Financial Aid Brochure 20-21

Direct costs include the following: 1. TUITION AND FEES 2. ROOM 3. MEALS (3 MEALS/DAY × 7 DAYS/WEEK)

FILL IN THE COLUMNS BELOW TO COMPARE

Financial Aid

TIMELINE

COFC IN-STATE

COFC OUT-OFSTATE

tuition and fees room

$12,518

$32,848

$8,200

$8,200

meals

$3,615

$3,615

total direct cost

$24,333

$44,663

(weighted average cost)

(weighted average cost)

SECOND SCHOOL

THIRD SCHOOL

November 15: Review your student aid report (SAR) online and make corrections online.

March 1: Priority deadline for completion of FAFSA

April 1: Freshmen are notified of federal awards through MyCharleston

In-state graduate students pay $574/hr; out-of-state pay $1,506/hr.

Average technology and library fees: $425 per year * Tuition and fees are subject to change. A complete list of current rates are available at treasurer.cofc.edu.

There are also indirect costs, such as items or services provided by the school or private vendors. For example, the following costs are provided as guidance only: * 1. BOOKS

$1,236

* 2. PERSONAL/MISC. EXPENSES

$1,823

* 3. TRANSPORTATION

$2,100

May 1: Deadline to pay your nonrefundable enrollment deposit, which confirms your place in the incoming class

July 1: Award notification for upperclassmen and graduate students through MyCharleston

July 15: Establish direct deposit with the Treasurer’s Office for financial aid refunds. go.cofc.edu/ebilltutorials

* These estimated costs are based on the results of a student expense survey, which is conducted every three years. By using regional consumer price index (CPI) costof-living adjustments, the figures are updated annually between the surveys.

Quick Guide To

October 1: FAFSA application is available on https://fafsa.ed.gov

2019/ 2020*

A

Office of Financial Assistance and Veteran Affairs Lightsey Center | 160 Calhoun St., first floor P. 843.953.5540 | F. 843.953.7192 financialaid@cofc.edu | finaid.cofc.edu

FINANCIAL

Aid

FA FSA

FREE A PPLICATIO N FO R FE DE R A L ST U DE N T A ID

You must complete the FAFSA (fafsa.gov) to begin the financial aid application process. It is the only application used to determine students’ eligibility for aid. Therefore, it is important that the FAFSA be completed accurately and in a timely manner.

When the FAFSA is received, you will automatically be considered and evaluated for both grant and loan eligibility.

COMPLETING THE FAFSA In order to complete the necessary signatures on federal student aid (FSA) documents, you and your parents must get an FSA ID and password. Go to fsaid.gov and follow the instructions. Then, go to fafsa.gov and use your login FSA ID and password.

Although parents are encouraged to participate in the application process, the student must complete the FAFSA application.

Please be sure that all required signatures are on the application before you submit it.

GRANTS A grant is gift aid given on the basis of financial need and does not have to be repaid. Federal, state and institutional grants are available to students who qualify.

Note: The free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) must be completed in order for eligibility to be determined. Consideration is automatic. No separate application is required.

LOANS Loans must be repaid. Applicants must complete the FAFSA in order to be considered.

Loans are available to both students and parents. Students and parents may qualify for loans even if they do not qualify for grants.

SCHOLARSHIPS College of Charleston academic scholarships are highly competitive as students compete with their peers in the freshman class for limited available funding. Students are informed of their general scholarship funding in their admission letter.

State scholarships, such as HOPE and LIFE, are available to qualifying in-state students.

Note: No separate application is required. Consideration is automatic.

Entering transfer students must submit a final high school transcript in order to be evaluated for state scholarships.

S.C. Palmetto Fellows Scholarship is available to qualifying in-state students. Contact your high school for details and the application procedure.

Note: The S. C. Commission on Higher Education requires you to complete the designation form electronically indicating that you will attend the College of Charleston before they will authorize us to offer you the S. C. Palmetto Fellows Scholarship.

College of Charleston departmental scholarships may be available to qualifying students. Please contact the departments directly.

Students may also qualify for scholarships from outside sources (e.g., local clubs, businesses, organizations).

FOLLOW-UP After applications have been submitted, additional information or documentation may be required.

The financial aid office will send email notifications to alert you to these additional requirements.

Beginning in March, we recommend that you check your MyCharleston account on a weekly basis for outstanding financial aid requirements.

Please doublecheck all your information when submitting requested documentation to our office.

Make sure you refer to your name and college ID (CWID) on all documents and check that all the required signatures are on the forms before you submit them.

Also, answer all questions completely. Never leave anything blank. Enter zero or n/a, if appropriate. Any incomplete documentation will delay the processing of your information.

Keep a copy of all documentation you submit for your records.

VETERANS’ EDUCATION BENEFITS Veterans, or their immediate relatives, may be eligible for veterans’ education benefits, which are funded through federal, state and private sources.

• Federal aid: G.I. Bill® and scholarships • State aid: tuition waivers for dependents • Private aid: scholarships

For additional information on the types of loans available, please go to studentaid.gov.

For more detailed information on veterans’ benefits, go to go.cofc.edu/vainfo.

FAFSA on the Web fafsa.ed.gov

S.C. Commission on Higher Education che.sc.gov

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs gibill.va.gov

Student Aid Information studentaid.gov

Outside Scholarship Resources go.cofc.edu/extscholarships

Veterans Online Application (VONAPP) go.cofc.edu/vetsextscholarships

FSA ID Registration fsaid.ed.gov

General Scholarship Information go.cofc.edu/scholarships

General Veterans Affairs Information go.cofc.edu/vainfo

PLUS Loan Applications/MPN/Counseling studentaid.gov

Financial Aid Forms go.cofc.edu/finaidforms

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).