• The University
• Information for new Students
• Financial aid
  • Financial Aid Programs
  • Program
  • Qualifying for Financial Aid Programs
  • Applying for Financial Aid
  • Awarding of Aid
  • E-mail as Official Communication
  • Disbursement of Funds
  • Criteria for Satisfactory Academic Progress
  • Appeal Process for Denial Based on Unsatisfactory Progress
  • Financial Aid Refund Policy
  • Refund Distribution Priority
  • Dropping From a Class But Retaining At Least 6 Hours
  • College Work Study
  • Exit Interview
  • SCHOLARSHIPS
  • VETERANS AFFAIRS
  • Satisfactory Academic progress
  • Hazlewood Act
  • VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
• Registration and Record Services
• Student Services
• General Program Requirements
• Distance and Off-campus Education
• School of Business
• School of Education
• School of Human Sciences and Humanities
• School of Science and Computer Engineering

---

FINANCIAL AID

• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Veterans Affairs
• Vocational Rehabilitation

Students may seek financial assistance in the form of loans, grants, scholarships and part-time employment through the Office of Student Financial Aid. Financial aid is predicated on demonstrated need as determined by federal and state regulations and is available to those who qualify and meet the requirements as long as funds are available. The Office of Student Financial Aid, however, is not meant to subsidize financial obligations incurred prior to or during enrollment for a degree (such obligations may include but are not limited to credit card payments, car payments, house or real estate payments, medical expenses or other installment debts).

---

Financial Aid Programs

The financial aid programs available at UHCL are listed below. The list identifies students' eligibility for each program. Interested students should contact the Office of Student Financial Aid for details and criteria. Information can also be found at www.uhcl.edu/finaid.

Program	UG	GR
Federal Pell Grant	Yes	No
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)	Yes	No
Texas Public Educational Grant (TPEG)	Yes	Yes
Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership Program (LEAP)	Yes	No
University Competitive Scholarship	Yes	Yes
Certified Educational Aides Exemption Program	Yes	Yes
Fifth Year Accounting Scholarship	Yes	Yes
Resident Assistance Grant	Yes	Yes
Federal College Work Study Program (FWSP)	Yes	Yes
Texas College Work Study Program (TWSP)	Yes	Yes
*Federal Perkins Loan	Yes	Yes
*Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan	Yes	Yes
Hinson-Hazlewood Loan	Yes	Yes
Federal Plus Loan	Yes	Yes
*Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan	Yes	Yes
Short Term Loans	Yes	Yes
B-On-Time	Yes	No

*All Students applying for their first loan at UHCL must complete entrance loan counseling at www.uhcl.edu/finaid before loan funds can be disbursed.

Qualifying for Financial Aid Programs

Students must meet these minimum requirements:

1. Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island) or U.S. permanent resident who has an I-551, I-151 or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card)
2. Be admitted to a degree-seeking undergraduate or graduate program
3. Be enrolled at least half time at UHCL (Pell grants will be considered for students enrolled less than half time)
4. Be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certification
5. Not be in default on any education loan or owe a refund on a federal or state grant
6. Be registered with Selective Service System, if male.

Applying for Financial Aid

Because regulations governing financial aid change each year students are required to reapply and submit new documentation annually. Funding sources and requirements change from year to year, and the amount and type of aid awarded to students may also change. All financial aid applicants are required to submit the following:

1. 2006- 2007 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (Available online at www.fafsa.ed.govand in the Office of Student Financial Aid.)
2. If the FAFSA is selected for verification, signed copies of the student's 2005 Federal Income Tax and 2005 W-2 forms will be requested (along with those of spouse and/or parent, when available).

Priority deadline is April 1 of each year. Students applying after April 1 can expect the majority of the grant money to be exhausted.

Awarding of Aid

Financial aid is awarded based on enrollment projections on the applicant's FAFSA. Therefore, eligibility and enrollment must be verified before funds are disbursed to each student's account at the beginning of each semester.

Enrollment must again be verified after classes begin. Awards that are processed after the semester begins are based on the actual number of hours in which students are enrolled, excluding hours of withdrawal.

Students whose files are incomplete should be prepared to pay for their tuition, fees, books and supplies at the time of registration. Financial aid will not be awarded until all financial aid documents have been received and admission requirements have been met.

E-mail as Official Communication

The Office of Student Financial Aid will notify students regarding information needed, awards offered, etc. via email. Students should check their UHCL email accounts regularly to receive information from the Office of Student Financial Aid as well as other university offices. For information regarding UHCL email , or to log in, go to http://exchange.uhcl.edu/exchange/logon.asp.

Disbursement of Funds

Prior to the payment deadline of each semester, awarded grants and scholarships will be credited to each student's account. Disbursements of student loan(s) are also electronically transferred to the student's account.

If the financial aid credited to a student's account creates a credit balance, a refund check will be mailed to the student after the term begins.

The Office of Student Financial Aid will notify students by email when their financial aid is applied to their account.

Criteria for Satisfactory Academic Progress

Under federal and state statutes all students applying for or receiving federal or state financial assistance must be making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward a degree or certification. The UHCL Office of Student Financial Aid also uses this requirement for awarding institutional funds.

Review for SAP is done at the time the student first applies for financial aid and after that on a yearly basis (unless the student has a prior SAP appeal then SAP is calculated after each semester). SAP is based on the following qualitative and quantitative measures:

• The qualitative measure requires that undergraduates and students working on a second bachelor's or teacher certification need to have and maintain a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.000 or better. Graduate students working on a master's degree must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000 or better. Once a UHCL degree has been posted, SAP begins anew.
• The quantitative measure requires that students must have completed 75% of their cumulative attempted UHCL course work. This percentage is derived by dividing the total number of UHCL hours completed by the total number of UHCL hours attempted. Attempted hours are the total number of hours completed plus hours of Withdrawal without grade penalty ("WX"), Incomplete ("I"), "F", and In Progress ("IP"). The percentage derived needs to be 75% or greater.

For financial aid purposes, students need to complete their degree requirements within the time frame listed below:

• First Bachelor's or Teacher Certification without a Bachelor's degree: within a total of 90 UHCL hours attempted. Second Bachelor's or Teacher Certification with a Bachelor's degree: time determined by the Candidate Plan of Study or Certification Plan.
• First Master's: within a total of 54 UHCL hours attempted.
• Second Master's: time determined by the Candidate Plan of Study.

Students enrolled in "IP" course work are limited to a total of 15 "IP" hours in order to receive financial aid. These students need to provide a statement from their professor stating when the "IP" course is expected to be completed. Grades of "WX", "I", "IP", "F" and repeat courses are factored into the maximum time frame allowed for students to receive financial aid as stated above.

Students changing majors are still held to time frames originally begun with the first major chosen. However, if students require more time for completion of the change in major, they can petition the Office of Student Financial Aid for review of extended time. Students will be limited to loans and Pell grants as long as the loan limits have not been exhausted and if Pell eligibility remains.

Appeal Process for Denial Based on Unsatisfactory Progress

Students who do not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements may appeal their denial of financial aid. Appeals are considered for the following reasons:

• Increase of work load at place of employment because of promotion or overtime. Documentation from the employer on employer's letterhead is required.
• Personal illness or serious illness of immediate family members such as spouse, child, parent or sibling. Documentation from the physician on physician's letterhead is required.
• Mitigating circumstances. Appropriate support documentation is required of the individual circumstances. Each appeal is reviewed on its own merit.

Appeal forms are available online at www.uhcl.edu/finaid and must contain an explanation of the following:

• why the GPA is below the minimum requirementand what is the plan to bring the GPA to the minimum requirement.
• withdrawal from courses or the reason for not completing the courses, the number of courses or semesters required to complete the degree and how this will be accomplished.

Appeal forms must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Aid. Supporting letters must be typed with documentation attached plus a copy of the student's Candidate Plan of Study. Letters must contain the student's name, social security number, current mailing address, number of semesters or credit hours needed to complete degree requirements, the degree objective and the explanation for the unsatisfactory academic progress. Appeals not meeting this format will be returned to the student without consideration. A committee comprised of Financial Aid Counselors reviews all appeals weekly. All decisions reached by the SAO committee are final. Students will be notified via email regarding the outcome of their appeal

Financial Aid Refund Policy

Students who receive financial aid and completely withdraw from the University must repay all or part of their financial aid according to the policy explained below.

Financial aid recipients who receive federal student aid who withdraw on or before the 60% point in time of the semester enrolled will have the percentage and amount of Title IV unearned assistance calculated by the university. The unearned funds must be returned to the Title IV programs The federal formula used to determine the less than 60% portion of enrollment requires that the number of the calendar days in the period of enrollment for which the assistance is awarded be divided into the number of calendar days completed in that period as of the day the student withdrew. The Office of Student Financial Aid will then determine the amount of money to be refunded.

Refund Distribution Priority

Refunds will be applied to the funds received by the student in the following priority:

1. Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) - Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
2. Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) - Subsidized Stafford Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) - PLUS Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. Other Title IV programs

Dropping From a Class But Retaining At Least 6 Hours

Financial aid awards are based on the number of hours indicated on the student's FAFSA. Students who change their enrollment status prior to census day will have their awards reevaluated based on their actual enrollment. Students who received funds based on the original enrollment status will be required to make repayment to the appropriate funds.

Students who reduce their course load after census day but remain enrolled at UHCL for at least six credit hours will not have their financial aid adjusted and will not owe a refund. However, dropped courses are considered in the ratio calculation used to determine satisfactory academic progress.

College Work Study

Students awarded a college (CWS) job as part of their financial aid package work on or off campus for up to 20 hours per week and are paid on a biweekly basis. Students who are awarded CWS will receive an e-mail listing of available jobs so they schedule interviews with the hiring department.

Exit Interview

When financial aid loan recipients complete a degree or drop below the minimum requirements for financial aid eligibility, federal statutes require those students to have an exit interview to clarify and establish a repayment schedule on any monies owed. Students' academic records will be encumbered if the student borrower does not complete an exit interview.

Exit interviews are completed online at www.mapping-your-future.org

SCHOLARSHIPS

The Office of Student Financial Aid is committed to awarding scholarships to students consistent with the educational mission of our university. UHCL offers scholarships to future (new) students as well as continuing students. For Information please visit www.uhcl.edu/scholarships. Continuing students applications are available February 1-28 each year.

VETERANS AFFAIRS

To be certified for educational benefits to the Veterans Administration Regional Office (VARO), veterans must comply with the following certification policy and requirements:

1. Veterans must be accepted for admission at UHCL.
2. Veterans, whether new, continuing or returning, must have a Candidate Plan of Study (CPS) on file in the VA office before certification can be processed.
3. Certification to VARO will only be made for courses listed on the CPS. Any change of courses must be processed on the official CPS change form provided by the dean's offices.
4. Veterans must notify the UHCL VA office of any change in course load.
5. Graduate students taking undergraduate courses will be paid at the undergraduate rate. According to regulations graduate student veterans taking only three hours a semester at the undergraduate level will receive pay for tuition and fees only.
6. Veterans who are concurrently enrolled at the University of Houston-Clear Lake and at a lower level institution, must have lower-level courses listed on the CPS as required courses in order to receive benefits for the lower level courses.

Satisfactory Academic progress

Satisfactory academic progress for veterans receiving VA educational benefits is defined by VARO. Undergraduates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.000 and graduates must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000.

Veterans failing to achieve the required cumulative GPA will be placed on probation for one semester. At the end of the probationary semester, veterans who:

• Have not achieved the required semester GPA will be reported to VARO as making unsatisfactory academic progress.
• Have achieved the required semester GPA but not the required cumulative GPA will be allowed a second probationary semester.
• Have not achieved the required cumulative GPA at the end of the second probationary semester will be reported to VARO as making unsatisfactory academic progress.

Hazlewood Act

The Hazlewood Act passed by the Texas legislature provides for a waiver of tuition and certain fees for Texas veterans. A veteran may qualify for benefits under Hazlewood Act if he or she:

• Was a United States citizen or a Texas resident at the time of entry into the armed forces of the United States.
• Served at least 181 consecutive days of active military duty (calculated as the sum items in 12(c) and 12(d) on Member 4 copy of the DD214) not including training days.
• Received an honorable discharge, a general discharge under honorable conditions, or an honorable release from active duty.
• Has resided in Texas for at least 12 months or otherwise meets the state requirements for being considered a resident of Texas at the time of enrollment at UHCL.
• Has attempted fewer than 150 credit hours of college courses since fall of 1995 using the Hazlewood exemption.
• Has exhausted eligibility for federal veteran's educational benefits during the semester/term in which they enrolled.
• Is not in default on any educational loans made or guaranteed by the Federal Government or State of Texas.
• Is enrolled in an eligible program of study (An institution may not grant a Hazlewood Act exemption for continuing education courses).
• Beginning with the registration for Spring 2006, all recipients MUST complete a statewide application for Hazlewood exemption from Texas Higher Education Coordination Board before the Census Date of each semester.

Hazlewood benefits are not transferred from one state university to another. Veterans must reapply and provide the UHCL VA office with all of the following documents:

• StatewideHazlewood application.
• A copy of military separation papers (Member 4 copy of the DD 214) which must state the separation date, time served, honorable discharge, and the home of record which must be Texas. If the home of record is not on the DD 214, a copy of the enlistment papers, which shows the home of record, is required.
• A letter from the VARO in Muskogee, OK stating all Federal VA educational benefits have been exhausted. (1-888-442-4551).
• A copy of the birth certificate for first-time recipients to prove citizenship.
• If the veteran was not a citizen of the United States at the time he or she entered the service, a copy of a high school diploma or transcript is needed for first-time recipients to prove Texas residency
• A record of credit hours received under the Hazlewood exemption from all institutions of higher education in Texas other than UHCL
• Military personnel who have served only in the Reserve or National Guard and whose units have never been called upon to serve as active duty for a minimum of 180 days do not qualify for the Hazlewood exemption of tuition and certain fees. For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid in 1.105 of the Student Services/Classroom Building.

Note: Policies and procedures are subject to change according to the developing guidelines of the Texas Higher Education Corrdinating Board for the Hazlewood program. For more information, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Hazlewood Exemption Deadline

If the student provides his or her eligibility for the Hazlewood Exemption before the Census date of each semester, then the institution must honor the waiver. But, all students MUST turn in a statewide Hazlewood application to their institution's VA office by the Census date; all other supporting documentation can have extensions on them. UHCL will not honor Hazlewood requests after the Census date. (Hazlewood exemptions are not retroactive to prior terms).

VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION

The Texas Rehabilitation Commission offers assistance for tuition and required fees to students having certain physical or emotional handicaps, provided vocational objectives selected by the handicapped persons have been approved by appropriate representatives of the commission. Through this state agency, other rehabilitation services are available to assist handicapped persons to become employable. Applications for assistance should be made to the nearest rehabilitation office.