2001 - 2002
Undergraduate Catalog

Student Affairs

• Dean of Students Office
• Division of Housing
• Student Financial Affairs
• UF International Center
• Special Support Services
• Career Resource Center
• J. Wayne Reitz Union
• University Counseling Center
• Gator Dining Service
• Student Health Care Center
• Dental Care
• Speech and Hearing Clinic
• Reading and Writing Center
• Correspondence Study
• Student Legal Services
• Guide to Special Services

Student Financial Affairs

Enrollment Requirements for Financial Aid
Academic Progress Requirements for Financial Aid
Additional Policies That Apply to All Students

www.ufsa.ufl.edu/sfa/

The Office for Student Financial Affairs (SFA) in 107 Criser Hall, coordinates and administers student financial aid programs and provides financial assistance and counseling at UF.

SFA awards aid to students according to financial need-the difference between current educational costs and what individual students can pay toward these costs. The university evaluates financial need for UF students from data provided by the federal need-analysis processor, after the processor has analyzed the information students and their families have supplied on the student's Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

What is Financial Aid? Financial aid is money provided to students and their families as either gift aid or self-help to help pay college costs. Gift aid is free money such as scholarships and grants. Students do not have to repay these awards. Self-help programs include loans and employment and are named "self-help" because students must repay loans and work for money awarded through employment programs. Awards consist of scholarships, grants, loans, and/or work, singly or as a package.

Types of Aid: Scholarships are awarded based on academic performance and financial need. SFA awards a limited number of scholarships to academically outstanding undergraduates with documented need. Most academic scholarships are awarded through the Office of Admissions. Individual colleges also offer scholarships. For information, students should contact their college.

Grants are awarded to undergraduates with financial need and range from $100 to $4,000. The two largest grant programs are the Federal Pell Grant and the Florida Student Assistance Grant.

The following undergraduate loan programs are available at UF: Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford Loans, UF Institutional Loans and Federal Perkins Loans. Parents of dependent undergraduates can also take out educational loans through the Federal Direct PLUS Loan program. These programs offer long-term, low-interest loans that must be repaid when the borrower graduates, withdraws or drops to less than half-time enrollment.

Loans range upward from $500 per academic year at low annual interest rates. The amount of each loan except for Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Federal Direct PLUS loans is based on financial need as determined from information the borrower provides on the FAFSA.

The university also has a Short-Term Loan program to help students meet emergency financial needs related to educational expenses. Students may borrow up to $1,000 or the amount of in-state tuition if they have an acceptable repayment source. Interest is one percent per month and these loans must be repaid by the first day of the last month in the semester in which the money is borrowed.

Part-time employment through the university is offered to about 7,500 students each year. Students normally work 15-20 hours a week, four or five days a week and earn at least minimum wage. Most departments arrange work hours around the students' academic schedules.

When to Apply: Applications are available January 1 each year. Students are considered for aid according to the date their aid file is complete. A few programs such as the Federal Pell Grant program, Federal Direct Stafford/Ford Loans and OPS employment are open for application throughout the year (refer to important deadlines below).

Although SFA cannot award financial aid to students until they have been admitted to the university, students should apply for aid as soon as possible after January 1 each year.

How to Apply: Financial aid applications are not sent automatically when students apply for admission. Students must obtain a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and a UF Gator Aid Application Guide from any Florida community college or high school guidance office. Students can also request these forms from the Office for Student Financial Affairs, Box 114025, Gainesville, FL 32611-4025, or by calling (352) 392-1275. FAFSA's are also available directly from the federal government by calling toll-free: 1-800-433-3243. Students can now apply electronically. "FAFSA on the Web" is an on-line application available as a link through our web-site: www.ufsa.ufl.edu/sfa/.

Students must complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the Federal Student Aid Programs processor at the address indicated on the form. Your financial data must reach us from the processor no later than March 15 for your application to be considered "on-time." Allow a minimum of three weeks for processing.

Confidentiality of Student Records: The university ensures the confidentiality of student records in accordance with State University System statutes and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, known as the Buckley Amendment. Students' family financial information and the type and amount of their aid are held in confidence. Information is released only with the student's written consent.

Important Deadlines: Financial aid applications should be completed and sent to the appropriate processor as soon as possible after January 1. March 15 is the "on-time" deadline for Student Financial Affairs to receive your information from the need analysis agency. Students who wish to be considered for campus-based and institutional programs (such as Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loans, Turner Grants and University Loans) should apply by this date since these funds are limited.

Federal Direct Loan Program deadlines are set by semester. The fall deadline for applying for Federal Direct Stafford/Ford, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford/Ford, and Federal Direct PLUS loans is October 15. Individual colleges within the university and private organizations have their own deadlines for applying for aid.

Student Employment Office: The SFA Student Employment Office is a clearinghouse for part-time employment and coordinates three employment programs: Federal Work Study, (OPS) and off-campus jobs. Student Employment maintains an online job list on our web site.

Customer Service: SFA is open from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. For financial aid information, applications and advising, students can go to 107 Criser Hall or call 392-1275. A telephone counselor also is available daily.

Satellite Offices: SFA has satellite offices located at: College of Dentistry: D3-#17A Health Science Center, (352) 846-1384; Colleges of Health Professions, Nursing, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine, CG-96 Health Science Center, (352) 392-6631; College of Law, 164 Holland Hall, (352) 392-0421; and College of Medicine, M-128 Health Science Center, (352) 392-7800.

ISIS: Students can access information about their personal financial aid files via the Internet. The web address is www.isis.ufl.edu/.

SFA TIPS is an interactive telephone system that allows students to access up-to-date financial aid information using their university PIN and social security number. To access the system, dial 846-1183. SFA TIPS is closed between the hours of 2:15 a.m. - 6:30 a.m. daily.

NEXUS Tapes, the university's telephone tape series, contains current financial aid information. To reach NEXUS, dial 392-1683. Ask for Tape 402.

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Enrollment Requirements for Financial Aid

UF students must enroll at least half time to receive most types of financial aid.

The sum of all credit hours in Summer A, B and/or C will determine a student's enrollment status for summer. Pell grants are prorated according to enrollment status. For undergraduate students, full-time enrollment for financial aid eligibility is 12 credit hours per term, and half time is 6 credit hours per term.

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Academic Progress Requirements for Financial Aid

UF students receiving financial aid are required to be in good standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress. Undergraduate students must comply with the conditions below to continue to receive financial aid awarded them.

Students must have a 2.0 cumulative grade point average by the end of 60 carried academic credit hours and must maintain at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average for the duration of their undergraduate enrollment. Students failing to meet this requirement will be suspended from receiving financial aid until they meet the requirement.

Until the completion of 60 academic credit hours, students' progress for financial aid purposes will be evaluated to determine eligibility for continued enrollment.

• Students who have from .5 to 14.5 deficit grade points will be placed on financial aid probation;
• Students who have 15 or more deficit grade points will be suspended from financial aid for one term;
• Students who do not reduce their grade point deficit to fewer than 15 deficit grade points the following term of enrollment will be terminated from financial aid; and

Students who reduce their grade point deficit to fewer than 15 deficit grade points will return to financial aid probation status.

Any action taken by the Faculty Senate Committee on Student Petitions regarding students' appeals of their suspended enrollment because of grade point deficit (for students who have not yet earned 60 credit hours) will also apply to the financial aid component of the academic progress policy.

Students will not be eligible for aid if they do not earn a baccalaureate degree after 150 credit hours (whether or not they received aid for all terms), with the following exception: Students may carry up to 160 credit hours for programs that regularly require more than 130 hours for a degree.

• Freshmen must earn 75 percent of their hours carried and achieve sophomore status (30 earned hours) after carrying a maximum of 40 credit hours;
• Sophomores must earn 78 percent of their total credit hours carried and achieve junior status (60 earned hours) after carrying a maximum of 77 credit hours;
• Juniors must earn 82 percent of their total credit hours carried and achieve senior status (90 earned hours) after carrying a maximum of 110 credit hours;
• Seniors must earn 87 percent of their total hours carried and must have earned a degree after carrying a maximum of 150 credit hours with the following exception: Students who have earned more than 130 credit hours and are enrolled in a program requiring more than 130 hours for a baccalaureate degree must earn 91 percent of their hours carried and must earn a degree after carrying a maximum of 160 credit hours; and
• Students who do not earn the minimum percentage of credit hours specified will be placed on financial aid probation for one term. During the following term of enrollment these students must increase their credit hours to the minimum. If they do not, they will be suspended from aid until they meet this standard. Students may receive up to ten full-time terms of aid (or the equivalent) with the following exceptions:
• Students admitted under the Board of Regents 10 percent admissions policy may receive up to eleven full-time terms (or the equivalent) of aid;
• Students in programs requiring more than 130 credit hours to earn a baccalaureate degree may receive up to eleven full-time terms (or the equivalent) of aid; and
• Students admitted under the Board of Regents 10 percent admissions policy in a program requiring more than 130 credit hours may receive up to twelve full-time terms (or the equivalent) of aid.

The maximum number of terms students transferring to the university may receive aid is prorated based on their entering enrollment status. For example, a student enrolling as a junior may receive a maximum of five terms of aid to earn a baccalaureate degree. Transfer students should check with their financial aid adviser concerning eligible semesters of aid. Aid received at another institution is not included.

Postbaccalaureate Students: Students enrolled in postbaccalaureate studies must petition the Academic Progress Appeals Committee to receive financial aid. They must meet the same academic requirements as undergraduates. The types of financial aid available to postbaccalaureate students depend on the student's degree-seeking status.

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Additional Policies That Apply to All Students

Students who withdraw from school once while receiving financial aid will be on financial aid warning;

• Students who withdraw from school more than once while receiving financial aid will no longer be eligible for financial aid;
• Withdrawal from a Summer A or B term will constitute one-half of a withdrawal;
• Students who receive aid during a term and do not attain a grade point average for that term may be required to explain their enrollment status;
• Course withdrawals, incompletes and course repeats will conform to the academic standards used by the university for determining grade point average;
• Remedial courses are not offered at the university; and
• Students who think they have extenuating circumstances that have contributed to their failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress may petition the Academic Progress Appeals Committee for reassessment of their status.

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