Graduate | Financial |

Scholarships

UMUC awards scholarships to eligible graduate students in Europe who have completed 9 credit hours of the program. There are scholarships available in a wide range of categories for which students can qualify, including military members, family members, civilians, VA students, and TA students.

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of student’s academic records and potential in accordance with the specific requirements for a given category. Each scholarship is in the form of a tuition and book credit which can be applied toward UMUC Europe courses and/or seminars during the academic year of the award, excluding the summer term. Scholarship information is located on the UMUC Europe Web site at www.ed.umuc.edu/fso or through the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid

University of Maryland University College Europe acts on behalf of Bowie State University as a processing agent for financial aid. Two federal financial aid programs are available to graduate students: the William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan Program and the William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Student loans and Graduate Plus Loans, which are awarded by academic year, may be processed throughout the academic year. These loans may be used concurrently with VA educational benefits, military tuition assistance, and other types of financial assistance. Under current federal regulations, federal grants are not available to graduate students.

For additional information on financial aid, please contact:

University of Maryland University College
Financial Aid Office
Unit 29216
APO AE 09102
Telephone: DSN 370-6762 or CIV +49-(0)6221-378324
E-mail: edfso@ed.umuc.edu

Financial Aid Application Process

All students must undergo a federal needs analysis to determine eligibility for any type of federal financial aid, including student loans. Students will use the 2007-2008 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the 2007-2008 Untaxed Income Worksheet, and the 2007-2008 UMUC Europe Guide to Financial Aid to apply for financial aid. These materials are available at education centers or online at www.ed.umuc.edu/fso. The Military Untaxed Worksheet is sent to the UMUC Europe Financial Aid Office in Heidelberg to initiate and establish the student’s 2007-2008 financial aid file. When dealing with the financial aid office, students should always identify themselves as graduate students to ensure appropriate advice and processing. The FAFSA should be completed and mailed to the federal processing center in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, or completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

The UMUC Europe Guide to Financial Aid provides specific details and instructions on exactly which forms and documentation are required by federal regulations. Before a federal student loan may be processed, the 2007-2008 UMUC Europe financial aid file must be completed and the federally required review accomplished. The Financial Aid Office reviews and approves the completed financial aid file before a student loan request is processed. An award offer letter, based on half-time enrollment, will be sent to the student.

Students who wish to have their file reviewed due to special or unusual circumstances should still submit the FAFSA with the information requested, wait for the results of the FAFSA, and then contact the UMUC Europe Financial Aid Office.

Students select their own loan period within the 2007-2008 academic year. Student loan recipients must be enrolled at least half-time each semester during the loan period to remain eligible for their loan. Enrollment in both on-site and distance education classes can be combined for the purpose of the half-time enrollment necessary for a student loan. (See Graduate Enrollment Levels.) All financial aid recipients must be degree-seeking, admitted students.

Deadlines for a student loan require that the loan be initiated with the federal processor, via the UMUC Europe Financial Aid Office, no later than the last day of the eligible enrollment period. However, 1 June is the priority processing deadline for the following academic year beginning in Term 1. Please see the 2007-2008 UMUC Europe Guide to Financial Aid for additional application deadlines.

Priority Deadlines for Financial Aid

Students may apply for financial aid at any time and the application will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. If the entire financial aid file is complete by the priority deadline, the application should be processed in time for funds to be available for registration. Students missing the deadline may still be eligible to receive financial aid, but they may have to pay for tuition and fees themselves. Once financial aid is approved, these students will be reimbursed.

Term	Priority Deadline
Fall	1 June 2007
Spring	1 October 2007
Summer	1 March 2008

Federal Direct Student Loan Programs

William D. Ford Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan Program

This federally subsidized loan program enables students to borrow directly from the Department of Education. Following federal guidelines, the Financial Aid Office determines eligibility for the William D. Ford Federal Direct Stafford Loan program. Eligible graduate students may borrow up to $8,500 per academic year of graduate study. Students requesting the Federal Direct Student Loan will be offered their maximum eligibility for their loan period. Students can accept all or part of the loan award.

The interest is annually variable but is fixed at 6.8 percent. There is also a 4 percent origination fee subject to reduction by the Department of Education. Interest does not accrue during the loan period as long as the student remains enrolled on at least a half-time basis. (See Graduate Enrollment Levels.)

William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan Program

This student loan program has the same terms, conditions, deadlines, and interest rates as the subsidized Federal Stanford Loan, except that the student borrower assumes responsibility for payment of the accrued interest while in school and during the loan period. The William D. Ford Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stanford Loan Program is available to students who either do not qualify or who qualify only in part for a subsidized Federal Stanford Loan up to the federal loan limits or who have an additional financial need above the subsidized Federal Stanford Loan amounts allowed. Graduate students are eligible for amounts equal to the Federal Direct Stanford Loan limits plus additional amounts of up to $12,000 per academic year.

Federal Return of Funds Policy

The student is responsible for following UMUC-Europe’s withdrawal procedures as outlined in this Catalog. The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act requires the university to calculate a return of Title IV funds (loans and grants) on all federal financial aid students who withdraw (officially or unofficially) from all classes for the term on or before the 60 percent attendance point in the term. If students withdraw from classes, they may not receive further financial aid disbursements, may lose some or all of the aid that has already been disbursed to their accounts, and may be personally responsible for payment of any charges for tuition and fees that are due. For a complete description of the Federal Return of Funds Policy, refer to the 2006-2007 UMUC-Europe Guide to Financial Aid.

Graduate Enrollment Levels for Financial Aid

It is important that students pay attention to the minimum half-time level of enrollment required in order to be eligible for the Federal Direct Student Loan Programs. Graduate students may only receive aid from one school during a given enrollment period. Students must notify the Financial Aid Office if they have or will receive aid from an institution other than UMUC-Europe. These enrollment levels may be different than that required for Veterans Assistance educational benefits.

Full time	9 credits
Half time	6 credits

Disbursement of Funds

Each term, the UMUC-Europe Business Office disburses (applies) funds to the student’s account based on federal and UMUC guidelines. In general, loans are authorized by the Financial Aid Office to the Business Office several weeks into the semester once confirmation of enrollment has taken place by the Financial Aid Office.

Awards applied to the account in excess of tuition and fee charges are refunded to the student within UMUC and federally mandated timeframes. The Business Office in Heidelberg prepares refund checks and mails them directly to the student. In general, this refund process requires 14 days from the date the credit balance was created on the student’s account at UMUC.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Financial aid is intended to meet the financial needs of students who otherwise could not or would not consider continuing their education. Students who receive financial aid must not only demonstrate financial need but must also make satisfactory progress as determined by UMUC in accordance with federal regulations.

Financial aid recipients are required to be in good standing and to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their degree requirements for each term in which they are enrolled. Satisfactory academic progress, as described below, is evaluated each term. Failure to maintain satisfactory progress, may result in cancellation of financial aid awards and the student may have to repay funds already received.

Basic Standards for Graduate Students

UMUC’s institutional requirements for minimum satisfactory performance for financial aid recipients are defined as follows:

• Minimum cumulative GPA. The student must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.
• Minimum completion rate. The student must maintain a minimum cumulative completion rate of two-thirds of credits attempted (67 percent).
• Federally mandated maximum timeframe to complete the program/degree. The student must complete his or her educational program within a time frame no longer than 150 percent of the published length of the educational program (for example, complete his or her program after attempting a maximum of 54 credit hours for a 36 credit housrs program).

Federal regulations require that the academic progress of financial aid recipients be tracked from the first date of enrollment at UMUC, whether or not financial aid was received.

Credits transferred from all other credit sources will be considered as attempted and completed credits in the evaluation of the completion rate standards.

Students whose attempted credits, including transfer credits, exceed the 150 percent timeframe for any reason will be placed on Financial Aid Denied status, not Financial Aid Probation. No financial aid will be disbursed for the student during subsequent terms unless the student has made an appeal of the Financial Aid Denied status and the appeal is granted.