Student Rights and Responsibilities

 

Student Rights

Students have the right to ask:

1. What financial assistance is available, including information on federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. What the cost of attendance is and what the policies are for students who withdraw.
2. What criteria are used to select financial aid recipients and what the deadlines are for submitting applications.
3. How financial need is determined. The process includes how costs for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, personal and miscellaneous expenses, etc. are considered in a budget.
4. What resources (such as family contribution, other financial aid, your assets, etc.) are considered in calculating financial need.
5. For an explanation of the various funds in their financial package. What portion of the aid received must be repaid and what portion is grant aid.
6. How academic progress is determined and what happens if they are not making progress.

It is the financial aid recipient's responsibility to:

1. Review and consider information about UWM programs before enrolling.
2. Complete a financial aid application accurately and on time. Intentional misreporting on the application forms for federal financial aid is a violation of law and is considered a criminal offense subject to penalties under U.S. Criminal code.
3. Submit all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requested.
4. Read and understand all forms they are asked to sign and keep copies of them. Accept responsibility for all agreements signed.
5. Direct Loan borrowers must notify the Direct Loan Servicer of changes in name, address, or enrollment status.
6. Students that have borrowed a Federal Stafford Loan through the Federal Family Educational Loan (FFEL) Program must keep the loan holder informed of changes in your name, address, or enrollment status.
7. Perform any Federal Work-Study job in a satisfactory manner.
8. Know and comply with deadlines for application and re-application.
9. Know and comply with refund procedures.

 

Status Changes

It is the financial aid recipient's responsibility to notify us of any change in status. Failure to do so could jeopardize future aid eligibility and may result in possible repayment of funds.

Notify us if any of the following status changes occur:

1. You move in or out of your parents' home.
2. An agency is paying your fees.
3. You are receiving a scholarship, fellowship, assistantship, or traineeship.
4. You were originally considered a nonresident for tuition purposes and have now been granted residency status for which you are now being assessed resident tuition.
5. You are receiving any governmental benefits (i.e., veteran's, TANF). If we've included an amount on your offer letter and that benefit changes, you must notify us of your new eligibility.

Update our office by phone, e-mail, or in person.

1. E-mail us at finaid@uwm.edu
2. Call us at (414)229-4541
3. Visit us in person in Mellencamp Hall, 162.

When e-mailing us, please use one of the following phrases as your subject line:

1. Credit update
   (To change your enrollment level)
2. Housing update
   (Have moved in or out of parent's house)
3. Application status
   (You have received your student aid report, but you have not received an offer letter)
4. Send application
   (Include aid year and address)

 

Institutional Refunds

If you drop a class: The University's refund policy is outlined in detail in your "Fee Facts" and the current schedule of classes. It is your responsibility to know the policy. We will claim your tuition refund and return it to the funding source if:

1. You drop below half-time enrollment status.
2. You have been over awarded or placed in a repayment status due to withdrawal.
3. You were awarded as a nonresident and you have been granted residency status.
4. You receive a tuition remission or DVR funding that was not included in your financial aid offer.

Housing and Meal Plan Refunds: Your financial aid budget will be re-evaluated if you cancel your dorm or meal plan contract(s). If a refund is issued, we may claim all or part of your refund if:

1. You have been over awarded based on a reevaluation of your financial aid budget.
2. You are in repayment due to withdrawal.

Returning Refunds to the Funding Source: Refunds will be returned to the funding source in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
3. Federal PLUS or Grad PLUS
4. Federal Perkins Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Academic Competitive Grant
7. National SMART Grant
8. Federal Educational Opportunity Grant
9. Other Title IV Aid Programs
10. Other Federal, State, Private, or Institutional Aid

We cannot return more money to a funding source than you have received from the source in a given semester.

 

Return of Funds Policy Due to Withdrawal from the University

Your aid eligibility will be recalculated if you withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of the semester. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following formula:

(Completed Days / Total Days) = Percent Earned

Aid is returned to the funding source based on the percent of unearned aid using the following formula:

(100% of aid - percent earned) = Percent of unearned aid.

(The percent of unearned aid)( institutional costs) = Amount of aid paid to the institution that must be returned to the funding source.

• When this aid is returned to the funding source you may have a tuition, housing, or food service balance with the university.
• The balance of the unearned aid is used to determine if any funds need to be returned for non-institutional costs.
  (Unearned aid - return of institutional costs) = balance of unearned aid for non-institutional costs.
• You may need to return aid for non-institutional costs.
• All money returned to the funding source will be returned in the following order:
  1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
  2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
  3. Federal Perkins Loan
  4. Federal PLUS or Grad PLUS
  5. Federal Pell Grant
  6. Academic Competitive Grant
  7. National SMART Grant
  8. Federal Educational Opportunity Grant
  9. Talent Incentive Grant
  10. Other Title IV Aid Programs
  11. Other Federal, State, Private, or Institutional Aid.
• Any amounts attributed to your loans will be repaid in accordance with the terms of your promissory note.
• Amounts to be returned to grants are reduced by 50%.
• If you need to repay money for non-institutional costs, you will be contacted by the Financial Aid Fiscal Manager. A monthly payment plan is available if you cannot pay in full at the time you are billed.
• If the Fiscal Manager does not hear from you within 45 days, we are obligated to send your outstanding balance to the federal government for collection.
• A hold will be placed on your records until the repayment has been made in full. This hold will prevent you from obtaining an academic transcript.
• You will not be allowed to register at UWM or receive additional aid until you have made the repayment in full or are current with your payments on a payment plan.