Niner Central Student Services Overview

WELCOME

Niner Central provides students support and assistance related to registration, transcripts, financial aid, billing, academic records and more. With the combination of service for these key areas, we are able to provide students with efficient, timely and convenient service. Niner Central strives to eliminate obstacles, allowing students to focus on their educational experience.

Niner Central offers virtual assistance options via email, phone or virtual appointment. We are also available for in-person engagement in the Cone Center. Our team is available to meet with students 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information, visit ninercentral.charlotte.edu/virtual-assistance.

RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

This federal law protects the privacy of all student records at UNC Charlotte.

What does that mean for students?

We will not share information about your grades, schedule, financial aid or your bill unless you grant others access online.

What does that mean for parents?

We cannot discuss your information with your family members, and your family cannot view your student account without your permission documented online.

ALLOW GUEST ACCESS

As a student, you may grant access to a specified parent and/or guest. There are two kinds of guest access:

Viewing grades and student information

Access granted via the Guest Access Portal in Banner Self Service

• Guest users can view items such as class schedule, mid-term and final grades, unofficial academic transcript, financial aid and student account activity.

• Note: The Guest Access Portal does not allow parents/guests to make any changes to your student account or pay your bills.

Making payments

Access granted via your student account in MyCharlotte

• As a student, if you want to allow others to make payments to your University bill, you need to add an Authorized User on your student account.

PROVIDE ACCESS TO GUESTS

Add a parent or others to the Guest Access Portal for viewing grades and student records:

• Login to MyCharlotte at my.charlotte.edu

• Under Quick Links, click the Guest Access Portal icon.

• Click the Guest Access link.

• Click Add Proxy (Proxy is another word for “guest”).

• Add name and email address of the person you want to grant access, then click Add Proxy.

• Click the guest’s name to expand the guest profile.

• Click Profile tab to select relationship and add description, passphrase, and a start/ end date for access.

• Your guest needs the passphrase to receive answers when they call the University.

• Please be sure to share the passphrase with your guest. Passphrase must be verified on each call.

• Under the Authorization tab, check the boxes for the specific information you want shared.

Add authorized users to view or pay bill:

• Login to MyCharlotte at my.charlotte.edu.

• In the My Student Account block, click on View or Add Authorized User.

• Under the Add Authorized User tab, enter the email address of the Authorized User you want to add.

• Review the three questions regarding your account and click Continue.

• Review agreement, check box for “I Agree” and click Continue.

COMPARE FINANCIAL AID TYPES

Grants Direct Student Loans Alternative Loans Parent/Grad PLUS Loans Work-Study Employment

Is FAFSA required for eligibility?

What is the interest rate?** N/A

When does interest begin? N/A

What are the maximum aid amounts for dependent students?

Average grant ranges from $500 - $6,895

Who is borrowing the money? N/A

Undergrad: 4.99%; Grad: 6.54% (subject to change annually)

Subsidized Loans: Interest deferred until after graduation (available to undergrads only)

Unsubsidized Loans: Interest not deferred

First-years: $5,500; Sophomores: $6,500; Juniors & Seniors: $7,500; Grad Students: $20,500

No; apply with lender of your choice (more info at ninercentral. charlotte.edu/altloans)

Yes Yes

Based on credit score 7.54% (subject to change annually) N/A

Interest not deferred

Interest not deferred; 10-Year repayment schedule

No interest; money is earned

Varies

Varies

Funds are limited

How is eligibility determined?

Loan in student’s name

Student; may need a co-signer

Eligibility determined upon FAFSA submission and based on EFC

Undergrad: enroll in at least 6 credits; Grad: enroll in at least 5 credits

Eligibility varies per lender

Undergrad: Loan in parent’s name; Grad: Loan in student’s name

Eligibility determined by Dept. of Education; credit approval required

What are the requirements?

How do I keep this aid?

Grant aid is automatically accepted for you

Must complete online Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note at studentaid.gov

Requirements vary per lender

Maintain SAP*

Maintain SAP*

Maintain SAP*, also depends on lender requirements

Apply at studentaid.gov to complete application and Master Promissory Note

Maintain SAP*

Money is earned by working; it is not borrowed

Eligibility determined upon FAFSA submission and based on EFC

Accept offered work-study aid through MyCharlotte, then apply for jobs at hireaniner. charlotte.edu

Maintain SAP*

*Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): the minimum academic standards that students are required to maintain in order to keep their financial aid. SAP requirements are listed on pg. 6.

**Current interest rates for 2022-23 academic year. Updated interest rates are available after July 1 each year.

4 STEPS TO FINANCIAL AID

1. Apply

• Submit the FAFSA each year as early as Oct. 1 at fafsa.gov

• FAFSA School Code: 002975

2. Review & Accept Offer

• Log into MyCharlotte

• Review outstanding requirements

• Submit all required items

• *Choose to accept or decline aid

3. Receive Aid

• Complete all outstanding requirements

• Aid will disburse to your student account

4. Maintain Eligibility

• Maintain cumulative 2.0+ grade point average

• Minimum 66.6% ratio of attempted-t0-earn hours (including transfer hours)

• Complete undergraduate degree within 180 hours (graduate hours differ)

*For more information, visit ninercentral.charlotte.edu/financial-aid-loans/receiving-your-aid.

AID APPLICATION & DECISION TIMELINE

FAFSA OPENS

The FAFSA is the only application required for financial aid at Charlotte. You need to reapply for aid every year.

If you complete and submit your FAFSA by Jan. 1, you will receive your offer by March. We will email you once your offer has been packaged.

REGULAR OFFER DECISION DEADLINE

If you complete and submit your FAFSA by Mar. 1, you will receive your offer by Apr. 15. If you have missed this deadline, complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.

REVIEW & ACCEPT OFFER

To view and accept your offer, log in to MyCharlotte and click on the Banner Self Service icon.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

When does the FAFSA open?

The application opens Oct. 1 each year. You can apply for financial aid before you are admitted, but your application will not be processed until you are admitted. All students must reapply for aid every year.

Where can I check status and accept my offer?

• Login to MyCharlotte.

• Under Quick Links, click the Banner Self Service icon.

• Click on the Financial Aid tab.

• Click on My Financial Aid Award Information.

• Click on Award By Aid Year and select your aid year from the drop down box and click Submit.

• Click on the Accept Award Offer tab.

• Review your award and select Accept or Decline for each offer.

• Click Submit Decision.

• Review the information under the Terms and Conditions tab.

What are my next steps after accepting a loan?

If it is the first time you have accepted a Direct Loan, you must complete two steps in order to receive your loan funds. You will need your FSA ID to log in.

1) Complete Entrance Counseling

• Go to studentaid.gov, and click the Complete Entrance Counseling link.

• Follow the instructions to complete your online Entrance Counseling.

2) Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN)

• Go to studentaid.gov. Click Complete Loan Agreement for a Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan (MPN).

• Follow the instructions to complete, sign and submit your Direct Loan MPN.

How much aid will I receive?

The information you provide on the FAFSA is put through a calculation established by the federal government. This calculation provides an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Charlotte determines the estimated cost of attendance for all students, which includes things such as tuition, books and housing. Subtracting these two figures gives your financial aid need at Charlotte:

Cost of Attendance - EFC = Financial Aid Need

If the cost of attendance is more than your determined EFC, then you may have financial need. Based on your eligibility, your financial aid offer may include grants, work-study and loans. View the estimated cost of attendance at ninercentral.charlotte.edu/cost-of-attendance.

When will I receive my financial aid offer?

• Financial aid is offered for the Fall-Spring academic year according to when you submit the FAFSA. You will receive an email when your offer is packaged and ready to be viewed.

• If you have completed all your requirements, your financial aid for each semester will be disbursed (applied) to your account starting seven to 10 days prior to the first day of class.

• Summer financial aid may require an additional application. View the Niner Central website for more details.

What if I don’t have enough financial aid to meet my cost of attendance?

• For dependent students, Parent PLUS Loans are available to help with educational expenses, up to the cost of attendance.

• Dependent students whose parents are credit-denied the PLUS Loan may be eligible for an additional Federal Unsubsidized Student Loan. Parents must apply for the PLUS Loan and be credit-denied for the student to become eligible for additional student loan funds.

• Alternative education loans may also be an option. Alternative loans are private education loans in the student’s name that help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount the government allows you to borrow in its programs. Learn more at ninercentral.charlotte.edu/alt-loans.

• Graduate or professional students can apply for Graduate PLUS loans or alternative education loans. Learn more on the Niner Central website.

How do my parents apply for a parent plus loan?

• Login to studentaid.gov. They will be prompted to obtain a FSA User ID and password. Parents must sign in using their FSA User ID and not their student’s ID.

• Be sure they complete the Direct PLUS Loan Application for Parents which can be found under the “Apply for Aid” tab.

• Follow the steps to complete the PLUS Loan application.

• Before you can receive the Parent PLUS Loan funds, your parent must complete a Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (also available on studentaid.gov).

BILLING, PAYMENTS & REFUNDS

Your account begins to incur charges after you register for classes or sign up for housing or meal plans. The University does not mail paper bills. Account balance reminders and eBills are sent to your Charlotte email address and copied to Authorized Payers.

• Tuition and fee information is available at ninercentral.charlotte.edu/per-credit-tuition.

• Charges for the fall semester begin showing on your account in early July.

• Charges for the spring semester begin showing on your account in November.

• If your parent or family member wants to view your account, you must add them as an Authorized Payer.

Payment Options Online

• Payments can be made online at MyCharlotte from your checking or savings account (eCheck) or by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express).

• Online payment is preferred, as it is the fastest, easiest and most secure method of payment! There are no processing fees associated with online payments.

• Authorized Payers can pay online via their Authorized Payer Portal.

Payment Plan

• Sign up for the payment plan to split payments into smaller installments. A per term setup fee is required. Visit ninercentral.charlotte.edu/payment-plan for more details.

By Mail

UNC Charlotte Cashier’s Office

Reese Building - 2nd floor 9201 University City Blvd

Charlotte, NC 28223

In Person

• Please include the student’s name and ID number in the memo section of the check to ensure correct and timely processing.

• Allow seven to 10 days for mail delivery.

• Check Payments: Place it in the payment drop-box at Niner Central.

• Cash Payments: Received at the cashier window in the Reese Building, second floor, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday.

What does a negative balance on my e-Bill mean?

• If the amount of financial aid paid to your account is greater than your charges, then you will see a negative balance on your account. This means a refund will be paid to your account.

• Refunds begin to show on your student account seven business days before classes begin, and checks are deposited/mailed starting the first week of class. You may use this refund to purchase books or for other educational expenses.

• We recommend that you set up direct deposit for your refund. It’s the fastest and most secure way to receive your refund.

HEALTH INSURANCE & IMMUNIZATIONS

All undergraduate students enrolled in six or more degree-seeking credit hours or graduate students enrolled in three or more degree-seeking credit hours are required to have health insurance. You have the option to remain on your parents’ insurance or purchase the Student Health Insurance Plan. If you are covered by another health insurance policy, you need to submit an online waiver to remove the Student Blue Health Insurance Premium fee.

Health Insurance Waiver

If you have your own health insurance coverage, you must submit proof to waive the Student Health Insurance fee. You cannot complete the fee waiver request until three to four days after you have registered for classes. Processing and crediting the fee waiver to your account may take up to 15 business days. For more information about the waiver process and insurance premium fee, visit studenthealth.charlotte.edu

Immunizations

North Carolina state law requires college students to document immunization records. You may submit signed or stamped records from your physician, health department or other health care facility where you received immunizations or your TB test. A list of required vaccines and other information regarding immunization compliance are available at studenthealth.charlotte.edu

All requirements are due upon admission to the University and should be submitted before you arrive at your in-person orientation session (SOAR). You must enter your vaccine administration dates and upload your immunization documentation via your online Student Health Portal at uncc.medicatconnect.com. Confirmation of your compliance will be emailed to your Charlotte email address once your records are verified (within one to three days).

Please note: High school transcripts do not always contain the complete history of vaccines required and Undergraduate Admissions is not able to transfer copies of transcripts to the Student Health Center.

SCHOLARSHIPS

The NinerScholars Portal makes it easy for you to apply for all scholarships you may qualify for, in one place, with one application, through one online system. Apply at scholarships.charlotte.edu. Follow the steps below to get matched with scholarships in the NinerScholars Portal.

Build your scholarship profile: Most of your information is automatically transferred into your profile from your Future 49er Portal application.

Get matched to scholarships: Once your profile is built, you will immediately be matched with your eligible scholarships. Then you decide which to submit your application to for consideration.

Scholarships are awarded in late spring for the upcoming year: Students must reapply for scholarships every year. The portal opens in October each year.

RESIDENCY FOR TUITION PURPOSES

Your residency for tuition purposes determines your in-state or out-of-state status and impacts tuition costs, available scholarships and financial aid.

The Residency Determination Service (RDS) application and details about residency eligibility are available at ncresidency.org.

• Once RDS completes your residency determination, please allow at least three business days for Charlotte to receive and process your decision.

• Residency decisions have an expiration date and are valid for 15 months. If your residency decision expires and you have not maintained continuous enrollment, you must complete the application again.

• The “Effective Date” of your in-state decision will determine the academic term that your in-state tuition will start at Charlotte. The Charlotte in-state tuition deadlines can be found at ncresidency.charlotte.edu/check-your-status.

Residency decisions take time. We encourage you to submit your RDS application as soon as possible before the beginning of the term. You may begin this process by logging on to ncresidency.org.

If you have questions about residency requirements or the residency application process, please contact RDS at 844-319-3640 (toll-free) or rdsinfo@ncresidency.org.

REGISTER FOR CLASSES WITH SCHEDULE WIZARD

Login to MyCharlotte and look for the Schedule Wizard icon under Quick Links to begin creating potential class schedules. Once it is your time to register, go back into Schedule Wizard, select a schedule that works best for you and click Send to Shopping Cart. You will then be taken to Banner Self Service. If your schedule looks good, click Register, then click Submit Changes.

To view your schedule of classes after registering, login to MyCharlotte.

• Click the Registration, Add/Drop icon under Quick Links

• Select one of these links to view your schedule in your preferred format:

• Student Detail Schedule;

• Student Printable Schedule; or

• Student Schedule by Day & Time.

• Make sure the term selected in the drop-down box is correct and click Submit.

For help with registration error messages (prerequisites, closed sections, etc.), please contact the department that offers the course.

Registration Time Tickets

• Not everyone is able to register at the same time. View your registration time through Banner Self Service. Under the Student Services/Student Accounts tab, click the Registration link, then click the Check Your Registration Status link.

• Note: New fall/spring first-year and transfer students register through the SOAR program. Visit tsi.charlotte.edu for more information.

• View the academic calendar at ninercentral.charlotte.edu/academic-calendar.

REQUEST AN OFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT

We provide both undergraduate and graduate course work upon request. A transcript is a complete record of a student’s academic history; therefore the University will not issue a partial transcript.

Order transcripts through Banner Self Service via MyCharlotte:

• Once in Banner Self Service, select Student Services/Student Accounts Tab.

• Click the Student Records link, then click Order Official Transcript.

• Follow the remaining prompts.

ONE TIME

STUDENT CHECKLIST

Use this checklist to stay on top of what is required and how often.

1

† Activate your NinerNET account

† Upload your Immunization Records to the Student Health Center Portal

† Set up Direct Deposit online for financial aid refunds

† Add an Authorized User to view/pay your bill

EVERY YEAR

1 2 3 4

† Purchase your Parking Pass for on-campus parking

† Choose Housing & Meal Plans

† Submit the FAFSA each year as early as Oct. 1

† Review and accept or decline Financial Aid and ensure all required forms and documents are submitted

EVERY SEMESTER

† If you have health insurance coverage, submit a Health Insurance Waiver

† Meet with your academic advisor

† Resolve any Holds on your account

† Register for Classes (use Schedule Wizard to plan your class schedule around your activities)

† Enroll in the optional Payment Plan

† Add a parent or others to the Guest Access Portal for viewing grades/ student records

† Sign up to receive your electronic 1098-T

† Complete a Title IV Authorization

† Apply for Graduation (Seniors)

† Apply for alternative and/or PLUS Loans (optional, allow four to six weeks)

† Apply for Scholarships in the NinerScholars Portal

† Pay Tuition and Fees by due dates listed on your eBill

† Update your Contact Information if necessary in Banner Self Service

† Track progress toward your degree in DegreeWorks

STUDENT TOOLS FOR SUCCESS

NAVIGATE / Mobile app via App Store or Google Play

• View required tasks like paying for college or registering for classes

• Explore majors based on your personal interest

• Get involved on campus by knowing what is available

CONNECT / Online via MyCharlotte

• Schedule advising appointments with your academic advisor

• Set up tutoring to help with your courses

DEGREEWORKS / Online via MyCharlotte

• Track your progress toward your degree

• Find major/minor requirements

• Complete a “what if” analysis

SCHEDULE WIZARD / Online via MyCharlotte

• Plan your class schedule around your activities

• Use this tool to take the stress out of creating your schedule