Financial Aid Basics

Students who file a FAFSA submit information about their (and usually their parental) income. This information is calculated into an Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC is not the actual amount the student/family will need to pay at UNCG. Rather, it’s an index used to help determine how much and what kinds of aid a student is eligible to receive. Starting in the 2024-25 award year, the new FAFSA replaces the current application, and among the changes, the EFC is replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI). For more information on these significant, positive changes, visit our new FAFSA resources page.

Students may choose to adjust their course schedule after their aid is awarded or disbursed for the semester. The end of UNCG’s Schedule Adjustment Period is the deadline for students with aid to drop or add courses. 

• Schedule adjustments made before the deadline may impact aid (any difference would be automatically updated by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships). 
• Credit hours are locked at the end of schedule adjustment. Financial aid will not be be increased due to the addition of credit hours after that point.

Financial aid cannot be used for repeat courses. If a student has earned credit for a class (A+ through D-) and then retakes it, that is considered a repeat course. If a student has not earned credit for a class (failed or withdrew) then it is not considered a repeat course. 

The Cost of Attendance is not the bill and is not designed to be an estimate of the bill. Students can view actual charges through the Student Account Center or use the bill estimator.

There are two types of costs listed on the COA: direct and indirect. 

• Direct costs are those that would normally appear on the student’s bill, such as tuition and fees for their registered classes, and housing and meal plan, if the student is living on campus. 
• Indirect costs are estimated expenses that students may have, but are not part of the student’s bill. Types of indirect costs may include:
  • Rent, if living off campus
  • Food, such as groceries purchased outside of a meal plan
  • Books and supplies
  • Travel home or commuting costs
  • Personal and miscellaneous (toiletries, clothing, linens, etc.)

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Undergraduate Cost of Attendance
Undergraduate Full-Time (12 Hours per semester)

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Undergraduate Distance/Remote Cost of Attendance
Undergraduate Full-Time (12 Hours per semester)

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Graduate Cost of Attendance
Graduate Full-Time (11 Hours per semester)

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

2024-2025 Academic Year Estimated Graduate Distance/Remote Cost of Attendance
Graduate Full-Time (11 Hours per semester)

*DIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will appear on student’s bill.
**INDIRECT COSTS – Estimated expenses that will not appear on student’s bill but have been used to calculate financial aid award for the academic year.

Federal regulations require that students receiving financial aid under federal programs must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP). These programs include federal Pell grants; Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants (SEOG); Iraq and Afghanistan Service grants; federal loans (Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and PLUS); and Federal Work-Study. Satisfactory Academic Progress must also be maintained for the North Carolina state scholarship and grant programs, and UNCG scholarship and grant programs.

UNCG evaluates SAP for each student at the end of each term. Each student is evaluated on the following areas:

• Minimum GPA (grade point average)
• Cumulative credit hour completion rate (attempted vs. earned hours)
• Completion of a degree within a maximum number of credit hours

Note: Attempted hours includes all types of withdrawals and incompletes.

The following table outlines the general terms of the SAP policy for the current academic year. Students can view the complete policy here.

Students in good financial aid standing who do not meet the SAP requirements after a term will first be placed on Financial Aid Warning. These students can still receive financial aid and no actions need to be taken.

Students may be placed on Financial Aid Warning more than once but may not have two consecutive terms with this SAP status. If a student who is already on warning does not make SAP at the end of the following term, they will become ineligible for financial aid. The student may appeal for consideration of aid for a future term.

• Federal regulations allow for certain cases in which the institution may waive the SAP standards. Appeals (professional judgment) are the only way to correct unresolved SAP deficiencies and regain financial aid eligibility.
• Appeals may be considered due to extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control. Examples may be an extended illness, serious illness or death of a family member, significant mental health issues, and more. The extenuating circumstances must be documented for the specific term(s) in which SAP requirements were not met. 
• SAP appeals are considered on a case-by-case basis by an appeals committee. The student will correspond with the committee via email, not in person.
• If the appeal is approved, the student will regain financial aid eligibility. 
• Some appeals may be approved for a probationary term with certain conditions outlined by the appeals committee during the probationary term.

During the first 60% of the semester, a student earns Title IV funds in direct proportion to the length of time they remain enrolled. This means the student will owe repayment if they withdraw during the first 60% of the term. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point will not have to repay Title IV funds for the term. 

Earned Title IV Funds Calculation

• Divide the number of days the student attended by the number of days in the entire semester. 
• Calendar days are used in the determination of percentages.
• School holidays/breaks of five days or longer are excluded. 
• Students must repay the difference between the total Title IV funds disbursed and the percentage of funds they “earned” based on this calculation.

All customer information is safeguarded. This applies to all non-public personal information that has been provided to UNCG by students, parents, customers, and the customers of other financial institutions that have provided information to the school.

Financial Aid adheres to the following policies and regulations related to data security:

• TC regulations: 16 CFR 313.3(n) and 16 CFR 314.1-5
• Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act: Sections 501 and 505(b)(2)
• U.S. Code: 15 USC 6801(b), 6805(b)(2)

UNCG also has its own set of policies governing information security, which can be viewed on the Chancellor’s website.

UNCG works with Information Technology Services, the state agency NCSEAA, the UNC General Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education to safeguard personal data for students, parents and others who may have concerns with their data. UNCG’s ITS team is responsible for the full control of security but additional protections are in place in both Financial Aid and Business Affairs to protect data from being shared. 

Our policies are in place to: 

• Insure the security and confidentiality of customer information
• Protect against any anticipated threats or hazards to the security or integrity of such information
• Protect against unauthorized access to or use of such information that could result in substantial harm or inconvenience to any customer

Here are the main elements of UNCG Information Security policies: 

• UNCG employs designated coordinators that oversee our information security program.
• We regularly conduct risk assessment and evaluate current safeguards to ensure we are identifying reasonable foreseeable internal and external risks to customer information that could result in the unauthorized disclosure, misuse, alteration, destruction, or other compromise of such information. and assesses the sufficiency of any safeguards in place to control these risks. Employees are trained on information security and data management policies and expectations.
• We follow best practices in information systems, network and software design, information processing, storage, transmission, and disposal.
• We have plans in place for detecting, preventing, and responding to attacks, intrusions, or other systems failures.
• We develop safeguards to control any potential risks. These safeguards are regularly tested for effectiveness in key controls, systems, and procedures.
• We re-evaluate and adjust our plans based on results of testing and monitoring, and for changes to operations, business arrangements, or other circumstances that may impact the existing information security program.
• We take reasonable steps to use service providers that are capable of maintaining appropriate safeguards for the customer information, and we include language in our contracts with them to ensure they are maintaining these expectations.

Students who want to view details of their aid history should reference the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). This is the Department of Education’s central database for student aid, available via the Federal Student Aid website. An FSA ID and password are required for access.

NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view that helps students see: 

• Total aid from loans and Pell Grants
• Status of loans
• Loan interest rates
• Loan servicer information

Loan servicers are the companies or banks that handle billing, repayment plans, and loan consolidation for Federal student loans. Students should reach out directly to their loan servicer if they wish to consolidate loans or begin loan repayment before it is required. 

At UNCG, we will never:

• Accept payment or other material benefits from any outside entity or student/family in exchange for loan referrals or preferential treatment.
• Accept gifts from any lender, guarantor or servicer of education loans.
  • A gift is defined as: any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having monetary value of more than a de minimus amount.
  • A gift is not:
    • A brochure used for default aversion or financial literacy
    • Food, training, or informational material provided as part of training to improve service
    • Entrance or Exit Counseling assistance that does not promote any specific lender
    • Philanthropic contributions unrelated to loans
    • State education grants or scholarships
• Accept consulting fees or other contractual financial benefits from a lender or provider of student loans.
• For any alternative loan borrower, assign through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular private lenders.
• Intentionally delay certification of loans based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.
• Accept a pool of funds from a lender in exchange for private loan referrals, specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement for such loans.
• Accept call center or Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships services or staffing assistance from any lender, except under the following circumstances:
  • Professional development training for financial aid administrators;
  • Providing educational counseling materials, financial literacy materials, or debt management materials to borrowers, provided that such materials disclose to borrowers the identification of any lender that assisted in preparing or providing such materials; or
  • Staffing services on a short-term, nonrecurring basis to assist the institution with financial aid-related functions during emergencies, including State-declared or federally declared natural disasters, federally declared national disasters, and other localized disasters and emergencies identified by the Secretary of Education
• Accept compensation in exchange for appointments to advisory committees or boards of any entity involved in the processing of alternative student loans.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will always maintain exemplary standards of professional conduct in all aspects of carrying out our job responsibilities, specifically including all dealings with any entities involved in any manner in student financial aid, regardless of whether such entities are involved in a government sponsored, subsidized, or regulated activity. In doing so, we are bound by the following:

• Act in accordance with the principles set forth above.
• Refrain from taking any action for personal benefit.
• Refrain from taking any action that we believe to be contrary to law, regulation, or the best interests of the students and parents we serve.
• Ensure that the information we provide is accurate, unbiased, and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential gain.
• Remain objective in making decisions and advising the administration of the University North Carolina at Greensboro regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Disclose to the administration of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
• Adhere to University of North Carolina Board of Governors Policy 800.5.1[R], entitled Regulation on Financial Aid Practices, and to all applicable laws and regulations governing federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs.

In addition, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships agrees to be dedicated to the following ethical principles:

• Commit to removing financial barriers for those who wish to pursue postsecondary learning.
• Make every effort to assist students with financial need.
• Awareness of the issues affecting students and advocate their interests at the institutional, state, and federal levels.
• Support efforts to encourage students, as early as the elementary grades, to aspire to and plan for education beyond high school.
• Educate students and families through quality consumer information.
• Respect the dignity and protect the privacy of students and ensure the confidentiality of student records and personal circumstances in accordance with FERPA and the Higher Education Act, Section 483(a)(3)(20 U.S.C. 1090).
• Ensure equity by applying all need analysis formulas consistently across the institution’s full population of student financial aid applicants.
• Provide services that do not discriminate on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, or economic status.
• Recognize the need for professional development and continuing education opportunities.
• Promote the free expression of ideas and opinions and foster respect for diverse viewpoints within the profession.
• Commit to the highest level of ethical behavior and refrain from conflict of interest or the perception thereof.
• Maintain the highest level of professionalism.

In order to comply with UNC General Administration Requirements, all UNCG Financial Aid employees must specify whether or not they have family members who are currently attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.

As staff members of the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, we understand that:

• We are prohibited from awarding ourselves financial aid.
• We are prohibited from awarding another Financial Aid staff member financial aid. Staff members must be awarded via the system or by the Director or Associate Director of Financial Aid.