Types of Aid

What’s an “award package”?

An award package is a combination of types of aid from different sources you may be offered to help pay for educational costs, after you are accepted for admission and have completed all financial aid steps and requirements.

Types of Aid:  

• Scholarships and Grants: given to you to assist with your educational costs.
• Loans and Federal Work Study: offered to you to help yourself financially by borrowing and working.  

Sources of Aid:

• Federal: U. S. Department of Education
• State: North Carolina or your state of residence
• Institutional: UNCSA
• Private: Opportunities you seek on your own

Awards may be based on demonstrated need, merit, or both. Merit-based aid is awarded based on talent and abilities. At UNCSA, each of the five arts schools may award institutional scholarships because of artistic merit demonstrated by your audition or interview. Need-based awards are based on need, demonstrated with your application for financial aid. 

Eligibility

To be eligible to receive need-based aid:

• Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Be a U. S. citizen or eligible non-citizen. For international students, only limited merit scholarship funds may be available.
• Have a Social Security Number
• Be enrolled at least half-time (for most aid) in an eligible program: Bachelor’s Degree, Master’s Degree, Professional Artist Certificate. Undergraduate Arts Certificates are not eligible programs.
• Be registered for Selective Service, if you are a male.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy.

Award Specifics

Scholarships

Scholarships can be awarded based on need as a result of your FAFSA, can be awarded based on talent or combination of talent and need, or can be awarded by private sources you seek on your own.

If you are awarded a scholarship from a source outside of UNCSA, report it to the Office of Student Financial Aid. It is possible your award package may need to be adjusted. See the UNCSA Bulletin listing specific scholarships offered by the University of North Carolina. Here are a few of our scholarships:

• James Lee Love Scholarship
• C.M. and M. D. Suther Scholarship
• A.P. and Frances Dickson Scholarship
• William R. Kenan, Jr. Excellence Scholarship

Federal Grants
Federal Pell Grant Program

• For undergraduate college students, pursuing their first Bachelor's degree
• Based on their EFC (Expected Family Contribution) from the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
• Awards vary each academic year according to federal funding.
• Pell Grants for 2015-2016 range from $626 to $5,775. 

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

• For undergraduate college students with exceptional financial need receiving Pell Grant. 
• The award amount varies, depending on the student's financial situation.  Funding is limited.

North Carolina State Grants 

• UNC Need Based Grant (UNCNB)
• North Carolina Education Lottery Scholarship (ELS)

To find application deadlines for grants from your state.

Campus-based Grant
Awarded from UNCSA, based on categories of demonstrated need.

Loans

Federal Direct Loans

• Loans are borrowed from the U.S. Department of Education.
• Students must be enrolled at least half-time to qualify.
• Direct Subsidized Loans are made to eligible undergraduate students with financial need.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are made to eligible undergraduate and graduate students, but the student does not have to demonstrate financial need.
• Direct PLUS Loans are made to graduate students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for educational expenses not covered by other financial aid.

To receive loan funds:

• Student borrowers need to complete Entrance Counseling to help understand their obligation to repay the loan.
• Student and parent borrowers need to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN), agreeing to the terms of their loans.
• Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Notes are completed online.
   

Alternative (Private) Student Loans 
These loans are borrowed from a private educational lending company selected by the student and then contacted directly to submit an application. These loans should be used only when all other financial aid options have been exhausted. They are generally more expensive than Federal Direct Loans for students and parents.  Students must complete and submit the FAFSA each year and respond to all aid offers before a private loan can be certified.  The Office of Student Financial Aid is available to provide information and guidance to help students plan financially, in order to make the most informed borrowing decisions. 

As a resource, the list below includes private lenders from whom UNCSA students have borrowed in recent years.

Federal Work Study

• Federal Work-Study (FWS) is a federal need-based program
• College students are offered job opportunities to earn wages to meet expenses. 
• Students participating in this program at UNCSA work an average of 4 hours per week.