Graduate Catalog 2010-12

Financial Aid Services

Richard Bishop, Director
Memorial Hall, Room 103
Phone: 860-832-2200
Fax: 860-832-1105
Website: www.ccsu.edu/finaid

Applying for Financial Aid. To apply for financial aid, all students need to access www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete or renew the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). CCSU’s Federal ID number is 013078. The FAFSA may be completed beginning January 1 for the next academic year starting in the fall. Students should access the Financial Aid website at www.ccsu.edu/finaid to learn about any posted priority processing deadlines and to better understand the financial aid process at CCSU.

Financial aid for graduate students at CCSU is awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need as determined by the data provided from the FAFSA. Graduate students enrolled in the nurse anesthesia and teacher certification programs have special circumstances which may affect how much aid they may receive; therefore, it is incumbent upon them to contact the Financial Aid Office for further information.

Eligibility Criteria. To be eligible to receive federal aid assistance, a student must be: (1) a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen; (2) matriculated; i.e., admitted to a graduate program and enrolled in courses applicable to the program; (3) attending classes for at least six semester credit hours; (4) making satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward the degree as defined by the University and in the Graduate Catalog; and (5) have demonstrable financial need.

Eligibility for financial aid can be determined only after the FAFSA has been filed and all other requested documentation has been submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Students will be notified if they qualify for any financial aid by an award letter and in the student’s CCSU Central Pipeline Account.

Sources of Financial Assistance. The Federal Stafford Loan Program of subsidized and unsubsidized loans is the primary source of financial assistance for graduate students. Congress authorized a graduate Plus loan which may also be awarded upon request.

• Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan—Subsidized loans are based on need. Loan repayment begins after a six-month grace period following the date that studies terminated or dropped below the six semester credit hour minimum. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8 percent. The graduate student annual limit is $8,500, and the aggregate loan limit is $65,500.

• Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan—Unsubsidized loans are awarded to students without demonstrated financial need. The student is responsible for the accruing interest while in school, with an option to capitalize the interest payment. Loan repayment begins after a six-month grace period following the date that studies terminated or dropped below the six semester credit hour minimum. The interest rate is fixed at 6.8 percent. The graduate student annual limit is $10,000, and the aggregate loan limit is $73,000.

• Other Sources—In addition to the federal Stafford loans, students are encouraged to personally explore other sources of financial aid assistance, including graduate assistantships, private scholarships, Veteran/GI Bill benefits, and the National Guard and Army Reserve. A variety of part-time job referrals, on and off campus, are available at the Financial Aid and Human Resources offices. Contact the Financial Aid office about personal, low interest alternative signature loans which may be available.

Award Notification. When financial aid eligibility has been determined after receipt of the FAFSA, an award letter outlining the types and amounts of aid offered will be sent by mail and posted in the student’s CCSU Central Pipeline account. It is important that the student respond electronically, to accept and/or decline, and sign the aid offered.

Failure to respond may delay the posting of aid awarded and accepted to the student’s Bursar's Office billing or result in cancellation of the aid. The award letter may require the completion of a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling Interview upon acceptance of the federal Stafford loan.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To remain eligible for financial aid, a student must earn a minimum of semester credit hours during a given academic year and remain in good academic standing. In addition, a student must be making satisfactory progress toward degree completion. Failed and audited courses will not be counted toward the minimum number of semester credit hours required for financial aid SAP.

• Full-time Graduate Students—SAP is defined as the successful completion of at least 18 semester credit hours each academic year of course work toward the graduate degree or approved program for students who initially enroll for the fall semester. Full-time students initially enrolling for the spring semester, or for the fall semester or summer session only, must complete nine semester credit hours during the academic year. They must maintain a 3.00 GPA to remain in good academic standing. Full-time students are eligible for financial assistance for up to four semesters of full-time attendance, or until certified for graduation, whichever comes first.
• Part-time Graduate Students—SAP is defined as the successful completion of at least 12 semester credit hours each academic year of course work toward the graduate degree or approved program for students who initially enroll for the fall semester. Part-time students initially enrolling for spring semester, or for the fall semester or summer session only, must complete six semester credit hours during the academic year. They must maintain a 3.00 GPA to remain in good academic standing. Part-time students are eligible for up to eight semesters of part-time attendance, or until certified for graduation, whichever comes first.

Students who do not successfully complete the required number of semester credit hours during the fall and spring semesters may complete the needed credits during the summer session. Any student who does not complete the needed credits will be ineligible for financial aid assistance the following academic year.

However, upon presentation of evidence of medical or other legitimate personal or family emergency, a student denied financial assistance under this policy may appeal to the campus officer designated by the University President.

The Financial Aid Office is located in Memorial Hall, Room 103. For more information, call 860-832-2200 or e-mail financial aid @ccsu.edu.

 

Graduate Assistantships

Central Connecticut State University’s graduate assistantship program provides some financial support for students who wish to participate in an academically relevant work experience while pursuing graduate study. A limited number of graduate assistantships are available for matriculated full-time and part-time graduate students. Graduate assistants may assist in teaching, supervise laboratories, participate in leadership roles for service and partnership activities, and work with faculty who are conducting research. Faculty provide careful guidance so that graduate assistants develop new skills while carrying out their assigned responsibilities. At the same time, graduate assistants help faculty to meet their obligations as teachers and scholars. Thus, the program provides real benefits both to the graduate student and to the University community.
 
Applying for a Graduate Assistantship. Prospective graduate assistants must be admitted for graduate study toward the doctoral or a master’s degree, sixth-year certificate, post-master’s planned program, post-baccalaureate teacher certification, or official certificate program.

Applications for graduate assistantships may be provided at the time of admission and may also be obtained in the School of Graduate Studies or on the web at www.ccsu.edu/grad.

Students are encouraged to contact their academic department chairs or administrative offices concerning the availability of assistantships. The Center for Advising and Career Exploration also assists students in finding graduate assistantships.

Graduate assistants are appointed by the dean of the School of Graduate Studies, upon the recommendation of a department chair or director, academic dean, or the principal investigator of a grant.
 
Eligibility. Graduate assistants must be fully admitted students pursuing course work leading to completion of the programs designated previously.

Assistantship recipients are expected to be enrolled in courses required within the planned program of graduate study and/or prerequisites necessary to offset any undergraduate deficiencies prior to taking such requirements.

To receive or to maintain an assistantship placement, a minimum GPA of 3.00 for all post-baccalaureate course work completed at Central Connecticut State University is required. New students must also have a GPA of 3.00; first year graduate students with no post-baccalaureate course work must have a cumulative 3.00 GPA from their undergraduate course work.
 
Types and Work Commitments. Assistantships are available on a full-time or half-time basis. Students appointed as full-time GAs provide approximately 20 hours of service per week during the semester or 300 hours per semester; students appointed as half-time GAs provide 10 hours of service per week or 150 hours per semester. Graduate Assistants may not be employed under any other employment category by the University. They also are expected to make a full-time commitment to graduate study.
 
Course Loads for Graduate Assistants. To be awarded a full-time assistantship, a graduate student must be classified as a full-time student. Nine or more credits comprise the required course load minimum for full-time graduate students. Half-time appointed GAs who are full-time students must also enroll for nine or more credits of course work. A part-time student who receives a graduate assistantship must take from three to eight credits of course work.
 
Stipends. Full-time (20 hours per week) graduate assistants may receive a maximum stipend of $4,800 each semester (which may fluctuate depending on the number of years in service as a GA), in addition to a waiver of the State University Fee and most of the General Fee. They pay resident or non-resident tuition as appropriate, a portion of the General Fee attributable to student accident insurance, and other insurance coverage costs as needed. Some insurance charges may be waived on the basis of alternate coverage.

Half-time graduate assistants receive a maximum stipend of $2,400 each semester (depending on the number of years in service as a GA). If half-time assistants enroll full-time in the general fund (nine or more credits), they pay full-time tuition but receive a waiver of the State University Fee and most of the General Fee as specified for full-time assistants. Other provisions described above also apply to half-time graduate assistants who are full-time graduate students. If a graduate assistant enrolls for less than nine course credits within a semester, the student pays appropriate costs for part-time extension fund costs for graduate students.

 

Scholarships and Fellowships

Graduate Academic Scholarships are annual awards provided each fall semester to highly qualified students as recommended by their departments. Each graduate program may nominate one student who has completed, among other requirements, a minimum of 12 credits of academic credit toward a graduate degree program and who has a grade point average of 3.50 or higher. The award recipients are selected in the fall, and the awards are distributed the following spring semester. Students should contact the academic departments or the School of Graduate Studies for information about the Academic Awards and Outstanding Scholars Program for graduate students. Graduate students are limited to only one Graduate Academic Award.

A Graduate Student Association (GSA) Scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate academic excellence and exemplary involvement in University and/or community service activities. Competition for this scholarship is open to all matriculated graduate students in a graduate degree program who have completed a minimum of 12 credits of graduate academic credit in residence at Central Connecticut State University and who have a grade point average of 3.50 or higher. The scholarship recipient is selected in the spring; the award is distributed the following summer or fall semester. Application forms are available in the Graduate Studies Office or through the Graduate Student Association.

The Anna Bubser Judd Minority Graduate Educational Administration Fellowship is awarded to a minority student who resides in the cities of Hartford or West Hartford and is enrolled in the Educational Leadership program. The Department of Educational Leadership can provide additional information.

Other scholarships and fellowships are available to graduate students; information is available through the Institutional Advancement office or website.