The programs of financial aid
are intended to assist in meeting your educational costs.
Please read all information provided very carefully. You may
not be receiving funds from all programs described. If you have
questions or need clarification, you may contact the Office of
Financial Aid by email at
finaid@winthrop.edu
or by calling (803)
323-2189. Due to extensive regulations for financial aid
programs, the information contained on this page does not
necessarily contain complete details and requirements of all
programs listed.
Disclaimer: The Office of Financial Aid
reserves the right, on behalf of the University, to review
and cancel awards at any time because of changes in your
financial or academic status, academic program, resident status,
enrollment status, etc. All student financial aid awards are
contingent on the availability of funds.
Enrollment Requirements: To receive federal funds
from any source, except Pell Grant, you must be enrolled in a
minimum of 6 hours each term. Based on your eligibility, you
may receive a Pell Grant for fewer than 6 hours enrollment.
Some types of assistance, such as Palmetto Fellows, LIFE, HOPE,
institutional scholarships, and stipends require full-time
enrollment.
Accepting Your Award:
You must accept or reject funds offered on the Accept Awards
screen in Wingspan. If you would like a lesser amount of loan,
contact the financial aid office at
finaid@winthrop.edu
or call the office at (803) 323-2189.
Athletic
Scholarships: Athletic scholarship
recipients must meet Winthrop and NCAA regulations for academic
eligibility, sportsmanship, amateurism, and grant-in-aid
limitations.
Merit
Scholarships: Recipients should review the academic requirements of each
scholarship received.
Outside
Scholarships: You must notify the Office of Financial Aid of any additional
scholarships not included on your award notification All
scholarships received are considered as financial aid, and we
may be required to adjust your award. You must send copies of
letters of award from outside agencies to the Office of
Financial Aid; 119 Tillman Hall; Rock Hill, SC 29733.
Outside Sources of Aid:
You must report to the Office of Financial Aid any aid you
receive or expect to receive from an outside source regardless
of when you receive notification of the award. This includes
grants, loans, VA education benefits, and assistantships or fee
waivers. The receipt of such aid may result in a reduction,
cancellation, and/or repayment of your award(s).
Satisfactory Academic Progress:
Continuation of your
financial aid is contingent upon your making
satisfactory
academic progress.
Study Abroad: Students
regularly enrolled in a Winthrop degree program who enroll in a
Winthrop Study Abroad program or a non-Winthrop study abroad
program and have completed the University's "Off-Campus
Financial Aid Request Form" are eligible for aid. Contact us to
document allowable expenses. Since Study Abroad grades are
generally not posted by the end of the enrolled semester, your
Satisfactory Academic Progress can be adversely affected
resulting in loss of financial aid eligibility until the Office
of Records and Registration receives the grades and we are able
to reconsider your Academic Progress.
Tax
Liability: The Tax
Reform Act of 1986 requires that you report as taxable income
any grants and/or scholarships (not loans) which exceed the cost
of required tuition, fees, books and equipment.
Withdrawals:
If it is necessary for you to
withdraw from Winthrop or reduce your course load, you may be
eligible for an adjustment to fees. You should be aware that
these adjustments often result in financial aid reductions.
When this occurs, funds for which you are ineligible will be
returned to the appropriate federal and state sources. Students
are reminded that withdrawing and/or dropping classes may result
in not achieving satisfactory academic progress and
ineligibility for financial aid programs. Additional
information regarding the effect of withdrawal on financial aid
may be found on p. 15 of the 2007-08 Undergraduate Catalog.
CREDITING YOUR
STUDENT ACCOUNT
Once you have
accepted your award and all requirements have been met (with the
exception of Work Study and scholarships from outside sources),
your financial aid will be credited to your student account. If
your aid exceeds your direct charges, you will receive a refund
to assist you in paying other educational costs. Should your
enrollment status change after this refund is calculated, your
aid may change, and you may owe a portion of the refund you have
received back to the University.
Federal
Pell Grant: Your
eligibility for this program was determined by the US Department
of Education using the information you sent in on the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid. The initial award will be
based on the enrollment information you provided on your FAFSA.
Should your actual enrollment be different than anticipated
enrollment, your award may be adjusted. If your award contains
a Pell Grant, you must be enrolled as a degree seeking student
in your first bachelor’s degree. Graduate students, 2nd
degree students, and special students (visiting or
post-baccalaureate) are not eligible for to receive Pell Grants.
South
Carolina Grant:
You must be a legal
resident of SC and be eligible for need-based funds. In order
to continue to receive the SC Grant, you must maintain a GPA of
2.00 or better. Full time students must complete 24 credit
hours per academic year; part time students must complete a
minimum of 12 credit hours. Grants may be received for a
maximum of 8 semesters and cannot be used for summer term.
South
Carolina HOPE Scholarship:
This program is awarded to entering
freshmen with an earned high school grade average of 3.0 on a
4.0 scale who are not LIFE or Palmetto Fellow recipients. This
scholarship in non-renewable and once
you accept your award, these will be applied to your student
account. Students MUST be enrolled full time (12 hours per
semester) to receive HOPE funds.
South
Carolina LIFE Scholarship:
This program is awarded to entering
freshmen who meet two of the following three criteria:
graduation in the top 30% of their class, an earned high school
grade average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, and /or score 1100 on the
SAT (24 on the ACT). To continue eligibility, recipients must
maintain a 3.0 cumulative GPA and complete 30 hours each
academic year. Students MUST be enrolled full time (12 hours
per semester) to receive LIFE funds. Once you accept your award,
these will be applied to your student account.
South
Carolina Palmetto Fellows Scholarship:
This program is awarded to entering freshmen who meet the
following three criteria: graduation in the top 6% of their
class, an earned high school grade average of 3.5 on a 4.0
scale, and score 1200 on the SAT (27 on the ACT) OR meet the
following criteria: an earned high school grade average of 4.0
on a 4.0 scale, and score 1400 on the SAT (32 on the ACT). To
continue eligibility, recipients must maintain a 3.0 cumulative
GPA and complete 30 hours each academic year. Students MUST be
enrolled full time (12 hours per semester) to receive Palmetto
Fellow funds. Once you accept your award, these will be applied
to your student account.
Other
Grants/Scholarships:
These may include Winthrop awards, the Federal SEOG program, Out
of State Fee Waivers or outside scholarships. Once you accept
your award, these will be applied to your student account.
EXCEPTION: Outside scholarships are credited to your account
once the check from the outside source is received by the
University.
Federal
Work-Study:
This program provides you the
opportunity to earn money to help pay for your daily expenses.
Students work in a variety of locations on-campus and are paid
at least the federal minimum wage. Students are paid twice each
month for hours worked. A job fair will be held during Welcome
Week. You should attend the Job Fair to obtain your
Authorization to Work and to inquire about available positions.
Federal
Perkins Loans: If you
accept this loan, the Perkins Loan Office will send you the
instructions for completing a Promissory Note later in the
summer. Terms are interest free during enrollment; 9 month
grace period at the end of at least half-time enrollment before
repayment of principal and 5% interest.
Subsidized
and Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans:
If your award includes a
Subsidized Direct Loan, this means the federal government will
pay the interest on the loan while you are in school. Repayment
with interest begins six months after you graduate or cease at
least half time enrollment. For Unsubsidized Direct Loans, you
are responsible for the interest (either by paying it quarterly
to the program, or having it added to the principal) while in
school as well as during repayment.
In order to
receive funds from the Direct Loan program, you must accept the
loan. If you are a first time freshman, or have not
borrowed from the Direct Loan Program in the previous 4 years,
you will receive information regarding the completion of your
Promissory Note after you accept the loan. If you have
received Direct Loans in the four previous years, this loan is
covered under your Master Promissory Note. You may cancel your
loan without penalty through the first day of class of each
semester.
Please note:
Loan amounts on the award
notification reflect your eligibility. If you wish to
borrow less than the amount of your eligibility, you may contact
the financial aid office by email at finaid@winthrop.edu
or call the office at (803) 323-2189. Students are
reminded that a 3% origination fee may be deducted from the
proceeds of the loan. All new borrowers at Winthrop
must also complete entrance counseling before loan funds can be
credited to their account. Prior to completion of the
counseling session, the estimated value of your loan can be used
to cover fees until the funds are actually credited to your
account.
Both the
Promissory Note and
Entrance Counseling
requirement are to be completed electronically. Instructions
for completing the note and counseling will be sent to new
borrowers only after you accept the award. |
