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Financial aid information for<br />
continuing and graduate studies<br />
2010-2011<br />
This brochure will help you to understand the financial aid application process, your financial aid<br />
offer and the procedures necessary to finalize your award. Students must be admitted to a degree<br />
program in order to receive financial aid. Institutional aid is not available for Continuing Education<br />
and Graduate students, but you may be eligible to receive Federal and State Grants and student loans.<br />
Students should have a completed Financial Aid application on file at least two weeks prior to the<br />
start of the term to allow time for processing.<br />
There are also private, non-federal student loans available for students who are not admitted to<br />
a degree program, for students pursuing certificate programs. For those taking courses but not<br />
intending to earn a degree, and for those who are enrolled less than half-time. Information on private<br />
student loan programs can be found in the Resources for Alternative Financing Section of this<br />
brochure.<br />
Your financial aid award is based on the information you provided in the 2010-2011 Free Application<br />
for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you have any questions after reviewing this brochure and your<br />
award letter, please feel free to contact the Student Financial Services Office at 617-333-2354 or<br />
via e-mail: fin-aid@curry.edu. We look forward to working with you to help make your education<br />
accessible.<br />
Financial Aid Application Process<br />
In order to apply for financial aid at <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong>, you must complete the FAFSA form no later than<br />
two weeks before starting classes if you intend to use financial aid to pay your tuition. You may<br />
complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you complete the FAFSA online, your application<br />
should be processed within two weeks. Once the Federal Government has processed your submitted<br />
FAFSA, you will be sent a Student Aid Report, <strong>Curry</strong> will receive an electronic version of your<br />
Student Aid Report.<br />
<strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> Federal School Code: 002143<br />
CURRY COLLEGE<br />
DIVISION OF CONTINUING AND GRADUATE STUDIES<br />
MILTON • 1071 BLUE HILL AVENUE • 617-333-2364<br />
PLYMOUTH • 20 NORTH PARK AVENUE • 508-747-2424
Types of Financial Aid<br />
Federal and State Programs<br />
Federal and state grant eligibility is determined by the information submitted<br />
on the FAFSA. Federal grants do not have application deadlines but may<br />
be affected by the availability of funds. State grants have application deadlines,<br />
which can be found on the FAFSA website, www.fafsa.ed.gov.<br />
Federal Pell Grant<br />
Federal Pell Grants are provided to students who demonstrate substantial<br />
financial need. Award amounts range from $0 - $5,550 and may be<br />
pro-rated depending on enrollment status. Federal Pell Grants are intended<br />
for students who have not earned their first Baccalaureate degree.<br />
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)<br />
The ACG Grant is determined annually based on EFC, Federal award table,<br />
full-time enrollment in a degree program in college and verification of the<br />
student’s previous high school program of study based on the final transcript.<br />
The grant offer is not official until the high school transcript is received and<br />
reviewed by the <strong>College</strong>. Students are eligible for this grant only in their first<br />
two years of college. Second year students must have a cumulative grade point<br />
average of at least a 3.0.<br />
SMART Grant<br />
The SMART Grant is determined annually based on EFC, Federal award<br />
table, majoring in physical, life or computer science, full-time enrollment in<br />
a degree program and a cumulative G.P.A. of at least 3.0 Students are<br />
eligible for this grant only in their 3rd and 4th years of study.<br />
Federal Supplemental Educational<br />
Opportunity Grant (SEOG)<br />
This program provides additional financial support to those students who<br />
qualify for Federal Pell Grants. These awards are given to students with<br />
exceptional financial need and are subject to availability of funds. Yearly<br />
award amounts range from $100 to $4,000. Federal SEOG Grants are<br />
intended for students who have not earned their first Baccalaureate degree.<br />
State Grants<br />
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts awards grants to Massachusetts<br />
residents who demonstrate financial need and meet application deadlines<br />
and award criteria. Other states that currently allow students to use state<br />
grant funds at <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> include Rhode Island, Vermont, Maine,<br />
Connecticut, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. These grants range in<br />
amounts from $300 - $1,900 per academic year. The Commonwealth of<br />
Massachusetts also offers additional assistance to qualified eligible students<br />
who are part-time or demonstrate high academic performance in their postsecondary<br />
academic courses.<br />
Mass Grant<br />
The Mass Grant program is administered by the Commonwealth of<br />
Massachusetts for students who are residents of Massachusetts with exceptional<br />
financial need. In order to receive Mass Grant funds, students must be<br />
enrolled full-time. All of the grants provided by the Commonwealth are<br />
subject to an application deadline of May 1.<br />
Federal Perkins Loan<br />
This Federal loan is administered by <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> for students who demonstrate<br />
financial need. Depending on the amount of funding available, loan<br />
amounts range from $100 - $5,000 per academic year. The Federal Perkins<br />
Loan carries an interest rate of 5%. Repayment begins nine months after you<br />
graduate, withdraw, or drop below half-time enrollment status. First time<br />
Perkins loan borrowers will have to sign a Perkins Promissory Note and<br />
complete Perkins Loan Entrance Counseling. Repeat Federal Perkins Loan<br />
borrowers must complete a Perkins Addendum yearly.<br />
Federal Direct Loan<br />
The Federal Direct Loan program allows students to borrow loan funds from<br />
the Federal Government in order to help pay their educational expenses.<br />
There are two types of Federal Direct Stafford Loans; Subsidized and<br />
Unsubsidized.<br />
Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans are available to students<br />
who demonstrate financial need. The Federal government pays all of the<br />
interest on these loans until six months after the student graduates or stops<br />
attending college at least half time (6 credits-Undergraduate and 3 credits-<br />
Graduate).<br />
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are available to<br />
students eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized Loans but also available to<br />
students that may not be eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized Loans.<br />
The student is responsible for paying all the interest on Federal Direct<br />
Unsubsidized Stafford Loans. You may elect to make interest only payments<br />
while in school or you may allow the interest to accrue and defer payments<br />
until you cease to be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits-Undergraduate and<br />
3 credits-Graduate).<br />
A student may receive a combination of both loans but the following loan<br />
limits by grade level cannot be exceeded.<br />
Dependent Independent<br />
Freshman $5,500 $7,500<br />
Sophomore $6,500 $8,500<br />
Junior $7,500 $12,500<br />
Senior $7,500 $12,500<br />
Graduate N/A $20,500
The interest rate for Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans disbursed<br />
after 7/1/2010 is fixed at 4.5%. The interest rate for Federal Direct Unsubsidized<br />
Stafford Loans disbursed after 7/1/2010 is fixed at 6.8%. All<br />
Federal Direct Loans disbursed after 7/1/2010 will be subject to a 1% default<br />
fee.<br />
Before a student can receive Federal Direct Stafford Loan funds for the<br />
first time, all new borrowers to the Federal Direct Loan Program must:<br />
Step 1: Entrance Counseling:<br />
• Go to www.studentloans.gov and in the Manage My Direct<br />
Loan box click on the green SIGN IN box<br />
• Enter your Social Security Number, the First Two Characters of<br />
your Last Name, Date of Birth, and your FAFSA PIN Number<br />
and click Sign In.<br />
Please Note-if you do not have your FAFSA PIN Number you may<br />
request it under the Tools and Resources section of the website.<br />
• Click on Complete Entrance Counseling<br />
• Determine your Counseling Type- Undergraduate or Graduate<br />
and click Continue<br />
• Enter the School State and School Name and click Continue<br />
• Read each paragraphs and answer the questions<br />
• Once you have completed the Entrance Counseling print a copy<br />
for your records<br />
This is a requirement set by the Federal Government, explaining the loan<br />
program and your rights and responsibilities.The session will take about<br />
twenty minutes to complete. It is not necessary to print a copy of your<br />
Entrance Counseling for <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong>. The Direct Loan Servicer will<br />
notify <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> electronically that the Entrance Counseling has been<br />
completed.<br />
Step 2: Master Promissory Note:<br />
• Go to www.studentloans.gov and in the Manage My Direct Loan<br />
box click on the green SIGN IN box. The MPN must be completed<br />
in a single session, be sure to allow enough time to complete.<br />
• Enter your Social Security Number, the First Two Characters of<br />
your Last Name, Date of Birth, and your FAFSA PIN Number<br />
and click Sign In.<br />
Please Note-if you do not have your FAFSA PIN Number you may request<br />
it under the Tools and Resources section of the website.<br />
• For the type of loan click on Subsidized/Unsubsidized<br />
• Enter your Driver’s License, Address, Telephone, and Email<br />
Information<br />
• Enter the School State and School Name and click Continue<br />
• Reference Information includes the Name, Address, Telephone<br />
Number and Relationship to the Student of two<br />
people the student has known for at least 3 years. One reference<br />
should be a parent or legal guardian.<br />
• Read over the Terms and Conditions of your loan, check the<br />
acknowledgement box and click Continue<br />
• Complete a final review of the information you provided, then<br />
enter your First Name, Middle Initial, and Last Name and click Sign<br />
• You must review your MPN before clicking Continue.<br />
• Print a copy of your MPN for your records.<br />
It is not necessary to print a copy of your MPN for <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong>.We will<br />
be notified electronically. There is no loan amount on this Master Promissory<br />
Note. The amount for which you are eligible is listed on your award<br />
letter. If you would like to borrow less than the amount shown on your<br />
award letter, or if you do not want to borrow at all, please notify the<br />
Office of Student Financial Services in writing.<br />
Please note that Federal Direct Loan funds will not be disbursed to your<br />
student account until you have completed the Entrance Counseling<br />
requirement, the Federal Direct Loan promissory note and received confirmation<br />
from the Department of Education that both requirements have<br />
been satisfactorily completed.<br />
Returning students who have previously borrowed Stafford Loans<br />
through the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) and<br />
would like to continue using Federal Funds must complete a new Master<br />
Promissory Note for the Federal Direct Student Loan Program.<br />
Financial Aid Award Terms and Conditions<br />
Students may request a reduction in the financial aid package that you<br />
were awarded. A student may choose not to accept, or may wish to reduce<br />
a particular type of aid offered by the <strong>College</strong>. For example, you may<br />
decide to reduce or fully cancel a loan. To initiate this reduction or<br />
cancellation, you must complete the reverse side of the award letter and<br />
return it to the Student Financial Services Office.<br />
Satisfactory Academic Progress for<br />
Undergraduate Students<br />
In order to be eligible to receive financial aid, all full and part-time students<br />
must be making satisfactory academic progress. Standards of satisfactory<br />
academic progress for financial aid eligibility are outlined below. Students<br />
must meet both the minimum GPA and cumulative credits standards.<br />
Please note that this financial aid policy is separate from the academic<br />
standing policy.<br />
For students with:<br />
Cumulative GPA<br />
must be at least:<br />
0-18.99 attempted credits 1.5<br />
19-59.99 attempted credits 1.8<br />
60 or more attempted credits 2.0<br />
Attempted credits are those credits that a student is registered for at the end<br />
of the <strong>College</strong>’s official add/drop period. The cumulative GPA is based on<br />
graded credits only. Transfer courses, withdrawals and incompletes are not<br />
included in the cumulative GPA.<br />
In addition, students earning a four-year undergraduate degree are allowed<br />
a maximum of six years or 180 attempted credits of financial aid eligibility<br />
to earn the 120 credits required for degree completion. All students<br />
must also complete a minimum of 67% of all credits attempted.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy<br />
for Graduate Students<br />
The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduate Students differs from<br />
the policy for undergraduate students. We will review your academic progress<br />
at the end of each semester. In order to continue your financial aid eligibility,<br />
you must:<br />
• Receive no grade lower than a B-<br />
• Maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0<br />
• Complete at least 67% of all attempted credits<br />
• Complete the Master’s degree program in no greater than 150%<br />
of the program’s allotted time.<br />
For more information, please see the <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> Course Catalog.<br />
Financial Aid Appeals<br />
If you experience a significant change in your financial circumstances or if<br />
you have extenuating circumstances that are not reflected on your FAFSA,<br />
you may submit an appeal. You must complete the appeal form and submit<br />
all of the necessary documentation in order for your appeal to be processed.<br />
We will not process any appeal that does not include documentation. If you<br />
experience any of the following situations, please contact our office to<br />
request an appeal application.<br />
1) Loss of income<br />
2) Loss of untaxed income or benefits<br />
3) Death of a parent/spouse<br />
4) Incarceration of a parent/spouse<br />
5) Unusually high medical/dental bills<br />
not covered by insurance<br />
Adjustments to Financial Aid<br />
Adjustments may be made at any time to your financial aid package.<br />
Examples of the reasons why a financial aid package may be revised include,<br />
but are not limited to, the following:<br />
1) Additional outside or private sources of aid being added to your<br />
awards.<br />
2) A change in your housing status.<br />
3) A change in your enrollment status.<br />
4) For transfer students—the number of transfer credits you actually<br />
receive is different from those the original award was based on.<br />
5) Verification is required and results in a change to information<br />
initially reported on the FAFSA.<br />
Verification<br />
At least 30% of the students at <strong>Curry</strong> will be selected for a process called<br />
verification. This process requires students to submit signed copies of the<br />
most recent year’s financial income tax returns (including schedules), W2<br />
forms, and a Verification Form. Other documentation may also be required.<br />
Enrollment Status<br />
Your financial aid award will be based on your enrollment status. In order<br />
to receive a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, you must be enrolled at least<br />
half-time.<br />
Definition of Enrollment Status<br />
For an undergraduate student, half-time status is achieved by being enrolled<br />
in at least six credits per semester. In order for a graduate student to be<br />
considered enrolled on a half-time basis, you must be enrolled in at least<br />
three credits per semester.<br />
Return of Title IV Funds<br />
Withdrawal from all Classes<br />
Any student who withdraws from all classes or takes an approved leave of<br />
absence, but attended the institution for at least one day during the semester<br />
and received or was eligible to receive financial aid, is subject to a Return<br />
of Title IV Funds calculation. This calculation is mandated by the Federal<br />
Government. Any student who receives Title IV funds will be subject to this<br />
policy.<br />
The calculation will be done within thirty days of a student’s withdrawal<br />
from the <strong>College</strong>. Students will be notified in writing of any adjustments to<br />
financial aid. If the <strong>College</strong> is required to return any of the Title IV funds that<br />
a student received, it may result in an amount owed to the <strong>College</strong>. Failure<br />
of the student to return funds to the federal financial aid programs in a timely<br />
manner may result in the student being ineligible to receive future financial<br />
aid.<br />
Refunds<br />
If you have an actual credit balance on your account, please contact Student<br />
Financial Services at (617) 333-2354 to request your refund. Refunds take<br />
up to 2 weeks to be processed from the date of request.<br />
Additional Financial Resources<br />
To assist students with meeting the full cost of attending <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong>,<br />
alternative sources of funding are available. The <strong>College</strong> will work with and<br />
process private loans for any lender of your choice. When selecting the<br />
option that is best suited for your circumstance, you should compare<br />
interest rates, borrowing limits, credit requirements, and repayment options.<br />
Visit our website at www.curry.edu for details on the method and criteria in<br />
choosing the private loan lenders listed in this brochure.
Important Student Account Information<br />
Online Payments<br />
<strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> has partnered with Tuition Management<br />
Systems (TMS) to process checking and savings transactions<br />
and accept credit/debit card payments online.<br />
TMS accepts American Express, Discover, MasterCard and<br />
VISA cards. You can simply log onto TMS’ secure website at<br />
www.afford.com/curry anytime to make an online payment.<br />
There is no cost to you for using this service. Students can<br />
also access TMS’ Payment Gateway directly from their online<br />
bill in the CCWIS system.<br />
Mandatory Health Insurance<br />
Effective September 1, 1989, the Massachusetts law C.15A,<br />
s. 18 requires that every full-time and part-time student<br />
enrolled in an institution of higher learning in Massachusetts<br />
participate in a Student Health Insurance Program (SHIP)<br />
or in a health benefit plan with comparable coverage.<br />
A part-time student is defined as a student participating in at<br />
least 75% of the full-time curriculum or at least 9-credits in<br />
a given semester.<br />
As a result, full-time and part-time students taking 9-credits<br />
or more are automatically billed for individual membership<br />
in the health insurance plan sponsored by their colleges or<br />
universities. Students must purchase the school-sponsored<br />
health plan or show proof of comparable coverage in an<br />
alternate health plan in order to enroll in the college/<br />
university of their choice. Students must prove comparable<br />
coverage by completing a Student Health Insurance Waiver<br />
Form online at www.universityhealthplans.com.<br />
A notice regarding Student Health Insurance enrollment and<br />
waiver deadlines will be mailed to your mailing or permanent<br />
address if you register for at least 9 credits. You will have<br />
14 days to complete a waiver if you can prove comparable<br />
coverage. Late waivers will not be considered.<br />
Credit Balances<br />
If your cash payments and financial aid, including any<br />
disbursements of Federal Title IV funds such as Federal Pell<br />
Grants or Federal Direct Loans, create a credit balance on<br />
your student account, we will retain these credits on your<br />
student account to be used against the charges of future terms<br />
of enrollment, only if you complete a Credit Balance<br />
Authorization Form (CBA Form). Otherwise, a student<br />
refund check, made payable to the student, will be mailed<br />
to your permanent address according to the timeframe<br />
established by the Federal government.<br />
Student Refund Checks<br />
You may request a student refund check for the credit<br />
balance on your student account. Refund checks will only be<br />
issued for actual credit balances and will not be issued based<br />
on “PENDING” payments. Student refund checks normally<br />
require approximately 2 weeks to process. All student refund<br />
checks will be made payable to the student. We will mail your<br />
check to your mailing or permanent address or you may<br />
request to pick it up at the Milton campus.<br />
Bookstore Vouchers<br />
You may request a Bookstore Voucher up to the amount of<br />
your expected credit balance, including pending financial aid<br />
payments. The vouchers may be used to purchase textbooks<br />
in the Campus Bookstore. All vouchers expire 30 days from<br />
the date of issue. Unused voucher amounts will be returned<br />
to your student account within 60 days of their expiration<br />
date.<br />
Check your CCWIS/My<strong>Curry</strong> portal and your <strong>Curry</strong> email<br />
for updates from Student Financial Services.
Alternative Financing<br />
Education Loan Programs<br />
Most lenders offer their own programs to help meet your education<br />
costs. The <strong>College</strong> will work with and process private loans<br />
for any lender of your choice. Students have the right to select the<br />
private loan lender of their choice without penalty by the <strong>College</strong><br />
and are not required to use any lender listed in this brochure.<br />
Please refer to the <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> website at www.curry.edu for<br />
details on the method and criteria used in choosing the Private<br />
Loan Lenders listed in this brochure.<br />
Before using private loans, students should pursue the Federal<br />
Loan Program first. Through the Federal Direct Loan Program,<br />
students can borrow Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized<br />
Stafford Loans and graduate students can borrow a Federal<br />
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. These loans offer lower interest<br />
rates and fees than private loans. When selecting the best option<br />
suited for your circumstances, you should compare interest rates,<br />
borrowing limits, credit requirements and repayment options.<br />
Loan periods for the 2010-2011<br />
Academic Year are as follows:<br />
Undergraduate and MBA<br />
Fall – August 31, 2010 through December 19, 2010<br />
Spring – January 20, 2011 through May 8, 2011<br />
Summer – May 16, 2011 through August 21, 2011<br />
Graduate: MACJ and M.Ed.<br />
Fall – September 13, 2010 through December 12, 2010<br />
Spring – February 7, 2011 through May 1, 2011<br />
Summer – May 16, 2011 through August 6, 2011<br />
Graduate: MSN<br />
Fall – August 31, 2010 through December 15, 2010<br />
Spring – January 20, 2011 through May 9, 2011<br />
<strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> has no agreements or relationship with any lenders<br />
and does not receive any benefit, financial or otherwise, from the<br />
use of alternative loans by students. For more information about<br />
the <strong>College</strong>’s policies, please see our website at www.curry.edu for<br />
our Code of Conduct.<br />
Determining Your Loan Period<br />
It is recommended that when you borrow a private or Federal<br />
Direct Graduate PLUS Loan that you borrow only once for the<br />
academic year. For example, if you are enrolling for the Fall and<br />
Spring semesters, you should calculate your balance so your loan<br />
will cover your balance for the entire academic year. This will<br />
require only one loan application and review of your credit<br />
history. Loans are disbursed in two equal payments unless<br />
otherwise noted.
Resources for Alternative Financing<br />
UNDERGRADUATE (Continuing Education Degree Seeking Students Enrolled at least Half-Time)<br />
GRADUATE (Degree Seeking Students Enrolled at least Half-Time)<br />
Federal Direct<br />
GradPLUS Loan<br />
NON-DEGREE (Less than Half-Time Enrollment or Certificate Students)
The steps outlined for you below will guide you through the online FAFSA application process. If you encounter any<br />
difficulties while you are completing your FAFSA, please call the Federal Processing Center at 1-800-4FEDAID<br />
(800-433-3243) for assistance.<br />
Step 1. Go to: www.pin.ed.gov<br />
Apply for a personal identification number (PIN) to electronically sign the FAFSA. If you are a dependent student, your<br />
parent will also need to apply for a PIN.<br />
Step 2. Go to: www.fafsa.ed.gov<br />
Complete the 2010-2011 Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You must enter <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong>’s Federal School Code<br />
of 002143 in Step Six to ensure that we will receive your information. After <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> receives your information,<br />
additional documentation may be required.<br />
Step 3. Financial Aid Enrollment Verification Form 2010-2011<br />
You must also complete a Financial Aid Enrollment Verification Form in order for our office to determine your financial<br />
aid eligibility. This form can be printed from the <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> website at<br />
http://www.curry.edu/Admissions/Financial+Aid/Applying+for+Financial+Aid/<br />
Step 4. <strong>Curry</strong> <strong>College</strong> will mail your financial aid package.<br />
Once your Financial Aid application is complete, we will mail a financial aid award package to you detailing the types of<br />
aid and amounts that you are eligible for. If you receive any type of outside financial assistance, you must report that to<br />
our office. You can indicate any additional sources of financial assistance on the reverse side of your award letter.<br />
Step 5. After you receive your financial aid award, please contact the Division of<br />
Continuing and Graduate Studies to register for classes.<br />
curry college<br />
IMPORTANT CONTACT INFORMATION<br />
Student Financial Services Office<br />
Phone: 617-333-2354<br />
Fax: 617-333-2915<br />
Financial Aid Questions<br />
Student Account Questions<br />
Email: Fin-aid@curry.edu<br />
Email: studentaccounts@curry.edu<br />
Division of Continuing Education and Graduate Studies<br />
Milton Campus Main Number 617-333-2364<br />
Plymouth Campus Main Number 508-747-2424<br />
Graduate Studies Main Number 617-333-2243<br />
1071 Blue Hill Avenue • Milton, Massachusetts 02186 • www.curry.edu