Understanding My Aid Adjustment
Learn more about how adjustments are made to financial aid by reviewing the information and example below.
Budget Adjustments
Awarding and Cost of Attendance (COA)/Budget Adjustments
- All students are budgeted and awarded as full-time charged students
- After drop/add period (census date) or when the student/Registrar notifies us that the enrollment won't change, budgets are reduced and locked to actual enrollment, and tuition charges and aid are modified accordingly.
Example
Cost of Attendance for full-time graduate student charged (9 credit hours) student = $20,000
- Full time tuition/fees: $8,000
- Housing/Dining: $10,000
- Other: $2,000
Student receives $20,000 aid (max they can receive up to COA) and after bill is paid, is refunded $16,000.
$4,000 Actual Billed Tuition & Fees
-$20,000 Loans
-$16,000 To be refunded
COA after drop/add period closes, student is only in 1 credit hour (thesis), full-time status, but charged for 1 credit hour tuition and fees = $4,000
- Full time tuition/fees: $4,000
- Housing/Dining: $10,000
- Other: $2,000
COA is reduced by $4,000 based on the actual charges, and results in a new COA of $16,000. Since the student initially received $20,000 in aid based on the assumption of full time enrollment and charges, they are now over COA and their loan will be reduced by $4000. This will create a balance due on their student account.
The student must remit payment for the balance due (from the refund they received earlier in semester). If the student feels they have expenses above and beyond their current COA, they can pursue a Budget Increase Request.