Award Terms and Conditions - Coastal Carolina University
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Award Terms and Conditions

IMPORTANT NOTICE

If you attend classes before your financial aid payment has been received, you will incur University charges. If, for any reason, your financial aid is not awarded or is revoked, you are personally responsible for, and will be required, to pay all University charges incurred. If you should choose to separate from the University or stop attending classes, you must complete an official withdrawal for the semester. Visit What to Know Before Withdrawing for more information on withdrawals. After the withdrawal is processed, any refund for which you may be eligible, will be calculated based on the date of the official withdrawal and the published Tuition Refund Schedule.

  1. The Award Notification
  2. Required Minimum Hours
  3. Federal Title IV Census Date
  4. Changing or Declining Awards
  5. Required Coursework
  6. Repeat Coursework Regulations
  7. Types of Financial Aid
  8. Financial Aid Authorization Form
  9. Email Communication
  10. Changes in Enrollment
  11. Return of Title IV Funds and Repayment
  12. Summer School
  13. Cost of Attendance
  14. Satisfactory Academic Progress

The following information is provided to help you understand how your award was determined and how you may use the financial aid that will be made available upon your official enrollment. It is important that you read and understand the terms and conditions that govern your award.

As you read the following information, the use of "we" or "us" or "our office" refers to Financial Aid and Scholarships. The use of "award notification" refers to an email notification, paper correspondence, or combination of email and paper correspondence.

The Award Notification‌‌

The electronic award notification that can be viewed through Self-Service Financial Aid includes information associated with award sources offered for the fall spring, and/or summer semesters. By accepting the financial aid awarded, the student certifies that (s)he will maintain the minimum standard of academic progress to maintain general eligibility for financial aid and understands, agrees with, and will abide by these conditions.

The standard practice of Financial Aid and Scholarships:

  1. Assumes students will be attending full-time (12 hours undergraduates, 9 hours graduates) during both the fall and spring semester,
  2. Awarding typically begins in December for new freshmen and transfer students; continuing students will be awarded after spring grades are finalized;
  3. Assumes students will accept the awards as offered, and
  4. Provides students and parents with all eligible aid based on the FAFSA results and other awards received (as funding allows).
  5. Once minimum degree requirements are completed, students are no longer eligible to receive grant or scholarship funding as an undergraduate student.

The awards listed are the amounts you should receive if you meet all eligibility. The Federal Direct Student Loan, subsidized or unsubsidized, and Direct Parent PLUS Loan may have fees deducted from each loan disbursement. Please note that although we certify these loans, the University is not the lender and cannot ensure that you will always receive the amount indicated due to origination fees. Miscellaneous loans represent alternative (private) loans. An award listed as "External Aid" represents an award made by an agency other than the University, generally an outside scholarship.

Required Minimum Hours of Enrollment‌‌‌‌

In order to receive a Federal Direct Student or PLUS loan, you must enroll for at least six (6) credit hours per term. Other awards require different credit-hour minimums. Initially, your award was made assuming full time enrollment for each semester; 12 credit hours for undergraduates, and 9 credit hours for graduate students. If you do not enroll as a full-time student, your award will not be credited to your account without review. If you do not intend to enroll full-time, please contact Financial Aid and Scholarships so that your awards can be adjusted accordingly.

Failure to enroll in the minimum credits required for financial aid (scholarships, grants or loans) will result in the reduction or cancellation of your financial aid for that semester or summer session, as well as any subsequent semester or term for which aid was awarded. 

Federal Title IV Recalculation Date‌‌‌‌

Coastal Carolina University uses the last date of the 100% tuition refund period as the official federal financial aid census date for all federal Title IV aid recipients. Per federal regulations, students must be registered in all courses as of the census date for eligibility, including enrollment in any mini-terms. Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, TEACH Grant, and SC Need-based Grant are awarded based on these guidelines.

  • To receive Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized or Direct PLUS loans, you must be enrolled in at least halftime eligible credit hours at the time of disbursement.
  • Pell Grant amounts will be awarded based on the number of eligible Title IV credit hours that you are registered in as of the federal title IV recalculation date (SEOG and SC Need-based Grant also follow this guideline).
‌Changing or Declining Awards‌‌‌‌
  1. Students planning to take less than a full time course load should contact Financial Aid and Scholarships each semester to discuss aid options. Some awards are based on full time status only and must be canceled.
  2. Students declining an aid source should notify Financial Aid and Scholarships prior to the start of each semester.
  3. Any aid source from outside of Coastal Carolina University, such as churches, civic organizations, etc., must be reported to and sent to Financial Aid and Scholarships to ensure that these sources are coordinated with Federal and State aid and are properly credited to the student's account. It is helpful to receive this information by July 1 for fall semester and November 1 for spring semester. Students should ask the awarding agency to make checks payable to Coastal Carolina University and reference the student's full name and CCU ID number or social security number. This will allow the Office of Student Accounts to credit the account immediately. Funds will be returned to the aid source when students do not attend. Existing awards may require adjustments to accommodate the outside aid you will be receiving.
  4. To decline or reduce aid awarded, email your award change to finaid@coastal.edu so the aid may be adjusted. Be very specific about the type of aid involved and the change you wish to make. You may decline loans via Self-Service Financial Aid. 
‌Required Coursework‌‌‌‌

Your enrollment status, in part, determines your federal Title IV aid eligibility. Federal aid includes the Pell, SEOG, and TEACH Grants, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan, Direct Parent PLUS Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan and Federal Work-Study.

  • How is my enrollment status determined?
    Almost every class you take has credits associated with it (for example ENGL 101 = 4 credits). Check your class schedule against your program evaluation in WebAdvisor to verify that the classes you are taking are required for your degree program. Add the credit hours associated with your required classes to determine your enrollment status.  Classes that do not fulfill core, foundation, major or REQUIRED elective requirements within your degree program are NOT counted when determining your enrollment status for federal aid eligibility.
  • What should I do if I think one or more of my classes is NOT required?
    Seek advisement immediately and take note of the last day to add/drop with no academic record. The sooner you recognize an issue, the sooner your academic advisor and a financial aid counselor can help you resolve it. Don't let reduced financial aid package impact the start of your semester. Check your My Progress today!
  • What if I plan to double major, add a minor, study abroad, get an internship, or take an experiential or graduate level course?
    Because these circumstances may differ by student and degree program, please consult your academic advisor and a financial aid counselor BEFORE pursuing ANY of these activities.
  • What about my NON-federal financial aid?
    Your enrollment status for non-federal awards, such as institutional and state scholarships, private loans, and external financial resources may include credits that cannot be counted in your enrollment status for federal aid eligibility (for example, additional elective credits not required by degree program). If you are unsure of your enrollment status for a particular award, please contact a financial aid counselor.
‌Repeat Coursework Regulations‌‌‌‌

A student who repeats a previously passed course in a term may receive Title IV funds for that repeated class for the first time only (i.e., one repetition per class). If a particular course is repeated more than once, a student is not eligible to receive Title IV funds for that repeated class, and the class cannot be counted towards Title IV eligibility.* 

* Federal Title IV Aid consists of: Pell, SEOG, Direct Student Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, TEACH Grants, IASG, and Federal Work-Study. The SC Need-based Grant is not federal aid but follows all federal Title IV regulations.

Types of Financial Aid

Please click on the above link for an explanation of the types of Financial Aid available.

Financial Aid Authorization Form ‌‌‌‌

By signing the Financial Aid Authorization Form, the student gives permission to Coastal Carolina University to use financial aid funds to pay indirect educational costs (such as books, etc.) associated with that term. If the student wants to use  'Pending' financial aid to charge books, this form must be signed. The Financial Aid Authorization form needs to be submitted only once, and can be revoked at any time. This form can be e-signed through Required Agreements in Self-Service.

If a parent is planning to apply for a parent PLUS loan at any time while the student is attending the University, we would also need the signature of the parent borrower in order to permit funds to be used for indirect costs. The parent should sign and submit the authorization form found on the Financial Aid and Scholarships Forms page.

Email Communication‌‌‌‌

It is extremely important that you maintain your Coastal Carolina University's email account via offiice365.coastal.edu. It is your responsibility as a student to check your email account frequently to retrieve official university communications.

Emails are sent pertaining to students' "missing or incomplete financial documents," and "information concerning financial aid packages." In the email, you will be instructed to log in to Self-Service Financial Aid to review your current financial aid status. In some circumstances, there may be additional information needed to complete the financial aid file.

Changes in Enrollment‌‌‌‌

1. Dropping classes before and/or during drop-add period:

If you drop before classes begin or during drop-add, your financial aid will be adjusted based on the hours for which you are enrolled at the end of drop-add. If you are enrolled less than half time, you may not be eligible for assistance. The Registrar's Office sets the schedule for drop-add each semester.

Coastal Carolina University uses the last date of the 100 percent tuition refund period as the official Pell recalculation date for all federal aid recipients. Per federal regulations, Federal Pell Grants, TEACH Grants, IASG, and Federal SEOG* cannot be awarded or increased for classes added AFTER the institution's Pell recalculation date for the semester.  *SC Need-based Grants also follow this regulation.

Institutional and state scholarship recipients are required to be enrolled at CCU for full-time attendance (minimum of 12 undergraduate credit hours).  Please keep in mind that most scholarships require 30 credit hours per year, so you may want to consider enrolling in 15 credit hours each semester.

2. Withdrawing from classes after drop-add, during the "refund period" established by the Office of Student Accounts:

If you withdraw from classes during 90/50/25 percent refund periods and you are enrolled at least half-time, you may be eligible to receive funds from the calculated refund. Your financial aid may be impacted if you drop below full time.

3. Complete withdrawal from school:

For students who withdraw from all classes, financial aid will be prorated based on the effective date of the withdrawal or the last date of attendance and subject to The Return of Title IV Funds Policy and Procedure. If you have received a settlement check and you are no longer eligible for those funds, the withdrawal may create a balance owed on your account. Students who withdraw from classes after drop-add are subject to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy of Coastal Carolina University and the Return of Title IV Funds and Repayment regulations.

Return of Title IV Funds and Repayment‌‌‌‌

The Return of Title IV Funds policy applies only if the student completely terminates enrollment (i.e., cancels his/her registration, withdraws, or is dismissed) or stops attending classes before completing more than 60 percent of the enrollment period. The Return of Title IV Funds policy applies to federal student financial aid programs. Financial Aid and Scholarships will calculate the amount of federal funds to be returned for students who withdraw.

Repayment Policy: The amount of Title IV aid that a student must repay is determined by the Federal Formula for Return of Title IV Funds as specified in Section 484B of the Higher Education Act. This law also specifies the order of return of the Title IV Funds to the program from which they were awarded.

A repayment may be required when aid has been credited to a student's account from financial aid funds in excess of the amount of aid the student earned during the term. The responsibility for returning unearned aid is allocated between Coastal Carolina University and the student according to the portion of disbursed aid that could have been used to cover university charges and the portion that could have been disbursed directly to the student once school charges were covered. Coastal Carolina University will distribute the unearned aid back to the Title IV programs as specified by law. The student will be billed for the amount the student owes to the Title IV programs and any amount due to Coastal Carolina University resulting from the return of Title IV funds used to cover charges.

Summer School‌‌‌‌

The FAFSA for the preceding year (previous fall and spring semester) and a separate summer school application should be completed to be considered for potential summer financial aid eligibility. The Summer Financial Aid Application should be submitted to Financial Aid and Scholarships when summer school registration has been completed. The deadline is late May. The applications will be available online via the Financial Aid and Scholarship website in April each year.

Aid for summer school sessions is available only if a student has not used all aid eligibility during the preceding academic year or through the use of a Direct PLUS Loan and/or private student loans. In addition, students must be enrolled at least halftime (six credit hours) during the summer for most financial aid programs.

Cost of Attendance and Student Expense Budgets‌‌‌‌

To consider a student for federal financial aid, a Cost of Attendance (COA) must first be established. The Student Expense Budget determines components for the COA.

Student expense budgets are established annually in a two-step process. In step one, "estimated" budgets are established which reflect adjustments based on other sources such as statistics from The College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics and student surveys. In step two, "official" budgets are established when the Board of Trustees officially sets tuition and fees, room, and board costs.

Please note that tuition and fees, housing (for University Housing options) and food (for students with meal plans) are the only costs which are paid directly to Coastal Carolina University. Books and supplies, transportation and personal costs will vary for each student and are estimates only.

Tuition and Fees: Students enrolled in 12 to 18 hours each semester (fall and spring) are assessed a flat rate. Tuition and fees are set on a per credit hour basis for students who enroll in less than 12 hours in a given term.

Books and Supplies: Includes textbooks, supplies, typing, photocopying, etc.

Housing: The Board of Trustees sets on-campus room costs annually. Housing rates will vary depending on the site of the residence hall (on-campus or University Place). Off-campus housing rates are determined from The College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics and student surveys.

Food: For on-campus students, the rates are determined by the annual amount of a full meal plan. For off-campus students and those living with parents, the rates are determined by other sources such as The College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics and student surveys.

Personal/Misc.: The costs include medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance, clothing, laundry, newspapers, toiletries, etc.

Transportation: On-campus and off-campus students are budgeted with an allowance based on other sources such as The College Board, Bureau of Labor Statistics and student surveys.

Loan Fees: Average cost of loan fees.

Estimated Educational Expenses

Your cost of attendance could also be reduced if you are not full-time and impact the amount of your federal financial aid.