2009-2010 Bulletin – PDF - SEAS Bulletin - Columbia University

and Applied Science are automatically
considered for departmental funding
(institutional grants, fellowships, teaching
and research assistantships, readerships,
and preceptorships) upon completion of
the required financial aid forms referred
to above. Spring admissions applicants
will not be considered for departmental
funding. Continuing international students
must preregister for classes during the
preregistration period and complete an
enrollment status form to be considered
for departmental funding.
Most loan programs are restricted to
U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
However, international students may
apply for these domestic loan programs
with a cosigner who is a citizen or permanent
resident in the United States.
Depending on the loan program, you
may need a valid U.S. Social Security
number.
Students who study at The Fu
Foundation School of Engineering and
Applied Science on temporary visas
should fully understand the regulations
concerning possible employment under
those visas. Before making plans for
employment in the United States, international
students should consult with
the International Students and Scholars
Office (ISSO), located at 524 Riverside
Drive, Suite 200; 212-854-3587. Their
Web site is www.columbia.edu/cu/isso/
isso.html.
OTHER FINANCIAL AID—
FEDERAL, STATE, AND
PRIVATE PROGRAMS
Eligibility
To be considered for nondepartmental
financial aid (federal Stafford loans, federal
unsubsidized Stafford loans, federal
Perkins loans, and New York State TAP
grants), you must be a U.S. citizen or
permanent resident admitted as at least
a half-time student to a degree program
in The Fu Foundation School of Engineering
and Applied Science. If you are
taking courses but are not yet admitted
into a degree program, then you do not
qualify for federal or state aid. In addition,
to preserve your aid eligibility, you
must maintain satisfactory academic
progress, as defined in “The Graduate
Programs” section.
To apply for funds, you must complete
a Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) form, a Graduate
Engineering Financial Aid Application,
and an Express TAP application (if you
are a New York State resident). Loan
borrowers must complete a Columbia
University Loan Entrance Interview. The
information supplied on the FAFSA form
is used to determine your eligibility for
federal aid. The Enrollment Status Sheet
provides the University with information
about your planned program, including
the number of courses in which you plan
to enroll. The Express TAP application
acts as your request for New York State
Tuition Assistance Program funds.
Columbia University prefers that the
FAFSA be filed after January 1, but
preferably before May 1, for fall enrollment.
Students must give permission for
the application data to be sent to
Columbia University by entering The Fu
Foundation School of Engineering and
Applied Science Title IV school code
(E00120) on the FAFSA form.
It is your responsibility to supply
accurate and complete information on
the FAFSA and to notify the Office of
Financial Aid and Educational Financing
immediately of any changes in your
enrollment plans, housing status, or
financial situation, including information
about any institutional or outside scholarships
you will be receiving.
The Graduate Engineering Financial
Aid Application is available from the Office
of Financial Aid and Educational Financing
or can be downloaded from their Web site
located at www.engineering.columbia.
edu/graduate/financing.
Determination of your financial need
is based upon the number of courses
for which you register. If you enroll in
fewer courses than you initially reported
on your Columbia University Enrollment
Status Sheet, your financial aid may be
reduced.
University-administered federal and
state awards are not automatically
renewed each year. Continuing graduate
students must submit a Renewal FAFSA
each year by the Columbia University
deadline. Renewal depends on the annual
reevaluation of your need, the availability
of funds, and satisfactory progress
toward the completion of your degree
requirements.
New York State Tuition Assistance
Program (TAP)
Legal residents of New York State who
are enrolled in a full-time degree program
of at least 12 points a term, or the
equivalent, may be eligible for awards
under this program. To apply for TAP,
list the Columbia University school code
(E00120) on the FAFSA form. When the
FAFSA has been processed, an Express
TAP application will be mailed to you.
Review the information, change any
incorrect items, sign the form, and
return it to the address indicated.
Veterans’ Benefits
Various Department of Veterans Affairs
programs provide educational benefits
for sons, daughters, and spouses of
deceased or permanently disabled
veterans as well as for veterans and inservice
personnel who served on active
duty in the U.S. Armed Forces after
January 1, 1955. In these programs
the amount of benefits varies. Under
most programs the student pays tuition
and fees at the time of registration but
receives a monthly allowance from
Veterans Affairs.
Since interpretation of regulations
governing veterans’ benefits is subject
to change, veterans and their dependents
should keep in touch with the
Department of Veterans Affairs. For
additional information and assistance in
completing the necessary forms, contact
1-800-827-1000, or consult their Web
site at www.va.gov.
Federal Family Education Loans
Federal Subsidized Stafford Student
Loan Program
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Program
Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
Detailed information regarding the above
loan programs may be found on the
Student Financial Services Web site:
www.columbia.edu/cu/sfs/docs/
Grad_Fin_Aid.
Columbia Comprehensive
Educational Financing Plan
Columbia University has developed the
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SEAS 2009–2010