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University Aid Awarding Policies

Financial Aid Beyond Your First Year

In general, you are eligible to receive financial aid at the University of Rochester for a total of eight semesters. If you are approved for a ninth semester of enrollment at the College, you may also receive financial aid. However, a separate appeal is required and approval is not guaranteed.

You may continue to receive financial aid at the University of Rochester, provided the following requirements are met:

  • A financial aid renewal application must be filed by March 15 of the prior academic year. Additional information, including the FAFSA, CSS/Financial Aid Profile Form, income tax returns, and other documentation may also be required. The Financial Aid Office will distribute information about renewal application procedures near the end of the fall semester.
  • Continued demonstration of financial need, as evidenced by information submitted in the renewal application.
  • Satisfactory academic progress, as evidenced by your ability to continue enrollment at the University of Rochester and successful maintenance of the minimum expectations for federal, state, and institutional Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students’ academic records are reviewed each semester at the Academic Action Meeting in accordance with the academic standards defined in the Undergraduate Student Handbook.

Special Circumstances and Appeals

If you have questions concerning your financial aid award, contact the Financial Aid Office. You must submit an appeal for reconsideration of an award to the Financial Aid Office using the Appeal Request Form along with a detailed letter explaining the situation and supporting documentation. The information should address changes in circumstances, unusual expenses, special situations, or additional information not already presented in the financial aid application. Submitting a financial aid appeal does not guarantee that your counselor will be able to offer additional need-based aid. Your counselor will be happy to discuss other financing options with you, including additional non-need based loans. Because appeals are not guaranteed to be approved, you must still pay any bills owed at the time an appeal is submitted. Few families have simple financial situations. We are happy to review any special circumstances that could affect your family’s ability to pay for college.

Circumstances considered include:

  • Loss of income (wages, benefits, etc.) because of unemployment or change in health
  • High unreimbursed medical and/or dental expenses
  • Financial loss due to bankruptcy, foreclosure, or natural disaster

Outside Scholarships

Have you been notified that you are receiving an outside scholarship or are you looking for more scholarships to apply for? Need some tips on how to maximize your efforts in the scholarship search? Whether you have already received notification of outside scholarships or are looking for outside scholarships to apply for, you will find important information below.

Our outside scholarships page is divided into two sections:

  1. “About Outside Scholarships” will instruct you on how to notify the office of your outside scholarships. It also features some audio-visual information about scholarship organizations, benefits of outside scholarships, and tips on navigating scholarship searches and applications.
  2. “Search Engines” will assist students in searching for scholarships beyond the University. Many of these sites will request that you set up a profile, and will then notify you of scholarships that match your criteria. It will cut down on the amount of time you spend scouring lists of scholarships trying to find some that you meet the criteria for. Remember to be as specific as possible when setting up these profiles. The detailed information that you provide about your interests, demographics, and abilities will result in more relevant scholarship notifications and better results overall.

When you receive notification of an outside scholarship, please send a copy of the letter to your financial aid counselor. Once we receive that letter, we will add it to your financial aid package and allow it to anticipate towards your bill. We may need to adjust your current financial aid package, but it will replace self-help first (work study and student loans) and then need-based grants and university aid. It cannot be used to replace a part of your family contribution; it must be part of your financial aid package in accordance with federal regulations and University Policies.

Once you receive the scholarship check, please send that along to the Bursar’s Office at: Bursar’s Office, PO Box 270037, 330 Meliora Hall, Rochester, NY 14627. For more information on outside scholarships, please review the Financial Aid Handbook on our website.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance used to calculate your financial need is in the table below.

Health Insurance

The University of Rochester requires that all students either participate in the College’s health insurance plan or have comparable medical coverage. If you are covered by an existing policy that meets University standards, you may waive University-sponsored insurance. All full-time students must indicate their preference by completing the online Health Insurance Enrollment/Waiver process every year. The link is in the pink box on the University Health Service homepage.

Student Loan Fees

If a Federal Direct Stafford Loan is included in your aid package or if your parents borrow a Federal PLUS Loan, an additional allowance can be made in your student expense budget for required loan origination fees.

Other Adjustments to the Student Expense Budget

The Financial Aid Office has considerable discretion in developing a realistic budget for an independent student’s particular situation. If you are an independent student, the budget in your financial aid award may reflect adjustments to the standard budget to accommodate your circumstances.

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