholarship and forward any information you may receive to the Director of Scholarships at IU Southeast.  Please forward this link to any donors who may have questions about applying scholarships to your account.

External Scholarship Information

Do I need to complete ‘Exit Counseling’ at my previous school?

YES.  Your previous school should be contacting you via email or postal service to inform you of their ‘Exit Counseling’ process.  Once complete, you should be able to do ‘Entrance Counseling’ at IU Southeast.  Once your aid has been processed by IU Southeast Financial Aid Office, you should visit http://www.ius.edu/financialaid/Accepting.cfm to complete the process of accepting your new awards.

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FAFSA FAQS

What is a FAFSA transaction?

Each time a FAFSA or a correction to a FAFSA is processed, a transaction number is created. For example, when your original FAFSA is processed, it will create Transaction 01. If you make a correction to your FAFSA, when the correction is processed it will create Transaction 02. The next correction processed will create Transaction 03, and so on.

What is a PIN?

A U.S. Department of Education PIN is a 4-digit numeric code or 6-digit alphabetic code that is uniquely assigned to an individual to access U.S. Department of Education web sites.

What is a Data Release Number (DRN)?

A Data Release Number (DRN) is a four-digit number assigned to your application by the U.S. Department of Education. It is printed on the lower left-hand corner of the paper Student Aid Report (SAR) and in the upper right-hand corner on the electronic SAR.

The DRN can be provided to a customer service representative to make certain changes to your FAFSA information. These changes include: permanent mailing address, e-mail address, phone number, school code and/or housing plan.

You should not give your DRN to anyone unless you want that person to have access to your FAFSA information.

What is the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) measures your family's financial strength, and is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid during one school year. Your EFC will be displayed on your Student Aid Report (SAR) after your FAFSA is processed.

The information you reported on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to calculate your EFC. The school uses the EFC to determine your federal student aid eligibility and financial aid award.

Your EFC is not the amount that your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid that you will receive. It is a number used by the school to calculate the amount that your family will be expected to pay for college and the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.

What is a signature page?

The signature page is a document that is generated by FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, or Corrections on the Web. It is personalized by containing your Student ID and address. Your ID is made of the type of application you completed, your Social Security Number, and the first two letters of your last name.

If you choose not to sign the FAFSA electronically, then you (and at least one parent if you are a dependent student) can sign a signature page. For Renewal FAFSA on the Web and Correction on the Web, a signature page is required for your parent only if your parental information is provided or altered.

Once you sign the signature page, you should mail it to the address printed on the page. By signing this application, you agree, if asked, to provide information that verifies the accuracy of your completed FAFSA. This information may include a copy of your U.S. or state income tax form. Do not mail income tax forms with the signature page.

By signing the signature page, you also certify that:

• You will use federal student aid funds received during the award year covered by this application solely for educational expenses related to attendance during that year at the institution of higher education that determined eligibility for those funds;
• You are not in default on a Title IV educational loan, or have repaid or made satisfactory arrangements to repay the loan if you are in default;
• You do not owe an overpayment on a Title IV educational grant, or you have made satisfactory arrangements to repay that overpayment;
• You will notify your school if you do owe an overpayment or are in default; and
• You understand that the Secretary of Education has the authority to verify income reported on this application with the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies

If you purposely give false or misleading information, you may be fined $20,000, sent to prison, or both.

What is a Confirmation Number?

The last page of the online application submission process is a confirmation page, with a confirmation number. At a minimum, a confirmation number contains the following information:

• Your Social Security Number
• The first two letters of your last name
• The date and time the application is submitted (all times are in Central Time)

Depending on the type of application, your confirmation number may also begin with either nine numbers or a single letter. This designates the type of application filed.

We recommend that you print this page for your records.

What is a Student Aid Report (SAR)?

A Student Aid Report (SAR) is a document you will receive after your FAFSA is processed. Your SAR will list all of the answers you provided on the FAFSA. You should review these answers carefully to make sure they are correct. If you need to make any changes, you can do so on the SAR and mail it back to the address provided, or you can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and select "Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA" from the FAFSA Follow-up section.

The SAR will also contain your EFC (Expected Family Contribution), which measures your family's financial strength, and is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid during one school year. Your school will use this number to decide how much financial aid you are eligible to receive based on the school's cost of attendance.

If you do not provide electronic signatures or signature pages with the FAFSA, you must sign the SAR and mail it back to the address provided for final processing.

How can a U.S. Department of Education PIN can be used?

A U.S. Department of Education PIN can be used for many federal student aid activities such as to:

• Electronically sign a FAFSA
• Use Renewal FAFSA on the Web to submit an application (if you applied last year)
• Use Corrections on the Web to make corrections to a processed FAFSA
• Check the status of a submitted FAFSA and view an electronic copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR)
• Print a copy of your electronic SAR
• Access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) at www.nslds.ed.gov to view your financial aid information, if you have previously received student financial aid
• Access the Direct Loan Servicing System at to www.dl.ed.gov
  (if you have Direct Loans)
• Access the Direct Loan Consolidation Web site at www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov
• Electronically sign a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note at http://dlenote.ed.gov
  

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1098 Tax Form FAQ's

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Community Financial Health Series

IU Southeast Office of Financial Aid Community Financial Health Initiative

The “Community Financial Health Initiative” is a series of educational programs and services aimed at removing educational barriers and improving the financial health of our local community.   The IU Southeast Office of Financial Aid is working with outside organizations, businesses and agencies and with other departments on campus to do everything possible within the bounds of our area of expertise to improve the lives of citizens in our community.

2007/2008 Series

 “Ultimate Money Skills”  – October 23, 2007, 12 to 1 pm

Sponsored by Monster.com and Bank of America, Student Program Council and IUS Financial Aid office

103 attendees

Audience:  Current IU Southeast students

Presented by outside presenter from “Making It Count”

Eight (8) $250 scholarships given away, provided by IU Southeast Office of Financial Aid

Student Program Council provided pizza and drinks

Ultimate Money Skills: Scholars, Dollars, Budgets & Bills empowers college students to develop smart money management skills and ultimately achieve financial independence. This 60-minute, interactive, assembly-style presentation helps students recognize that the choices they make about money while in college can have a direct impact on their future financial success and gives them the information they need to make better decisions going forward.  A full-color workbook is provided for students to follow along during the presentation and to take with them as a future resource.  The program shows students how to:

• Achieve the critical understanding of appropriate credit use
• Understand the basics of banking
• Design their own budget
• Take control of student loan debt
• Minimize debt to maximize wealth
• Protect their identity

“Financing Your Future”  – January 5, 2008, 9 to 11 am

Sponsored by the Financial Aid office, UPS and other local companies

150 attendees expected

Audience:  Southern Indiana and Louisville parents and students-to-be

The “Financing Your Future” Workshop is a 2-hour workshop is open to all college-bound students and their families, regardless of where they choose to pursue their education.  The focus will be on learning how a student can afford to go to college, including easy tips, scholarship secrets and steps students and their parents can take to lower college costs.

 “College Goal Week”  – (beginning with “College Goal Sunday”) – February 17, 2008, 2 to 4 pm and the following week

Sponsored by College Goal Sunday.org and their sponsors and presented by the IUS Financial Aid office with other financial aid professionals from area schools and businesses

150 attendees expected

Audience:  Southern Indiana parents and college students

College Goal Sunday is a program that helps college-bound Indiana students, who qualify for undergraduate admission to a college or technical school in 2008, and their families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). College Goal Sunday provides on-site help from financial aid experts, primarily from Indiana colleges and universities. Most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools in the nation require students seeking federal financial aid, including grants and loans, to complete the FAFSA. Your FAFSA form must be received by the federal processor on or before March 10. And Twenty-first Century Scholars must complete and submit a FAFSA form to claim their Twenty-first Century Scholarships. College Goal Sunday will help all college-bound students, including Twenty-first Century Scholars, complete the FAFSA properly.

During the week following College Goal Sunday the IU Southeast Office of Financial Aid will provide one-on-one assistance to continuing students by appointment and through group lunchtime presentations.

 Financial Aid Speaker’s Bureau

Trained professionals from the IU Southeast Office of Financial Aid will speak at your organization’s event about financial aid issues.  Call (812) 941-2246 to schedule a speaker.

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