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TUITION AND FEES
Tuition and Fee rates and payment deadlines are published in the class schedule bulletins for each semester. All fees and charges listed
in the class schedule bulletin are subject to change because of action by the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System prior to the beginning of the semester. The Board of Governors normally act on tuition and fee charges at its June meeting prior to the start of the academic year. Current information may be obtained from the class schedule bulletin available in the Records Office or by calling the Office of Financial Services at (719) 549-2753.
Payment of Tuition and Fees
Tuition and fees are assessed in accordance with approved policies. Instructions for payment and payment deadlines are stated in the class schedule bulletins.
Tuition rates are established by the Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System following budget action of the Colorado General Assembly. Tuition rates for any succeeding fiscal year are not known until the period of March to June of each year, when appropriations are made. The Board of Governors of the Colorado State University System therefore reserves the right to change the tuition and fees at any time.
SPECIAL FEES
There may be other fees associated with certain classes offered at the University. Please verify the outstanding balance due by contacting the Office of Student Financial Services at (719) 549-2753.
PARKING
Parking decals may be obtained at the Cashier’s Window in the Administration Building.
PAYMENTS
Payment plans are available. Please refer to the current semester course bulletin for specific due dates. Students will be assessed a monthly 1.5% extended payment charge on any outstanding balance.
ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES
Additional procedures are published before the beginning of each semester in the semester course
bulletin. The procedures described include the distribution of financial aid, payment-due date, drop/add and withdrawal, administrative withdrawal for non-payment and refund policies. Students will be held responsible for adhering to the policies and procedures contained in the bulletin.
DELINQUENT STUDENT ACCOUNTS
Students are subject to any or all of the following actions if they have a delinquent debt to the university:
Reasonable collection/legal costs will be added to the amount due. Any student who pays with a check that is returned unpaid by his/her bank will be subject to all of the penalties for late payment and also will be charged an additional $17 fee.
ADJUSTMENTS
The Tuition Adjustment Appeals Committee will consider requests for adjustment to be billed tuition and fee charges when a student must withdraw due to extenuating circumstances. Please see the semester course bulletin for procedures on how to file an appeal.
Any student expelled from the University is not eligible for an adjustment. No adjustment/refunds of tuition and fees will be made to a student who is suspended, dismissed or expelled for a breach of discipline.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Financial aid is a resource for students and parents seeking monetary assistance to help defray the costs of higher education. Eligible students who demonstrate financial need may receive assistance from the federal government and/or the State of Colorado in the form of grants, loans, work-study and/or scholarship funds. Students may obtain applications and other necessary forms from the
Office of Student Financial Services, Administration Building, Room 212, telephone (719) 549-2753.
The primary responsibility for educational costs resides with the student and the student’s family. Assistance offered through the Office of Student Financial Services is intended to supplement the family contribution. Requests for assistance always exceed the funds available and federal monies are allocated according to documented financial need.
STUDENT FINANCIAL SERVICES POLICIES
Students must complete all necessary forms and submit requested documents to be considered for financial aid. Funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served, need basis.
Financial Aid Application Steps
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To be considered for financial aid, students must be accepted for admission in a degree program.
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| 2) |
Complete and mail (to the processor) by March 1, a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), available at local high schools, colleges and universities. Students may also apply online by logging onto
www.fafsa.ed.gov
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The CSU-Pueblo school identification code is: 001365
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| 3) |
Once the FAFSA has been processed, students will receive a Federal Student Aid Report, which will be electronically submitted to all the schools listed on the FAFSA.
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Students whose data has been selected for verification will be required to submit a verification form, and any other requested documents, and a copy of the tax return(s) used to complete the FAFSA prior to being awarded.
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Once all required information is received, students will receive a financial aid award offer. |
Definition of Good Standing
Students are considered to be in good standing for financial aid purposes if they are eligible to be enrolled in accordance with the guidelines established by the university and the Office of Student Financial Services.
Continuing students must be in good standing and comply with the financial aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy; and
must reapply for aid each year.
Students may not receive financial aid if they are:
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on financial aid suspension or academic suspension;
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| 2) |
in default on student loans or owe refund or repayment on grants previously received to attend CSU-Pueblo or other institutions; and
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non-citizens or not permanent residents of the United States. |
SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY
Federal and state regulations require that all students applying for or receiving financial assistance at the University meet standards for satisfactory academic progress to maintain eligibility for their financial assistance.
In order to comply with these regulations, the University has developed this satisfactory academic progress policy. The policy is designed to measure minimum acceptable academic progress for financial assistance purposes.
The Office of Student Financial Services will review satisfactory academic progress (the policy) annually at the end of the spring semester.
The following are the criteria considered in the policy review process:
Satisfactory Progress
Students who meet all of the following five tests are making satisfactory progress for financial assistance purposes:
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I. |
Degree Seeking:
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The student must be enrolled as a degree-seeking student who is seeking their first bachelor’s degree, seeking a second bachelor’s degree, or seeking a master’s degree.
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II. |
Credit Hours Earned:
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A student enrolled at the University must satisfactorily earn a minimum number of credit hours per academic year as indicated on the following table. Satisfactory completion is defined as receiving a passing grade of A, B, C, D or S for courses attempted. The following table indicates the number of hours that a student must earn per academic year, which includes summer, fall and spring semester.
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Undergraduate Students |
Graduate Students |
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Full-Time |
18 |
13 |
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Three Quarter-Time |
13 |
10 |
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Half-Time |
9 |
7 |
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Less Than Half-Time |
6 |
3 |
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Example: at the end of the spring semester, Jane’s grades were reviewed. Her grades were as follows:
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Summer 2002
3.0 A
3.0 C
6.0 credits attempted
6.0 credits earned
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Fall 2002
3.0 W
4.0 F
3.0 B
3.0 B
13.0 credits attempted
6.0 credits earned
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Spring 2003
3.0 C
3.0 C
3.0 B
3.0 INC
12.0 credits attempted
9.0 credits earned
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Jane earned a total of 21 credit hours. As a full-time student, she was required to earn 18 credit hours to maintain her financial aid eligibility.
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| III. |
Cumulative Credit Hours Limit:
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Students at the University may earn a maximum number of credit hours while pursuing a degree. Students will be allowed to attempt a maximum of
125% of the number of hours required by the degree-granting program that they are enrolled in. Maximum credit hour limits for each type of degree-granting program are as follows:
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Type of Program |
Maximum Credit Hrs
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1st Bachelor’s Degree |
150
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2nd Bachelor’s Degree or
Teacher Certification
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45 |
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Graduate Programs |
45
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Please Note: Maximum credit hours earned include hours transferred from other institutions and hours earned during a period of academic renewal.
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| IV. |
Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA):
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Students must maintain a minimum GPA while receiving financial assistance at the University. The GPA requirements are set forth in the University Academic Progress Policy. The following table reflects the current academic performance that will be required:
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Undergraduate Students
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Credit Hours Attempted |
Required Minimum Cumulative GPA |
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01-12 |
1.500 or higher |
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13-24 |
1.600 or higher |
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25-36 |
1.700 or higher |
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37-48 |
1.800 or higher |
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49-59 |
1.900 or higher |
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60 and Over |
2.000 or higher
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Please Note: Credit hours attempted includes all passing grades, failing grades, withdrawals, and incompletes.
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Degree Plus Students
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Students who choose to work on a second undergraduate degree, or are working toward professional certification, must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.000.
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Graduate Students
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Students enrolled in a graduate program must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.000.
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| V. |
Program Interruption, Failing Grades and Incompletes:
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A student must not have 1) totally withdrawn from the University or 2) been administratively withdrawn from the University or 3) received all failing grades in the fall or spring semesters to maintain eligibility for financial assistance.
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Students who receive incomplete grades are expected to complete the coursework by the end of the following term. |
Financial Aid Suspension
By failing to comply with the satisfactory academic progress policy of the University, a student will be placed on suspension and is ineligible to receive any financial assistance until the student submits a letter of appeal and is approved by the Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Committee. Suspension does not prohibit the student from continuing with his/her educational goals.
It is extremely important to note that while a student may not be on academic suspension at the University, he/she may still be placed on financial aid suspension.
Terms of Suspension
Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed at the end of each spring semester. Students who do not meet the minimum requirements will be placed on suspension and will immediately lose financial aid eligibility for summer, fall, and spring semester. A student placed on suspension will remain on suspension until an appeal for reinstatement has been submitted and approved by the Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Committee.
Appeal Process
A student who has been suspended may appeal the suspension. The student must initiate the appeal process after the Office of Student Financial Services has notified him/her of suspension. The following documents must be submitted to the Office of Student Financial Services in order to have a suspension reviewed:
Suspended for insufficient credit hours earned and insufficient GPA:
Suspended for exceeding the maximum hours attempted:
The Financial Aid Suspension Committee discusses appeals for reinstatement on a weekly basis. However, in order to be considered for reinstatement for a specific semester, the appeal must be turned into the Office of Student Financial Services no later than the end of the first week of classes for that semester. Any appeals turned in after that date will be considered and if approved, reinstatement will be in the subsequent semester.
Please submit all of the required documentation to:
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Financial Aid Suspension Appeals Committee |
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Colorado State University-Pueblo |
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Office of Student Financial Services |
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Administration Building, Room 212 |
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2200 Bonforte Blvd. |
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Pueblo, CO 81001-4901 |
If an appeal is denied, the student has the option of appealing the committee’s decision with the Director of Student Financial Services.
FINANCIAL AID PROGRAMS
GRANTS
Federal Pell Grant
A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Generally, Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. (A professional degree is usually obtained after a bachelor’s degree in a field such as medicine, law, or dentistry.) In some cases, you might receive a Pell Grant for attending a post-baccalaureate teacher certificate program.
Pell Grants are usually a foundation of financial aid, to which aid from other federal and non-federal sources might be added.
Colorado Student Grant (CSG)
The CSG is awarded to undergraduate residents on the basis of financial need. The amount of the grant cannot be greater than $5,000 per academic year. Funds are provided by the Colorado General Assembly.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
The FSEOG is designed to assist undergraduate students with exceptional need, targeted to Federal Pell Grant recipients and other exceptional need students. Awards may not exceed $4,000 per year.
Colorado Leveraging Educational Assistance (CLEAP) Partnership
The CLEAP is awarded to undergraduate resident students on the basis of financial need. The amount of the grant cannot be greater than $5,000 per academic year. The CLEAP consists of one-half state and one-half federal funds.
WORK-STUDY
College Work-Study Program (CWSP)
The CWSP is designed to provide jobs to students who, without the earnings from the employment, could not attend the University. The program is funded by both the federal government (federal work-study) and the Colorado General Assembly. The University annually employs approximately 650 students in the work-study program.
Full-time Work-study
Full-time work-study is a program designed to provide students with employment during the summer. A portion of the earnings from the employment must be used to offset educational costs of the next academic year.
To be eligible, students must:
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enroll at the University for the next academic year as a degree-seeking student;
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| 2) |
have an award letter which indicates an offer of work-study;
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complete separate applications for the summer full-time work-study and for the next academic year by the specified date. |
No-need Work-study
The no-need work-study program is funded by the Colorado General Assembly. To be eligible, students must be undergraduate Colorado residents.
Students are selected for the program if qualifications are met and if funds are available. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and must be found not eligible for need-based assistance in order to qualify for the no-need program.
STUDENT LOANS
Prior to any federal education loan (Federal Stafford or Federal PLUS) being certified by CSU-Pueblo, the applicant must complete the financial aid application process (including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
Federal Perkins Student Loan
(Formerly titled National Direct Student Loan-NDSL) a Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest (5%) loan to help exceptionally needy students pay for post-secondary education. CSU-Pueblo must disclose the loan disbursement and default status to a credit bureau organization.
Students may be eligible to borrow up to a total of:
Repayment of the loan begins nine months after students cease to be enrolled half-time. Students may be allowed up to 10 years to repay the loan. The amount of payment depends upon the size of the debt and the length of your repayment period.
In case of default on a Federal Perkins Loan, which the University is unable to collect, the federal government may take action to recover the loan. Questions about the terms of the loan, repayment obligations, deferment or cancellation should be directed to the Office of Student Financial Services.
Federal Stafford Loans
The U.S. Department of Education administers several loan programs designed to offer low-interest funding to students and their parents who need to borrow money to cover the costs of education. Below is a summary of the loans available:
Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program
Stafford Loans
Stafford loans are either subsidized or unsubsidized. A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. The federal government pays the interest while the student is in school and during grace and deferment periods.
An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You’ll be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it’s paid in full. If you allow the interest to accrue while you’re in school or during other periods of nonpayment, it will be
capitalized — that is, the interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan, and additional interest will be based on that higher amount.
The Federal Stafford Loan Program is intended solely to aid students pursuing a degree in higher education. Students should borrow only the amount they believe is necessary to pay for educational costs. Keeping the amount of a loan at a minimum will ease repayment.
Student Loan Amounts
The interest rate is variable (might change each year) but does not exceed 8.25 percent. For example, July 1, 2002 to June 30, 2003, the interest rate for loans in repayment was 4.05%. You’ll be notified of interest rate changes throughout the life of your loans.
You’ll pay a fee of up to 3% of the loan, deducted proportionately from each loan disbursement.
Annual Loan Limits for Stafford Loans
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Dependent Undergraduate
Student
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Independent Undergraduate
Student |
| 1st Year |
$2,625 |
$6,625—Only
$2,625 may be subsidized
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| 2nd Year |
$3,500 |
$7,500—Only
$3,500 may be subsidized
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| 3rd & 4th Years |
$5,500 |
$10,500—Only $5,500 may be subsidized
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Maximum Total
Debt Allowed |
$23,000 |
$46,000—Only $23,000 may be subsidized |
*Graduate students may borrow up to $18,500 each academic year. Only $8,500 of this amount be subsidized.
Federal Stafford Loan Check Distribution
Loan funds are sent directly to the school approximately a week before the beginning of each semester. The 3% origination fee will be deducted from the amount sent to the school. All loans are made in two or more equal disbursements.
If both a first year undergraduate student and a first-time borrower, your first Stafford loan disbursement can’t be made until the first 30 days of the semester have passed.
Electronic Funds Transfer is available to students whose loans are serviced by Sallie Mae or the Loan Program (CSLP). Funds received will be credited to the student’s account and any remaining funds will be electronically transferred to the student’s designated checking account.
Out-of-state lending institutions send loan checks to the Office of Student Financial Services. The student’s satisfactory progress, enrollment status, and eligibility are reviewed before the check will be released to the student.
The school is required to disburse loan funds within three (3) working days. If the student is ineligible for disbursement the funds must be returned to the lender immediately.
Federal PLUS - Parent Loan for Dependent Students
Plus Loans (loans to parents)
PLUS Loans enable parents who do not have an adverse credit history to borrow to pay the education expenses of each child who is a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half-time. The Federal Plus Loan has a variable interest rate not to exceed 9% which is adjusted every July 1 by the U.S. Department of Education. Credit checks are conducted by the lender to determine loan approval. If the loan is denied the lender is responsible for notifying the parent (borrower).
The borrower (parent) must begin monthly payments of a Federal Plus loan 60 days after the final loan check is disbursed.
Parents may request deferment of repayment under certain conditions established by the
lender.
Student Success Loan
The Student Success Loan is intended only for those financial emergencies that present extreme hardship which could not reasonably be foreseen and which seriously threaten the continuation of the student’s enrollment at the University.
Students must be enrolled for at least 6 semester credits, must be in good standing and must have a pending Financial Aid disbursement for that semester that will be used to pay the loan back.
Maximum loan amount is $350 per semester.
Loans are to be repaid within a short period of time (normally within 60 days). If the loan has not been repaid or arrangements made for its repayment by the due date, the delinquent loan will be treated as an overdue student account and handled in accordance with university policy. Applications for Student Success Loans are available in the Office of Student Financial Services. A $3 fee, assessed for processing the loan, will be deducted from the loan amount.
SCHOLARSHIPS
Colorado State University-Pueblo offers a wide variety of Institutional and private scholarships for incoming freshmen, continuing, transfer, and graduate students. Applications are available on-line and in the Office of Student Financial Services. The application deadline is February 1.
The Office of Admissions awards a limited number of Institutional scholarships to incoming freshmen and community or junior college transfer students, based on GPA and/or ACT/SAT scores.
The CSU-Pueblo Student Financial Services office administers a number of private scholarships funded and awarded by individuals, foundations, agencies and organizations. The donors specify the scholarship requirements and may select the recipients or rely on a CSU-Pueblo scholarship committee composed of faculty and/or staff to select the recipients.
Impact on Financial Aid. Because scholarships are considered “resource” funds under state and federal guidelines, scholarship awards become a part of the student’s financial aid package. If the student’s financial need is already met at the time of scholarship notification, other aid maybe reduced or cancelled. Pell grants are never reduced as the result of a scholarship.
Veteran’s Benefits
Veterans must follow the admission requirements and procedures outlined in this catalog. For certification of eligibility for education benefits under one of the Public Laws, students can apply for Veterans Administration benefits through the Office of Veterans Affairs in the Administration Building, Room 212, telephone, (719) 549-2910 or (719) 549-2368. Please allow at least two months for processing time.
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Students who are at least one-fourth American Indian, Eskimo or Aleut, as recognized by a tribal group served by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, may apply for a BIA grant. The amount awarded is based on financial need and availability of funds from the area agency. For additional information, write to: Scholarship Office, U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Indian Affairs, P.O. Box 370, New Town, ND 58763.
WITHDRAWALS
Students who withdraw during the drop/add period will receive a 100% tuition refund and be responsible for repaying all of their financial funds back to the University.
Students who withdraw after the drop/add period through 50% of the semester will have their tuition prorated (see course bulletin for details). A specific formula will be used to determine the amount of financial aid that has been earned by the student, which will be calculated for students who withdraw within 60% of the semester. If the student received less assistance than the amount earned, the student may be able to receive those funds. If the student received more assistance than earned, the excess funds must be returned.
Students who do not complete the official withdrawal process will potentially receive all failing grades on their transcript. Students with all failing grades at the end of each semester be required to repay their unearned student aid based on 50% unless they can prove that they attended class past 60% of the semester.
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