Financial Aid Guide 2009-2010
A Guide to Financial Aid at San Francisco State University
Table of Contents
Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer Letter
- Financial Aid Offer Instructions
- Financial Aid Assumptions, Resources-Student/Parent Contributions
- Accepting Loans and/or Work-Study
- Cal Grant Award Authorization
- Independent vs. Dependent
Types of Financial Aid and Eligibility Requirements
- Grants - PELL / ACG & SMART Grant
- Cal Grant A or B
- EOP Grant
- SEOG Grant
- State Grant (SUG)
- Scholarships/Fellowships/Stipends
- Loans
- Federal Work-Study
- Unclassified Graduate
- 2nd BA, CEL, Teacher Credential
Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSL)
- FDSL Loan Types
- Interest Rates
- Direct loan Origination Fees
- Eligibility Requirements To Accept a FDSL
- Prorate Annual Loan Limits
- Receiving Loan Funds
- Entrance Loan Counseling
- Exit Loan Counseling
Parents PLUS LOAN
GRAD PLUS LOAN
FEDERAL STUDENT LOAN CHART
Employment
- Federal Work-Study Program< LI>Student Assistant Program
- Employment Eligibility Verification (EEV)
- Job Postings
Gater Registration
- Deferment of Registration Fees
- Fee Waivers and Subsidies
- Debt Owed to the University/University Obligation Hold
- Withdrawing From All Classes
Financial Aid Check Disbursement
- Requirements to Receive Your Financial Aid Funds
- Account Statement and Balance Check
- Registration Fee Payment
- Check Disbursement Dates
- Financial Aid Disbursement Hold and Enrollment Hold
- Direct Deposit
Return of Federal Financial Aid Funds Due to Withdrawal
Maintaining Your Financial Aid Eligibility
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
- Minimum Semester Unit Contracts/Unit Deficiency
- Maximum Degree Unit Limits
- Failure to meet the SAP Standard Appeals
Address and Office Hours for the SF State Office of Student Financial Aid
FAVoRS - How To Use Financial Aid Voice Response System
Financial Aid Award Offer Instructions:
View and Accept your Financial Aid Award Offer by the specified "Response" date
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If you accept a Federal Direct Loan, you must complete all the action requirements(Master promissory note and Loan entrance counseling) Financial Aid Award Offer Assumptions:Your Financial Aid AWard Offer are for the academic year. Your financial aid award is based on the most current information available regarding your class level, enrollment status, and fund regulations and availability. Be aware that award amounts and programs are subject to change due to change in your enrollment, your housing plans, Federal, State and University funding limitations, and changes in law, policy or University procedures. ResourcesThe Student and/or Parent Contribution represents the amount that you (and your parents, if you are considered dependent) are expected to contribute towards your educational expenses during the academic year through income, savings, and/or loans. This figure was calculated using the previous yearincome and assets reported on your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), or renewal FAFSA,and your/your parent's previous income tax returns (if requested). Factors considered in determining student/parent contribution are income, net assets, family size, age and the number of family members in college (excluding parents). Your home, or your parents' home, if it is your principal place of residence, is not included in the calculation. Unreported changes in circumstances or resources could result in cancellation and/or repayment of financial aid you may have already received. Accepting Loans and/or Work-Study on your Financial Aid OfferStudent can Accept, Reduce, or Decline each award we offerYou may accept all, a portion, or none of any loan and/or Work-Study awarded you. Federal Direct Student Loan (FDSL) -- Subsidized and Unsubsidized -- You may be able to increase the amount of FDSL subsidized and/or unsubsidized by the amount of Work-Study you decline. Contact our financial aid counselor for the change PLUS Loan -- PLUS loans are only for parents of a dependent undergraduate student. The amount indicated on your Offer Letter is the maximum amount your parents may borrow under this loan program.Before making a decision about the loan, your parents should carefully read the information provided on the separate Federal Parent Loan Program (PLUS) information sheet. A credit check and a separateloan application are required. Federal Work-Study -- A Work-Study award is an amount you can earn, not an amount you are guaranteed to receive. For more information regarding Work-Study Employment. You may increase your accepted amount of Work-Study, up to a maximum of $4000, by declining all or a portion of the Perkins Loan and/or subsidized Federal Direct Student Loan awarded to you. An unsubsidized Federal Direct Student Loan cannot be converted into a Work-Study award. If you have not been awarded Work-Study but wish to be considered for a Work-Study award, please speak with a financial aid counselor.
There are two part-time student employment programs available at SF State: Federal Work-Study and Student Assistant. Both offer part-time work that you can usually arrange around your classschedule and provide paychecks that you use to help pay for your educational expenses. Work-Studyjobs are located on-campus and off-campus at public and non-profit agencies with whom the University has a contract. Student Assistant jobs are on-campus positions only. Federal Work-Study ProgramWork-study is a Federal financial aid employment program that helps students finance theireducation via part-time jobs. Most students looking for Work-Study employment are able to findjobs, but the Work-Study award is not a guarantee that you will find a job nor that you will earn the entire amount on your Offer Letter. You may earn up to, but not more than, the total Work-Study award on your Offer Letter. Your total earnings are dependent upon the number of hours you work and your hourly pay rate. You must be enrolled full-time at SF State to be employed in a Work-Studyposition (12 units - undergraduates, 8 units - graduates).
The primary advantage to having a Work-Study job is that although Work-Study earnings are taxable, they are not included as income when you apply for financial aid in future years.Additionally, you can apply at the OSFA to create an off-campus Work-Study job performing community service and/or work that are related to your major or career interests (Student Initiated OptionProgram - "SIO"). Work-Study students also are eligible to be employed through the Student Assistant program, but youcannot use your Work-Study award eligibility when employed as a Student Assistant.  Student Assistant ProgramThe Student Assistant program is not a financial aid program. It is funded by the State and provides part-time, on-campus positions available to students who are enrolled at least half-time at SF State(6 units - undergraduates, 4 units - graduates). Student Assistant employment is similar to Work-Study except that Student Assistant earnings will be included as income if you apply for financial aid in future years. Also, Student Assistant employees are not eligible to work as Work-Study employees unless they have applied for financial aid and have received a Work-Study award on their Financial Offer Letter. Employment Eligibility Verification (EEV)Before you can begin working, Work-Study and Student Assistant applicants must have their eligibility verified by the OSFA. After you provide verification that you are eligible to workin the United States (original Social Security card, U.S. Passport or birth certificate, orAlien Registration card) the Financial Aid staff will issue you an eligibility document for youto give to your employer.  Job PostingsAvailable Work-Study and Student Assistant jobs are posted on the SF State Career Center's web site. Go to Jobtrak at http://http://www.sfsu.edu/~career/gatorjobs/gatorjobs.htm and follow instructions on each page. You will then have access to all Work-Study and Student Assistant jobs. For more information about Jobtrak, please contact the Career Center SS 206, (415) 338-1761 for assistance. Most student employees work between 5 and 20 hours per week. Pay rates vary between $8.50 and $14.81 per hour. You complete income tax withholding and payroll forms with your employer and you receive your monthly paycheck directly from your employer. 
Deferment of Registration Fees
Financial Aid Deferments: A financial aid fee deferment postpones payment of yourregistration fees. This means that you do not have to pay your registration fees beforeusing Gator Registration. If the Office of Student Financial Aid notifies you that you have been awarded and you have accepted an offer of financial aid, you will be given a fee deferment.Enroll in classes by following the Gator Registration Procedures. Once you are enrolled in the minimum number of units required, your fees will be deducted automatically from your financial aid at the time of disbursement.If for any reason you are not actually eligible for financial aid, you must pay your registrationfees by the published fee payment deadline or you will be administratively withdrawn from your classes. If, at the time of disbursement, you enroll part-time, pay part-time fees and later you add classes that now require full time fee payment, you must pay the difference to the SF State Bursar’s office immediately.
Fee Waivers/Subsidies:If another agency (US or Foreign) such as: Veterans Administration, Dept. of Rehabilitation, Social Security Office, etc. or Scholarship organization will pay your registration fees or reimburse you for tuition and/or books, you must submit agency/donor verification to the Bursar’s Office and the OSFA. If an unauthorized letter covering your registration fees is not on file in the Bursar's Office, submit a copy of the letter to ensure your eligibility to register through Gator Registration.The letter must include your name, student I.D. number, the total amount of the subsidy, and the name and addressof the contact person at the agency. The Bursar’s Office will provide you with a fee deferment and the OSFA will make any necessary adjustments to your financial aid. You are ineligible to receive a StateUniversity Grant, a Cal Grant A or a portion of your Cal Grant B. These grants are specifically to pay your registration fees. If one of these grants has already been disbursed to you, you will be required to repay to SF State the amount of grant you received.
The Bursar's Office at San Francisco State University may place a financial aid hold on your Gator Registrationdue to outstanding financial aid obligations to the University. Should a student or former student fail to pay a debt owedto the institution, the institution may "withhold permission to register; to use facilities for which a fee is authorized to be charged; to receive services, materials, food, or merchandise, or any combination of the above from any person owing a debt until the debt is paid." (See Title 5, California Code of Regulations, Section 42380 and 42381).For example, the institution may withhold permission to receive official transcripts of grades from any person owing a debt. If a student believes that he or she does not owe all or part of an unpaid obligation, the student should contact the campus Bursar's Office. The Bursar's Office, or another office on campus which student may be referred to by the Bursar's Office, will review the pertiment information, including information that the student may wish to present, and will advise the student of its conclusions with respect to the debt. Students will be responsible for any legal costs incurred in collecting any unpaid tuition/fees and other miscellaneous university fees. Any amount owed may be reported to the Franchise Tax Board to offset tax refunds and/or from any state lottery winnings. Call the Bursar's Office at 415-338-1281 regarding a financial obligation hold. Withdrawing from all classes:If, after registering through Gator Registration, you decide not to attend SF State for the semester, you must officially withdraw from all registered classes. You must fill out a Withdraw Card in order to withdraw completely from the University. Consult with an advisor and, if you received financial aid, a financial aid counselor before you withdraw from the University. Also refer to the Refund Schedule in the Class Schedule to see if you are eligible for a refund of fees. Obtain clearance listed on the Withdraw Card and return signed form to the One Stop Student Service Center, SS Building. If you do not officially withdraw, you will still have to pay your registration fees and you will receive failing grades in all registered classes. Warning:see the financial aid refund and repayment policies for students who withdraw from classes.
Requirements to Receive Your Financial Aid Funds
Registration Fee PaymentFinancial aid funds, including FDSLs, are disbursed each semester and are credited directly to cover registration fees and/or other outstanding obligations to the University (i.e. Short-term Loan, On-Campus Housing Payments). If your financial aid is not sufficient to cover your registration fees and/or other financial obligations, you will have to pay the balance owed at the Bursar’s Office bythe fee payment deadline (see the Class Schedule). Payments received after the deadline will be assessed a late payment fee. Account Statement and Balance Check to StudentsYou will be mailed an "Account Statement" with descriptions of financial aid credits, outstanding university charges, and/or remittance advice (the amount you owe). If you have remaining financial aid funds for the semester, you also will be mailed a Balance Check. For students who register through Gator Registration and meet all disbursement requirements, their financial aid checks will be mailed one week prior to the first day of classes. Otherwise, remaining financial aid checks are mailed twice weekly throughout the semester, approximately 5 to 10 days after all requirements are met. You can call FAVoRS to determine when to expect your financial aid check in the mail.  Refund and Repayment Policies
Financial Aid recipients are obligated to remain enrolled and pass a certain number of units. SF State is mandated by the State of California and the Federal government to calculate a refund and a repayment when a student does one of the following:
A refund is the portion of financial aid funds used to pay the student's registration fees and/or on campus housing that must be returned by SF State to the Student Financial Aid Programs. The refund amount is calculated by the Bursar's office based on the student's withdrawal date. If the student received a FDSL, the refund amount will be applied to the loan to reduce the student's loan indebtedness. Otherwise, the refund will be applied to the other Student Financial Aid Programs from which the student received funds. To ensure proper calculation of a refund, a student who intends to withdraw from all classes must file a "Withdrawal From The University Card" with the Registrar's Office and complete a "Withdrawal Record Form" with OSFA. See the current Class Schedule under Refunds for deadlines. Withdrawal from SF State after the fourth week of the semester will result in "W" grades. The Bursar's office will calculate a 25% refund to the Student Financial Aid Programs for withdrawals from the fifth week through the eighth week of the semester. Consequences of Outstanding Repayment Obligation: SF State does not have the authority to waive or write off the repayment requirement, regardless of the reason for the withdrawal, including extenuating circumstances such as illness, accident or grievous personal loss. A student who fails to return the unearned Federal Financial Aid funds will be referred to the U. S. Department of Education for collection and the University may withhold permission to register; to use facilities; or render services. Until the repayment is resolved, the student's record will be "flagged" every time a student files a Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). A student in repayment is ineligible for financial aid at any other institution in the nation and cannot receive other University services,including but not limited to re-enrollment at SF State, until the repayment obligation has been paid in full.
SF State Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy and Requirements | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Note: that your financial aid will be canceled if you do not meet all of the disbursement conditions.
If you pay all of your university obligations, including registration fees, in advance by personal check or credit card, your financial aid award in full will be mailed to you. All financial aid checks are mailed to the address on file with the Registrar's Office; checks are not picked up on-campus. It is important for you to keep your mailing address current.
| SAP Unit Requirements | |||
| Enrollment Requirement | SAP Minimum Contract | Unit Tolerance | |
| Undergraduate/Credential | |||
| Full-Time | 12 units | 10 units | 9 units |
| 3/4 Time | 9 units | 9 units | 9 units |
| greater than 1/2 Time* | 7 units | 6 units | 9 units |
| 1/2 Time | 6 units | 6 units | 9 units |
| less than 1/2 Time | 1 unit | 1 unit | None |
| Graduate/credential | |||
| Full-time | 8 units | 6 units | 6 units |
| greater than 1/2 Time | 7 units | 6 units | 6 units |
| 1/2 Time | 4 units | 4 units | 6 units |
| Less than 1/2 Time | 1 unit | 1 unit | None |
| *Greater than half-time = Part-time paying full time fees |
Unit Deficiency
Students who complete less than the minimum semester unit contract while receiving aid may incura unit deficiency. A unit deficiency is the difference between the student’s minimum unit contractand the units the student completed during the term. For example, an undergraduate student receivingfull-time financial aid must complete a minimum of 10 units during the semester. If he/she successfullycompletes only 6 units, he/she will incur a 4 unit deficiency for that term. If a student withdraws from all classes, the OSFA will apply a repayment formula to determine if the student must repay any financial aid. See the Repayment policy information.
SAP is monitored once each year, at the end of the spring semester. Therefore, within an academic year a student who completes less than the minimum unit requirement during one semester may avoid a unitdeficiency by completing more than the minimum number or units during the other semester. For example,an undergraduate student receiving full-time financial aid who successfully completes only 6 units inthe fall semester must successfully complete 14 units in the spring semester (6+14=20, i.e. an averageof 10 units each semester).
Unit Deficiency Tolerance: Unit deficiencies at the end of the academic year are added to any unitdeficiencies from previous academic years to determine a student’s cumulative unit deficiency at SF State.If a student’s cumulative unit deficiency does not exceed the unit deficiency tolerance level, he or shewill remain eligible for financial aid. For undergraduates the unit deficiency tolerance is 9 units; forgraduates the tolerance is 6 units. Once a student’s cumulative unit deficiency exceeds the tolerancelevel, he or she will no longer be eligible to receive financial aid until the cumulative unit deficiencyhas been reduced to within tolerance.
A student may reduce their cumulative unit deficiency by completing more units in one semester than the minimum unit requirement, by completing winter or summer session classes, or by completing classes (at SF Stateor another accredited Junior College or University) without receiving financial aid for those classes.
Passing Grades: The quality of the student’s academic performance will also be monitored. In orderfor units to be recognized as successfully completed, the grade must be one of the following: A, B, C, D,or CR. Grades not accepted as units successfully completed are: F, NC, U, W, AUD, RD, I, or SP. If a gradeis changed after the official posting for a semester, it is the student's responsibility to bringverification of the grade change to the OSFA. You cannot receive financial aid for repeat coursesfor which you initially received a passing grade.
 A, B, C, D, CR UNACCEPTABLE GRADES  F, NC, U, W, AUD, RD, I, SP |
#2. Maximum Degree Unit Limits
Financial aid recipients are monitored for the length of time needed to complete their degreeby measuring their total units completed. Undergraduate students will be eligible to receive financialaid only until they receive a degree or earn a maximum of 175 semester units. Graduate students areeligible to receive financial aid only until they earn their degree or earn 75 semester units. Studentswho change their minors/majors, who are pursuing double minors/majors, or who are attempting secondbaccalaureates will be held to the same maximum time frame.
The Office of Student Financial Aid will attempt to notify a student when it appears that he or she willexceed the unit maximum. Unless a student can provide information, which would justify why the degree hasnot been granted, his or her financial aid will be canceled.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals
Students who fail one or more of the SAP requirements mentioned in #1 or #2 must appeal to theSatisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Committee (SAPAC). The required paperwork is available inthe Office of Student Financial Aid.
All financial aid recipients should speak to a financial aid counselor to discuss the impactof any proposed changes in enrollment such as dropping a course, repeating a course, or withdrawingfrom the University. Any of these changes may affect his/her satisfactory academic progress andfuture eligibility for financial aid.
Financial Aid Voice Response System 415-338-7000 Click here for more FAVoRS Information |
Directory Access / SF State on Internet / Additional SF State Numbers
SF State on the Internet
http://www.sfsu.edu
Office of Student Financial Aid
SS Building, One Stop Services
1600 Holloway Avenue
San Francisco, Ca 94132
http://www.sfsu.edu/~finaid
Federal Student Aid Programs California Student Aid Commission Student Loans & Collections Office Federal Direct Loan Service Center Admissions application status.....338-1113 SS Building
1-800-433-3243....automated service & representative
FAFSA application processing center
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
(888) 224-7268
http://www.csac.ca.gov
Cal Grant A, B, T award
NADM Bldg Room 350
(415) 338-2421
Perkins Loan questions and forms.
1-800-848-0979......automated service and representatives
1-800-557-7392......consolidated information
http://www.dl.ed.govAdditional Numbers at San Francisco State University
Advising Center...................338-2101 OAD 212
Bursar's/Cashier Office...........338-1281 SS One Stop & ADM 155
Bookstore.........................338-2023
Career Center........................338-1761
Disability Resource (Voice & TTY).....338-2472
EOP Admission Assistance............338-1646 LIB 426C
Financial Aid........................338-7000 SS One Stop
Financial Aid (TTY)..................338-3404
Grades(automated)....................338-7000
Graduate Division....................338-2234 ADM 254
Housing & Residential Service........338-1067 Mary Ward Hall
Office of International Programs.....338-1293 ADM 450
Registrar............................338-2350 SS One Stop
Student Outreach Services............338-2355 SS 106
Testing Center.......................338-2271 ADM 152
Gator Registration..............338-7000
University Help Desk/Operator........338-1112
- SF State Home
- Contact
- 1600 Holloway Avenue . San Francisco . CA 94132 . Tel (415) 338-1111