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Office of Financial Aid

General Eligibility Requirements

To receive Financial Aid, you must:
Determining Financial Need

Financial need is determined by subtracting the family's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from the University's Cost of Attendance. Note: The EFC number is determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and is found on your Student Aid Report (SAR).  

The amount left over after subtracting the expected contribution from your cost of education is considered your "financial need."


  

 

Expected Family Contribution

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is the amount that you (and your spouse, if married) and your parents are expected to contribute toward your education. The EFC is determined by filing the FAFSA and is the EFC number found on your Student Aid Report (SAR).

Other Resources

You may be receiving other forms of assistance for your educational costs, such as scholarships, Veteran's Benefits, Vocational Rehabilitation, etc. It is very important for you to notify the Financial Aid Office if you anticipate receiving these types of awards. Failure to do so may cause you to owe a refund of your received financial aid.

Disbursing Financial Aid

Most available financial assistance (including student loans) is disbursed at the beginning of each term. If you owe a balance to The University, your financial aid will be credited toward that balance (excluding any of your bookstore charges). You will receive a "refund" only if you have funds available in excess of your balance due.

You cannot expect to have a refund available on this first refund date if you were late in submitting all required documentation necessary to process and disburse your funds. This includes completing your Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling Session on-line at www.studentaid.gov. Any student not registered in at least 6 hours (undergraduate students) or 5 graduate level hours (graduate students) before Late Registration should not expect a loan refund on the first published refund date. Any loan funds guaranteed for you will be held at the guaranty agency until your half-time (or greater) enrollment status has been verified. See Add/Drop and Late Registration policies.

Please Note:

Financial aid awards are tentative awards and are not finalized until enrollment and residency are confirmed. Any changes in enrollment or residency status should be reported to the Financial Aid Office immediately so that any necessary adjustments may be made.

 


 

 

Financial Aid for Certificate Programs 

Post-baccalaureate undergraduate certificate programs are offered to students who have already obtained their bachelor’s degree. Students who enroll in a post-baccalaureate certificate program should be aware that they will have restricted financial aid eligibility which will only cover courses that are required by the certificate. No course substitutions, transfer work, or pre-requisite courses are covered by financial aid. To be eligible for federal loans students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours of undergraduate courses of the certificate-required coursework. Optional courses that students elect to take for professional recognition, advancement, to raise GPA, or that the University of Louisiana at Monroe recommends, do not qualify for financial aid.

Students that are eligible to receive financial aid will be awarded loans as fifth year undergraduates and are bound by the undergraduate loan limits. Awards must also stay within a student’s cost of attendance. No student will be eligible for Pell grant because all students enrolled in the certificate program will already have received an undergraduate degree. Post-baccalaureate certificates must also meet satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements and are held to the federal repeater course policy. As certificate programs require less hours than traditional degree programs, students should be careful to plan their enrollment with their financial needs.

Post-Baccalaureate Certificate Programs Eligible for Financial Aid and Disclosure Information:

 


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