Financial Aid Eligibility
Change in Family Status/Circumstance
Determining Independent Status
Eligibility
Requirements
Citizenship Policy
Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress
Your status at the University will determine the extent to which
you are eligible for the financial aid programs administered through the
Financial Aid Office. Your enrollment as a full or part time student,
undergraduate or graduate, is particularly critical in determining your
eligibility for government programs, and the extent to which you can be
funded.
Undergraduate students persuing their first four year undergraduate degree (Bachelors) may be eligible for the full array of financial aid programs from the federal and state governments. Those students wishing to obtain a second four year degree or a program certificate may only qualify for federal loans, excluding Perkins loans.
Financial Aid Available for Undergraduate Students
Federal:
Graduate Students are eligible to apply for the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program and the regular student employment program. Priority for Federal Perkins and Federal Work-Study is given to undergraduate students.
A number of graduate assistantships and fellowships are available to qualified graduate students. Graduate assistants and fellows receive a stipend and a fee waiver for the academic year. Students interested in applying for these positions should contact the Graduate School and their respective academic departments for detailed information.
International Students
International students are not eligible for federal and
state financial assistance at William Paterson University. However, students
possessing F-1 or J-1visas may work part-time on campus through the University's
own student employment program. Students may work up to twenty hours a
week when classes are in session and forty hours a week during breaks.
For information and eligibility criteria, contact Cinzia Richardson in the Department
of International Student Services. You may call 973/720-2306.
The cost of attending William Paterson University for an
academic year (two semesters) may vary from one student to another. We assume
that you will be enrolled full-time (twelve hours or more each semester for
undergraduates, nine hours or more each semester for graduates) for the academic
year. Students spend more or less depending upon individual tastes,
social obligations, and personal needs. In addition, students who live off-campus,
study abroad, or commute from parents home may have different expenses than
dependent, single students who live on-campus. Some particular academic programs
require the purchase of additional supplies. Should your enrollment be
for less than full-time, adjustments are made to the following components that
make up your cost of education.
It is important to confirm tuition and room and board rates with The
Office of the Bursar, the collection arm of the University.
To determine your eligibility for most financial aid, we must first calculate your financial need. Need is the difference between your cost of attendance and what you (and your parents, if you are dependent) might reasonably be expected to contribute to meet college costs. These contributions are determined by using the federal need analysis method. This system is federally legislated and used by postsecondary institutions across the nation. Mathematically, financial need is determined as
Cost of Attendance (student budget)
-
Expected Family Contribution (parents
and student)
______________________
= Need
Since you are the prime beneficiary of the college education, you are expected to contribute toward meeting your college costs. Part of your income and assets is considered to be available to pay for educational expenses during the award period.
Change in Family Status/Circumstance
If your status or your family's circumstances change because of a separation, divorce, unemployment or death, we may be able to help. Please pick up a "Request for Review" or print it out from the frontpage of this website under "Publications". The Form must be submitted with all required supporting documentation. Any adjustment in aid resulting from this request is contingent upon your eligibility according to program regulations and the availability of funds to the University at the time of review.
Determining Independent Status
In determining whether you are independent, the Financial
Aid Office is required to adhere to the standard definition of independent
status as mandated by Congress and outlined by the United States Department
of Education.
According to this definition, you will be considered an independent
student for 2003-2004 if you meet one of the following criteria;
If you believe you have specialized circumstances that warrant being considered independent beyond the above reasons, please call and request a "Dependency Status Appeal Form". You would need to be counseled to proceed with this specialized appeal.
In order to be considered for financial aid, you must
An applicant who is a permanent resident or other eligible
non-citizen may need to provide documentation of that status to receive
federal student financial aid funds.
Confirmation may be provided automatically through the results
of a computer match with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) records.
If the applicant's status has been confirmed, no other documentation is required,
and eligibility for federal aid has been established.
If INS' confirmation is not received, the applicant must bring
the following documents, if applicable, to the Financial Aid Office in order
to establish eligibility:
Deadlines: Applicants will meet eligibility requirements for federal aid as long as the documentation is submitted by the student and the secondary confirmation is determined by the last day of his/her enrollment during the academic year. If the documentation is not received by the last day of enrollment, the applicant will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid funds.