Frequently Asked Questions

Getting Started

For most types of aid offered at UNCG, students only need to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to file a FAFSA online. The UNCG priority filing deadline is March 1. This means that students who have filed a FAFSA by this date will be among the first considered to receive certain types of financial aid, since funds for some grants and scholarships are limited. If you miss the priority deadline, you may still be eligible to receive other forms of financial aid.


UNCG offers both need-based and merit-based scholarships. Our Merit Awards Program Scholarships are available only to high school seniors. Graduate students should contact their academic departments or the Graduate School for scholarship and fellowship information. Undergraduate students are also advised to contact their departments of study to find out about major-specific scholarships. A complete listing of UNCG scholarship funds is available in the UNCG Scholarships Directory.


Federal Work-Study is a financial aid program in which students work in on-campus departments or approved off-campus community service organizations and are paid in the form of monthly paychecks. Federal Work-study is awarded to students with financial need. Program funds are limited, so be sure to file a FAFSA by March 1 if you wish to be considered for Federal Work-Study.


Yes. Financial aid will not be applied to your student bill until your immunization status is satisfactory. If you plan to use financial aid to cover part or all of your student bill, your immunization record must be complete before any funds will be applied to your student account. Please complete the Student Medical Form and submit it to Student Health Services in order to provide information about your health and immunization history.


If you have not filed a FAFSA, you will need to do so and list UNCG in the school section. You will need our federal school code: 002976. If you have already completed the FAFSA but did not list UNCG in the school section, contact the Federal Student Aid Center at 1-800-433-3243 for instructions on how to have your information sent to UNCG. Once the Financial Aid Office receives your information, we will notify you of your financial aid status and required paperwork.


If you have questions regarding your residency status, please contact the Office of Student Affairs at their new email address for these inquiries. The email address is residencyquestions@uncg.edu. Staff members from Student Affairs can help answer your questions regarding residency issues, the appeal process, and frequently asked questions. It is the goal of the Office of Student Affairs for students to understand the issues surrounding residency status and the appeal process.

Completing the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The best method for completing the FAFSA is filling it out online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Processing time for the online version is much faster than for the paper version, so your results will reach us more quickly. In addition, the online version guides you through the form and helps reduce errors with a built-in edit feature. If you prefer completing a paper copy of the FAFSA, you can pick one up at any high school, university or public library beginning in December.


Our federal school code is 002976. Enter this code in your FAFSA in order to have your information sent to UNCG.


To be considered independent for financial aid purposes, you must be able to answer "yes" to at least one of the seven questions in Step Three of the FAFSA. If you can answer "yes" to one or more of the questions, you do not need to report your parents' information. Consult the Financial Aid Handbook for FAFSA tips.


While you will need your previous year's tax information in order to complete a FAFSA, you do not need to submit copies of your tax returns to the Financial Aid Office unless asked to do so. If the Financial Aid Office needs copies of your tax returns and W2s in order to process your financial aid, we will notify you by letter or e-mail.


In some instances, the Financial Aid Office can make adjustments to your financial aid eligibility based on special circumstances (such as divorce or loss of employment) not reflected by information provided on the FAFSA. Contact the Financial Aid Office for instructions on the process of reporting your special circumstances and providing documentation of these circumstances.

Reporting your Financial Aid **

If the amount of grants, scholarships, or fellowships received in 2006 is greater than the amount of tuition, fees, and qualified course related expenses (such as mandatory books, supplies, and equipment) then you would report the difference on your tax return.  The amount is reported on the line for Wages, Salaries, Tips, etc. (on Form 1040A/1040 Line 7 or Form 1040EZ Line 1) along with any other income you would have reported there.

Also, enter “SCH” and the amount on the line in between “W-2” the answer for line 7 of the Form 1040A/1040 or line 1 of the Form 1040EZ.

In an attempt to provide some guidance on this question, complete the worksheet below to help determine how much (if any) scholarship, grant, or fellowship funds should be reported to the IRS.  This is an unofficial interpretation of the guidance provided by the IRS in Publication 970.  Please read IRS Publication 970 or consult your tax preparer for more information.

Complete the worksheet using the information from your 2006 Form 1098-T.  If you do not have your Form 1098-T, you may view it on UNCGenie. See below for instructions.

You must also report your grant, scholarship, or fellowship earnings on Worksheet C of the FAFSA.  By reporting your earnings on Worksheet C, the grant, scholarship, or fellowship income will be excluded from the financial aid formula even though the earning were reported on your tax return.

Your Federal Work-Study (FWS) earnings will be reported on both your tax return and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You must report Federal Work-Study earnings as income on your tax return on Wages, Salaries, Tips, etc. (on Form 1040A/1040 Line 7 or Form 1040EZ Line 1) along with any other income you would have reported there as the earnings are reported on Form W-2.

You must also report your Federal Work-Study earnings on Worksheet C of the FAFSA. By reporting your FWS earning on Worksheet C, the earnings from your Work-Study position will be excluded from the financial aid formula even though the earning were reported on your tax return.

• If the grand total is a positive number, you must report the amount as income on your taxes.
  Also, enter “SCH” and the amount on the line in between “W-2” the answer for line 7 of the
  Form 1040A/1040 or line 1 of the Form 1040EZ.
•  You must also report the grand total on your 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student
  Aid (FAFSA) on Worksheet C.
• If the grand total is a negative number, you do not need to report it as income on your taxes or on the FAFSA.

Click on the following options:

• Student Services and Financial Aid
• Student Records
• Tax Notification
• Enter the Tax Year

If you have questions about your 1098 T form please contact the Cashier’s Office and Student Accounts at 336-334-5831

** The Financial Aid Office does not give tax advice. If you have further questions, please contact your tax advisor.

 

Receiving Notification of Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office will notify you by mail of your status and may provide subsequent communication by e-mail. To ensure prompt notification, please keep your addresses current by providing updates via UNCGenie. You may also check your financial aid status online by logging in to UNCGenie.


Check your Student Aid Record for accuracy. If you have no corrections to make, keep it for your records. If you have corrections, you can submit them online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you prefer to submit corrections by mail, please contact the Federal Student Aid Center at 1-800-433-3243 for instructions and the mailing address.

1. We have not received your FAFSA information. Call the Federal Student Aid Center at 1-800-433-3243 to have your information sent to UNCG (school code number is 002976).
2. You have outstanding document requirements. Check UNCGenie for a list of documents you need to submit to the Financial Aid Office.
3. UNCG does not have your current mailing address. To ensure that you will receive future notification, update your address in UNCGenie. Meanwhile, you can view your financial aid status in UNCGenie.

You can view your financial aid information online via UNCGenie. This convenient feature is accessible from the UNCG web site – just click on UNCGenie in the upper right corner of the page. UNCGenie enables you to check your application status, loan and award amounts, student account charges, and outstanding requirements for financial aid.  To log in to UNCGenie, you will need to know your Student ID Number and your UNCG PIN.  Check out our UNCGenie Guide for detailed instructions on how to access your financial aid information.


All student loan borrowers must now accept loans on-line each academic year, via UNCGenie.  

First Time Student Loan Borrowers at UNCG - Must complete the student loan request form in addition to accepting loan(s) on-line.

Continuing Student Loan Borrowers at UNCG – Must accept student loan(s) on-line.
Please select the following options in order to accept your student loan(s) on-line:

• Log into UNCGenie using your University ID and PIN#, select
  1. Student Services and Financial Aid
  2. Financial Aid
  3. My Award Information
  4. Award by Aid Year
  5. Select 2009-2010 Academic Year from the drop down box
  6. Select tab Accept Award Offer
     • In order to accept the full loan amounts, select Accept from the drop down box, then select Accept Full Amount All Awards
     • In order to accept partial loan amounts, select Accept from the drop down box, enter the partial amount you would like to accept in the Accept Partial Amount box, then select Submit Decision
     • In order to DECLINE student loans, select Decline from the drop down box, then select Submit Decision

It depends.  You must inform the Financial Aid Offices at both schools if you plan to attend another institution while attending UNCG.  You may be able to receive some forms of assistance, but there are federal regulations that govern the type of aid and how much you may receive.

Understanding the Financial Aid Award Letter

Read all enclosed pages carefully. Complete and return the loan request forms and any other required forms included with the award letter. If you have been offered Federal Work-Study, log in to UNCGenie to accept or decline it. If you need to reduce or decline any loan amounts or notify the Financial Aid Office of outside scholarships, complete and return the Financial Aid Response Form.


Cost of Attendance is a budget used in calculating your eligibility for financial aid. It is based on totals of both UNCG costs billed directly to your student account (such as tuition and fees) and estimates of other expenses that you will incur during your attendance at UNCG (such as books, transportation, and off-campus housing).


Your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is an amount calculated from information that you provided in your FAFSA. Your EFC is an estimate of the maximum amount that your family should be able to afford to pay towards your education for the academic year. Your EFC is subtracted from your COA to determine the amount of your financial need. For more information, consult the How Need is Determined section of the Financial Aid Handbook.

Completing the Loan Application Process

If you are a first-time Student Loan borrower at UNCG, you will need to complete a Student Loan Request Form. The lender you select on this form will send you notification to complete your Student Loan Master Promissory Note online. You must return the Loan Promissory Note to the lender in order to receive your loan. If you received a Federal Student Loan in the previous academic year and you are still eligible for the loan, your loan will be granted automatically and you will not need to submit another Student Loan Request Form or Loan Promissory Note.


If you are eligible for a Federal PLUS Loan and your parents are first-time PLUS Loan borrowers, your parents must submit a PLUS Loan Request Form to the Financial Aid Office in order to apply for the loan and choose a lender. The lender will send your parents a PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note to complete. Your parents will need to return the PLUS Master Promissory Note to the lender. The lender will notify your parents of approval or denial of the application. If you received a PLUS Loan during the previous academic year and you are still eligible for the loan, the loan will be automatically processed.

Obtaining Federal Work-Study

You must accept your Federal Work-Study offer within four weeks or it will be canceled. To accept it, log in UNCGenie, go to the Financial Aid section, and follow the directions for accepting your work-study award. Next you will need to find a work-study job.


Visit the Student Employment Office at 1 Elliot University Center to look at job listings or view listings online at SpartanCareers. You will need to contact the hiring department to apply for a specific position within that department.


Yes. Several UNCG departments and offices hire student employees without work-study. Visit the Student Employment Office at 1 Elliot University Center to look at on-campus job listings or view listings online at SpartanCareers.

Crediting Financial Aid to Student Account

Financial aid is credited toward your student bill after you have completed and submitted all required paperwork and documents. If you have been offered a student loan, the amount that you accept on the Loan Request Form will be credited to your account once the lender has received your loan promissory note.


In certain circumstances, Federal Work-Study funds can be applied to your semester bill. For more information, please contact the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office at (336) 334-5831.


If your account has a DI hold, this means that your classes for the semester have not yet been confirmed. You may check your status on UNCGenie. A DI hold typically means you do not have enough financial aid to cover your balance. Your balance will need to be paid before receiving your financial aid. It may also mean that you need to complete your immunization requirements, submit some forms to the Financial Aid Office, pay your prior balance to the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office, or any combination or the above.

If your account has an IM hold, this means that you have not cleared your immunization requirement with the Student Health Center. Your immunization records will need to be submitted to the Student Health Center and your hold will be removed when your status has been cleared. Immunziation requirements may be viewed here: http://shs.dept.uncg.edu/policies/immunization

If your account has a PB hold, this means you have a prior balance due to the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office. Any charges on your account exceeding $100 that occurred in a prior year will need to be payed. To clear this hold, pay your prior balance to the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office. You may check your status on UNCGenie for the exact amount you owe. Federal financial aid cannot be used to pay prior balances; your balance will need to be paid before receiving your financial aid.

Receiving Financial Aid Funds

Your financial aid funds will initially be applied to charges on your student account. Any amount in excess of your student account balance will be sent to you in the form of a check by the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office.


Most financial aid is electronically applied to UNCG student accounts at the beginning of the semester. If your student account reflects a credit balance, the earliest you will receive an aid check is the Friday before classes begin. During the semester, the Cashiers and Student Accounts Office begins processing aid checks each Monday. Once issued, checks are forwarded to Postal Services for delivery. Checks generally reach on-campus student mailboxes by Friday. Checks sent to off-campus addresses may take slightly longer to be delivered.


Any aid owed to you that exceeds your student account balance will be sent to your campus or local mailing address by the Cashiers and Student Accounts Office. Some forms of aid may require you to sign a paper check before the money is applied to your account. The Cashiers and Student Accounts Office will notify you by postcard if your signature is needed. To verify the address to which your check will be sent, view your address listing on UNCGenie.

Receiving Outside Scholarships

A scholarship from any organization or agency other than UNCG, such as a community or civic group, is considered an outside scholarship.


In some cases, an outside scholarship can affect your other aid, generally by reducing the loan amount that you are eligible to receive. As soon as you learn that you will receive an outside scholarship, please notify the Financial Aid Office by submitting a Financial Aid Response Form and a copy of the scholarship letter. We will send you a revised award letter indicating any adjustments to your other financial aid.


Your outside scholarship check will be processed by the Financial Aid Office and then forwarded to the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office, where it will be applied to your student bill. A check for any remaining funds will be sent to you. Donors generally send scholarship checks to the Financial Aid Office. However, if you receive an outside scholarship check directly from the scholarship agency, you will need to endorse it, write your full name and student ID number on the front, and forward it to the Financial Aid Office for processing.

Getting Emergency Financial Assistance

An emergency loan is a short-term loan granted by the Financial Aid Office to students who need assistance in covering expenses that result from unforeseen situations. Emergency loans cannot be used for tuition, fees, or other institutional charges.


To apply for an emergency loan, students must fill out an application online in UNCG Genie. Most emergency loan decisions take place the same day as the initial request.  All approved emergency loan forms must be taken to the Cashier’s and Student Accounts Office in a sealed envelope provided by the Financial Aid Office.  Emergency loan funds are distributed by the Cashier’s and Student Accounts Office; picture ID is required.


The emergency loan is designed to assist with education related emergencies only. If a student has financial aid to cover the emergency loan the maximum is $700. If a student does not have financial aid to cover the emergency loan they must provide documentation to verify their ability to repay the loan. The maximum amount a student can borrow in a non-financial aid emergency loan is $300.


Due to the fact that emergency loan funds are limited, students are allowed only one (1) emergency loan per semester. In order to ensure that all students have access to these funds as needed, we strictly enforce this policy.


When you receive an emergency loan, the borrowed amount is charged to your student account. If you are due to receive financial aid within this period, your aid funds will be applied to your emergency loan balance along with the other charges on your student account. If you will not be receiving financial aid or your financial aid has already been applied to your account (i.e. refund already processed), then you will be responsible for repaying your loan directly to the Cashier's and Student Accounts Office within 30 days of receiving the emergency loan or by the end of the semester, whichever comes first.


Students must complete an emergency loan appeal for any additional emergency loan requests. Students must provide documentation to verify the emergency as well as verifiable ability to repay the loan. The Emergency Loan Committee will review all appeals on a case by case basis. Students will be notified within 24 hours of the final decision.

Maintaining Financial Aid Eligibility

According to federal regulations, students must maintain "satisfactory academic progress" in order to continue receiving financial aid. Failure to earn certain minimum credit hours and/or grade point averages can cause a student to lose financial aid eligibility. For more information, please read the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.


Possibly. According to federal regulations, failure to earn certain minimum credit hours can cause a student to lose financial aid eligibility. The Financial Aid Office compares hours earned with hours attempted to determine if a student is still eligible to receive financial aid. Therefore, it is crucial that you understand the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy when considering dropping a class.

UNCG Health Insurance Requirement

Beginning in the 2007 Fall Semester, UNCG students in degree programs who are taking 6 or more credit hours must be able to demonstrate they have health insurance in order to enroll for classes. Students already covered by their own or their family's plan must verify their health insurance policy by providing a current valid health insurance policy number via a secure online system. Students who do not provide a verified insurance policy number will be automaically enrolled in a campus-endorsed student health insurance policy offered in conjunction with other UNC-system universities. For more information please visit http://studenthealth.uncg.edu/insurance/.
 

For the 2008-2009 academic year (August 1, 2008 - July 31, 2009) the plan will cost $780 ($390 per semester). The insurace premium charge will appear on your bill along with tuition and fees. Summer coverage is included in the Spring term charge. For more information about cost and coverage please visit http://studenthealth.uncg.edu/insurance/.
 

Financial aid can cover most charges billed to your student account, including the UNCG Health Insurance Policy. You will need to consult with a Financial Aid Counselor to determine if your financial aid will cover the UNCG Health Insurance Requirement.

Computer Expenses

Computer expenses are not calculated into a student's cost of attendance for an academic year. Therefore, financial aid will not directly cover the cost of a computer. If a student is receiving financial aid that exceeds the direct billing amount, they will be entitled to a refund. The student refund can be used for educational expenses (i.e. purchasing a computer).


If a student has purchased a computer out of pocket for the current academic year they may be eligible for reimbursement. The student must complete the Cost of Attendance Adjustment Form and provide a copy of receipt identifying the student as the purchaser of the computer. Please note that these expenses may or may not increase your award, depending on your financial aid eligibility.

Please visit Information Technology Services for more information regarding UNCG computing initiatives.

 

About Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Office is open the following times, except during school holidays and office closures due to inclement weather:

10:00 am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday


Financial Aid Office
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro
P.O. Box 26170
Greensboro, NC 27402-6170


The Financial Aid Office is located at 723 Kenilworth Street, on the corner of Kenilworth and Spring Garden Street on the UNCG campus.

 

You may find other campus resources by viewing our Campus Resources Brochure.

 

Teach Program

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant Program.


Provides grant assistance to students who plan on becoming teachers AND meet very specific requirements.


The maximum amount a student can receive is $4,000 in one  academic year. An undergraduate cannot exceed a cumulative total of $16,000 and a graduate student cannot exceed a cumulative total of $8,000.

 

Yes, the following is a list of TEACH eligible programs at UNCG:

Elementary Ed/Special Ed: Dual Major

Middle Grades Mathematics

Middle Grades Science

Middle Grades Mathematics: CPT

Middle Grades Mathematics: TLT

Middle Grades Science: CPT

Middle Grades Science: TLT

Special Education: General Curriculum

Special Education: LD/BED 2+

Education of the Deaf

Auditory Oral/BK

Education of the Deaf: Auditory Oral/BK 2+

Special Education: General Curriculum with Learning Disabilities

Special Education: General Curriculum with Behavior/Emotional Disabilities

Special Education: Advanced Curriculum with Learning Disabilities

Special Education: Advanced Curriculum with Behavior/Emotional Disabilities

English as a Second Language: TLT

English as a Second Language: CPT

French Education

French Education: CPT

French Education: TLT

Reading Education: TLT

Spanish Education

Spanish Education: CPT

Spanish Education: TLT

Biology Education

Biology Education

Chemistry Education

Chemistry Education

Chemistry Education: TLT

Comprehensive Science: CPT

Comprehensive Science: TLT

Latin Education

Latin Education: CPT

Latin Education: TLT

Mathematics Education

Mathematics Education

Mathematics Education: Applied Math

Mathematics Education: Pure Math

Mathematics Education: Computer Science

Mathematics Education: Statistics

Mathematics Education: TLT

Physics Education

Physics Education

Yes. For UNCG, as an undergraduate you must be admitted to the Teacher’s Academy before you can be considered for the TEACH Grant.


Yes, in order the TEACH Grant to remain a grant and not convert to a Direct Unsubsidized Student Loan, a student must teach for four years in a Tile I school and teach a high need subject.


Click on the link to access the current high need fields: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ope/pol/tsa.html


Click on the link below to search for Title I schools by state: https://www.tcli.ed.gov/CBSWebApp/tcli/TCLIPubSchoolSearch.jsp


ATS stands for Agreement To Serve. This document must be signed and submitted to the U.S. Department of Education before a TEACH Grant can be disbursed.


Interest will be calculated from the time the TEACH grant was disbursed to the school.


Yes, scoring above the 75th percentile on a college admissions test or maintaining a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25.

For more information on the TEACH Grant, go to www.teachgrant.ed.gov