TutoringFrom 2011 through 2013, FAU COM faculty will provide tutoring for first and second year students who request orneed academic assistance and support. In subsequent years, the Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>Student</strong> Affairs will make arrangements tosponsor free tutorial services from upperclassmen and graduate science and allied health students. Tutoring sessionswill be free for all medical students and may be provided on an individual or group basis. <strong>Student</strong>s may accesstutoring services through any <strong>of</strong> the following means: self-referral; suggestion from course directors, faculty, advisors,and mentors; or recommendation or mandate <strong>of</strong> the MSPPSC.One <strong>of</strong> the roles <strong>of</strong> LCAs is to track performance <strong>of</strong> students in their Learning Community, including monitoringcourse and clerkship evaluations. Advisers will discuss academic difficulties with their students and arrange referralsto the OSA as needed. <strong>Student</strong>s who are at risk <strong>of</strong> failing a course or clerkship will be encouraged to make anappointment with a staff member <strong>of</strong> the OSA. This is an opportunity for a student to express his/her academic andpersonal concerns and for the OSA staff to recommend strategies or services to help, including tutoring. <strong>Student</strong>s areencouraged to have ongoing communication with course faculty to answer questions and facilitate the arrangement <strong>of</strong>additional academic assistance.In addition to the FAU COM tutoring services, the FAU Academic Advising Services <strong>of</strong>fers the following individual andgroup programs: tutoring, study skill strategies, time management, improving organizational skills, and other specialtechniques designed to assist students meet the rigorous demands <strong>of</strong> the curriculum.Financial CounselingOffice <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial AidThe Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid is located in the Charles E. Schmidt <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> (Room 151,(561) 297-2591). The Associate Director <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid is dedicated to assisting students with thefinancial aid application process and provides one-on-one counseling regarding the availability <strong>of</strong> federal, private, andinstitutional funds. <strong>Student</strong>s can meet with the Associate Director on Monday through Friday during regular <strong>of</strong>ficehours. Appointments and extended <strong>of</strong>fice hours are available upon request.Types <strong>of</strong> aidThere are several financial aid and scholarship options available to medical students, such as the FAU GraduateGrant (need based), institutional and private scholarships, and federal and private student loans. The main types <strong>of</strong>aid available are listed below.• FAU Graduate Grant: Award based on financial need which does not have to be repaid.• Scholarships: Non-repayable awards, which may be based on merit, financial need, and otherconsiderations.• Federal Stafford Loans: Available to students at low interest rates with the option to defer repayment untilafter graduation or after withdrawal. Federal Stafford loans are available to students to help meet the cost <strong>of</strong>education after grant/scholarship options have been exhausted. Federal Stafford Loans are considered aform <strong>of</strong> financial aid and, since the loans are federally guaranteed, there are no credit checks on them.Every student is eligible as long as the criteria are met, the student is not in default on a current studentloan, or has not exceeded the federal aggregate loan limit.o Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan: A student does not have to demonstrate financial need toreceive this loan. Interest payments on this loan are not subsidized by the government. The studentcan make arrangements with the lender to pay the interest while he or she is in school or can allowthe interest to capitalize, adding to the principal balance.• Federal Graduate PLUS Loan: This loan is available to graduate students who are enrolled in an eligibleprogram. <strong>Student</strong>s must file a FAFSA form in order to apply for a Federal Graduate PLUS Loan. This loanrequires a credit check for eligibility.• Alternative (Private) <strong>Student</strong> Loans: Alternative student loans can be obtained in addition to Federal StaffordLoans. Alternative student loans are based on credit and the interest rate is variable.10
FAU <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> Scholarships<strong>Student</strong>s may have the opportunity to receive one <strong>of</strong> several <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> Scholarship awards. <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong><strong>Medicine</strong> Scholarships require students to maintain satisfactory academic progress. <strong>Student</strong>s who have had a leave<strong>of</strong> absence approved by the Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>Student</strong> Affairs may continue to receive the scholarships upon their return to the<strong>College</strong>, provided that the leave <strong>of</strong> absence was not granted because <strong>of</strong> academic or pr<strong>of</strong>essional deficiency.<strong>Student</strong>s who fail to maintain satisfactory academic levels <strong>of</strong> progress will lose their eligibility for the renewal <strong>of</strong> thescholarship.Debt Management and Loan Exit CounselingDebt management counseling will be provided to FAU <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> students throughout all four years <strong>of</strong> thecurriculum. During the academic year, counseling will be available to students who want more information aboutfinancial aid, personal budgeting, debt management, or other financial issues. Every first year medical studentreceiving financial aid will be required to schedule an appointment with the Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid todiscuss cost <strong>of</strong> attendance, budgeting, and financial aid questions and concerns before the second disbursement <strong>of</strong>funds in January. <strong>Student</strong>s will also participate in financial aid presentations and/or online modules covering a broadrange <strong>of</strong> topics regarding debt and money management. Graduating students will attend exit interviews conducted bythe Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid. Individual loan summary sheets for student borrowers indicating thesource <strong>of</strong> loans, the holder <strong>of</strong> the loan and contact information will be provided. General debt and repaymentstrategies including loan consolidation, loan forgiveness, and deferment/forbearance options will be addressed aswell. <strong>Student</strong>s will be encouraged to address any issues or concerns they may have regarding their debt.Visit the Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid website at www.med.fau.edu/medicine/financial_aid/ formore detailed and up to date information on Financial Aid at the FAU <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong>. Please feel free tocontact the FAU Office <strong>of</strong> Medical <strong>Student</strong> Financial Aid (COM Room 151, (561) 297-2591) with any questionsor concerns you may have at any time.Tuition Refund PolicyThe FAU <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> adheres to the FAU policy on tuition refunds and will refund the full tuition and fees ifthe student <strong>of</strong>ficially withdraws from the <strong>College</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Medicine</strong> in writing before the first day <strong>of</strong> Orientation. Withdrawalor dismissal will result in a full or partial refund as indicated below. The date <strong>of</strong> withdrawal is determined by the datethat an application for withdrawal is received by the Senior Associate Dean for <strong>Student</strong> Affairs.Withdrawal or dismissal will result in a graded refund <strong>of</strong> tuition and fees as indicated below, consistent with <strong>Florida</strong><strong>Atlantic</strong> <strong>University</strong> Regulations 8.002, “Fee Assessment and Remittance”, 8.003, “Special Fees, Fines and Penalties”,8.004,”Deferred Payment <strong>of</strong> Fees”, 8.005, “Limitation on Non-Resident <strong>Student</strong> Enrollment”, and 8.006, “Waiver <strong>of</strong>Tuition and Other Fees”. The date <strong>of</strong> withdrawal is determined by the date that a written application for withdrawal isreceived by the Senior Associate Dean for <strong>Student</strong> Affairs for that semester. Seehttp://www.fau.edu/regulations/chapter8/index.php).Tuition Refund1. <strong>Student</strong>s who withdraw from the <strong>University</strong> before the end <strong>of</strong> the first week <strong>of</strong> classes will receive a full refund, lessnonrefundable fees.2. <strong>Student</strong>s who withdraw from the <strong>University</strong> during the second through fourth weeks <strong>of</strong> the current semester forpurposes other than exceptional circumstances will receive a 25 percent refund, less nonrefundable fees.3. <strong>Student</strong>s who withdraw after the fourth week <strong>of</strong> classes will not receive a refund; unless the withdrawal takes placedue to exceptional circumstances, such as illness, military conscription, or death <strong>of</strong> an immediate family member (seehttp://www.fau.edu/regulations/chapter4/4.013_Exceptional_Circumstances_Withdrawal.pdf). Situations such asemployment changes, relocation <strong>of</strong> home, transportation problems, dislike for the instructor/course, etc. are notconsidered “exceptional circumstances.” For more information, seehttp://www.fau.edu/academic/registrar/catalog/tuition.php11