Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy Fall 2011-Summer 2013

“Effective summer 2012, Federal financial aid legislation has broadened the definition of “withdrawal from a term” for students attending during a semester that includes multiple terms, like the UTC Summer Semester. Students should be aware that, after the receipt of Summer financial aid, dropping any Summer classes may result in the repayment of financial aid.

Students dropping all Summer Short I classes may need to give written confirmation of their intent to attend the Summer Short II session to avoid repayment of financial aid. If you have any questions, please drop by the Financial Aid Office in University Center 201, or contact us at 423-425-4677 or [email protected].”

Student Loan Information

Private (Alternative) Student Loans

A non-federal education loan, through a private lender typically issued in the student's name and requiring a cosigner. Generally, alternative loans have interest rates, repayment terms, and deferment options that are substantially less favorable than those of the Direct Stafford, Perkins, Parent PLUS and Graduate/Professional PLUS Loan programs. Each lender has their individual eligibility requirements, interest rates, repayment terms and conditions. For example, some lenders require students to be enrolled at least half-time in a degree-granting program, while others will lend to students who are non-degree seeking or are enrolled less than half-time.

Private (Alternative) Education Loan Considerations

Students enrolled in a degree program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga should always apply for Federal Direct Student Loans and parents of dependent undergraduate students should also apply for Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans before considering a private (alternative) education loan. It is in the student and parent's best interest to borrow the maximum amount of Federal Direct Loans for which they qualify before borrowing a private education loan. Here are some things to consider:

• Students do not have to start paying back their Federal Direct Stafford Loans until they graduate or stop attending school at least half-time. If you obtain a private loan, you will probably have to start making payments right away.
• The interest rate on a Federal Direct Stafford Loan is almost always lower than that on a private loan - and much lower than a credit card!
• The government will pay the interest while in school at least half-time for students who qualify for a Federal Direct Subsidized Loan.
• Students do not need a credit record or a co-signer to get a Federal Direct Stafford Loan.
• Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans require a credit check but the qualifying criteria is not as strict as for private loans and, if approved, the parent can choose not to begin repaying the loan until the student graduates or is no longer enrolled at least half-time

The Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification Form

Students and/or parents who find they must apply for a private education loan may contact their bank, credit union or other private lending institution to ascertain if they provide private (alternative) education loans. Students may also do an internet search for "private student loans". We strongly recommend you compare interest rates, loan fees and repayment plans before applying for any loan. The Truth In Lending Act (TILA) and the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA), require a lender to obtain a self-certification signed by the private loan applicant before disbursing a private education loan. The lender may provide the applicant the self-certification form; however, you can also obtain the form by clicking on this link, Private Education Loan Applicant Self-Certification Form.  The process can take 30 days or longer. As a UTC student you can obtain the Cost of Attendance (COA) and Estimated Financial Assistance (EFA) information that you need to complete Section 2 of the form by contacting our office at 423-425-4677.

HOPE Scholarship Information

Uh-oh...I missed my mandatory Hope Session!

If you missed our mandatory Hope Sessions for Spring or have additional questions about Hope, please click here for more information.

Tennessee HOPE Scholarship

UTC students who are Tennessee residents and graduate from a Tennessee high school in 2012 may qualify for the Tennessee HOPE Scholarship. Those interested in receiving HOPE scholarship funds must complete the 2012-2013 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list UTC as your first state school (school code 003529). Applications must be received by September 1 for Fall or February 1 for Spring and Summer. You will receive an award notification from the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC) if you qualify for this scholarship.

If you have completed the FAFSA but UTC is not listed first, you can make this change by 1) logging into TSAC’s Student Financial Aid Portal at https://www.tn.gov/collegepays.html, or 2) complete the TSAC Change of Institution Form and return it to TSAC. Please allow 2 weeks for TSAC to process. In 3 to 5 days check your account through TSAC’s Student Financial Aid Portal to verify your school change. Please notify the UTC Financial Aid Office once your change of institution has been processed.

The system will not automatically identify transfer HOPE recipients. Once the Admissions Office has received all transcripts, transfer students should notify the Financial Aid Office at 423-425-4677 or [email protected] if you think you should receive the HOPE Scholarship.

Please complete and submit the Verification Opt-Out Form if you wish to only receive the Hope Scholarship. Submitting this form waives the Verification requirement for financial aid. By signing and submitting this form students will not receive any Federal or State Financial Aid except for the Hope Scholarship and/or Hope Merit Supplement.

• HOPE Scholarship Award Information and Information on maintaining HOPE

• Information on appealing, or regaining your Tennessee HOPE Scholarship

• Where can I find my HOPE GPA?

Are you a Hope Scholarship recipient and thinking about taking Summer classes at another institution?

Students may choose to take classes at another institution and still receive their HOPE Scholarship from UTC, if otherwise eligible.

Here are the steps to apply for HOPE to cover classes taken at another eligible TN institution:

• Student must be degree seeking and eligible for aid at the home institution (UTC).
• Student must be enrolled as a transient student at the host institution (must be an eligible host institution in the state of Tennessee).
• Complete a consortium agreement.
• Enrolled in at least 6 hours to receive the HOPE Scholarship (which includes Summer Semester).

IMPORTANT HOPE Scholarship Continuation Information

The same HOPE Scholarship rules that apply in the Fall and Spring Semesters also apply during the Summer Semester. Students who need to change enrollment status or withdraw from all classes MUST visit the Financial Aid Office for guidance and advisement. In order to continue receiving HOPE, you must abide by the continuation policy as set forth by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC), available here. The continuation policy does not allow students to change enrollment status from full to part time or part time to less than part time after the institution’s “drop” date. Not abiding by these rules may result in forfeiture, which is the loss of the HOPE Scholarship for ALL future terms.

This policy applies to all HOPE Scholarship students, whether Summer enrollment is at UTC or at another institution.

Last day to withdraw for students receiving HOPE is July 3, 2012. Any changes to enrollment after this day may make you ineligible to receive HOPE during future terms. Please note, the University uses different dates for withdrawal deadlines for each summer session.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 423-425-4677 or [email protected].

Note** The student should be aware that not all schools will recognize a consortium agreement and they must consider this before completing the consortium agreement.

Please visit the Consortium page for more information on this process:

Do you have additional questions about Hope? Click here for more information.

Visit the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation's web site for information on HOPE scholarship programs, application procedures, and deadlines.

Summer Financial Aid

Interested in Financial Aid for the summer term? (summer 2012)

We will start awarding students based on your registration for the summer term in mid April. All you need to do is register for classes during any summer session and have no outstanding items on your Financial Aid Requirements page. You must register for at least six credit hours to receive student loans and HOPE if you have remaining eligibility.

What if I want to withdraw from or drop a summer term?

“Federal financial aid legislation has broadened the definition of “withdrawal from a term” for students attending during a semester that includes multiple terms, like the UTC Summer Semester. Students should be aware that, after the receipt of Summer financial aid, dropping any Summer classes may result in the repayment of financial aid.

Students dropping all Summer Short I classes may need to give written confirmation of their intent to attend the Summer Short II session to avoid repayment of financial aid. If you have any questions, please drop by the Financial Aid Office in University Center 201, or contact us at 423-425-4677 or [email protected].

Summer HOPE Scholarship Information

Beginning Summer Semester 2012, students may be eligible to receive the Hope Scholarship in the Summer even if awarded full-time Hope during the Fall and Spring semesters.

Students who initially received the HOPE Scholarship prior to the Fall 2009 semester WILL NOT be eligible to use the award for the summer term. 
* HOPE terminating events have not changed for these students. They are: 1) earning a baccalaureate degree, or 2) five years have passed from the date of initial enrollment at any postsecondary institution (whichever occurs first).

Students who initially received the HOPE Scholarship in the Fall 2009 semester and thereafter may be eligible to use the HOPE Scholarship for the summer term (beginning with Summer 2012).
* HOPE terminating events for these students are: 1) earning a baccalaureate degree, 2) 120 attempted hours (up to 136 attempted hours, or the maximum hours required, in programs requiring more than 120 hours), or 3) five years have passed from the initial date of enrollment at any postsecondary institution. The terminating event is whichever of the previous occurs first.

Due to Hope Scholarship changes, please be aware that if you received HOPE funds during Summer 2011, the hours will be credited against the 120 attempted hour cap and will be counted in your HOPE GPA.

If you did not receive HOPE funds during the Summer 2011semester, the hours will not be credited against the 120 attempted hour cap and will not be counted in your HOPE GPA.

If your grades for the Summer 2011 were excluded from your HOPE GPA/hours, you have the option to appeal this exclusion to the UTC Financial Aid Office.

Please refer to the HOPE scholarship page for detailed information regarding how withdrawing and dropping classes during the summer affects your HOPE scholarship.

Historic List of Private Educational Lenders

Students and/or parents who find they must apply for a private education loan may choose to contact their bank, credit union or other private lending institution to ascertain if they provide private (alternative) education loans. We strongly recommend you compare interest rates, loan fees and repayment plans before applying for any loan.

The lender listing below is not a preferred lender list and is provided only as a courtesy. The lenders are presented in alphabetical order. You may choose a lender that is not on this list. The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga receives no benefits from any lender. See the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Financial Aid Personnel Policy Statement for further information.

During the 2010-11 Award Year, UTC students received private education loans from the following lenders:

• Chase
• Citibank
• Community Bank of the Cumberland
• Discover
• Fifth Third Bank
• Regions Bank
• Sallie Mae
• Sun Trust
• Wells Fargo

Each lender offers various interest rates, repayment terms and conditions and eligibility requirements, therefore, you are strongly encouraged to research each lender that offers private loans thoroughly before applying for a private loan. Contact the lender directly for further information on requirements, rates, and application procedures.

Important Announcements

The Financial Aid Office will be closed Monday, October 22 and limited staff
available on Tuesday, October 23 due to staff training.

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Due to system maintenance, Banner (INB and SSB), Banner channels in MyMocsNet, Argos reporting, and Transcripts and will be unavailable from the morning of Monday Oct 22 through Tuesday Oct 23. MyMocsNet, MyMocsDegree, UTC Learn, Email, and other campus technology services will continue unaffected while Banner is down. These services will be available again by start of the work day Wednesday Oct 24.

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Due to system maintenance on Oct 22 and 23, refunds will be available on Friday, October 26 only!

Hope Scholarship

Did you miss the HOPE Scholarship Information Sessions? Don't worry!
We will announce Spring 2013 Information Sessions at the beginning of 
next semester. Please stay tuned for all emails regarding the HOPE 
Scholarship. Please click here to access the HOPE Scholarship 
Information Session Presentation.

UTC's 2012-2013 Cost of Attendance

New Tennessee Law requires UTC to verify citizenship status of newly admitted & re-admitted students

The Tennessee Eligibility Verification for Entitlements Act requires Tennessee higher education institutions to verify that students seeking a state public benefit are a United States citizen or otherwise lawfully present in the United States. This law will affect students applying for admission or re-admission starting with the Spring 2013 semester. Students who choose not to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be required to submit documents to UTC to confirm that they are a US citizen or are in the United States legally.

Repeating Courses Can Affect Enrollment Status for Students Receiving Financial Aid

Recent federal regulations change the way enrollment status is calculated for undergraduate students receiving federal financial aid, effective for the Fall 2012 Semester. Federal financial aid will not pay for a class that has already been attempted twice (exceptions are made for select classes that are designed by the University to be taken multiple times, such as music performance classes). This differs from University policy. Students whose aid is affected by this regulation will receive an email from the UTC Financial Aid Office. There is no appeal; however, if you feel that your enrollment status for financial aid is not being calculated correctly, 
please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Example: During Fall 2011, student enrolled in 3-hour Math 1130 and received a D. He took the same course again during Summer 2012 and receives a C. He decides to take this class again to increase his GPA, and registers for Math 1130 again during the Fall 2012 semester. Total enrollment hours are 12 hours for fall 2012, but the 3 hours from Math 1130 are not included in determining his enrollment status for federal financial aid. Federal financial aid will disburse for 9 credit hours.

How to Apply for Financial Aid at UTC

Step 1: Complete and e-Sign the FAFSA on the Web.

• Available at www.studentaid.gov – Remember, the FAFSA is FREE – do not allow anyone to charge you for submission. UTC's federal school code is 003529.
• The student and the parent (if dependent) must both sign the FAFSA.  E-signature is recommended with the FAFSA PIN. www.pin.ed.gov
• Please be aware that UTC's financial aid awarding process follows a fall-spring-summer schedule. This means that you will need to complete or add UTC's school code to the FASFA for the summer term. The FAFSA is available January 1st of each year and must be completed each year for the upcoming fall, spring and summer terms.
• Please review our Important Dates webpage.
• Continuing Students will have the option to pre-fill their FAFSA on the Web. Please review all pre-filled information for necessary changes.

Step 2: Submit all requested documents to the Financial Aid Office.

• If selected for Verification, check your MyMocsNet account to see your requirements. Guide to Accessing Your Financial Aid on MyMocsNet
• The verification process requires UTC to collect documentation of taxable income, in addition to other documents. We can no longer accept a copy of your tax statement if selected for verification. We encourage you to document tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval. To use the IRS Data match, access your FAFSA application at www.fafsa.gov, click on "Make FAFSA Corrections", then select IRS Data Retrieval, or you may request a tax transcript at www.irs.gov. Electronically filed tax return information should be available for retrieval from the IRS one to two weeks after tax filing; paper tax return information should be available six to eight weeks after filing. Note: Married applicants must file jointly in order to use the IRS Data Retrieval; it also cannot be used when marital status changes after the end of the tax year or if an amended tax return has been filed. This is a free process and no one should charge you to complete the FAFSA or make corrections.  If you are requesting a tax transcript, you can expect to receive your IRS Tax Return Transcript within 5-10 days.
• All students must be fully admitted to the University before any financial aid will be processed. Please contact the Admissions Office if you have not been admitted.

Step 3: Accept your Financial Aid awards.

• Guide to Accessing Your Financial Aid on MyMocsNet
• From your MyMocsNet, select the 'Money' Tab to access the Financial Aid section of your Mocs Account. Click on the link in the center of the screen for "Financial Aid Awards." “Offered” awards require action by the student.
• If you are a new Direct Stafford Loan borrower, you will be prompted to complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note
• Some awards are time-sensitive and may be cancelled after 30 days of student inactivity.

Step 4: Got loans? Complete all loan-related requirements.

• Be sure you are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours*.
• Complete Direct Entrance Loan Counseling to learn about repayment terms.
• Complete and e-Sign a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). You will sign the MPN with your FAFSA PIN – www.pin.ed.gov.
• If you have been awarded a Graduate PLUS Loan, complete Direct Loan Graduate PLUS Entrance Loan Counseling.
• More detailed Loan information can be found on the website by clicking on Student Loan Information in the sidebar. 

* Beginning fall 2012, graduate students must be enrolled in at least 5 credit hours to receive a student loan.

FORMS

2011-2012 Forms (Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Summer 2012)