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2006-2008 Catalog of Courses |
Fees and Financial Aid |
Student Costs and Student Fees
All fees and all policies governing the refund of fees are subject to change by the Board of Regents, State of Iowa.
Current information on tuition, fees, and miscellaneous fees for a specific semester can be found at www.uni.edu/infosys/tuition/.
Students are required to provide their own books. Students may buy their texts from any source. A student organization operates a book exchange at the beginning of each semester. An estimated cost for books, as well as an estimate of other expenses to be considered in a student's personal budget, can be found at www.uni.edu/infosys/tuition/. Specific information on residence hall fees may be obtained from Department of Residence, Redeker Center or www.uni.edu/infosys/tuition/.
Fee Payment and Billing. The university offers students the option of paying their tuition fees and residence hall room and board contracts in one payment at the time of billing or in three monthly installments. Each university electronic e-bill will give the student the option of paying the "account balance" at the time of billing or the "minimum amount due" (installment amount). A $20 administrative charge will be assessed one time per semester for the installment payment plan. Normally, three installment payments can be made for a regular semester depending on the date of registration.
Other fees for which students will be billed are parking permits, health center fees, athletic tickets, laboratory fees, university apartment rent, and miscellaneous fees which may occur. These are not included in the installment option.
The university does not mail paper bills to enrolled students or their parents. Instead, electronic e-bills are available through MyUNIverse at http://myuniverse.uni.edu. Monthly e-bills are generated the 10th of every month and payments are due approximately the 5th of the following month. For billing dates and payment due dates, refer to the Schedule of Classes for the appropriate session or visit the Web site at www.uni.edu/regist. It is the student's responsibility to check their e-bill account at least monthly and make required payments by the due date.
Note: Students electing to use the installment payment program are reminded that they will be placed under "Restricted Enrollment" status if payments are not made to the University Office of Business Operations by the date specified on the billing. A $25 restricted enrollment fee will be assessed for each billing which remains past due. Students placed on Restricted Enrollment status will not be permitted to pre-register or to receive academic records until this status has been lifted.
Enrollment Services - Financial AidThe University of Northern Iowa, through the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid, administers a comprehensive program of financial assistance for students. The office offers all federal student aid programs as well as a variety of scholarship assistance.
Enrollment Services - Financial Aid/Student Employment Center contact information is:
Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0024 Telephone: 319-273-2700 or 1-800-772-2736 Fax: 319-273-6950 Web site: www.uni.edu/finaid
Student Employment Center Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0024 Telephone: 319-273-6394 Office Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Summer Hours: 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Financial Aid Information On the WebFinancial Aid Award Notification, Online Job Board, Online Common Scholarship Application, scholarship directory, general information and information needed by the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid Office to continue processing a student's aid is posted on MyUNIverse at http://myUNIverse.uni.edu. For new students, information needed by the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid is mailed to the student as well as being available on MyUNIverse. For returning UNI students, information is only available on MyUNIverse, unless the student contacts the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid and requests the information be mailed. An e-mail notification is sent to the student's UNI e-mail address when information is needed, and the student is responsible for checking MyUNIverse for details.
Federal Student Aid ProgramsStudents must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to have eligibility determined for a Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Perkins Loan, Work Study, or Direct Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized). Students need to apply for financial aid each year. Applying for a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) does not require the completion of a FAFSA, however, it is recommended. Qualifying for student aid requires enrollment of at least half-time, and admission in a degree or certificate program. Financial aid is not available for correspondence (specified as AGuided Independent Study@ at UNI), Camp Adventure, or audited courses. Pell Grants. These awards help undergraduates pay for their education while working on their first bachelor's degree. Amounts range up to $4,050 per academic year, depending on need and enrollment status. A Pell Grant does not have to be repaid.
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG). This program targets students receiving a Pell Grant and having exceptional financial need. Awards range up to $1,000 per academic year. A SEOG does not have to be repaid.
Perkins Loan. Perkins Loans awards are based on need and range from $200 to $2,000. Interest begins accruing 9 months after the borrower is no longer at least a half-time student. Repayment to the university is made in monthly installments. Deferments are possible if a borrower returns to college at least half-time.
Federal, State, and UNI Work Study. These are programs for students with financial need who desire employment to help pay for educational expenses. Both undergraduate and graduate students can qualify for work study. The minimum pay rate is $5.60 per hour.
Direct Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized). The Subsidized Stafford Loan is based on financial eligibility. The Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is available to all degree-seeking students. Freshman students may borrow up to $2,625 for an academic year. Sophomore students may borrow up to $3,500 for an academic year. Junior or senior students may borrow up to $5,500 for an academic year. The total amount an undergraduate may have outstanding cannot exceed $23,000. Graduate students can borrow up to their cost of attendance as determined by UNI or $18,500, whichever is less, per academic year. The total amount any one student may borrow for a combined undergraduate and graduate program may not exceed $138,500. Repayment begins six months after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time. Interest is currently fixed at 6.8%.
Parent Loan for Undergraduate Student (PLUS). A parent of a dependent student may be eligible for an amount up to the cost of education less any other Direct Stafford Loan, financial aid, or scholarship money available to the student to use for educational expenses. Interest is fixed at 7.9%. Repayment begins within 60 days following the last disbursement of the loan.
Standards of Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid Eligibility Standards of Satisfactory Progress is a two-part federal regulation to ensure that students receiving aid are:
The aid programs that are affected include, but are not limited to: Pell Grant, Perkins Loan, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal, State, and UNI Work Study, institutional grants, state grants, Direct Stafford Loan (subsidized and unsubsidized), Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students, and certain education bank/private lender loans.
Not Eligible Status for Financial Aid. Once a student has received a warning, any subsequent Fall or Spring semester in which the student does not maintain Satisfactory Progress will result in the student being notified about the loss of financial aid eligibility. A student who has reached the allotted timeframe to complete a degree will also lose financial aid eligibility. Please contact the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid if the graduate program requires more than 60 credit hours.
Appeal Process and Deadline. An appeal process is in place for those experiencing extenuating circumstances that affected their ability to make satisfactory academic progress. Appeal forms may be obtained from the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid. Appeals must be submitted no later than the end of the first week of classes following the suspended semester or within 15 calendar days of the date on the academic progress letter, whichever is later. (If suspension occurs at the end of the spring semester, students are encouraged to appeal during the summer period.) A written outline of required course work per semester until graduation signed and dated by the student and the advisor is required.
Reinstatement of Financial Aid. Students approved to receive aid again will be expected to adhere to the Satisfactory Progress Policy outlined above and any conditions listed on the Appeal Approval Contract.
Financial Aid Adjustment. If financial aid has already been awarded and an appeal is not completed or approved, the financial aid funds will be canceled 30 days after the start of the suspended semester. Reinstatement of the financial aid is contingent upon the availability of the funds at the time the appeal is approved.
Grant Adjustment. Grants are need-based aid. The Pell Grant Program is for students working on their first B.A. degree. Due to federal regulation and university policy, the actual amount of grant that you receive is based on the number of credit/hours for which you are enrolled.
This means that if a grant has already been disbursed to you and you add or drop classes during the first 2 weeks of the semester, your grant will be adjusted. After the second week of classes grants do NOT adjust. If you have any questions about how your grant may be affected by adding or dropping a class, please contact the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid.
Correspondence (specified as "Guided Independent Study" at UNI), Camp Adventure, Audited Courses. Financial aid is not available for correspondence (specified as "Guided Independent Study" at UNI), Camp Adventure, or audited courses. If you have any questions regarding this policy, please contact the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid at 319-273-2700. Student Loans. Students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), then return a signed Promissory Note to the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid. You will sign only one promissory note that will be used for all of your loans at UNI. By using the Master Promissory Note (MPN), you may not need to sign and submit a separate promissory note for each new loan. A student who borrows under the Direct Loan Program at UNI will be able to borrow under this one MPN up to ten years. If you borrowed a Direct Loan at UNI in the prior academic year, you do not need to complete another promissory note. Students must also be degree-seeking and enrolled at least half-time (6 hours for undergraduate, 5 hours for graduate) before loan funds can be released. All loan proceeds are credited directly to your university bill.
How Dropping Credit Hours or Withdrawing from UNI Affects Financial Aid. If you drop credit hours or withdraw from UNI, your cost of attendance and financial aid may be revised to reflect any tuition adjustment. You may have to repay a portion or all of your financial aid as required by law or by applicable fund donor. The exact amount of repayment will vary depending on when the credits are dropped or when the withdrawal occurs. In addition, you may become ineligible for future financial aid due to failure to meet the Financial Aid Academic Progress Requirements.
Federal regulations require students who withdraw before over 60% of the semester has passed to return unearned federal aid in a proportion equal to the time not in attendance. For example, if a student completes 30% of the semester, then 30% of the federal aid received may be retained and the other 70% of the federal aid received must be returned. If a student withdraws after the 60% point in time of the semester, then all aid received may be retained. Loans must be paid back according to the loan agreement. Institutional and state aid are returned in percentages equal to the institution's tuition and fees refund policy. For example, if a student receives 25% tuition refund, then an equal percentage of 25% will be returned to all state and institutional aid programs. Contact the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid for more information.
Funds will be returned to the financial aid programs in the following order: federal loan programs, federal grant programs, state programs, UNI programs, outside agencies, student. You will be notified of adjustments to your financial aid award via your university bill.
Summer Aid Financial AidFor financial aid purposes, the summer session is considered the final term of the award year. Federal aid programs have an academic year maximum amount of aid that can be received. For example, if you are a dependent freshman with 0-29 semester hours you may borrow only $2,625 in direct loans for the entire academic year (12 months - fall, spring and summer). Therefore, summer aid is limited.
To be eligible for financial aid for the summer you must:
Grants and Scholarships
UNI Grants. These institutional grants are need-based, non-repayable gifts, ranging from $400 to $1,000. The exact amount of the grant depends upon the student's financial need as indicated by the results of their FAFSA.
Federal Grants. Federal grants are intended to assist students whose FAFSA results indicate a high level of financial need. The amount ranges from $400 to $4,050. The federal government has the Pell Grant and Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) available for undergraduate students who complete the FAFSA and demonstrate high financial need.
State Grants. State grants are available for Iowa students who are enrolled at least half-time who complete a FAFSA and demonstrate financial need. The grants are awarded based upon an Iowa undergraduate student's expected family contribution. Iowa grant awards range up to $1000 per year. The IMAGES grant is also available for Iowa minority students enrolled at least half-time. Awards range from $200 to $2,000.
Scholarships. A wide variety of scholarships are available at the University of Northern Iowa for students who are academically qualified. Scholarships are also available to students with outstanding creative or performing talent. Most scholarships for freshmen are awarded to students who rank in the top quarter of their high school class, or from non-ranking high schools and have an ACT composite score of 27 or above. Two-year college transfer students must have a minimum 3.25 cumulative grade point average. For a complete listing of scholarships for incoming freshmen and transfer students, check the financial aid Web site at www.uni.edu/finaid/. Graduate Scholarships and Assistantships. Several scholarships and awards, including tuition scholarships, are available for graduate students at Northern Iowa. Students should contact the department or academic college in charge of their program for information on eligibility and application procedures. Students may locate the scholarship directory at www.uni.edu/finaid/, which gives a complete listing of all scholarships available for graduate students and currently enrolled UNI students.
Army G.I. Bill. Undergraduates serving in the Iowa National Guard or the U.S. Army Reserves can qualify for the New G.I. Bill. The New G.I. Bill Educational Assistance Benefits provide up to $2,000 per year in direct payments, plus the student continues to earn monthly training assembly pay. Many students who qualify for the New G.I. Bill also qualify for the Student Loan Repayment Program. For additional information about the New G.I. Bill write or contact the G.I. Bill representative in the Office of the Registrar at the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0006, 319-273-6801.
Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) Scholarships. Several scholarships are available for students interested in ROTC.
Department of Art Scholarships are awarded annually to high school seniors interested in art as a major. These scholarships are also available to qualified undergraduate art majors and transfer students. Interested students should contact the Department of Art, Kamerick Art Building 104. Visit the Web site at www.uni.edu/finaid/scholarship.html.
College of Business Administration (CBA). Thanks to the generosity of many donors, CBA majors have the opportunity to apply for approximately seventy-five merit-based scholarships in two types of scholarship programs.
The CBA Freshman Scholarship Day program targets current high school seniors interested in majoring in a CBA discipline at UNI. This program's online application can be found at www.uni.edu/finaid. Students selected to compete for these scholarships are invited to UNI for a day of activities designed to enhance their knowledge of UNI and the CBA. This program is a fall initiative. Interested high school seniors should inquire at their school's guidance office early in the fall semester. The application deadline usually is the end of September.
An additional CBA scholarship program is intended for current UNI students majoring in a CBA discpline. The common scholarship application for this program also can be found online at www.uni.edu/finaid/. This program is a spring initiative and is publicized throughout the CBA via posters in the Curris Business Building and by e-mails sent to all CBA majors. The deadline for this program usually is the end of January.
Additional information regarding these CBA scholarship programs is available at www.cba.uni.edu/services/scholarships/ or by contacting the CBA Dean's Office located in Curris Business Building 325 or by calling 319-273-6240.
Various CBA departments administer other scholarships. These scholarships are publicized by the respective departments where applications are available.
Industrial Technology Department. (Contact the department for more specific information about these scholarships.)
CNS Scholarships are awarded to high school seniors in the areas of biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, industrial technology, mathematics, and physics. Each department in the College of Natural Sciences has its own criteria for the scholarships it awards, although, in general the scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic ability. These scholarships were formerly awarded in conjunction with the Science, Mathematics, and Technology Symposium, which has been discontinued. The amount of the scholarships vary from $1,000-$5,000.
UNI Athletic Grants-In-Aid Awards are available for incoming student athletes as well as returning students. Athletics GIA are awarded in dollar values up to and including full grants of tuition, room and board, and books. Athletics GIA are awarded for one-term periods; however GIAs are renewable in accordance with NCAA and conference rules. GIA recipients must meet NCAA, Conference, and Institutional requirements for admission and/or the satisfactory progress rules of same. Recommendations for athletics GIA awards are made by the coaches of the individual sport programs. Athletics GIA awards are provided in part by the Athletic Club (contributions), gate receipts, friends of the university, and other special accounts.
UNI Parents Association (UNIPA) Scholarship Program Five scholarships in the form of tuition grants applied directly to the student's account are awarded annually. One $1,000 scholarship is awarded to a student from each of the five undergraduate colleges. Selection is completed in spring and the award realized the following fall semester. Presidential and other full tuition and board scholarship winners are not eligible. To be eligible for consideration a student must a) be a full-time student, b) possess a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 or better, c) have completed at least one semester of course work at the University of Northern Iowa, d) be a sophomore, junior, or senior at the time the award is realized, and e) nominate herself/himself by filing an application in the Office of Development, 205 Commons. In selecting the award recipients, consideration is given to a) participation in college, university, and community activities and leadership abilities therein, b) personal statement submitted by the candidate, including career objectives, c) personal interview with the UNIPA Scholarship Committee members, d) potential for leadership in academic major area, and e) grade point average and evidence of other scholarly activities.
For further information, contact UNI Foundation, at 319-273-6078.
UNI Presidential and Provost Scholarships www.uni.edu/honors/scholarships
Presidential and Provost Scholarships are awarded by the University Honors Program to high school seniors with a history of outstanding academic performance. Top recipients will be those whose strong academic credentials are matched by personal involvement in leadership and service activities.
Presidential and Provost Scholarships are substantial awards that carry recognition for academic excellence as well as financial support.
Scholarship application criteria include an ACT composite of 29 or better AND top 10% high school class rank (or one of the top five students in a class of 50 or fewer). Applications, including a one-page essay, must be submitted by December 15 through the Online Common Scholarship Application for Undergraduates available at www.uni.edu/finaid.
For more information, contact the University Honors Program, 2401 College Street, Cedar Falls, IA 50614, 319-273-3175.
University of Northern Iowa Foundation The UNI Foundation is the official channel through which gifts, both large and small, are given for the benefit of the university. The generosity of alumni and friends of the University of Northern Iowa provides scholarships for eligible students. Students should contact the dean of their college or the Office of Enrollment Services - Financial Aid for specific information on scholarships and selection criteria.
For further information contact UNI Foundation, 319-273-6078 or 1-800-782-9522, e-mail uni.foundation@uni.edu, or visit the UNI Foundation Web site at www.uni-foundation.org. |
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