FINANCIAL AID
The
Financial Aid Office administers various types of financial
assistance to help students pay for their educational expenses.
Financial aid is provided by federal, state, and institutional
sources and consists of grants, loans, and work study.
TYPES OF FINANCIAL
AID
Financial
assistance may be in the form of:
GRANTS and
SCHOLARSHIPS which do not have to be repaid provided you attend
classes, do not drop classes, or withdraw from COM-FSM; and
WORK-STUDY which
provides opportunity to work and earn money for educational
expenses.
COM-FSM
administers one U.S. federal student aid program (Title IV). To
determine if you are eligible, the U.S. Department of Education uses
a standard formula, established by the U.S. Congress, to evaluate
the information reported on your Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) or your Renewal FAFSA.
The formula
produces an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number which appears
on your Student Aid Report (SAR) or Institutional Student
Information Record (ISIR). Your EFC helps determine whether you are
eligible or not.
Upon receipt of
your SAR or ISIR, the Financial Aid Office prepares an award letter
that will advise you of the types and amount of financial aid you
will be awarded as well as information on when the aid will be
available to you.
Federal Pell
Grant is a grant to help undergraduates pay for their education.
For many students, Pell Grant provides the foundation to which aid
from other federal and non-federal sources may be added. Federal
Pell Grant does not have to be repaid.
The maximum
award for the 2008 -2009 Award Year (July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009)
is $4,730. The amount you will receive depends not only on your EFC,
but also on the cost of your attendance at COM-FSM; your enrollment
status as a full-time, three-fourth-time, half-time, or less than
half-time student; and the number of semesters attended during the
academic year.
2. Supplemental Education Grant (SEG)
The Compact of
Free Association Amendments Act of 2003 eliminates eligibility for
citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Federated
State of Micronesia for FSEOG and FWS. Under the same Amended
Compact Act of 2003, students who began their enrollment after June
25, 2004 are eligible for assistance from SEG program.
3. Academic Competitive Grant (ACG)
This is a new
program that began in the 2006-2007 award year for full-time
undergraduate students enrolled in an eligible program, who receive
Pell Grants and are U.S. citizens. Students must also completed a
rigorous secondary school program of study and be enrolled in at
least a two-year academic program acceptable for full credit toward
a bachelor's degree. The award is up to $750 for first academic
year' undergraduate students and $1,300 for second year'
undergraduate students.
4. National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
This is a new
grant program for full-time undergraduate students who a enrolled in
the third or fourth academic year' of an eligible program, who
receive Federal Pell Grants and are U.S. citizens and pursuing an
eligible major with at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The student does
not have to complete a rigorous secondary school program of study to
be eligible for this grant. The award is up to $4,000 for each of
the third and fourth academic years.
The SEG
Work-Study Program gives students the opportunity to earn money to
help pay for their educational expenses by providing part-time
work. College regulations limit students to a maximum of 20 hours
per week while classes are in session and 40 hours per week when
classes are not in session (Easter break, semester recess, etc.).
Students are not eligible to work overtime hours.
Work Study pay
rate is at least the current COM-FSM minimum wage, and the total
award depends on the level of need of a student and the funding
level.
The number of
hours students are allowed to work depends on their class schedule,
health, and academic progress. Students are paid biweekly.
Work Study funds are made available at the beginning of the
school year. If you are awarded Work Study, you should work
out a schedule and carefully monitor the number of hours that you
work per week and not exceed the amount awarded. Upon
depleting your Work Study award, you will be terminated from your
Work Study position.
There are state
scholarships (as well as grants and loans) available or offered
through your own state government. The COM-FSM Financial Aid Offices
provide assistance in filling out the state scholarship application
form, completing and certifying the "expense section" of the form,
and forwarding the applications to the respective state scholarship
offices. Scholarship awards are made by the respective state
scholarship offices.
7. Tuition Waiver and Reduction
Tuition up to
six credits is waived for COM-FSM employees. Dependents of COM-FSM
employees as define in the COM-FSM Personnel Policy and Procedure
Manual are granted 50% tuition reduction.
^back to top
STUDENT
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL AID
Before receiving
any federal student aid, you must meet the general eligibility
requirements listed in this section, as well as those requirements
which are unique to each program. In order to comply with the
general eligibility provisions, you must:
1. Have a high
school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate,
pass an independently administered test approved by the U.S.
Department of Education (DOE), or meet other standards your state
establishes that are approved by the U.S. DOE. A copy of your
diploma or GED certificate must be submitted with your application.
2. Be accepted
and enrolled as a regular student working toward a degree or
certificate in an eligible program.
3. Be a U.S.
citizen or eligible non-citizen. (FSM, Palau, and Marshall
Island citizens are eligible non-citizens.)
4. Have a
"demonstrated" financial need. Your yearly educational
expenses must be greater than the contribution you and your family
can make toward these expenses.
5. Maintain
satisfactory academic progress once in school.
^back to top
APPLICATION
INFORMATION AND PROCEDURE
To be considered
for financial aid at the College of Micronesia-FSM, each applicant
must complete and submit the required documents and forms identified
below following the instructions given. Your application will not be
processed until the required documents and forms are received by the
Financial Aid Office, and you have been officially accepted into a
COM-FSM degree/certificate program.
All applications
for aid and supporting documents should be received by the Financial
Aid Office at COM-FSM not later than June 1st of each year.
Applications received after this period will be evaluated only to
the extent to which funds are available.
New students
should apply for financial aid when applying for admission to
college. Financial aid cannot be awarded to applicants who are not
officially admitted and enrolled in college. Continuing COM-FSM
students must reapply for financial aid each year.
Financial aid
application forms, related materials, and information can be
obtained from the Financial Aid Offices at the State Campuses.
Apply as soon as possible after January 1st for financial aid for
the next academic year.
Application
Procedure
If you did not
apply for federal student aid for the 2007-2008 School year, you can
apply for federal aid for the 2008-2009 School Year by completing
and mailing the 2008-2009 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),
or completing the FAFSA on the Internet at
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.
If you did apply
for federal student aid for the 2007-2008 School Year and you have a
valid U.S Social Security Number, you will be able to file a
2008-2009 Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Renewal
FAFSA). You will either receive it at your home address or from the
Financial Aid Office. You may also file a Renewal FAFSA
electronically.
If you apply by
mail, your application will be processed in approximately four
weeks. Your Student Aid Report will be mailed to the address you
provided on the envelope. Review the information on the SAR for
accuracy, and if corrections are necessary, make them on the SAR and
mail it to the Central Processor or do so electronically at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The
SAR will report the information from your application and, if there
are no questions or problems with your application, your SAR will
report your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the number used in
determining your eligibility for federal student aid. Each school
listed on your application will also receive your Institutional
Student Information Record (ISIR) electronically.
If you apply
electronically through a school, your application will be processed
within two to three days. The results will be sent electronically
to your school if the school can receive the information
electronically. You will also receive your SAR in the mail. College
of Micronesia-FSM at the National Campus has electronic capability
to process your FAFSA.
The following
steps must be completed by the June 1st deadline to receive priority
for financial aid.
Step 1: Complete and sign either the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA and submit it to the Financial Aid Office or mail it to:
Contact Information |
---|
Federal Student Aid Programs |
Students who
completed the FAFSA in 2007-2008 should receive the Renewal FAFSA in
November. If you do not receive a Renewal FAFSA, complete the FAFSA.
Step 2: Complete the
COM-FSM Application for Financial Aid and submit it directly to the
Financial Aid Office.
Step 3: Submit your
parents' 2007 income verification form directly to the Financial Aid
Office.
Step 4: Submit a copy of
your passport or birth certificate for citizenship verification to
the Financial Aid Office.
Step 5: If you attended
any college or university prior to enrolling at COM-FSM, whether or
not you received financial aid from those schools, you must provide
the name(s) of the school(s) you previously attended to the COM-FSM
Financial Aid Office so your financial aid history can be checked
through National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).
^back to top
Direct Educational Expenses Per Semester:
Estimated Indirect Educational Expenses Per Semester:
Book & Supplies: | |
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring) | 350.00 |
Summer Session | 150.00 |
Personal: | |
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring) | 500.00 |
Summer Session | 250.00 |
Transportation (Taxi): | |
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring) | 320.00 |
Summer Session | 160.00 |
Room and Board Allowance (off-campus): | |
Student
without Dependents Living with Parents | |
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring) | 560.00 |
Summer Session | 380.00 |
All Others | |
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring) | 940.00 |
Summer Session | 620.00 |
Aid from the
federal student aid programs is awarded based on financial need.
Financial need is defined as the difference between a student and/or
his/her family's expected contributions and the student's annual
educational expenses. The steps for determining your financial need
are:
1. Estimate your
educational expenses or costs of attendance (tuition, fees, room,
board, books, supplies, personal needs, transportation, etc.).
2. Calculate the
amount you and/or your family may be expected to contribute toward
those costs. Based on the information provided on your FAFSA, the
Federal Central Processing System (CPS) analyzes and calculates the
Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The EFC measures the family's
financial strength, based on income and assets of the student, the
student's spouse, and, if the student is a dependent, the student's
parents. The EFC formula also takes into account the family's
expenses, based on the number of persons in the household and the
number of those persons attending college. Parents are excluded
from the count of family members in college.
3. Subtract contributions from you and your family from the total
estimated educational expenses to arrive at the estimated financial
need.
Need Equation:
(Cost of
Attendance) - (Expected Family Contribution) = Estimated Financial
Need
- Estimated Cost of Attendance | $5,000.00 |
- Expected Family Contribution | -500.00 |
- Estimated Financial Need | $4,500.00 |
The Financial
Aid Office then attempts to develop a financial aid package to meet
your financial need within the bounds of its funding limitations.
^back to top
Financial Aid Package
One of the major
challenges of FAO is to distribute the available financial aid
resources, both federal and non-federal, to best address the needs
of all students. This is done by preparing financial aid packages
for eligible students whereby aid from the various sources are
combined to help meet their financial need.
College of Micronesia-FSM operates on a two-semester academic year (fall & spring semesters) and a summer session. The length of each semester is 16 weeks of instructional time and the length of the summer session is usually 6-8 weeks of instructional time. The College's academic year meets the minimum regulatory requirement which is 24 semester hours and 30 weeks of instructional time. The College also uses the minimum regulatory standard to determine the enrollment status as stated below:
Full-time (FT) | = 12 units or more |
Three-fourth-time (3/4) | = 9-11 units |
Half-time (1/2) | = 6-8 units |
Less than half-time | = 1-5 units |
Award Requirements
Priority
consideration for financial assistance is given to students who meet
the following criteria:
. Submitted their completed financial aid application by June 1, 2008, for the 2008-2009 academic year.
. Enrolled for at least 12 credits during the fall and the spring semesters and 6 credits during the summer session; and
. Maintain good academic standing with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better.
Your account with COM-FSM must be paid in full by the end of each semester or you will not be allowed to register again at any COM-FSM campus or have access to your academic transcript.
Awards
If you meet all the requirements for financial aid, you will be
notified by mail or in person at the Financial Aid Office of the
types and amounts of awards soon after COM-FSM receives its federal
allocations for student aid.
Pell payment
calculation treats the summer term as a "trailer" for students
attending COM-FSM for 12 months. For students attending summer
only, Pell Grant can be awarded from the previous or the following
academic year, whichever is most beneficial to the student. Full
time load in the summer is defined as 12 credit hours for financial
aid purposes only.
The types and amounts of aid awarded depend on:
. The extent of
your financial need, such as living circumstances, resources,
semester credit hours, and eligibility for the particular financial
aid program;
. The availability of funds, financial aid policies, and the
number of students COM-FSM is assisting; and
. Your compliance with federal and College policies on financial
aid.
RECEIVING YOUR AWARD
At the beginning
of each semester, go to a COM-FSM Financial Aid Office to sign
appropriate documents (Award Letter and COM-FSM AFA). Failure to
sign the documents can result in cancellation of the financial
assistance and an unpaid balance on your account.
Disbursement Procedure
Your financial
aid award for the semester will be applied to your tuition and fees,
room and board, and other college charges. Disbursement may be
withheld the following semester if you fail to make satisfactory
academic progress (SAP) or if there is a dispute regarding your
continued eligibility for financial aid.
Award Adjustment or Revision
Your award
package may be changed (decreased, increased, substituted, or
canceled) by the Financial Aid Office for any of the following
reasons:
. You or your family receives additional financial resources to meet your educational expenses. (Any financial assistance such as employment, grants, scholarships, and loans over and above those identified on the award letter must be reported to the Financial Aid Office.)
. You change your major field of study, credit load, or enrollment status on which your award was based.
. You or your family provided incorrect information on the FAFSA.
. Your family
circumstances have changed.
^back to top
SATISFACTORY
ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY
To continue to
be awarded Title IV aid, you must be making satisfactory academic
progress toward your educational objective in accordance with the
U.S. Department of Education's General Provisions Regulations and
COM-FSM satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy. In other words,
federal and college regulations require that all financial aid
recipients be making satisfactory progress and remain in good
academic standing.
The satisfactory
academic progress policy includes a QUALITATIVE measure of your
academic progress, such as grade point average (GPA), and a
QUANTITATIVE measure of your progress, such as enrollment status and
expected number of credits completed per established time frame for
earning your educational objective. At the end of each academic
year, COM-FSM will determine whether you are making satisfactory
progress.
To be considered
as making satisfactory academic progress, a student must:
Maintain at least a cumulative GPA of 2.0.
1. A student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.0 will be given two consecutive semesters/terms, to raise it. If the GPA is not elevated to 2.0 or better by the end of the third semester, the student will be placed on academic and financial aid suspension.
2. Complete at least the following number of credits for the corresponding number of credits attempted each semester:
Registered for: | Units of Enrollment | Must Complete |
Full-time | 12 or more | 12 |
Three-fourth-time | 9-11 | 9 |
Half-time | 6-8 | 6 |
Less than half-time | 3-5 | All units of enrollment |
3. Complete the two-year community college educational objective within the following maximum time frame:
Degree Programs: | |
Registered for: | Maximum Terms of Eligibility* |
Full-time | 6 semesters or 3 years |
Three-fourth-time | 8 semesters or 4 years |
Half-time | 12 semesters or 6 years |
Less than half-time | 24 semesters or 12 years |
Certificate Programs: | |
Registered for: | Maximum Terms of Eligibility* |
Full-time | 3 semesters or 1 1/2 years |
Three-fourth-time | 4 semesters or 2 years |
Half-time | 5 semesters or 2 1/2 years |
Less than half-time | 10 semesters or 5 years |
* All semesters of attendance apply whether financial aid was
received or not.
If you change
major or graduate with an associate degree or certificate of
achievement (CA) and re-enroll into a new program will receive
financial aid. However, the credit requirements and time frame may
be reduced depending on the number of credits needed to graduate in
the new program. A third degree or certificate will not be eligible
for financial aid.
. Students who
are required to take remedial classes may take no more than one
academic year's worth of non-credit coursework. ESL is considered
remedial but it is not counted in the 30 credit limit.
. Transfer units
from another institution are considered in determining your status
for federal aid at COM-FSM if the credits are accepted toward a
degree or certificate.
If you change
your enrollment status from semester to semester within an academic
year, the institution will average the full and part-time credit
requirements to determine the number of credit hours which you must
complete by the end of the academic year.
If you are
enrolled in only one semester within an academic year, your academic
progress will be determined at the end of the academic year based on
one semester of attendance.
Treatment of Incomplete and Withdrawal
Courses with the following grades will not be considered as successfully completed:
"F" (failure) "I" (incomplete), and "W" (withdrawal) |
Credits will not
be awarded for the course.
Repeated Courses
Courses that are repeated will count in the calculation of hours attempted and completed hours earned for the time frame. A student may attempt a course a second time and still be eligible for financial aid. However, a student will not receive financial aid after the second attempt of the same course.
This means that at the "end" of Summer 2009, you will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. You will not be eligible for financial aid until your CUM GPA is elevated to 2.00
Financial Aid Probation
You will be placed on financial aid probation if:
. You are placed on academic probation; and/or
. You fail to successfully complete the required credit hours at the end of each regular semester.
While on
financial aid probation you will continue to be eligible for
financial aid. The FAO will monitor your academic progress during
this period. Your probationary status will be removed when your CUM
GPA is elevated to 2.0 and you have made up all the deficient credit
hours.
Financial Aid Suspension
Your financial aid will be suspended (temporarily stopped/withheld) if:
. You fail to maintain at least a cumulative C average (a GPA of 2.0) after two consecutive semesters of being on academic probation; and/or
. Example:
Fall 2007 | CUM GPA: 1.25 | Status: 1st Warning |
Spring 2008 | CUM GPA: 1.75 | Status: 2nd Warning |
Summer 2008 | CUM GPA: 1.90 | Status: Suspension |
. You fail to successfully complete the required number of credit hours at the end of each academic year (see Satisfactory Academic Policy #2); and/or|
. You fail to
complete your educational objective (program) within the maximum
time frame. (see Satisfactory
Academic Policy #3)
Appeal of Financial Aid Suspension
(Exception to the Policy)
You may appeal determination of ineligibility by submitting an appeal in writing to the Chairman of the Financial Aid Committee within five working days of receipt of your suspension notice. The appeal must include the following:
. Your reasons for not achieving the minimum academic (qualitative and/or quantitative) requirements and/or for not completing your education objective within the time frame allowed; and
. A non-academic reason why your aid should not be terminated (i.e., illness or death in the family, personal injury or illness, or other special circumstances) with supporting documents from a doctor, counselor, and/or academic advisor.
Submission of an
appeal does not guarantee reinstatement of eligibility. Each appeal
will be reviewed by the Committee on a case by case basis to
determine whether or not the appeal is valid and contains sufficient
reasons for reinstatement. All appeal decisions are final. You will
be notified in writing of the Committee's decision within ten
working days after the receipt of your letter of appeal by the
Committee.
Appeal letter
forms are available at the Financial Aid Offices at all COM-FSM
campuses.
Reinstatement
If your
financial aid eligibility has been suspended due to lack of
satisfactory academic progress, it may be reinstated when you have
made up ALL prior credit deficiencies and/or have achieved the
required grade point average at your own expense.
^back to top
This policy
applies to all students. Refund for TUITION AND REFUNDABLE FEES
will be determined according to the following schedule:
Regular Semester (Fall/Spring): | ||
---|---|---|
If you withdraw | % to be refunded | The school retains |
Prior to the first day of classes | 100% | 0% |
During the first two weeks | 80% | 20% |
During the third & fourth weeks | 40% | 60% |
After the fourth week | 0% | 100% |
Short Term (Summer): | ||
---|---|---|
If you withdraw | % to be refunded | The school retains |
Prior to the first day of classes | 100% | 0% |
During the first week | 80% | 20% |
During the second week | 40% | 60% |
After the second week | 0% | 100% |
^back to top
The Higher
Education Amendment of 1998 regulates how much a school must return
to Title IV when a student does not complete an enrollment or
payment period.
When a recipient of Title IV aid withdraws before completing 60 percent of the payment period or an enrollment period, the institution must calculate the amount of Title IV aid the recipient did not earn. Unearned Title IV funds must be returned to the Title IV programs. This policy applies only to students who completely terminate their enrollment at COM-FSM.
Calculating Return of Funds | |
---|---|
Step1: Determine Amount of Earned Title IV Aid |
Percentage
Earned x Total Title Disbursement |
=Amount of Earned Title IV Aid | |
Step1: Determine Title IV Aid to be Returned | Actual Title IV Disbursement |
=Amount of Earned Title IV Aid |
|
=Total Amount of Title IV Aid to be Returned |
|
School's Responsibility | Lesser of: Unearned Title IV Aid Institutional Charges x Percentage Unearned |
Student's Responsibility | Amount of Unearned Title IV Aid Minus School's Responsibility x 50% |
If you are
planning to withdraw from COM-FSM, please make an appointment with a
Financial Aid Counselor to discuss this "return of funds" policy and
how it will affect you.
Records when you plan to withdraw from the College in order to be officially withdrawn. The withdrawal date is defined as follows:
. last date of attendance when withdrawal process is complete.
. if taking attendance is not required, the withdrawal date is:
. the date the student began the withdrawal process prescribed by the school (General Catalog);
. the date that the student otherwise provided the school with official notification of the intent to withdraw; or
. if the student unofficially withdraws, the midpoint of the payment period for which Title IV aid was disbursed or later date documented by the school.
Special rule: The Financial Aid Office may determine the appropriate withdrawal date if the student did not begin the withdrawal process or otherwise notify the Office of Admissions and Records of his/her intent to withdraw due to:
. illness,
. accident,
. grievous personal loss, and
. other such
circumstances beyond the student's control
The school must return unearned aid for which the school is responsible by repaying funds to the programs in the following order:
. Federal Pell Grant
. Other SFA
Programs
If the College
determines that there is unearned funds for which the student is
responsible for returning, the College will notify/bill the student
for the amount. The total unearned funds which the student owes
must be returned before any future funds can be granted. If a
student fails to return the full amount nor make satisfactory
repayment arrangements with the College, the student will lose
eligibility for federal student aid once it is reported to NSLDS by
the College.
^back to top
You have the right to:
. Know what financial aid programs are available at COM-FSM, including information on all federal, institutional, national, state, and local financial aid programs;
. Know the deadline and procedure for submitting applications;
. Know what the cost of attendance is and what the refund policy is;
. Know the criteria used for selecting financial aid recipients;
. Know how your financial need was determined;
. Know what resources are considered in the calculation of your need;
. Know how much of your financial need has been met;
. Request an explanation of the various programs in your student package;
. Know how and when you will be paid;
. If offered a Work Study job, know what kind of job it is, what hours you must work, what your duties will be, what the rate of pay will be, and how and when you will be paid;
. Know how the school determines satisfactory academic progress and what happens if you are not making satisfactory progress;
. Know the name of the school's accrediting organization; and
. Know who the school's financial aid personnel are, where they are
located, and how to contact them for information.
^back to top
Your responsibilities are to:
. Review and consider all information about the school's programs before you enroll;
. Pay special attention to your application for student financial aid, complete it accurately, and submit it on time to the right place;
. Provide all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submitted your application;
. Read and understand all forms that you are asked to sign and keep copies for future reference;
. Accept responsibility and comply with the provisions for all agreements that you sign;
. Perform the work that is agreed upon in a satisfactory manner when accepting a work-study job;
. Know and comply with all the deadlines for application or reapplication for financial aid;
. Know how the school determines satisfactory academic progress;
. Notify the Financial Aid Office immediately if you withdraw (or plan to withdraw) from school or reduce your enrollment;
. Inform the Financial Aid Office of any changes in your status (change of residence or additional monetary assistance) during the academic year for which you are accepting financial assistance;
. Use federal funds given to you only for direct and indirect educational expenses; and
. Know and
comply with your school's refund policy.
^back to top
Academic Year: A period of at least 30 weeks of instructional time during which a full-time student is expected to complete at least 24 semester hours.
Award Letter: A notice informing you of being qualified for federal financial aid. The award letter provides information on the types and amounts of aid offered, as well as specific program information, your responsibilities, and the conditions which govern the award. Generally, the award letter gives you the opportunity to accept or decline the aid offered.
Award Adjustment or Revision: An action by the Financial Aid Office resulting in an increase, decrease, program substitution, or cancellation of your award due to a change in your dependency status, financial circumstances of you or your family, or enrollment status.
Award Packaging: The process by which the Financial Aid Office combines available aid from several sources to meet part or all of your financial need.
Award Year: The period of time from July 1 of one year through June 30 of the following year.
Eligible Program: A course of study that leads to a degree or certificate at a school that participates in one or more of the student aid programs.
Expected Family Contribution: The amount that you and/or your family can reasonably be expected to contribute toward your education from income, assets, and your contribution or "self-help" from summer work or work during other vacation periods.
Financial Aid Package: The total financial aid that a student receives from federal and/or non-federal sources such as grants, scholarships, and work-study employment.
Financial Need: The difference between the cost of your education and your expected family contribution.
Full-Time: A student registered for at least 12 credits per regular semester (Fall & Spring) and 6 credits (Summer).
General Education Development Certificate (GED): A nationally recognized equivalent of a high school diploma, granted after a student passes a series of standardized examinations.
Grants: Aid that does not have to be paid back.
Half-Time: A student registered for 6-8 credits per regular semester.
Independent Student: A student who falls into one of the following categories: (a) was born before January 1, 1985; (b) is an orphan or ward of the court; (c) is a veteran of the Armed Forces of the United States; (d) has legal dependents other than a spouse; (e) is married. One may also be determined to be an independent student on the basis of unusual circumstances documented by the aid administrator.
Institution of Higher Education: A postsecondary institution which is a public, private nonprofit, or proprietary institution. A public or private nonprofit institution of higher education is an educational institution that is in a state and admits as regular students only persons who have a high school diploma, have the recognized equivalent of a high school attendance in the state in which the institution is located.
Legal Dependent: Any person who lives with you, receives more than half-support from you, and will continue to receive more than half-support from you during the award year.
Need Analysis: The process used to evaluate your financial situation to determine how much student aid you need to help meet postsecondary educational expenses. This involves both an evaluation of institutional costs and total resources available to you.
Regular Student: One enrolled in an eligible program at an institution of higher education in order to obtain a degree or certificate.
Satisfactory Academic Progress: See Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Student Employment: A part-time job either on or off-campus.
Three Fourth-Time: A student
registered for 9-11 credits per regular semester.
Contact Information | |
---|---|
Eddie Haleyalig Director, Financial Aid |
(691) 320-2480
ext. 169 VOIP 4118 eddieh@comfsm.fm |
Tetakke Yee Ting Work Study Coordinator |
(691) 320-2428
ext. 174 yeetingt@comfsm.fm |
Memorina Yesiki Student Services Specialist Chuuk Campus |
(691) 330-2689 myesiki@comfsm.fm |
Yoneko
Kanichy Student Services Specialist Pohnpei Campus |
(691) 320-3795
ext 29 yoneko@comfsm.fm |
Willer
Benjamin Student Services Specialist Kosrae Campus |
(691) 370-3191 willerb@comfsm.fm |
Cecilia Dibay Student Services Specialist Yap Campus |
(691) 350-2296 cdbay@comfsm.fm |