Financial Aid
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Mission
A quality college education is within reach for everyone at Rio Grande. More than 80 percent of all Rio students receive financial aid in the form of scholarships, grants, loans or work study.
The primary focus of the Financial Aid Office is to assist you with the challenge of paying for your education. The key to financing your education is to plan early and keep your options open.
Rio Grande offers more than 300 forms of financial aid to support you in your educational endeavors. Scholarships make up the majority of these opportunities, with grants, loans and federal Work-Study also available. The first step to qualify for financial aid at Rio Grande is to fill out your FAFSA online using the college code 003116.
IMPORTANT: Financial Aid Timeline Information
Scholarships
Typically based on merit, scholarships can come from a number of different sources with various awarding criteria. Rio Grande offers numerous institutional scholarships for incoming freshmen and currently enrolled students. Rio Grande also receives a wide array of scholarships from private donors and outside resources.
Grants
Grants are “free aid” from federal, state, or institutional funds to undergraduate students with financial need. The FAFSA form determines need and eligibility. Recipients must not possess a bachelor’s or professional degree, and be enrolled in a degree-seeking undergraduate program (associate or bachelor).
Loans
Unlike grants and scholarships, loans accrue interest and must be repaid either while attending school, after graduation, or if you withdraw. Different types of student loans include federal, state, institutional, and alternative (bank) loans. Each type may have different terms and conditions associated when borrowing money for educational purposes.
Financial Aid Forms
The financial aid forms listed below are available in PDF (read only) format. If you would like more information or have any questions, please contact the financial aid office at 740-245-7218.
Verification
Completed with KHEAA (Kentucky Higher Education Assist Authority)
Instructions
May take up to 5 days before students receive an email from KHEAA with the requested documentation.
Tuition and Fees
Tuition rates, general fees, and course fees for the current school year can be found via the links below.
Resources
File FAFSA over the Internet, Q&A section, check on status of your FAFSA, Privacy Act information Preparing for College: Federal Student Aid/Prepare for College Getting ready for college or career school Types of Aid: Federal Student Aid/Types of Aid Financial Aid is available from a variety of sources for college, career school, graduate school and professional school. Manage Student Loans: StudentLoans.gov Complete Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note Checklists for Academic and Financial Preparation – click here Career Search – click here Financial Aid Glossary – click here
National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators – www.nasfaa.org
Financial Aid information for students, parents and counselors. Provides publication information and links to other helpful websites.
College Board – www.collegeboard.org
Information for students, parents and counselors. Apply for college.
National Student Loan Data System – https://studentaid.gov/
Find student loans, deferment made easy, and relevant contact information.
Ohio National Guard – www.ohionationalguard.com
ONG will pay 100% tuition at state university and other exciting benefits.
Selective Service – www.sss.gov
Register for Selective Service, find Sel. Service #, draft information, etc
The Foundation for Appalachian Ohio – www.appalachianohio.org
The foundation is now accepting applications for the Ariana R. Ulloa Scholarship. Scholarship applications are available at the guidance offices of Hocking College, Ohio University, the Foundation’s office and website
- FastWEB – www.fastweb.com
- ScholarAid – www.scholaraid.com
- CollegeNET’s MACH25 – www.collegenet.com
- College Resource Network – www.collegeresourcenetwork.com
- College Scholarships – www.collegescholarships.com
- KeyBank Scholarship – http://www.key.com/signup
- Super College Scholarships – www.supercollege.com
- Scholarships, Grants and Financial Aid for Minority Students – click here
- Scholarships for Nursing Students – http://www.discovernursing.com/nursing-scholarship-search
Resources for education beyond high school; 4-step planning process helps students plan, apply, receive and repay for college
ACT – www.act.org
Register for the ACT online, check test dates/locations, test preparation and college planning.
Cash for College – www.finaid.org
Learn about loans, scholarships, military aid, & other aid. Provides application guide, Q&A, calculators and free scholarship search.
College Is Possible – www.collegeispossible.org
Learn how to prepare, choose and pay for the right college for you!
Ohio Voter Registration – http://www.sos.state.oh.us/
Information on how to register as an Ohio voter.
U.S. Army – www.goarmy.com
Up to $26,500 for college through the new 2 year enlistment option. Provides contact information.
Veterans
Apply for Aid
To apply for financial aid, prospective students must complete the application process for admission to the University of Rio Grande, and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or a Renewal FAFSA. When filling out the FAFSA, use college code 003116 to indicate Rio Grande.
A paper application is available upon request from the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID. The FAFSA must be filed as soon as possible after Jan. 1 each year. It is important to apply as early as possible due to limited amounts of funding for certain programs. These programs are awarded on a first come, first serve basis to eligible students. Therefore, students should file the FAFSA no later than March 15
General Financial Aid Information
Notification
Notification of awards will be made as quickly as possible. Students should receive an award letter listing all aid eligibility. The student must sign and return the award letter indicating if they accept or decline the aid package. Students accepting student loans must complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note to complete the loan process. Click the studentloans.gov link to complete this process. Finalized financial aid will be applied to the student account after the drop/add period each term. Students must have completed and submitted all necessary paperwork required by the Financial Aid Office before aid will be credited to the student’s account.
Balances/Overages
Balances owed after student financial aid is applied to the student account are the responsibility of the student and/or parent and must be paid by the date specified by the University Business Office each term. Student accounts showing a credit balance will receive an overage check within 14 days of the financial aid being applied. The first checks are mailed five weeks after the start of each term.
Special Circumstances
If your family experiences a change of income due to loss of employment, disability or natural disaster, loss or reduction of untaxed income, separation or divorce, death of a parent or spouse, excessive medical or dental expenses paid out-of-pocket, parents attending college, sibling private school tuition paid, or a one-time lump sum, you may be eligible for special circumstances. Special circumstances are considered at the professional judgment of the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to approve or reject applications for special circumstances. A change of circumstances can sometimes change your eligibility for financial aid. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.
Understanding the FAFSA FAQ
Why should I fill out the FAFSA?
When do I fill out the FAFSA?
How do I fill out the FAFSA?
What happens after I fill out the FAFSA?
Eligibility
Eligibility
Financial Aid assists students and families with the cost of a college education. How much financial aid students may receive at Rio Grande depends on different factors. The two factors that determine financial aid eligibility are merit and need.
Merit-based aid is determined based on special achievement or a specific talent. The most common type of merit-based aid are scholarships, which typically come from either outside sources or Rio Grande. All of Rio Grande’s merit scholarships are listed under the scholarships tab on our financial aid homepage.
The majority of financial aid offered to Rio Grande students is need-based aid, which is generally determined by your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), year in school, enrollment status, and cost of attendance (COA).
Types of need-based financial aid include:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- Direct Subsidized Loan
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Work-Study
The formula to determine financial need is:
Cost of Attendance (COA) – Expected Family Contribution (EFC) = Eligibility for need-based aid
Cost of Attendance (COA) is used to determine eligibility for financial aid and reflects the different estimated costs to attend Rio Grande. This budget is comprised of; direct costs (tuition and fees, on-campus room and board), indirect costs (transportation, personal miscellaneous expenses, books and supplies, and off-campus living).
The actual cost of attending Rio Grande may differ from the estimated COA used to determine eligibility for financial aid.
Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount student’s and their family are expected to pay toward a college education. This is calculated using a formula established by the U.S. Congress based on the information the student and their family provide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Eligibility for need-based aid is the result of COA minus EFC, and establishes the different Federal and State aid eligibility annually. It is important to note that while the goal is to meet the full demonstrated need of students, limited resources do not always allow this to happen. In cases where a student receives assistance in an amount less than the demonstrated financial need, families may need to pay more than the calculated EFC in order to cover the costs associated with enrollment at Rio Grande.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
- know what financial aid is available, including aid from federal, state and institutional programs. In addition, a student has the right to know the deadlines, selection criteria, terms, policies, procedures and regulations that apply to each of the programs.
- know how his/her financial need was determined and how much of it, as determined by the college, was met. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, transportation, books and supplies, and miscellaneous personal expenses are included in his/her student budget.
- know if he/she has a student loan, the terms of the loan, such as interest rate, the total amount that must be repaid, the length of time allowed for repayment, when repayment must start, cancellation provisions, deferment and forbearance possibilities and any special consolidation or refinancing options.
- appeal his/her financial aid award if he/she feels there are special circumstances that were not originally taken into consideration.
- know how the college determines whether he/she is making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if he/she is not.
- know how and when his/her financial aid will be disbursed.
- know the college’s refund policies; the portion, if any, of tuition and fees that is refunded to the student if he/she withdraws before the end of the term; and the portion, if any, of the financial aid he/she received that must be paid back immediately if he/she withdraws before the end of the term.
- expect that all information reported by him/her and/or his/her family will remain confidential and will not be released without his/her written consent according to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
- examine (in the presence of a financial aid counselor) his/her financial aid records which are maintained in the Office of Financial Aid.
- expect equitable treatment under the college’s policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or veteran’s status.
- reading, retaining and understanding all information supplied to him/her from the Office of Financial Aid. Students are welcome to contact the Office of Financial Aid with any questions or concerns.
- promptly responding to inquiries or requests for information from the Office of Financial Aid.
- obtaining all forms required to apply (or re-apply) for the type of assistance he/she wishes to receive.
- supplying accurate and thorough information on all forms submitted to the Office of Financial Aid. Funds obtained on the basis of false information will have to be repaid and might subject the student to penalties under the United States criminal code.
- informing the Office of Financial Aid if he/she receives any type of financial aid assistance from an outside agency. By law, when determining a student’s financial aid eligibility, the Office of Financial Aid is required to consider all sources of funding.
- using financial aid funds only for educational expenses (tuition, fees, books, supplies and other living costs).
- understanding and complying with the terms and conditions of the aid he/she receives. This includes deadlines, continued eligibility, application procedures, etc.
- notifying the Office of Financial Aid if his/her enrollment or residency status changes. This will ensure that the student’s financial aid award is based upon the correct enrollment and residency status.
- reporting a change of address or name to the Office of Registrar. This will ensure the Office of Financial Aid has the most recent and accurate information.
- maintaining good academic standing consistent with the college’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.
- completing entrance counseling and exit counseling, if he/she has taken out an educational loan.
- repaying all educational loans. Failure to meet this obligation will adversely affect the student’s credit rating and make him/her ineligible for future educational loans or grants.
- notifying his/her loan servicer and the United States Department of Education of any changes in name or address while and after attending school.
Enrollment Verification
Federal Title IV financial aid (Pell Grant, Direct Loan, FWS, SEOG, etc) may only be paid for classes in which a student begins attendance. Faculty members report any students as non-attending within the first two weeks of a traditional semester and within the first week of an accelerated term. Financial aid is adjusted and paid based on the hours documented on the student’s academic record as registered and attending as of the 15th day of a traditional semester and the 5th day of an accelerated term. For full policy, click here:
Student Consumer Information
By Federal regulations, Rio Grande is required to disclose specific consumer information to current and prospective students and employees. The following links will allow you to view the required information.
Financial Aid Fraud Notice
The University of Rio Grande follows established guidelines for the prevention of, identification of, and response to indications of identity theft and financial aid fraud. To read the full notice, follow the link:
Study Abroad and Federal Aid
Students enrolled in any study abroad program may qualify for Federal Student Aid through the traditional Financial Aid process as a regular Rio Grande student. All regular billing and financial aid deadlines remain the same for all study abroad students.
Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4)
The Return of Title IV Funds Policy applies to students who have withdrawn from all of their coursework, ceases attendance in ALL scheduled courses, or fails to earn a grade in all of their courses. Students who have received federal financial aid funds are required to earn these funds by attending classes through at least 60% of the period of enrollment. Students who fail to meet this guideline will be required to repay all or portion of their financial aid, and risk being placed of financial aid probation or suspension.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Federal regulations require the university to establish and apply reasonable standards of satisfactory progress for the purpose of the receipt of financial assistance under the programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act. The law requires institutions to develop policies regarding satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Each institution must design criteria, which outlines the definition of student progress towards a degree and the consequences to the student if progress is not achieved. URG students who wish to be considered for financial aid must maintain satisfactory progress in their selected course of study as set forth in this policy. For full policy, follow link:
Impact of Drug Conviction and Title IV Eligibility
Under federal law, a recipient of Title IV Federal financial aid who is convicted for possession and/or sale of illegal drugs while enrolled as a student will be ineligible for further federal financial aid funding for a specific period.
The chart below shows the periods of ineligibility.
Offense | Possession | Sale |
---|---|---|
1st Offense | 1 Year from the Date of Conviction | 2 Years from the Date of Conviction |
2nd Offense | 2 Years from the Date of Conviction | Indefinite |
3rd or More Offense | Indefinite | Indefinite |
*If convicted of both possession and selling illegal drugs, the student will be ineligible for the longer period.
A Student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when the student successfully completes a qualified drug rehabilitation program. The student will lose eligibility again upon a subsequent drug conviction.
For more information, feel free to contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Location
The Financial Aid Office is located in the Reardon One Stop of Florence Evans Hall
Business hours: 8-5 Monday – Friday
Primary Contact: finaid@rio.edu
Telephone: 740-245-7218