|
2007-2008 School Year
Numerous inquiries are made by students and their parents about our financial aid programs. In anticipation of some of the questions you might raise, the following information is presented to you:
FAFSA / APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
PAYMENT / DUE DATES
MY ACCOUNT
SUMMER / WINTER CLASSES
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECTING AID ELIGIBILITY
LOANS (PLUS, STAFFORD, ALTERNATIVE)
FEDERAL WORK STUDY
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Printer-friendly version of this page (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)
FAFSA / APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID
HOW DO I APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
To be considered for Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Work-Study and/or PHEAA State Grant, you must complete the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
In addition, the federal government mandates that institutions verify at least 30% of its applicants. Students who are selected to undergo this process will be mailed a University Verification Form to complete and attach appropriate documents.
Return to top
Also refer to Applying for Financial Aid for more information.
WHERE DO I GET THE APPLICATIONS?
The paper FAFSA is no longer available at high school guidance offices or at college/university financial aid offices. You must complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you do not want to compelte the FAFSA online, you can contact Federal Student Aid at 1-800-433-3243 to have one mailed to you.
Returning students who were awarded financial aid in the previous academic year will be able to complete a Renewal FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you do not want to complete the FAFSA online, you can contact Federal Student Aid at 1-800-433-3243 to have one mailed to you.
Returning students who borrowed a Stafford loan prior to the 2007-08 academic year will not be mailed another (MPN). The MPN is good for a period of ten years once it has been signed.
Please note, it is possible for some returning students to be required to complete a new MPN - there are some lenders students may have used in the past who are no longer processing Federal Stafford Loans. This means the student would need to pick a new lender and this would require a new MPN - students who may be affected by this change will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid. If you have questions regarding your lender or if you are affected by this change, feel free to contact the Office of Financial Aid at 717-872-3026.
DO I NEED TO BE ADMITTED BEFORE I CAN APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?
NO. You can fill out the FAFSA and list up to 10 schools to receive the information.
However, to actually receive an award (estimated or actual) offer, you must be admitted to the university.
Return to top
WHAT ARE THE DEADLINES OR SUGGESTED COMPLETION DATES FOR FINANCIAL AID?
March 15th is the deadline for full consideration for the following financial aid programs - Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG and Federal Perkins Loan. By meeting the March 15th deadline, you are also sure to meet the deadline of May 1st for the PHEAA State Grant.
WHEN WILL I RECEIVE INFORMATION REGARDING THE ACTION TAKEN ON MY APPLICATIONS?
The anticipated dates for receiving information are as follows:
Federal Pell Grants - Four to six weeks after the FAFSA has been mailed to the federal processor, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to the student via the U.S. Postal Service or an Electronic Student Aid Report (eSAR) will be sent via email, if an email address is provided on the FAFSA). Processing time will be less for applications completed through FAFSA on the Web. Please refer to the SAR for an initial indication of your eligibility for a Pell Grant.
PA State Grants - These awards are announced in mid-May by PHEAA in the form of a "Status Notice" mailed to the student.
Federal Stafford Loans - The student's maximum eligibility will be indicated on the student's award letter. Award Letters will be mailed to new students beginning in April and to returning students in June.
Federal SEOG and Federal Perkins Loan - If the student is eligible, these awards will appear on his/her financial aid award letter.
Return to top
WHY DO I HAVE TO PUT MY PARENTS' TAX INFORMATION ON THE FAFSA IF THEY ARE NOT PAYING FOR SCHOOL?
The federal government expects both the parents
and the student to contribute to the student's educational cost.
Regardless of whether a parent will or will not contribute to your
education, their income and assets must be reported and be used
to determine your financial aid. Even if you do not live with your
parents, if you are considered dependent by the federal government,
you are required to provide parental information on the Free Application
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). There are questions
for you to answer to determine if you are dependent or independent.
Refer to the FAFSA for instructions regarding parental information.
WHAT DO I DO WHEN I'M CONSIDERED DEPENDENT BUT MY PARENT(S) WON'T PROVIDE INFORMATION OR SIGN MY FAFSA? CAN SOMEONE ELSE SIGN IT?
No one other than your parent may legally sign the FAFSA (refer to the FAFSA to determine who is considered a parent).
Unless your parent(s) provide the required information and sign the FAFSA, you cannot be considered for any need-based financial aid, including Federal Stafford Loans.
If you find yourself in this situation, you should contact your Financial Aid Counselor at the Office of Financial Aid at 717-872-3026 to help you explore other possibilities.
Return to top
I DO NOT LIVE WITH MY PARENTS, BUT LIVE WITH ANOTHER RELATIVE. SHOULD I PUT THEIR INFORMATION ON THE FAFSA AS MY PARENT?
No one other than your parent may provide financial information or sign the FAFSA. If you reside with grandparents, aunt/uncle, or someone other than your parents, contact the Office of Financial Aid at 717-872-3026 as soon as possible to speak to a Financial Aid Counselor about your situation.
MY PARENTS MAKE A LOT OF MONEY, SO I PROBABLY WON'T QUALIFY FOR FINANCIAL AID. SHOULD I STILL APPLY?
YES! Many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it.
In addition, there are sources of aid, such as low interest loans - Federal Stafford and Federal PLUS loans - that are available regardless of need. It is wise to have something to fall back on, in case your family finds themselves in a financial crunch.
I DON'T WANT TO MISS THE FAFSA FILING DEADLINE FOR MU (MARCH 15), BUT MY PARENTS DON'T FILE THEIR FEDERAL TAX RETURN UNTIL APRIL 15 (OR THEY FILE LATER BECAUSE THEY GET AN EXTENSION). WHAT SHOULD I DO?
You may use estimated tax information on the FAFSA based on your and your parents' W-2 forms. When the federal taxes are completed, you can update your Student Aid Report (SAR) or make corrections online (if you filed using FAFSA on the Web or have a PIN number). It is recommended that you have your taxes prepared early so the information you report is accurate, avoiding making corrections later.
Return to top
MY PARENTS ARE DIVORCED. THE PARENT I RESIDE WITH IS REMARRIED. DO I HAVE TO PROVIDE MY STEP-PARENT'S INCOME AND ASSETS ON THE FAFSA, EVEN IF I AM NOT SUPPORTED BY THE STEP-PARENT?
YES, provided that the parent you are living with is the one completing the FAFSA (your custodial parent). If your parent is married to your step-parent at the time you complete the FAFSA, both your parent and step-parent must report their income and assets, even if they weren't married the previous year (i.e. filed separate tax returns).
WHY SHOULD I GET A FEDERAL PIN AND APPLY ONLINE?
You can apply for financial aid - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completely online by using an electronic signature with your PIN. The online application assists you in filling out the information correctly and helps minimize mistakes. It also allows you to access your application to make updates to your FAFSA online using your PIN.
You can also use it to electronically sign your Master Promissory Note for the Federal Stafford Loan online.
WHEN WILL MY FINANCIAL AID AWARD BE READY?
To receive an award statement, the student must first complete the FAFSA. Once Millersville University has received information from the FAFSA, the following information will tell you when to expect your award statement to be ready:
For Incoming Freshman Students - students who are NOT currently enrolled at Millersville University - you should expect to receive your initial letter in mid-March, provided you have already been admitted to the university and have a completed FAFSA on file. Letters will continue to be sent as we receive FAFSAs from students.
Students who have NOT paid their confirmation fee will receive the award statement with the award amount or an estimated award. If an estimated award statement is received, that means that we need additional documentation from you to complete your record. However, we will not request or require that documentation until you have paid a confirmation fee.
For students who HAVE already paid the confirmation fee, you may receive an actual award statement or a Verification Form in the mail. If you receive the Verification Form, you must complete that and submit the required documentation prior to receiving the award statement. (See more information on the Verification process.)
Students will continue to receive new award statements if their financial aid changes. They will receive paper statements until the first day of classes. Once they enroll at Millersville University, all notification of financial aid awards will come via email and request they check their MAX account.
For Transfer Students - students who are NOT currently enrolled at Millersville University - if you have already paid the confirmation fee, you may receive an actual award statement or a Verification Form in the mail. If you receive the Verification Form, you must complete that and submit the required documentation prior to receiving the award statement. (See more information on the Verification process.)
Students will continue to receive new award statements if their financial aid changes. They will receive paper statements until the first day of classes. Once they enroll at Millersville University, all notification of financial aid awards will come via email and request they check their MAX account.
For Returning Students - students who ARE currently enrolled at Millersville University - your award statements will not be ready until approximately mid-June of each year. YOU WILL NO LONGER RECEIVE PAPER AWARD STATEMENTS IN THE MAIL. You will receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid indicating that your financial aid award is ready and you can check MAX to view the awards.
In order to have your financial aid award ready by mid-June, you must have completed the FAFSA and any required documentation. You can view your required documentation by logging in to your MAX account (View instructions). You must also be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible. If you are not maintaining SAP, you will NOT receive information about your award statement, but will receive a letter in the mail from our office explaining that you have lost your financial aid.
The reason students will not receive award information until mid-June is because all students, regardless of receipt of federal aid, must be reviewed at least once per year (our review is after Spring semester grades are posted) to be sure the student passed enough credits to maintain financial aid eligibility. For more information on this, please see our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy .
If you are a returning student and plan to utilize Millersville University's payment plan (MIPP), you can call the Office of Financial Aid to receive estimates in order to complete your MIPP contract by May 1.
If you do not meet the May 1 deadline for MIPP, you may still be eligible to sign-up for it, but you should view the requirements on the Bursar's Office webpage related to MIPP.
Return to top
PAYMENT / DUE DATES
WHAT ARE THE ANTICIPATED PAYMENT DATES FOR COLLEGE FEES?
Approximately mid-August for the Fall semester and mid-December for the Spring semester. Please be aware that each student must return their "Statement of Fees" by the due date, even if there is $0 due, in order to avoid any late fee and a hold on his/her registration.
Also refer to Bursar's Homepage for more information.
WILL THE UNIVERSITY EXTEND CREDIT TO ME UNTIL MY AID IS RECEIVED?
For those individuals who have been officially approved for financial aid, the university will extend credit.
Return to top
ARE CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTABLE FOR PAYMENT?
Yes, the university will accept Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. They also accept E-checks.
Also refer to Bursar's - Payment Methods for more information.
MY ACCOUNT
HOW DO I CHECK MY FINANCIAL AID ONLINE?
You can check your financial aid online through the MAX system.
- Log in using your MAX ID and password.
- Select "Student Services and Financial Aid"
- Select "Financial Aid"
- Select the appropriate link, depending on what you would like to view:
"My Overall Status of Financial Aid" - view overall status, academic progress, financial aid awards, cost of attendance, and read messages.
"My Eligibility" - review financial aid holds (which may prevent payment of awards) and document requirements, display academic progress history, and view your academic transcript.
"My Award Information"- view your billing summary, review financial aid awards by year, accept your financial aid offers by year, review your award history, display the award payment schedule, and view the history of loan applications.
Email the Office of Financial Aid.
Return to top
MY FEDERAL STAFFORD LOAN HAS NOT BEEN CREDITED TO MY ACCOUNT YET. WHY IS THAT?
Check your Max account to check for outstanding requirements for financial aid.
Be sure that you have signed the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and returned it to AES.
If all requirements are satisfied and you have previously signed the MPN, contact the Office of Financial Aid for further information.
MY PHEAA STATE GRANT HAS NOT BEEN CREDITED TO MY ACCOUNT YET. WHY IS THAT?
If you live off-campus, we may need your off-campus address. Check your Max account to
check for outstanding requirements for financial aid.
If all requirements are satisfied, then your PA State Grant should be applied to your account by the end of the third week of school.
If you still have not received it by the end of the third week, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Return to top
WHY IS MY MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY ID DIFFERENT THAN MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER?
To prevent potential security and privacy issues associated with using Social Security numbers as primary computer system IDs, Millersville University has assigned students a new MAX ID to access their student information via the MAX system. Your MAX ID begins with an "M" (upper case!) and appears on your new Marauder Onecard (student ID card). If you don't know your MAX ID, you can sign on the MAX web system using your Social Security number and PIN and look it up under the "Student Services & Financial Aid" menu. To access MAX by phone, simply drop the "M" and use the 8 digits as your ID. During the transition period, you can use either your Social Security number or your MAX ID to access your records by MAX web or phone. However, it is highly recommended that you start using your MAX ID immediately in place of your Social Security number.
I HAVE REVIEWED MY AWARD AND I STILL NEED MORE MONEY. WHAT CAN I DO?
If you are a dependent student, your parents
may consider applying for a Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate
Students (PLUS). They can borrow
any amount, up to the cost of your education.
If they are denied for any reason, the student may borrow more money
in Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. A copy of the denial must
be on file at the Office of Financial Aid. Once we have the denial, we assume the student wishes to borrow the maximum amount unless we are notified otherwise. See the
section on Federal Stafford Loans
to determine the maximum amount the student can borrow additionally.
Students who are independent are automatically eligible for the
additional Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans, but you must contact us if you wish to have the additional money added to your account..
If your parents know they will be approved for
a PLUS Loan, but do not want a loan in their name, the student can
apply for an Alternative Loan,
with his/her parent as a cosigner. If you are an independent student,
you may not need a cosigner. Check the requirements for each individual
loan.
Compare the benefits of borrowing a PLUS loan versus an alternative loan . Download a side-by-side comparison of interest rates, loan fees, repayment terms, and more. (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader).
Millersville University also offers a Monthly Installment Payment Plan (MIPP). The deadline is MAY 1 (prior to the start of the academic year) (i.e May 1, 2008 for the 2008-2009 academic year).
Return to top
SUMMER / WINTER CLASSES
I WANT TO TAKE SUMMER CLASSES. CAN I GET FINANCIAL AID FOR THE SUMMER SESSION(S)?
There is financial aid available during the Summer session. Millersville University considers the academic year to include Summer/Fall/Spring (in that order) (i.e. 2008-2009 academic year consists of Summer 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009).
You MUST fill out a Summer Financial Aid Application (in addition to the FAFSA) in order to receive any financial aid for Summer. These forms are available after February 15 (prior to the summer session). If you do not fill out a Summer Financial Aid Application, you will not receive any financial aid in the Summer.
Whatever federal aid you use in the Summer terms (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Stafford Loan), will reduce the amount you will receive during the Fall and Spring semesters.
If you choose to use a PHEAA State Grant for the Summer session, you must fill out a separate application, which is available in the Office of Financial Aid in April (prior to the summer session). You are only permitted to have 8 full-time semesters of PHEAA State Grant, so using PHEAA during the summer may reduce your total number of Fall/Spring award payments.
You must be enrolled for at least 6 credits to receive the Federal Stafford Loan or PHEAA State Grant. You may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant if you are enrolled for at least 3 credits.
Get more information on 2008 Summer Financial Aid. This webpage also includes an online or a printable version of the 2008 Summer Financial Aid Application (required to receive any summer financial aid).
I WANT TO TAKE WINTER CLASSES. CAN I GET FINANCIAL AID FOR THE WINTER SESSION?
There is NO financial aid available for the Winter session.*
*If you are a part-time student (less than 12 credits during the Spring semester following the Winter session you enrolled) there may be aid available to you retroactively. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific information regarding this.
Return to top
SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES AFFECTING AID ELIGIBILITY
ONE OF MY PARENTS LOST HIS/HER JOB AND MY FAMILY IS IN A FINANCIAL BIND. CAN THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID HELP ME OUT?
If your family experiences a change in income due to an unusual circumstance (loss of job, reduced hours, separation or divorce, death in the immediate family) contact the Office of Financial Aid to speak with a Financial Aid Counselor regarding your situation. It may be possible to re-evaluate your financial aid eligibility.
If your family has high unreimbursed medical expenses or pays private school tuition for elementary or secondary school (K-12), your financial aid eligibility may be re-evaluated. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for further information.
Return to top
LOANS (PLUS, STAFFORD, ALTERNATIVE)
MY PARENTS KNOW THEY WILL BE DENIED A PLUS LOAN. IS THERE A WAY TO QUICKLY APPLY FOR A PLUS LOAN?
There are several lenders that offer online pre-approvals. If parents know they will be denied, complete an Online Pre-Approval form through
American
Education Services (AES) (select "Online PLUS Preapproval
and Application" on the right side of the page, )
If the parent is denied the PLUS Loan, some lenders will work with the borrower to repair his/her credit.
Return to top
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SUBSIDIZED STAFFORD LOAN AND AN UNSUBSIDIZED STAFFORD LOAN?
The school determines the amount of Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans the student is eligible for. You must have financial need in order to receive a Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan.
A SUBSIDIZED loan means that the government subsidizes the interest while you are in school - you are not required to pay interest, nor does it accrue on your loans until you are out of your grace period and in repayment.
An UNSUBSIDIZED loan means that you do not have financial need, therefore the federal government requires that you start paying the interest on your loan as soon as it is disbursed, or it will capitalize and you will have to pay it back when you start paying on your loans. It is recommended that, if you have an unsubsidized Stafford Loan, you pay the interest while you are in school to avoid larger payments when you begin repayment. You will receive an interest statement every 3 months whether you elect to pay the interest now or have it capitalized.
HOW DO I REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF MY FEDERAL STAFFORD LOAN OR CANCEL THE ENTIRE LOAN?
Students may cancel all or a portion of the loan within 14 days after the date the school has sent notification that the loan funds have been credited to the student's account. Contact the Office of Financial Aid to cancel or reduce the loan, or you can download the Loan Change Form-downloadable form from our Financial Aid Forms Center and return it to the Office of Financial Aid (Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader), or submit a Loan Change Form online (Loan Change Form - online submission)
Return to top
FEDERAL WORK STUDY
WHAT IS FEDERAL WORK STUDY?
The Federal Work Study program provides funds for jobs for undergraduate and graduate student with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay for educational expenses. Offices throughout campus hire Federal Work Study students to work while they are taking classes.
Community service is also a part of the Federal
Work Study program. Students can complete community services projects
and be paid for them. Contact the Community Service Office at 717-871-2333
or refer to the Community
Service website.
HOW DO I OBTAIN A JOB IF I HAVE BEEN AWARDED FEDERAL WORK STUDY?
Students who have been awarded Federal Work Study do NOT get placed in jobs.
It is the responsibility of the student to obtain employment on-campus. Students can view a listing of jobs online through the Career Services Website College Central Network. Otherwise, the student should contact the department s/he is interested in working in to see if they will be hiring. Students can be hired at any point during the year, but contact the departments to see if there are positions available.
If you are interested in participating in community
service projects in order to earn Federal Work Study money, contact
the Community Service Office at 717-871-2333 or refer to the Community
Service website.
Return to top
GENERAL QUESTIONS
WHERE MAY I CALL FOR HELP?
| PA State Grant Division |
1-800-692-7392 |
| AES - American Education Services (Federal Stafford and Federal PLUS Loans) | 1-800-692-7392 |
| Federal Student Aid (FAFSA questions) |
1-800-433-3243 or
319-337-3738 |
| AES/PHEAA (formerly Student Loan Servicing Center - SLSC) - repayment of Federal Stafford Loans and interest payments | 1-800-233-0557 |
| MU Office of Financial Aid |
717-872-3026 |
| MU Bursar's Office (billing and refunds) | 717-872-3641 or
717-872-3683 |
| MU Installment Payment Office | 717-872-3021 |
Return to top
WHO MAY INQUIRE ABOUT MY FINANCIAL AID RECORD?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) protects the confidentiality of student records. Only the student can request information regarding his/her financial aid file.
Therefore, if a student would like their financial aid information released to another individual and/or agency, including parents, the student must complete the "Authorization to Release Information Form" and submit it to the Office of Financial Aid.
This form may be submitted online through
- Log in using your MAX ID and password.
- Select "Student Services and Financial Aid"
- Select "Financial Aid"
- Select "My Eligibility"
- Select "Document Requirements/Holds"
OR it may be downloaded.
WHAT RECORDS SHOULD I RETAIN?
Keep copies of all your applications as well as any letters you send to the various agencies.
Keep a copy of your Federal income tax form to document your adjusted gross income or other data which appears on the 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ form.
Return to top
IF I WITHDRAW FROM A CLASS, WILL IT AFFECT MY FINANCIAL AID?
No matter if you receive financial aid during the period you withdrew from your class, it may affect your future financial aid awards. Please see our policy on academic progress requirements and financial aid eligibility.
IF I REPEAT A CLASS, WILL IT AFFECT MY FINANCIAL AID?
If you repeat a course you have previously earned a passing grade in (passing for financial aid purposes includes A,B,C,D or S), it may affect your future financial aid awards. Please see our policy on academic progress requirements.
I WAS SELECTED FOR VERIFICATION. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
The U.S. Department of Education requires that 30% of all students who apply for financial aid must be verified. Verification is the process to make sure that the information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is accurate. Some applications are selected because of inconsistent information, while others are randomly selected. Any student who is selected will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid. The following are items required to complete verification (this may not be an all inclusive list):
Millersville University Verification Form
Student's Federal Tax Return
Parents' Federal Tax Return (for dependent students)
The Office of Financial Aid will compare the information on the tax returns to the FAFSA and correct any errors. Any corrections made will generate a new Student Aid Report (SAR). After the verification process is complete, the student will be notified of his/her financial aid eligibility (after April for new Freshman; after June for all returning students).
Failure to complete the verification process will prohibit you from receiving any federal financial aid for the academic year for which you are applying.
Return to top
MY AWARD WAS BASED ON FULL-TIME ENROLLMENT, BUT I'M
ONLY ATTENDING PART-TIME. IS THERE ANYTHING I NEED TO DO TO NOTIFY
THE OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID?
The Office of Financial Aid requests that you
notify us by completing the part-time award
form available online for submission. This will allow us to adjust
your financial aid based on your reported enrollment status. Failure
to provide this information may delay the disbursement of your financial
aid.
HOW MUCH FINANCIAL AID IS AWARDED AT MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY?
The Office of Financial Aid administers a financial aid program that, in 2004-05, brought in nearly $40.5 million in financial assistance to approximately 6,300 Millersville students (78% of our total population).
WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT AND SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT IT?
Identity theft is a serious crime and can affect anyone. It occurs when someone uses your personal
information without your permission to commit fraud or other
crimes. As with any crime, you cannot completely control
whether you will become a victim. But according
to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the
nation’s consumer protection agency, you can
minimize your risk by managing your personal
information cautiously. Please see our webpage on identity theft for more information.
I AM STUDYING ABROAD FOR A SEMESTER. WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?
Print out the following list for use in preparing for study abroad.
• Contact the
Office of Global Education and Partnerships
(formerly Office of International Affairs) to complete the necessary paperwork for your study abroad program.
• Complete your FAFSA as usual for financial aid for the academic year.
• Ask the
Office of Global Education and Partnerships
to forward a copy of your study abroad paperwork with the costs to the Office of Financial Aid.
• The Office of Financial Aid will process your financial aid through Millersville University using your study abroad costs and the number of credits that you will be enrolled for in your program. Study Abroad programs usually have higher costs than Millersville University ; however, this does not mean that your federal or state awards will be increased (including your Stafford Loan). Contact the Office of Financial Aid for additional funding options if your costs exceed your aid awarded.
• Please note that if you need funds early to pay for deposits or air fare, you need to make sure you have other funding options to cover these costs until your financial aid disburses. Federal funds will disburse as they normally would at the beginning of each semester to your account at Millersville University and cannot be disbursed early. If no balance is due to the Bursar's Office, then a refund will be issued to you at that time. Be aware that any balance owed to the Bursar will be deducted before a refund is sent to you.
• Any refund you receive from the Bursar will be sent to your home address in a check made payable to you, the student. It is possible that the check will not arrive until after you have embarked on your trip. Therefore, you should make any necessary arrangements for someone else to deposit/negotiate your check for you.
• If you have any questions, contact the Office of Financial Aid at (717) 872-3026.
I AM PLANNING TO LIVE OFF-CAMPUS - HOW DOES THAT AFFECT MY FINANICAL AID?
- Please note that Off-campus housing is considered any housing where the student is not residing with his/her parents and is not paying Millersville University for housing - this includes Shenks Hall and Reighard Hall.
- One main difference of living Off-campus compared to living On-campus is that Millersville University does not bill you for housing and will not bill you for a meal plan unless you choose to have one.
- Students living in Shenks Hall and Reighard Hall are required to have a meal plan from Millersville University but are not billed for housing in these halls by the university.
- Since you are not billed for housing or a meal plan by Millersville University, you will only owe the university the cost of your tuition and fees. Your financial aid awards will remain the same as though you were living on-campus. Since your bill is lower, you would receive the remaining amount of money in a refund check to use for your off-campus living expenses (rent, utilities, food, etc.) once your financial aid has disbursed/paid to your Millersville University account.
- For financial aid purposes, we consider the cost of living off-campus slightly higher than living on-campus. For more information, see our webpage on Cost of Education.
- If you have a PA State Grant through PHEAA, you are required to report your local
(Off-campus) address to us. You can easily do this by updating your address in your MAX account (under Personal Information) - be sure to indicate the appropriate dates. If you do not report your address on MAX, you will be required to complete a form giving us your local address, which may prevent the payment of your PA State Grant to your student account.
Return to top
|
