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Student Financial Aid
The Office of Student Financial Aid coordinates all student financial assistance available at UW. Available aid includes scholarships, grants (Hathaway Scholarships, Federal Pell, Federal ACG-Smart, Federal SEOG), loans (Federal Perkins, Federal Stafford, Federal PLUS and private) and employment (Federal Work-Study).
The Student Financial Aid office will help all qualified applicants to secure aid, but resources are limited. Aid is offered first to those applicants whose materials are completed and received by March 1 prior to the academic year for which aid is sought. Federal Pell Grants and Federal Stafford Loans are available to qualified applicants throughout the year.
Prospective students seeking scholarships should send an application for admission, the nonrefundable application fee and a copy of their current high school or college transcript to the UW Admissions Office by March 1. Students who have attended another college must have that college submit an academic transcript to the UW Admissions Office.
Students seeking federal aid or assistance based on their financial need must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applicants may do so at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Allow one week for processing. UW recommends filing the FAFSA in January prior to the next academic year. Final responsibility for ensuring that all required documents are received in a timely manner rests with the applicant.
Enrollment Requirements
Most scholarships require the recipient to be enrolled full time. Hathaway Scholarships, Federal Pell Grants, and veteran’s benefits may be pro-rated for part-time enrollment and Federal Stafford Loans may only be borrowed by students enrolled for at least half time (a minimum of 6 hours for undergraduate, law and pharmacy students; a minimum of 4.5 hours for graduate students). Federal Pell Grants and Federal SEOG Grants are available to undergraduate students who have not completed the requirements for their first undergraduate degree. Classes for audit are not acceptable for any kind of financial aid. Generally, Federal aid is not available for UW Flexible Enrollment (correspondence) courses, for continuous registration hours, or for audit hours. For details, ask a financial aid adviser.
Eligibility Requirements
To receive federal financial aid (such as Federal Pell, Federal ACG-Smart, and Federal SEOG grants, Federal Work Study, Federal Perkins, Federal Stafford [subsidized or unsubsidized], and Federal PLUS loans) you must meet the following conditions and provide supporting documentation when requested to do so: have a high school diploma or its equivalent, be enrolled or accepted for admission as a regular student at UW, not be concurrently enrolled in an elementary or a secondary school, be enrolled in a degree program, be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, have a demonstrated financial need if required, maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP), not be in default on a federal student loan or owe an overpayment of a federal grant at any institution (or, if so, have made satisfactory arrangements to repay or otherwise resolve the overpayment or default), not have borrowed in excess of the annual or aggregate loan limits of a federal loan program (loan borrowers only), agree to use funds received only for educational costs, register with the Selective Service if required, and not have had federal financial aid benefits suspended as result of a drug conviction.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Federal regulations require the University of Wyoming to establish satisfactory academic progress standards for student financial aid recipients. The University of Wyoming standards of SAP measure a student’s academic performance both qualitatively and quantitatively by reviewing the following three areas of performance: completion rate for all (cumulative) course work enrolled, cumulative grade point average (CUM GPA) earned, and the maximum time frame to complete a degree. Failure to comply with any one of the following requirements will result in a loss of federal student aid eligibility:
• the minimum CUM GPA for undergraduates and professional students (J.D. or Pharm.D.) is 2.000. For graduate students, the minimum CUM GPA is 3.000;
• each student must complete at least 67% of all credit hours attempted cumulatively at UW;
• undergraduate students (including 1st and 2nd year Pharmacy students) must complete graduation requirements in no more than 150% of the average length of their program. The 150% marker for most undergraduates is 180 (120 x 1.5) credit hours as 120 credit hours are required for most undergraduate programs.
Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed annually in May at the end of the spring semester. Students not meeting the GPA and completion requirements for the first time will be automatically placed on “initial financial aid probation.” Initial financial aid probation simply provides an opportunity for students to correct deficiencies and reestablish compliance with the SAP standards. Students have until the end of the succeeding spring semester to correct their SAP deficiency. Students remain eligible for federal financial aid while on “initial financial aid probation.” Students are only eligible for the initial financial aid probation provision once. At the end of the probationary period, the student will either be:
• removed from probationary status because all components of the SAP policy have been met; or
• suspended from receiving assistance from federal sources and will receive a Financial Aid Suspension Letter.
Suspended students are no longer eligible for federal financial aid until they have taken classes, using their own funding, and raised their cumulative GPA or completion rate to meet the SAP standards. Suspended students may appeal their financial aid suspension. To do so, a student must submit their appeal no later than the end of the “Drop/Add” period of the semester for which the approval is sought by providing the Office of Student Financial Aid with a fully completed and signed SAP Appeal Form explaining why he/she should not be suspended. A student may appeal due to mitigating or extenuating circumstances that could not be influenced, planned for, or prevented by the student (e.g., hospitalization, prolonged illness, death in the immediate family, etc.). Documentation verifying the situation is required and must accompany the appeal. The outcome of a student’s appeal depends upon the nature of the circumstances causing the violation, how well that is documented, and how well they have demonstrated that they are now making good progress toward earning their degree. The SAP Appeal Form is available online at the Office of Student Financial Aid’s website for downloading and printing or directly from the office.
Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for more information regarding SAP.
Funds Distribution
Each student who registers has his or her own student account with the university. Once a qualified student has registered for classes and accepted their awards on WyoWeb, the Office of Student Financial Aid will authorize the electronic transfer of funds from UW financial aid accounts to the student’s individual account at the university.
Federal Stafford loans are made by commercial lenders. Lenders electronically transfer loan proceeds to the university for direct deposit to student accounts. Federal Stafford Loan amounts may be reduced by amounts up to 4 percent to be retained by lenders as origination and guarantee fees. First-time borrowers of federal student loans must participate in entrance loan counseling (view a web presentation). All student loan borrowers must participate in an exit loan interview (in person or on the web) prior to leaving UW.
Federal Work-Study funds are paid as payroll checks or direct deposit on the 15th and last working day of the month following the month in which the hours were worked. Payroll checks may be direct deposited or mailed to the student.
The university will automatically charge a student’s account for tuition and fees based on the student’s enrollment. Likewise, if the student is living in a university residence hall, room and board charges will be placed on the student’s account.
Any financial aid credited to a student’s account will automatically pay tuition and fees first and then charges for room and board in UW residence halls. Unless directed otherwise in writing by the student, any remainder will be applied to other university charges. If a negative balance results, a “credit balance check” will be prepared by the university made payable to the student. This check will be mailed to the student’s mailing address prior to the first day of classes or after the term begins.
A scholarship awarded for the academic year will be split into two equal payments to the recipient’s student account with one to be paid at the beginning of each semester unless the donor or selection committee specifically directs that it be paid differently.
Students enrolled in a domestic or international exchange program or a study abroad program approved by UW for academic credit are eligible to apply for federal student financial assistance. Likewise, students concurrently enrolled in classes at two or more eligible institutions of post-secondary education may apply for federal aid. A special consortium agreement between institutions must be completed prior to each semester a concurrently enrolled student seeks aid. Those granted a Federal Work-Study allocation have opportunities to perform community services to earn their allocation.
Information describing available aid, award criteria, rights and responsibilities of aid recipients, costs of attendance or refund and repayment policies and schedules is available by writing to Office of Student Financial Aid, Dept. 3335, 1000 E. University Ave., Laramie, WY 82071, or viewing the financial aid website at www.uwyo.edu/SFA/.
Important: Students are assumed to be full-time when their initial financial aid is determined. If you plan to attend less than full-time in any semester, your financial aid will be adjusted to reflect your true tuition costs. It is always best to make the Office of Student Financial Aid aware of your intended enrollment prior to the start of a semester so that accurate amounts of financial aid may be applied to your account.
Financial aid policies are subject to change without notice to reflect modifications in federal, state and institutional laws and regulations.
Veterans Educational Benefits
Students who have served in the armed forces may be allowed credit for courses taken in some military schools. Students who desire to apply for credit on the basis of the military schools should submit a copy of the DD-214 Form or its equivalent to the Office of the Registrar. Individual colleges will determine whether such courses will be applicable to degree programs.
All veterans seeking educational benefits must register with the veterans’ certification specialist in the Office of Student Financial Aid, 174 Knight Hall, (307) 766-3016. This includes completing a veteran’s registration card each semester.
Those veterans not completing a veteran’s registration card by the last day of the late registration period will be dropped from VA educational assistance at the university. Class load requirements for veterans are as follows:
Undergraduate, Law and Pharm.D. Veterans:
Full-time 12 or more credit hours
3/4 time at least 9, but fewer than 12 hours
1/2 time at least 6, but fewer than 9 hours
Less than 1/2 registration credit hour fee reimbursement only
Graduate Veterans:
Full-time 9 or more graduate credit hours
or certification by dean of the Graduate School*
3/4 time at least 7, but fewer than 9 graduate credit hours
or certification by dean of the Graduate School*
1/2 time at least 4.5, but fewer than 7 graduate credit hours
or certification by dean of the Graduate School*
Less than 1/2 registration credit hour fee reimbursement only
*The final responsibility for seeing that the veteran’s certification specialist has a certification from the dean of the Graduate School rests with the student. This must be received by the last day of scheduled registration.
If any portion of a veteran’s schedule is composed of courses which are less than the full semester in length (i.e., short courses, workshops, "blocked" courses, etc.), the rate of benefit payment may be affected. If you have any questions or concerns, contact the veteran’s certification specialist in the Office of Student Financial Aid, 174 Knight Hall, (307) 766-3016.
Withdrawal from a class or classes could reduce a veteran’s benefits for that term. For details, contact the veteran’s certification specialist in the Office of Student Financial Aid.
National Guard Benefit
Active Wyoming National Guard members in good standing and considered to be satisfactory participants may apply to participate in the Guard’s Education Assistance Plan. The Plan provides 100 percent tuition and mandatory fee payment for all courses (except repeated courses) leading to one degree at UW, as long as the recipient continues to meet academic and service commitment requirements. Recipients must agree to serve in the Guard for at least two years after earning their degrees. This benefit may be used concurrently with Veterans Educational (GI Bill) Benefits. For information and application packets, please contact the Wyoming National Guard at 800-832-1959, ext. 5262, the UW Outreach School at 800-448-7801, or the UW financial aid office at 307-766-3016.