General Information

Snow College participates in the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IV Programs. These programs consist of federal education grants, loans, and work study. Financial Aid may also include funds from state grant programs when available. Financial Aid awards are based on need and other eligibility criteria established by the Department of Education and are subject to change without notice. There is no discrimination based on race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, health-related conditions, handicap, or veteran’s status.

Deadlines

Some federal grants require a priority deadline of March 1st. These funds are very limited, thus the early deadline, and not all students meeting the deadline will receive funds. Students should be able to submit a FAFSA and supporting documents by this date.

In order to have funds available for Fall semester, the general financial aid deadline is June 1st. Any student whose file is completed after this date is not guaranteed to have funds available when school starts. For those students only attending in the Spring semester the deadline is November 1st. All tuition, fees, and on-campus housing balances must be paid by the 5th calendar day of the semester or a student's classes may be dropped.

Financial Obligations

Receiving financial aid does not replace the students' obligation to pay for educational costs when they come due. Costs that accrue before you receive aid may include housing, books, fees, additional meal plans, etc. As most of these costs are from outside vendors, you should not plan on your aid covering these items. Again, in most cases aid will not cover your entire cost of attendance.

New Limitations

Pell Grant Lifetime Limit

The Department of Education has now limited a student’s Pell eligibility to a total of 12 full-time semesters (or 6 full years) of Pell Grant eligibility during his/her lifetime. This limit applies to all students, regardless of when they received their first Pell Grant. Once a student has received a Pell Grant for 12 full-time semesters, they will no longer be eligible for further Pell Grant funding. (This is not appealable to any individual or institution.)

Attendance Policy for Federal Financial Aid Recipients

Regular class attendance is required for students receiving federal financial aid. Students must begin attendance in all courses to qualify for financial aid. Students reported for non-attendance in any or all of their courses could have their financial aid withdrawn.

At the end of each semester, students who have failed to earn credit for any courses are reviewed and aid must be recalculated based on their last date of attendance. Attendance must be demonstrated through the 60% point of the semester. Students who did not earn credit or students who did not complete 60% of the semester, may owe funds directly to Snow College that are due immediately. These funds will be returned to the Department of Education.

Instructors must indicate the last day of attendance in an academically related activity for each F grade they assign. If it is determined that the failure to earn any credit for the semester was due to lack of attendance in classes, a federal aid return calculation must be performed.

The Return of Title IV Funds Calculation includes all Federal Funds, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Parent Loans and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Students have up to 30 days to challenge the return of federal aid due to a reported lack of attendance. Documentation must be provided, acceptable documentation is a graded test, graded quiz or graded paper within the semester in question.

Proration of Financial Aid

Students who are enrolled in less-than-full time status will have their Pell Grants pro-rated. The award letter will list the maximum amount based on full-time enrollment. Pro-rated amounts will match a student's enrollment status. Full time enrollment is 12 credit hours and above. For three-quarter time (9-11 credit hours) an eligible grant will be multiplied by 0.75 and a student will receive that portion. For half-time (6-8 credit hours) an eligible grant will be multiplied by 0.50 and a student will receive that portion. If a student is less-than-half time (1-5 credit hours) the grant will be adjusted to match the Federal Pell charts. Students enrolled less-than-half-time are not eligible for government loans.

Students who drop classes within the first three weeks will have their financial aid reduced to match their enrollment status. If a student receives a financial aid check prior to the change in their schedule, the unpaid balance will be reflected on their student account. The unpaid balance may cause the Business Office to drop all of a student's classes. When adding and dropping classes, it is the student's responsibility to pay attention to their account to prevent punitive actions from being taken against them. All awards are tentative.

Repeating Courses

Pell Grant funding may not be used to repeat a course more than twice where a student received a passing grade (A through D-). Once a student has completed any course twice with a passing grade, they are no longer eligible to receive Pell Grant funding for that course in the future. There are no exceptions to this Federal regulation.

Applying for Financial Aid

1. Apply for admission: Students are not eligible for any financial aid until they have been successfully admitted to Snow College as a matriculated, degree seeking student, in an eligible program.
2. Apply for Financial Aid: Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/. The FAFSA should be completed as quickly as possible after October 1st for the upcoming academic year. It is the best practice to have processed the prior year’s federal income tax information for both the student and parent. Snow College’s institutional code is 003679.

Student Eligibility

To Receive Federal Title IV Assistance

• A student must demonstrate financial need, as determined by the Department of Education (FAFSA).
• A student must have a high school diploma or GED certificate prior to the first day of class.
• A student may not be enrolled in elementary or secondary school.
• A student must be a U. S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• A student must be enrolled in an eligible program of study and seeking a certificate or degree. (Taking pre-requisites for transfer is not an eligible program.)
• A student must have a valid Social Security Number.
• A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
• A student must certify that they are not in default on a student loan or owe an overpayment to the Department of Education.
• For loan purposes, a student must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credit hours.)
• A student must not have borrowed more than of federal loan limits.
• A student must meet all other federally prescribed eligibility criteria.

Financial Aid Process

This is the sequence of events that students must follow to receive financial aid:

• Student submits the FAFSA with Snow College’s school code 003679.
• The Department of Education processes the FAFSA and calculates an SAI (Student Aid Index).
• Student receives the SAR and Snow College receives the FAFSA Application.
• Snow College notifies each student by email requesting additional information, which may include verification materials if the student is chosen for verification and a signed Satisfactory Academic Progress form. (If you have completed the FAFSA and have not heard from the Financial Aid Office for a minimum of two weeks, please initiate contact.) During busy times email works best.
• Student returns information to Snow College.
• Financial aid staff verify documents for accuracy and conflicting information.
• Financial aid staff creates a financial aid award package.
• Student logs into their MySnow Student Portal and follows the terms and conditions to accept the award.
• Pell grants will be accepted automatically, but all other awards must be accepted online by the student.

How Financial Aid is Calculated

When a completed FAFSA is received by the United States Department of Education, a formula mandated by Congress called Federal Methodology is used to calculate the Student Aid Index or SAI. The SAI is an index used by the school to see what grants or loans a student is eligible for. The Financial Aid Office compares the SAI to the federal Pell charts and the schools’ estimated cost of attendance. The cost of attendance minus the SAI is financial need. This financial need is used to determine aid. In almost every case the school does not have the availability of financial resources to fund all financial need.

(Each school determines its cost of attendance by estimating tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses. These items are the school's budget for financial aid purposes.)

Awards

An Student Aid Index (SAI) is assigned to each applicant; the SAI determines the amount of aid a student may be eligible for. An SAI from 0 to 5000 is generally eligible for some Pell Grant, the lower the SAI the higher the Pell eligibility. Student Aid Index's above this benchmark are not Pell eligible. In most cases those with higher SAI are only loan eligible. (SAI are subject to change during the verification process.) All awards are tentative and subject to change. The Department of Education determines eligibility, not Snow College.

Award Letters

Award letters are sent as a courtesy to give students an estimation of aid being awarded. These award letters are subject to change based on the knowledge we have at the time of awarding. Changes are based on updates in the formulas from the Department of Education, undisclosed resources to students such as rehabilitation funds, outside scholarships, career training, alternative loans and so forth. Therefore, all awards are tentative.

Financial Aid Disbursements

Most financial aid (with the exception of Federal Work Study) is credited to the student’s account to pay institutional charges, such as tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board. After school charges are deducted, any remaining balances are disbursed to the student and are to be used for other educational expenses. Disbursements generally occur on the first day of class. If the amount of financial aid exceeds the costs of institutional charges the student can request those amounts to be directly deposited into a bank account or the college will mail them a check. Unless the student gives the college specific instructions, checks will be mailed to the permanent address on file in our accounting system. Consequently, a student may be at school, but their check is sent to their home address.
Note: Students should review mailing addresses every semester for accuracy.

Snow College strongly urges the use of direct deposit for financial aid reimbursements.

Verification

The Financial Aid Office completes verification of all files that the Department of Education chooses for verification. We will also review the files of siblings or spouses who are also enrolled to check for conflicting information. All files with conflicting information must be resolved. Siblings and spouses should take the time in the application process to ensure accuracy of their respective files. We recommend that FAFSA forms be submitted at the same time when multiple family members apply. Individuals that have already been funded may find that awards are reduced when corrections are made regarding conflicting information between related applicants.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

The Snow College Office of Financial Aid is responsible for ensuring that all students receiving federal financial aid meet minimum standards. Examples of federal aid are Pell Grants, Loans, and Work Study programs. It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to know if they are making the required satisfactory progress toward their certificate or degree. Students should check their grades each semester and not automatically assume continued eligibility because they are not informed by the Financial Aid Office. A claim of ignorance or forgetting is not a valid excuse. Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed at the end of each payment period (fall, spring, summer.)

A student must successfully meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Qualitative – Cumulative Snow College grade point average above 2.00.
2. Quantitative (Pace) – Completion of a minimum of 70 percent of attempted credit hours.
3. Maximum Time Frame – Complete an associate degree within 95 credit hours and a Bachelor of Commercial Music in 189 credit hours. (All attempted credits whether a grade is earned or not will count against the attempted hours.)

Each student will be asked to sign a Satisfactory Academic Progress form each academic year as part of the application process. This is to serve as a reminder of the importance of meeting SAP.

Within Satisfactory Academic Progress, students will be asked if they have already received a degree from Snow College or any other post-secondary institution. Because Snow College is primarily a two-year institution, financial aid cannot be paid for additional Snow College courses taken by a student who has already been awarded an associate degree. If a student is seeking a bachelor's degree, they must be admitted to a four-year school and be taking courses from that institution to be eligible for aid. Taking pre-requisite classes to transfer is not considered a degree-seeking program and therefore is not fundable. This policy is statutory within the Department of Education’s definition of an eligible program. If a student has a degree and does not disclose it in an attempt to receive aid, the application for aid will be considered fraud and Snow College will report the findings to the Office of Inspector General and the Utah State Attorney General’s Office for possible prosecution.

Failing Grades

Students who fail all their classes in a payment period are subject to the all "F" policy.

Any student that receives all "F" grades will have to prove that they attended every course. At the end of the semester when instructors put in final grades the last date of attendance will be entered from records based on class participation. Those dates are used to calculate how much aid a student might owe back to the Department of Education in a process called the Return of Title IV Funds. If there is a dispute regarding the date, the student will have to prove the last date of attendance by submitting documentation showing a graded test, quiz, or homework assignment beyond what the instructor entered.

It is the student's responsibility to submit documentation in a timely manner. Letters are only sent as a courtesy. Once funds are returned to the Department of Education it is difficult to get funds back, particularly loan funds.

If a student fails all of their classes but subsequently receives a grade change, they should notify the Financial Aid Office us as soon as possible. Once the Satisfactory Academic Progress report has been generated, the Financial Aid office is not notified of any changed grades.

Reinstatement

Students can regain eligibility by bringing their cumulative totals in line with the Department of Education and Snow College’s minimum standards. This requires a written appeal.

SAP Appeals

Students who have been suspended can appeal their suspension by submitting an appeal form and providing documentation of extenuating circumstances. Appeals for situations contributing to poor performance must have been beyond the student’s control to be considered. Students may also be required to submit a functional degree plan signed by a Student Success Advisor and stick with that plan in future enrollment periods. Appeals must be turned in before the end of the 15th day of the semester.

Return of Title IV Funds

Students earn financial aid based on the length of time for which they are enrolled during a semester. Those who withdraw from school (W), stop attending, receive unofficial withdrawals (UW grades), or those who receive failing (F) grades, are subject to the Return of Title IV Funds policy. Depending on the last-date-of-attendance, or the last academically related activity, students may owe a portion of their aid back to the Department of Education for not having earned all the aid for the payment period.

To avoid the Return of Title IV Funds a student must complete the semester and earn the aid. Any student who fails to earn their aid will owe a portion back to the Department of Education. Regretfully there is no clause for catastrophic events or unusual circumstances. If a student leaves school, they will owe back funds. Return of Title IV Funds is not appealable, it is a statutory requirement. (34 CFR 668.22).

All federal monies owed back to the Department of Education through the Return of Title IV Funds calculations are not eligible for Snow College Financial Relief.

Consortium Agreements

Federal law mandates that a student can only receive aid for enrollment at one institution. Therefore, the purpose of a consortium is to allow a student to take courses from multiple institutions but have one of the schools designated as the home school or the school that provides the financial aid. It is the students' responsibility to pay tuition and fees to all of the institutions that are part of the consortium.

Snow College has signed consortium agreements with a majority of the Utah state schools and the state schools working with Utah E-Learning Connection. Snow College does not currently participate in consortium agreements with schools outside of Utah.

Good Standing

Eligibility for financial aid comes with an expectation of good citizenship. Financial aid may be terminated for any of the following infractions of the good-standing code:

• Violations of civil law
• Destruction of property
• Illegal use or distribution of drugs or alcohol
• Lying, stealing, cheating or other moral infraction
• Disruption of classes and violations of school policies
• Use of financial aid funds for another purpose other than authorized expenditures
• Discourteous or abusive language or actions
• Harassment
• Violations of Snow College computer use policies. (Violations of copyright infringement, P2P software, Piracy etc.)

Eligible Programs

Not all programs are eligible for financial aid. A program must meet specific federal guidelines regarding weeks of instruction. Programs such as CDL licensure, CNA licensure, Correspondence/Independent study, and year-long classes are not eligible. Credit hours in these courses will not count toward enrollment for financial aid purposes. Other programs may be introduced by the college but until a program is approved by the Department of Education financial aid may not be available.

Misuse of Federal Funds

Federal Law [P.L. 99-498, Sec. 490 (a)] states “Any person who knowingly and willfully embezzles, misapplies, steals, or obtains by fraud, false statement, or forgery and funds, assets, or property provided or insured under Title IV is subject to a fine of not more than $1,000.00 or imprisonment of not more than five years, or both. Federal regulations require that students who may have violated this law be referred to appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution.

If fraud is suspected, Snow College is obligated to refer individuals to the Office of Inspector General.

Types of Aid

Employment/Federal Work Study

The Federal Work Study Program is an opportunity to work with various employers on campus. Students who are awarded this type of aid are not guaranteed employment. The Work Study Program does allow students to apply for a select number of work opportunities on campus. Jobs are posted online through www.snow.edu/careerbadger.

Grants

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant is non-repayable aid for eligible students. The amount of the award is based upon expected family contribution (EFC), as determined by the Department of Education’s Federal Methodology, the institution’s cost of attendance, and the federal payment schedule issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

Snow College receives a limited amount of funds for this program, and it is awarded to Pell Grant recipients with exceptional need. Not all Pell recipients will qualify for or receive these funds.

Utah Educational Disadvantage Funds

The Utah Educational Disadvantage Grant is available to state of Utah residents only. It is combined with other types of financial aid. This is a small state grant and is very limited.

Loans

Snow College participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program. It is imperative that a student knows the difference between a grant and a loan. A grant does not need to be paid back, but a loan does. The award letter will clearly identify the type of aid that has been awarded by the name of the associated fund (Federal Pell Grant as opposed to Federal Direct Stafford Subsidized Loan or Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.)

Loan Processing Deadlines:

• Fall - December 1st
• Spring - April 14th
• Summer - June 5th

To receive a Federal Direct Loan a student will need to complete additional processes. A student will need to complete a Master Promissory note which is done online. They will also need to complete the online entrance loan counseling on https://studentaid.gov/. Instructions for these processes will be included in the award letter. All these processes will need to be complete before any loan funds are disbursed.

Students do not need to accept the fully awarded loan amount. They can notify the Financial Aid Office to request a lesser amount. Students can also decline the loan at any time before disbursement. Once a loan is disbursed a student will need to contact the Financial Aid Office to reduce or cancel the loan. They will have to return the disbursed amounts to the Snow College Cashier's Office.

All loans received by a student are monitored by the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS.) This information is accessible by guarantee agencies, servicers, lenders, and schools which have been determined to be authorized users.

Once a loan is disbursed, the borrower has a legal obligation to pay the full amount regardless of whether the borrower completes the program of study, can obtain employment upon completion or is otherwise dissatisfied with or did not receive the educational or other service purchased from the school.

In the event the student withdraws from school, some of the Direct Stafford Loan will need to be paid immediately as part of the Return of Title IV Funds policy.

In some cases, loans can be deferred. There are also cases for loan forbearance. The details for these terms and options can be accessed at https://studentaid.gov/.

Loan Disbursements

The law requires that loans be allocated in multiple disbursements. If a student is enrolled in just one semester during the academic year, half of the loan will be disbursed at the beginning of the semester and the second half will be disbursed at the midpoint of the semester. This may cause late fees to accrue if the student doesn't pay their full financial balance by the 5th day of the semester.

Subsidized Loans

Subsidized Loans are loans that the Department of Education pays the interest for while a student is enrolled at an institution. Subsidy can be lost by the 150 percent rule. The amount borrowed depends on the student’s need, cost of attendance, and year in school. The interest rate is variable and changes annually. The minimum monthly payment begins at $50.00 and there is a six-month grace period that begins once a student is no longer at least a half time student.

Unsubsidized Loans

Unsubsidized Loans are available to students who do not qualify for a subsidized loan. Interest begins accruing as soon as the funds are disbursed and does not stop until the loan is paid in full. If a student is not paying at least the interest amount, the loan is capitalizing interest. This means that a student is paying interest on the previous month’s accrued interest and principal. If the interest is allowed to capitalize, the principle can grow to an amount greater than the original amount that was borrowed.

The amount of the loan depends on need, cost of attendance, and year in school. The interest rate is variable and changes annually. The minimum monthly payment begins at $50.00.

Federal Parent PLUS Loan

Federal Parent PLUS Loan is a loan that a parent can originate in the dependent student’s behalf. A parent may borrow up to the cost of attendance, less other aid, for each dependent student. As with other loans there are maximum limits for each student.

Repayment Options

Students can work with their loan servicer to see what options are available for paying back federal student loans. Students can find their individual loan servicer by logging into National Student Loan Data System with their FSA username and password.

• Learn more about information regarding different options.
• There are many different repayment plans to help students pay back student loans. Select the repayment plan that best fits a student's financial situation.
• Use this link for Repayment Schedules & Estimators.

Financial Aid Staff

• Director: Merrill Worthington
• Financial Aid Advisor: Angie Ison
• Financial Aid Advisor: Dana Brotherson
• Financial Aid Systems Analyst: Hemi Hemara