Financial Aid

Financial aid comes from a variety of sources. Students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after the application opens for each academic year in which they want to receive federal Title IV financial aid. The FAFSA can be completed online at https://studentaid.gov/. While on the FAFSA confirmation page, New York State residents who plan to enroll full time can apply for the NYS Tap Grant. TAP can also be applied for online at www.tap.hesc.ny.gov. Eligible New York State residents can apply for additional NYS Scholarships such as the Excelsior Scholarship online at www.hesc.ny.gov. Alfred State’s school codes for financial aid are:

002854 for the FAFSA
3005 for TAP associate degree programs
6005 for TAP baccalaureate degree programs

Financial Aid Plan

All students are considered for all types of aid, and financial aid plans are made according to a student’s eligibility in each program as determined by federal and state regulations. Offers are determined by financial need based on data provided by the student on the FAFSA. Financial aid is conditional based upon continuation of legislative authority and availability of appropriated funds.

Financial need is calculated using the following formula: Cost of Attendance (tuition, room, meals, fees, books and supplies, transportation) - Student Aid Index (SAI determined by FAFSA) = Financial Need.

Generally, financial aid can be categorized into three types:

Scholarship and grant aid are considered gifts and generally do not need to be repaid. These include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), NYS Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) for NYS residents enrolled full-time, Aid for Part-time Study (APTS) and part-time TAP for NYS residents enrolled part-time, and the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) for NYS residents who meet established academic and economic guidelines. Students should contact the NYS Higher Education Services Corp. for information on scholarships for Excelsior, STEM, volunteer firefighters, victims of the World Trade Center disaster, and certain types of military and public service. Contact information can be found on the web at www.hesc.ny.gov.
- Campus scholarships are primarily given out by the Admissions Office. Scholarship opportunities and requirements can be viewed on at www.alfredstate.edu/financial-aid/scholarships. Links to free outside scholarship search services are also provided. Students are encouraged to also seek scholarships and grants through their local high schools, civic organizations, and employers.
Loans do need to be repaid and should be considered as serious commitments. These include the Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct Loans, and Federal Nursing Loan. These loans are in the student’s name and eligibility is determined by financial need based on the FAFSA. Students are directed by the college to complete an electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN). Under an MPN, students can receive subsequent loan disbursements at the same school for up to 10 years without having to complete another promissory note. Interest rates and terms are set by the federal government, on an annual basis and students must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours per semester in a matriculated degree-granting program. These loans have a grace period before repayment begins once the student is no longer enrolled or drops below half-time enrollment.
- The Federal Parent PLUS Loan is taken out in the parent’s name on behalf of the student. Repayment begins 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. Options for deferment are also available. This loan is also applied for using an electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN). Interest rates and terms are set by the federal government on an annual basis and students must be enrolled a minimum of six credit hours per semester in a matriculated degree-granting program.
- Private Loans are nonfederal loans made by commercial lenders. Private Loans typically have higher fees and interest rates. Terms can vary by lender and loan product. Students must be at least 18 years old to apply in their own name and often require a credit-worthy cosigner.
Federal College Work-Study is a way for students to earn money through part-time employment in order to contribute toward their college costs. Work-study is offered to students with demonstrated financial need based on the FAFSA. Students are paid at an hourly rate every two weeks for the hours worked.

Methods of Notification

Financial Aid Plans are sent via mail to accepted students with a valid FAFSA on file with the college. Students can also view their Financial Aid Plan at my.AlfredState.edu/finances. Detailed instructions are provided to students on how to accept and process their aid.

Accepted students are provided with an active Alfred State email account. Financial Aid Plan availability, requests for information, and notification of changes to the Financial Aid Plan are sent to students’ Alfred State email accounts. Students should also be aware that they can view the status of their financial aid and requests for information anytime using the my.AlfredState.edu student portal. it is the students' responsibility to regularly check their campus email and my.AlfredState.edu/finances for such updates and requests.

Student Loan Counseling

Entrance counseling – First-time borrowers under the Federal Direct Loan Program are required to complete an online loan counseling session before loan funds can be disbursed. The session is designed to inform student borrowers of their rights and responsibilities under the Federal Direct Loan program. Nursing Student Loan borrowers must also complete online student loan counseling.

Exit counseling – Students separating from the college due to graduation, withdrawal, leave of absence, dismissal, or less-than-half-time enrollment are required to complete an online loan exit counseling session. The session is designed to help students avoid the pitfalls of default by informing them of their repayment obligations as well as their deferment and forbearance rights under the loan programs from which they borrowed.

Income Verification and Other Requests for Information

Under US Department of Education guidelines, a portion of students who apply for Federal Title IV aid will be selected for verification. This may include verification of household size and income. Title IV aid will not be processed until all requested documents have been received and reviewed by the Student Records and Financial Services Office.

Overaward Policy

Overawards occur when students receive financial aid resources in excess of their cost of attendance. In this instance, the Student Records and Financial Services Office is required under federal student aid regulations to reduce or cancel any resources affected by the overaward.

Students receive written notification by the Student Records and Financial Services Office when an overaward is identified and are advised which funds need to be adjusted. In some cases, this could leave a student owing a balance on the semester bill. Students are encouraged to notify the Student Records and Financial Services Office in writing immediately if they receive additional funds that were not included in their original Financial Aid Plan.

Academic Criteria for Financial Aid

Alfred State is required to monitor the academic progress of students receiving federal and state financial aid. Students who are not maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP) and pursuit of program (POP) according to established guidelines are not eligible for federal Title IV and/or state financial aid. In addition, students cannot receive federal and/or state financial aid for courses not applicable to the major in which they are matriculated. More information is available at www.AlfredState.edu/grades-financial.

Appeal Procedures

Students who experienced extenuating circumstances that affected their academic progress resulting in the loss of their financial aid eligibility may file an appeal of SAP-POP and/or Title IV requirements. Students interested in filing an appeal are encouraged to contact the Student Records and Financial Services Office for more information. Appeal procedures are also provided to students in writing when they receive their notice of ineligibility. Information is also available online at www.alfredstate.edu/finaid-appeals.

New York State Criteria/Requirements for Tuition Assistance Program (TAP): Reviewed at end of each semester.

The chart below applies to non-remedial students first receiving NYS Aid in 2010-11 and thereafter.

Category	Minimum for initial enrollment payment	After 1 TAP payment	After 2 TAP payments	After 3 TAP payments	After 4 TAP payments	After 5 TAP payments	After 6 TAP payments	After 7 TAP payments	After 8 TAP payments	After 9 TAP payments	After 10 TAP payments
TAP - POP (Pursuit of Program)	Enroll full-time	6 hours taken	6 hours taken	9 hours taken	9 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken
TAP - SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress)	Associates	Earn 6 hours 1.30 cum.	Earn 15 hours 1.50 cum.	Earn 27 hours 1.80 cum.	Earn 39 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 51 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 66 hours 2.00 cum.
TAP - SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress)	Bachelors	Earn 6 hours 1.50 cum.	Earn 15 hours 1.80 cum.	Earn 27 hours 1.80 cum.	Earn 39 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 51 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 66 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 81 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 96 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 111 hours 2.00 cum.	2.00 cum.

The chart below applies to students first receiving New York State aid in 2007-08 through and including 2009-10 and remedial students first receiving New York State aid in 2007-08 and thereafter.

Category	Minimum for initial enrollment payment	After 1 TAP payment	After 2 TAP payments	After 3 TAP payments	After 4 TAP payments	After 5 TAP payments	After 6 TAP payments	After 7 TAP payments	After 8 TAP payments	After 9 TAP payments	After 10 TAP payments
TAP - POP (Pursuit of Program)	Enroll full-time	6 hours taken	6 hours taken	9 hours taken	9 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken	12 hours taken
TAP - SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress)	Associates	Earn 3 hours .50 cum.	Earn 9 hours .75 cum.	Earn 18 hours 1.30 cum.	Earn 30 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 45 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 60 hours 2.00 cum.
TAP - SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress)	Bachelors	Earn 3 hours 1.10 cum.	Earn 9 hours 1.20 cum.	Earn 21 hours 1.30 cum.	Earn 33 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 45 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 60 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 75 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 90 hours 2.00 cum.	Earn 105 hours 2.00 cum.	2.00 cum.

Students Receiving TAP Need to Know:

TAP Aggregate – Students enrolled in associate degree programs can receive up to six semesters of TAP (six payment points per semester) for a total of 36 payment points. Bachelor's degree students can receive up to eight semesters of TAP or 48 payment points. Students who qualify under the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP) and approved five (5) year programs (BArch) can receive up to 10 semesters or 60 payment points. TAP payments received at other schools are still counted in the aggregate when students transfer schools.

Repeating Courses – Students must enroll in a minimum of 12 new credit hours each semester to qualify for TAP. Repeating a course that previously received a passing grade cannot be included as part of the required credit hours for that semester when determining TAP eligibility. However, the following exceptions apply: (1) when a failed course is repeated; (2) when a grade received is passing at the institution, but is unacceptable in a particular program as stated in the college catalog by the academic department; and (3) when a course may be repeated and credit is earned each time. The Student Records and Financial Services Office determines if students are out of SAP-POP compliance as part of the TAP certification process. Students are notified of their ineligibility by the Student Records and Financial Services Office.

Withdrawal or Leave of Absence – Students who received TAP for a semester from which they withdrew or took a leave of absence and did not earn any academic credit are not considered to be fulfilling the pursuit of program requirements and would be made ineligible for TAP for the next enrollment period.

2.0 GPA – Students having received four semesters of TAP (24 payment points) must have a 2.0 cumulative GPA (out of a possible 4.0) to continue receiving TAP. This includes students who may have received TAP payments at another college prior to enrolling at Alfred State.

Sit-Out – Students who become ineligible to receive state financial aid for a semester due to poor academic performance or failure to meet pursuit of program requirements may sit out for one year. Students would then be eligible to receive the state financial aid for which they qualify upon their return. Sit-out does not apply to the TAP 2.0 requirement.

Aid to Part-Time Study (APTS) – Students studying part-time may be eligible for APTS. APTS is deducted from a student’s available TAP payments. Two APTS payments (three points each) equal one TAP payment (six points).

Part-Time TAP – Similar to APTS, part-time TAP is also deducted from a student’s total available TAP payments. However, instead of using three points for each semester of part-time enrollment, points are used according to the actual number of part-time credit hours taken against the percentage of a full TAP award.

Federal Criteria/Requirements: Reviewed at the end of each semester.

Credit Hours Attempted	Completion of Credit	Minimum GPA
0 - 19	67 percent	1.30
20 - 36	67 percent	1.75
37 - 50	67 percent	1.90
over 50	67 percent	2.00

Students Receiving Federal Title IV Aid Need to Know:

Degree Completion – Students must complete their degree or certificate within 150 percent of the normal credits required for completion. Students who change programs and are in good academic standing are considered to be at the semester level based on the number of transfer credits accepted by the new program. For any subsequent program changes or program changes due to poor academic standing all attempted hours will be considered. Example: If an AAS student needs 60 credit hours to complete a degree, they cannot receive aid after 90 credit hours have been attempted.

Federal Warning – Students found to be below the academic standards for federal aid eligibility will be placed on federal aid warning for one semester. Students who have not regained eligibility by the end of the warning semester will be ineligible for federal aid.

Remedial Courses

Alfred State offers credit and noncredit remedial courses which will be counted toward the number of credit hours attempted and taken for the purpose of financial aid. However, if a passing grade is not received remedial course work will not be counted in the number of credit hours earned.

Incomplete Course Work, Withdrawals, and Repeated Course Work

Course work that has not had a grade issued will not count in credit hours earned and may impact financial aid eligibility. Withdrawal from courses that will have a grade of withdrew passing/failing will be counted in hours attempted and/or earned. Courses repeated due to a failing grade will have the highest earned grade count in hours attempted and/or earned.

Cross Registration/Consortium Agreements

Alfred State will process financial aid for its matriculated students who are also attempting course work as a 'visiting' student at another college or university. Prior approval is required by the Alfred State Transfer Advisor to ensure that the course work will transfer into Alfred State and meet the student’s graduation requirements. Complete procedures are available at www.alfredstate.edu/transfer-students/cross-registration.

Questions

Questions in regard to any of the above information can be directed to: Alfred State Student Records and Financial Services Office, 10 Upper College Drive, Alfred, NY 14802; phone 1-800-4-ALFRED; or email sfs@alfredstate.edu.