To select the Financial Aid plan as the primary payment option for enrollment in an online Undergraduate program, students must be eligible for enough in federal loan funds to cover 50% of the cost of tuition and fees for an academic year or $5,500, whichever is less.
To select the Financial Aid plan as the primary payment option for enrollment in an online Graduate program, students must be eligible for enough in federal loan funds to cover 50% of the cost of tuition and fees for an academic year.
Under this plan, when used as a primary payment option, or as a secondary payment option in combination of Shared Tuition Savings/Employee Tuition Savings as a primary payment option for enrollment in an online program, students are expected to submit all financial aid documents required for offering aid prior to their start date. Students are required to have all core financial aid documents - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), Institutional Financial Aid Application, Direct Loan Master Promissory Note, and Entrance Loan Counseling - on file with the University of Arizona Global Campus by 11:59 pm (Mountain Time Zone) the Wednesday prior to the student’s scheduled start date. Failure to submit required financial aid documents may result in the delay of a student’s start or administrative withdrawal from their current course. Students who are otherwise qualified may restart their program at a later date when all required financial aid documentation is submitted. If a student is unable to qualify for financial aid, they must select another payment option and are held responsible for any outstanding balances incurred.
Continuous attendance with no attendance breaks greater than 14 days or an approved Academic Leave is required to retain eligibility for disbursed federal financial aid funds. The University may schedule periods of non-enrollment during which no courses are scheduled. When this occurs, such as during the annual winter break, the non-enrollment period may extend the 14-day limit to include the break. The University may be required to return the federal funds of students with reduced financial aid eligibility due to attendance breaks or Academic Leaves, leaving the student responsible to the University for any balance on the student’s account. Students who are offered Title IV aid in an amount exceeding the tuition and fees assessed by the University, and/or students who withdraw before completion of the term or program, may be required to return unearned funds to the Department of Education and/or the University of Arizona Global Campus. Students in this situation who received excess funds stipend checks may be required to return those funds to the institution. Students are strongly encouraged to contact the Financial Services Department to understand the potential impact attendance changes may have on their financial aid as far in advance as possible.
Financial Aid Specific to Undergraduate Programs
Definition of Academic Year
Week = 7 calendar days
Full Academic Year Definition = a minimum of 40 weeks of instructional time and 24 successfully earned credits that apply toward the student’s program of study. Please note: courses are offered 50 weeks in each calendar year. Therefore, students can complete five academic years in four calendar years.
A full Academic Year consists of two (2) increments that are referred to as payment periods, financial aid payment periods or Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) increments.
- The first payment period in the Academic Year ends when half of the credits and weeks required for a completed Academic Year have been met.
- The second payment period in the Academic Year ends when the requirements for a completed Academic Year have been met.
Final Academic Year Exceptions:
- For any remaining portion of a program that is half of an Academic Year or less, the remaining portion is treated as a single payment period.
- For any remaining portion of a program that is more than half of an Academic Year but less than a full Academic Year, the remaining portion is divided into two payment periods and the first payment period is the period in which the student successfully completes half of the credits and half of the weeks of instructional time in the remaining portion.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated at the end of each payment period.
Loan Disbursement Information
Loan periods for undergraduate programs are 40 weeks in length. Undergraduate students can expect two (2) disbursements (one per payment period) each academic year. An academic year for undergraduate students is comprised of eight (8) successfully completed courses. Each payment period is four (4) successfully completed courses. The beginning of the loan period will coincide with the beginning date of the first course in the student’s academic year. See Financial Aid Specific to Undergraduate Programs Definitions in this section of the Catalog for more information about loan periods
First Disbursement: To receive a disbursement, students must have successfully completed the financial aid application process, including verification, if applicable. The first disbursement will be delivered no earlier than the first week a student has posted attendance in the first course. For students who are conditionally admitted with the University of Arizona Global Campus Promise, the first disbursement will be delivered no earlier than at the time of matriculation during the 4th week of attendance in the first course. For first-time undergraduate borrowers, the first disbursement cannot be disbursed until 30 days after the first day of the student’s program of study. The first disbursement is intended to be applied toward the first four (4) successfully completed courses and any applicable fees.
Second Disbursement: The second disbursement will be delivered once a student has successfully completed at least 12 undergraduate-level credits and is intended to be applied toward the remaining four (4) successfully completed courses and any applicable fees in the second payment period. A student must also be registered for and start the next class in the second payment period, and at least half of the loan period (20 weeks) must have passed. For students in a final academic year that is less than a full academic year but more than half of an academic year, the second disbursement will occur when the student has completed half the credits and half the weeks of instructional time remaining. Post Withdrawal Disbursement (PWD) eligibility is calculated by the University after withdrawal from a payment period and is never guaranteed.
Note: Grades of “W,” “WF,” “I,” or “F” do not count toward successfully completed courses. Grades of “D+,” “D,” or “D-” that do not count toward successful completion of required competency courses and thus must be repeated, also do not count toward successfully completed courses. In addition, students who are required or choose to repeat courses will not have the repeated course counted toward successfully completed courses. Once a grade of “I” is successfully completed for a permanent grade as outlined previously, the course will count toward successful completion.
Tuition Payment and Financial Aid
Tuition and fees are billed on a financial aid payment period basis. A payment period is a minimum of 20 weeks of instructional time and 12 successfully earned credits in undergraduate programs and 18 weeks of instructional time and 9 successfully earned credits in graduate programs. Students who have financial aid that is less than the cost of tuition and fees incurred during the payment period, drop a course with less than a 100% refund, or complete a course with an unsuccessful grade may be required to pay out of pocket to cover a shortfall. Students who fall below the minimum number of credit hours to receive a subsequent disbursement may have their financial aid funds reduced or prorated.
Online Bookstore Voucher
Students that receive Title IV aid may be eligible for a voucher to purchase required books and supplies through the University’s online bookstore. Vouchers are automatically generated and emailed to eligible students within the first seven days of the financial aid payment period.
This online bookstore voucher allows the student to purchase required books and supplies with an automated charge posted to their student account against anticipated financial aid, and only when the anticipated financial aid is greater than the amount of tuition and fees for the payment period. These voucher purchases will be paid by the student’s financial aid funds once disbursements are posted to the student’s account. In all cases, the student is obligated to reimburse the University of Arizona Global Campus in full for the amount of charges incurred when the bookstore voucher is used whether or not sufficient financial aid funds are available on the student’s account. Such a situation may occur, but is not limited to, when:
- The bookstore charges are not able to be charged against financial aid;
- The student does not receive the anticipated financial aid; or
- The student does not receive sufficient financial aid to cover the full amount of the bookstore charges.
Online bookstore vouchers will only be issued to students who:
- Are eligible for a Title IV aid; and
- Are estimated to be eligible for federal aid disbursements in excess of tuition and fee charges; and
- Complete their financial aid file 21 calendar days prior to the start of the financial aid payment period, or have their financial aid package completed 10 calendar days prior to the start of the payment period.
Online bookstore vouchers expire 21 days after the financial aid payment period begins and may only be used at the University’s online bookstore. These vouchers are not transferrable and cannot be redeemed for cash. Only one voucher per eligible student will be issued each financial aid payment period. Students are not obligated to use the voucher to purchase their books. Students may opt out by simply not using the book voucher and purchasing their books using personal funds.
Questions pertaining to the Online Bookstore Voucher should be directed to the Financial Services Department.
Financial Aid Specific to Graduate Programs
Definition of Academic Year
Week = 7 calendar days
Full Academic Year Definition = a minimum of 36 weeks of instructional time and 18 successfully earned credits that apply toward the student’s program of study.
Student's academic year that reach their Dissertation Planning or Applied Doctoral Planning courses, will change to 36 weeks and 4 successfully completed credits.
A full Academic Year consists of two (2) increments that are referred to as payment periods, financial aid payment periods or Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) increments.
- The first payment period in the Academic Year ends when half of the credits and weeks required for a completed Academic Year have been met.
- The second payment period in the Academic Year ends when the requirements for a completed Academic Year have been met.
Final Academic Year Exceptions:
- For any remaining portion of a program that is half of an Academic Year or less, the remaining portion is treated as a single payment period.
- For any remaining portion of a program that is more than half of an Academic Year but less than a full Academic Year, the remaining portion is divided into two payment periods and the first payment period is the period in which the student successfully completes half of the credits and half of the weeks of instructional time in the remaining portion.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated at the end of each increment.
Loan Disbursement Information
First Disbursement: To receive a disbursement, students must have successfully completed the financial aid application process, including verification, if applicable. The first disbursement will be delivered no earlier than the first week a student has posted attendance in the first course. For students who are conditionally admitted with the University of Arizona Global Campus Promise, the first disbursement will be delivered no earlier than at the time of matriculation during the 4th week of attendance in the first course. The first disbursement is intended to be applied toward the first three (3) successfully completed courses and any applicable fees or first successfully completed Dissertation/Applied Doctoral course.
Second Disbursement: The second disbursement will be delivered once a student has successfully completed at least 9 graduate-level credits or first successfully completed Dissertation/Applied Doctoral course and is intended to be applied toward the remaining three (3) successfully completed courses or second successfully completed Dissertation/Applied Docotral course and any applicable fees in the second payment period. A student must also be registered for and start the next class in the second payment period, and at least half of the loan period (18 weeks) must have passed.
Note: Grades of “W,” “WF,” "WU," “I,” "NP," "U," or “F” do not count toward successfully completed courses. In addition, students who are required or choose to repeat courses will not have the repeated course counted toward successfully completed courses. In addition, students who are required or choose to repeat courses in which they earned a grade of “C,” will not have the repeated course counted toward successfully completed courses. Once a grade of “I” is successfully completed for a permanent grade as outlined previously, the course will count toward successful completion.
Tuition Payment and Financial Aid
Each financial aid disbursement is intended to cover tuition costs for at least 9 graduate-level credits (or two Dissertation or Applied Planning courses). However, students who do not meet the criteria listed previously for receipt of loan funds may be required to pay for more than the minimum number of courses before a subsequent disbursement is available. Students who do not consistently register for sequential courses may not receive their financial aid disbursements.
Financial Aid and Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements
Students are required to make satisfactory academic progress in order to maintain eligibility for Title IV federal financial aid. See the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy in the Undergraduate Programs or Graduate Programs section of this Catalog for further details related to SAP review and requirements, and information related to conditions of Academic and Financial Aid Warning, Academic and Financial Aid Probation and Probation-Academic Plan during which students maintain Title IV eligibility.
Note: Grades of “W,” “WF,” "WU," “I,” "NP," "U," or “F” do not count toward successfully completed courses. Grades of “D+,” “D,” or “D-” that do not count toward successful completion of required competency courses and thus must be repeated, also do not count toward successfully completed courses. In addition, students who are required or choose to repeat courses will not have the repeated course counted toward successfully completed courses. Once a grade of “I” is successfully completed for a permanent grade as outlined previously, the course will count toward successful completion.
Exit Counseling for Federal Loan Recipients
Students who leave the University or whose student status falls below half-time must complete exit counseling for federal loans (Direct and Grad PLUS) within 30 days of separation from the school as mandated by federal regulations. Students will be emailed instructions on how to complete their exit counseling online. Students may contact the Financial Aid Office to receive individual repayment or account information.
Return of Title IV Funds
The Financial Aid Office is required to perform a Return of Title IV Funds calculation when a Title IV recipient withdraws from their program. A student may withdraw from the University at any time, either verbally or in writing. It is highly recommended that students speak with the Financial Services Department prior to withdrawing. The standard formula for Return of Title IV is calculated on a percentage basis by comparing the total number of days the student completed to the total number of days in the payment period. The calculation determines the amount of Title IV the student is eligible to keep and the amount of Title IV funds which are required to be returned. Students who do not complete at least 60.1 percent of a payment period will have part or all of their financial aid disbursed for this period returned. This applies to students who have officially or unofficially withdrawn. The Return of Title IV calculation may result in the student owing the University for unpaid tuition and fees and Department of Education for grants and Direct Loans.
For Return of Title IV calculation purposes, a payment period consists of one-half of the credit hours and weeks required for the academic year being attended at the time of withdrawal. For additional information on academic year and payment period, please refer to Definition of Academic Year in this section of this Catalog.
If a return of Title IV funds creates a balance on the student’s account, the student will be responsible for full payment. A student will not be allowed to re-enter or register until the outstanding balance has been paid in full or is currently on an approved payment plan. If loan funds need to be returned by the student, the student may pay these funds back under the original terms of the loan. If grant funds need to be returned by the student, the University will return the funds on behalf of the student. The University will return the unearned Title IV funds in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Direct Loan
- Subsidized Direct Loan
- Direct Graduate PLUS
- Direct Parent PLUS
- Federal Pell Grant
- FSEOG
For information regarding the determination of withdrawal date, please see the Withdrawal from the University policy in the General Academic Information and Policies section in this Catalog.
Direct Loan Grace Period
Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans:
When a student graduates, withdraws or is no longer enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program, they will be granted a six-month grace period for their Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans for which the student is not required to make a loan payment. The grace period begins the day after the student stops attending or drops below half time enrollment. At the end of the grace period, repayment begins. For Direct Unsubsidized Loans any interest that accumulates during the deferment period will be added to the unpaid principal.
Direct Parent and Graduate PLUS Loan:
Direct PLUS loans enter repayment after the loan is fully disbursed; however, for graduate/doctoral student PLUS borrowers, an automatic deferment is placed on the loans while in school and for six months after graduating, withdrawing or dropping below half time enrollment. For Parent PLUS borrowers for dependent students, parents may request periods of deferment while their dependent student is enrolled at least half-time.
Direct Loan Repayment
There are several choices of repayment plans. The loan servicer will notify the student (and/or parent) of the date the loan goes into repayment. Borrowers are automatically placed on a Standard Repayment plan. The longer the loans are in repayment, the more interest that will be accrued. If a student obtains a loan to pay for their educational program, the student will have to repay the full amount of the loan plus interest, less the amount of any funds returned to the lender determined after withdrawal during the Return of Title IV Funds calculation. Borrowers may reach out to their loan servicer for other repayment options. More information on Direct Loan repayment plans can be found by visiting: https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans
Standard Repayment Plan:
Payments are a fixed amount that ensures your loans are paid off within 10 years.
Graduate Repayment Plan:
Payments are lower at first and then increase, usually every two years, and are for an amount that will ensure your loans are paid off within 10 years. Borrowers will pay more over time than under the Standard Repayment Plan.
Extended Repayment Plan:
The student must have more than $30,000 in Direct Loan debt. Under the extended plan the borrower can take up to 25 years for repayment and two payment options: fixed or graduated. Fixed payments are the same amount each month, while the graduate payments start low and increase every two years.
Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan:
(Not available for Parent PLUS Loans)
Maximum monthly payments are 10% of discretionary income, payments change as income changes and you must update your income & family size every year, even if it has not changed. Borrowers must demonstrate financial hardship. Any outstanding balances on your loans will be forgiven if you have not fully paid off the loan in full after 20 years. .
Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan:
(Not available for Parent PLUS Loans)
Monthly payments will be 10% of your discretionary income, payments are recalculated every year based on your income & family size, and you must update your income & family size, even if it has not changed. Any outstanding balances on your loans will be forgiven if you have not fully paid off the loan in full after 20 years (if all loans were taken out for an undergraduate study) or 25 years (if any loans were taken out for graduate/professional studies).
Income Contingent Repayment Plan:
(Not available for parent PLUS Loans)
This plan gives the flexibility to meet the Direct Loan obligation without causing undue financial hardship. Each year the monthly payments are calculated on the basis of the student’s adjusted gross income (AGI, plus spouse’s income, if married), family size, and the total number of Direct Loans. The maximum repayment period is 25 years.
Income-Based Repayment Plan:
The required monthly payment will be based on the student’s (or parent’s) income during any period when they have a partial financial hardship. The monthly payment is adjusted annually. The maximum repayment period may not exceed 10 years.
Payment Support
If the student (or parent) has trouble making loan payments, they should contact the loan servicer as soon as possible. There may be options such as changing repayment plan, deferment, or forbearance. Receiving a deferment or forbearance is not automatic. The student must apply for it. If there is uncertainty as to who the servicer is, visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/servicers for more information.
Deferment:
A deferment is a period during which repayment of the principal and interest is temporarily delayed. Depending on the type of loan, the federal government may pay the interest on the subsidized loan during the period of deferment.
A student may qualify for a deferment while they are:
- Enrolled at least half time in an eligible program at an eligible institution;
- Unemployed or meet the rules for economic hardship (limited to 3 years);
- Undergoing cancer treatment;
- In a graduate fellowship program;
- A Parent PLUS borrower with a student enrolled in school;
- Enrolled in a rehabilitation training program;
- A post-active duty service member; or
- Based on qualifying active duty service in the U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard.
Forbearance:
If the student cannot make their scheduled loan payment and does not qualify for a deferment, they may be able to receive a forbearance. Forbearance allows the student to temporarily stop making payments, temporarily make smaller payments, or extend the time for making payments. Interest will continue to accrue on the subsidized and unsubsidized loans (including all PLUS loans). There is a cumulative limit on general forbearances of three years.
Some common reasons for receiving forbearance include, but are not limited to:
- Illness
- Financial hardship
- Serving in a medical or dental internship or residency program
- Other reasons acceptable to your loan servicer
Students should reach out to their loan servicer for questions and options on loan forbearance. Students may also visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief for additional options for temporarily suspending payments. If the student has defaulted on a student loan, they are not eligible for a deferment or forbearance.
Consolidation
Consolidation is the process of combining multiple federal student loans into one loan so there is only one monthly payment. Loan consolidation can greatly simplify loan repayment by centralizing loans into one bill and can lower monthly payments by offering up to 30 years repayment. However, by consolidating, the length of the repayment period is increased. Students should understand the advantages and disadvantages of consolidation before submitting an application for consolidation. For more information, please visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/consolidation.
Consequences for Not Making Loan Payments
If the student (or parent) does not make a loan payment or stops making payments and does not get a deferment or forbearance, the loan could go into default. To default means the student (or parent) fails to make the loan payment as scheduled according to the terms and conditions of the promissory note. Consequences for not making the loan payment could result in one or more of the following:
- The entire unpaid balance with interest due and payable;
- Loss of eligibility of deferment, forbearance or repayment plan;
- Loss of eligibility of future federal financial aid;
- The account being assigned to an outside credit agency;
- Loan being reported to the three major credit bureaus, damaging credit ratings;
- Federal and state income tax being withheld;
- Student loan debt increasing due to late fees, additional interest, court costs, collection fees, attorney’s fee and any other costs associated with the collection process;
- Wage garnishment.
For more information regarding Direct Loan Repayment please visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans.
Questions Regarding Financial Aid
Students should call the Financial Aid Office for help in completing forms, answering questions, and explaining the award process. The Financial Aid Office telephone number for students is (800) 798-0584.