Financial Aid and Scholarships

Director, Financial Aid Office: Patti Kohler
Location: Taggart Student Center 106
Phone: (435) 797-0173
FAX: (435) 797-0654
E-mail: finaid@usu.edu
WWW: http://www.usu.edu/finaid/

Associate Director: Tamara Allen
Assistant Director: Sharon B. Robinette
Assistant Director: Cedra H. Jensen
Business Manager: Karen S. Marshall

Students are assigned to a financial aid counselor based on the first letter of their last names. Following is a list of financial aid counselors, the students assigned to them, and their e-mail addresses.

Counselor: Raquel Friddle (A-B), raquel.friddle@usu.edu
Counselor: Amanda Alles (C-D), amanda.alles@usu.edu
Counselor: Jacob R. Brazell (E-G), jacob.brazell@usu.edu
Counselor: Shannon Anderson (H-K), shannon.anderson@usu.edu
Counselor: Jennifer McGaughey (L-M), jennifer.mcgaughey@usu.edu
Counselor: Sophara Tieng (N-R), sophara.tieng@usu.edu
Counselor: Chelise Elwood (S-V), chelise.elwood@usu.edu
Counselor: Cedra H. Jensen (W-Z), cedra.jensen@usu.edu
 

Perkins Loan and Collection Officer:

Justin Gereau, Taggart Student Center 248, (435) 797-1057, justin.gereau@usu.edu

Application for financial aid begins in January for the following academic year. In most instances, early application benefits the applicant. Those who apply early have a greater chance of receiving more aid and of having aid available in time to meet school needs. Pell Grant and Direct Loans are available throughout the year. Contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance. The free online application can be found at: http://www.fafsa.gov

Scholarships are awarded to qualifying applicants who apply on or before February 1, prior to the academic year. Students should contact the Admissions Office or the department of their major for the exact deadline.

Financial aid programs, policies, and procedures described herein reflect the latest information at publication. Changes may occur in response to state and federal requirements. Appropriate notice will be made whenever possible before any change takes effect.

For further information concerning financial assistance available for graduate students, see the School of Graduate Studies  section of this catalog.

Grants, Work-Study, and Loans

Federal Pell Grant

Available to undergraduates. In most cases, grants do not need to be repaid.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity (FSEOG) Grant

Available to undergraduates. Grants do not need to be repaid. The maximum award varies yearly. Awarding is based on need and funding.

Other Grants and Special Benefits

Contact the Financial Aid Office for details concerning BIA or Tribal Grants.

Federal College Work-Study

Provides part-time on-campus employment to enable students to earn a portion of their educational expenses during the college year. Awarding is based on need and the availability of funds.

Federal Perkins Loan

Undergraduate students generally may borrow up to $3,000 per year, to a total school amount of not more than $15,000. Graduate students may borrow $4,000 per year, up to $30,000. Monthly payments and interest begin after graduation, withdrawal, or otherwise leaving school, or after dropping below 6 credits. A 5 percent simple interest rate applies. Awarding is based on need and funding.

Federal Direct Loan

Direct loans have a 6.8 percent interest rate. Undergraduate students may qualify for subsidized and unsubsidized loans, depending upon need. Interest accrued prior to the beginning of repayment is paid by the federal government for “subsidized” Federal Direct Loans. Repayment is generally required within 10 years. Starting in 2008, freshmen may apply for up to $5,500 per regular school year; sophomores may apply for up to $6,500 per year; juniors, seniors, and second bachelor’s degree students may apply for up to $7,500 per year; and graduates may apply for up to $8,500 per year. Aggregate borrowing limits are $31,500 for undergraduates and second bachelor’s degree students, and $65,500 for graduates. Monthly repayment begins after completing or leaving school, or after dropping below 6 credits. Additional unsubsidized amounts are available to students in some circumstances.

Federal TEACH “Grant”

The TEACH “Grant” program provides up to $4,000 per year in “grant” aid to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in a teacher credential program. Students must serve as full-time teachers at specified schools and teach in a specified field for four academic years within eight years after completing the college course. TEACH “Grant” recipients who do not fulfill their teaching obligations must repay the “grant” as if it were an unsubsidized loan.

PLUS Loans

PLUS loans are for parents who want to borrow for their children’s education. This loan provides additional funds for educational expenses. Repayment begins within 60 days after the last loan disbursement. This loan has an interest rate of 7.9 percent. This loan is available when other awarded federal aid to the student does not fully meet the school’s estimated cost of education.

Emergency Check Loan

Ten-week loans of up to $400 are available to enrolled students with fees paid for at least 6 credits. These loans are not available for tuition. Interest is assessed at 12 percent from date of issue until the date of maturity.

Grants and Loans Automatically Adjust for Repeated Courses

Federal regulations allow students to receive aid for only one repeat of a previously passed class. This does not prevent you from taking a class as many times as you need. However, when you register, Banner will disregard any such repeated classes when disbursing aid.

For example, if you received a D in MATH 1050, and wished to improve your grade, you can receive aid for one repeat of that class. Once you have taken it again-even if you still need a higher grade for you major-aid will not be available for that class again.

This does not apply to classes that are repeatable for credit, such as continuing research or studio classes, but does apply to regular courses such as MATH 1050.

This regulation still applies even if you did not receive financial aid the previous time(s) you took the course. Please contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions.

Method of Awarding Financial Aid

A student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is calculated from information provided by the student on the federal financial aid application. A student’s Financial Need is the difference between the estimated cost of education and the EFC. Financial aid is awarded to fill this need, as much as possible, using whatever funds are available.

Estimated Cost of Undergraduate Education for Two Semesters for 2014-2015 Academic Year

Repayment of Federal Funds Policy

Students who are withdrawing from the University and who have Federal Financial Aid must meet with their financial aid counselor prior to withdrawing.

Students who completely withdraw from the University during the course of a semester are required to return a percentage of their Federal Student Financial Aid. All types of Federal Financial Aid are included in the repayment, including: Pell Grants, Supplemental Grants, Perkins Loans, and Direct Loans. The amount of repayment is based on the percentage of the semester completed. For example, if a student withdraws after completing 40% of the semester (calculated using calendar days), the student must return 60% of his or her Federal Student Aid. Students who withdraw, or cease attending, after completing 60% of the semester are not required to return aid. (However, they will still face suspension from financial aid for failing to complete the required number of credits.) If the student is eligible for a refund of tuition and fees, according to the University refund policy, the refund will be applied to the Federal Financial Aid obligation. A refund may or may not completely repay the obligation. Either way, the student will not be allowed to register for future classes, nor be eligible for future financial aid, until the debt is repaid.

For example, suppose a student has Federal Aid in the following amounts:

If the semester has 115 calendar days and the student completely withdraws from the University on day 20, the repayment would be calculated as follows: 115/20 = 17% of the semester completed, and 83% not completed. Therefore, 83% of the Federal Aid must be repaid (i.e., $5,450 x 83% = $4,523.50).

Students who receive all Fs for the semester must document participation in an academic activity (including attending class, taking exams, turning in assignments, etc.) past 60 percent of the semester or will have to repay 50% of the federal funds received.

Note: If a tuition refund is given by the Registration Office, the refund will reduce the amount of Federal Aid that must be repaid.

Responsibility of Financial Aid Recipients

Undergraduate financial aid recipients are expected to maintain a USU GPA of at least 2.0. Graduate students must maintain a USU GPA of 3.0. Undergraduate students must also pass 67 percent of the credits they attempt.

Students not passing the required amount of credits or not maintaining the required grade point average will be placed on financial aid warning and must return to good standing in one semester. Students who do not return in good standing will be suspended from further aid. In exceptional circumstances, students may appeal to have the suspension lifted.

In addition to maintaining academic progress as defined above, recipients may not owe a repayment on grants previously received, or be in default of any student loan fund at USU or any other institution.

Scholarship Policy

Scholarships for new undergraduate students and undergraduate transfer students are awarded by the Admissions Office. Scholarships for continuing students are awarded by the various colleges and academic departments.

Scholarships for New Undergraduate Students and Transfer Students

To be considered for scholarships, applicants must be admitted to Utah State University for a fall semester, attend classes at the main Logan campus, and intend to graduate from USU. (Students majoring in programs sponsored by other academic institutions, such as the Cooperative Nursing Program with Weber State University, are not eligible for Utah State University sponsored scholarships.) Utah State University offers a variety of scholarships based on academic merit using the cumulative GPA (a four-point scale is used to determine cumulative GPA) and ACT or SAT score. Some other criteria may be used in determining eligibility, such as achievements, leadership, talent, family size and income, ethnicity, and first-generation college student status. The scholarship application deadline (as listed on the dual admissions and scholarship application) is different than the admissions deadline. To be considered for academic scholarships, the deadline is December 1. Applicants are encouraged to apply early. Visit the Admissions Office Website, usu.edu/admissions/scholarships/, for information about scholarships available to new students.  For more information, contact the Admissions Office by phone at 1-800-488-8108 or (435) 797-1079, or by e-mail at: admit@usu.edu. 

ROTC Scholarships

For information about these scholarships, contact the Air Force ROTC Office at (435) 797-8723 or the Army ROTC Office at (435) 797-3637. Information is available on the Web at: http://www.afrotc.com/scholarships and http://www.goarmy.com/rotc/scholarships.jsp   

Nonresident Alumni Legacy Scholarship

Nonresident students having at least one parent who earned a degree from USU (associate-level degree or higher) can receive a waiver of the nonresident portion of tuition, allowing them to pay resident tuition during their academic career at USU. To qualify for the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship, a student must be enrolling for the first time at USU and submit a verification application online for their parent(s).

Time spent in Utah on the Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship cannot be counted toward establishing resident student status. The Alumni Legacy Nonresident Scholarship was implemented July 1, 2009 and made possible by the signing of House Bill 364. It is not the same Legacy Scholarship given by the Utah State University Alumni Association. Other requirements may apply. For further scholarship information, contact the USU Admissions Office, Taggart Student Center 102, (800) 488-8108.

Alumini Chapter Scholarship

To be considered for a chapter scholarship, a student must be (1) living in an area with a chartered alumni chapter, (2) be an incoming freshman or transfer student (cannot have previously attended USU) and (3) be a child or grandchild of a USU alumunus. The amount of each scholarship is based on the funds raised in each chapter. Therefore, the scholarships may be different each year. For information about these scholarships, contact the Alumni Office at (435) 797-2055, or visit usu.edu/alumni/scholarships.

New Century Scholarship

The New Century Scholarship encourages students to accelerate their education by earning an Associate’s degree in high school from an institution within the Utah System of Higher Education. The scholarship may be used at a 4-year public college or university within the Utah System of Higher Education, as well as at Brigham Young University-Provo and Westminster College.

New Century Information:

Email: newcentury@ushe.edu
Phone: 801-321-7221
Website: http://www.newcenturyscholarship.org
Mailing address:
New Century Scholarship Program
PO Box 145116
Salt Lake City, Utah 84114-5116

Regents’ Scholarship

The Regents’ Scholarship encourages Utah high school students to prepare for college academically and financially by taking a core course of study and saving for college. The scholarship may be used at any public college or university in the Utah System of Higher Education, as well as at Brigham Young University-Provo, LDS Business College and Westminster College.

Regents’ Scholarship Contact Information:

Email: regentsscholarship@ushe.edu
Phone: 801-321-7159
Website: http://www.regentsscholarship.org
Mailing Address:
Regents’ Scholarship Program
PO Box 145114
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5114

University Research Fellowships

Utah State University is known nationally for its emphasis on hands-on learning in research, scholarship, and the creative arts. University Research Fellowships of $1,000 per year (renewable) are awarded to students who successfully compete in the application and interview process. Fellows are paired with a faculty member and begin inquiry in their fields of study as freshmen, which prepares them to compete for prestigious scholarships and entry into graduate studies. Presidential Dean’s, and Aggie Scholars are eligible to compete for Research Fellowships.

Continuing USU Student Scholarships

Department Scholarships

Each department has its own scholarship application, which is available at the department’s office and must be returned there by the given deadline. For most departments, the application deadline is February 1.

Tuition waivers and other forms of academic scholarships are awarded to students who are or who have been students at USU. Such applicants compete with other students within their department. Students should check with their department for application requirements and deadlines.

Private Endowment Scholarships

Each of the eight colleges at USU awards scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students. Although most of these scholarships are awarded to students who have already attended USU for one or more semesters, a few of them are available to new freshmen who have already decided upon their major area of study. Application forms are available from the dean’s office of each college.