What is Emory College’s Cost of Attendance (COA) and how is it established?
Cost of Attendance is an estimate of the total amount it will cost you to go to school for an academic period. The COA is determined using rules established by law. Cost of attendance includes tuition and fees; on-campus room and board (or a housing and food allowance for off-campus students); and allowances for books, supplies and transportation. Other education related expenses will be considered on a case by case basis.
What determines whether or not I will receive need-based financial aid?
The primary factor is financial need. Financial need is computed by determining the educational costs (tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and a personal allowance) less family contribution (measure of your financial resources available to help pay for school).
For Emory College students, does more than one student in college at the same time increase the amount of need-based financial aid?
When there is more than one child in college (undergraduate) at the same time, your family contribution is divided among the college students. So, if there were two children in college one year, the family contribution is divided between the two. If there is only one the following year, 100% of the family contribution would be expected to be available for this one student.
Why does my award change each year?
At Emory, eligibility for financial aid is based on federal and institutional estimates of your family's ability to contribute to the cost of education on a yearly basis. A typical award may include grant, loan and work. Also, consistent with federal guidelines, students are asked to assume a larger proportion of their expenses as they move closer to graduation. Keep in mind that your award is likely to change each year for one or more of the following reasons:
You miss the priority deadlines.
A change in family income
A change in family assets
A change in the number of children in college
A change in enrollment
A change in the cost of education
Your loan amount may increase as you continue through school.
Availability of institutional funding
What are my rights and responsibilities as a student?
You have the right to know:
The cost of attendance.
The refund policy for students who withdraw.
What financial assistance is available from federal, state, and institutional sources.
Procedures and deadlines for submitting applications for financial aid.
How financial aid recipients are selected.
How your eligibility was determined, including all resources the aid office considered available to you.
An explanation of each type of award you receive and how and when funds will be disbursed to you.
For any student loan you receive: the interest rate, total amount you must repay, when your repayment begins, the length of your repayment period, and the cancellation or deferment provisions of your loan.
For any Federal Work-Study job: a description of the job, the hours you must work, the rate of pay, and how and when you will be paid.
The satisfactory academic progress policy.
How to appeal a decision by the Office of Financial Aid concerning your aid award.
Read directions thoroughly, complete all application forms accurately, and to comply with any deadlines.
Provide any supplemental information or documentation required by the Office of Financial Aid or other agency if applicable.
Read, understand, and keep copies of any forms you are required to sign.
Repay any student loans you may receive.
Complete an entrance interview and an exit interview if you receive federal, state, or Emory University loans while in attendance at Emory.
Notify the Office of Financial Aid of any change in your enrollment status or financial status (including any scholarships or grants received from outside sources). Changes of address and enrollment status must also be reported to your lender if you have a loan.
Satisfactorily perform the work agreed upon in a Federal Work-Study job.
Know and comply with all requirements for continuation of financial aid, including satisfactory academic progress requirements.
How will my summer financial aid be affected if I change my hours of enrollment?
If your enrollment hours increase or decrease, you must notify your Financial Aid Advisor immediately. Dropping or withdrawing from courses will reduce your eligibility and affect your student account balance.
Is financial aid available for international students?
Students must be citizens or eligible non-citizens of the United States to be eligible to receive federal aid and/or need-based financial aid from Emory. For additional information please see Citizen/Eligible Non-Citizen in our glossary and the How To Apply/International section for your academic career on the Financial Aid website.
Will Emory consider extenuating circumstances when determining my eligibility?
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) formula is the same for all applicants; however Emory may consider extenuating circumstances. These circumstances could include your family's unusual medical expenses, tuition expenses, or unemployment. Your requests for adjustments must be submitted in writing and include adequate documentation supporting the special circumstance. If you or your parent is a dislocated worker (someone who has lost their job, been laid off, receiving unemployment benefits or qualifies as a displaced homemaker), documentation such as a layoff notice, statement of unemployment benefits, etc… should be submitted.
The Online Pathway to University Students is Emory's web-based student information system by which students register for classes, check the status of their financial aid, view their student account, and update their addresses. A student must have an OPUS ID in order to access his/her information. Contact OPUS Help to get additional information relating to OPUS access.
What are some of the mistakes people make in applying for financial aid?
Four of the most common are:
Late filing of the FAFSA or PROFILE or submitting tax documents late
Failing to read all instructions
Incomplete applications
Incorrect Social Security Numbers
How can I find out the status of my aid application?
You can monitor the status of your aid application through OPUS. Your To Do List will indicate any outstanding items needed by our office. We cannot determine your final eligibility for financial aid until all required documents have been submitted.
How do I add Emory to my Student Aid Report (SAR)?
If Emory was not listed, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 4-FED-AID. Emory's school code is 001564.
Are the PROFILE & FAFSA required to apply for the courtesy scholarship?
It is an easier, faster way to provide tax information for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you complete the FAFSA after Jan. 30, 2012 you will be prompted to enter your PIN and link to the IRS web site. The retrieval process will display your tax information and allow you to transfer it to your FAFSA. Our office encourages everyone to retrieve their tax data if you and your parent(s), if applicable, have filed your 2011 tax return(s) prior to completing the FAFSA. Students/families that do not use the IRS Data Retrieval process may be required to submit an IRS tax transcript directly from the IRS to complete the federal verification process.
What is IDOC?
IDOC is a service provided by the College Board. If you complete a Profile application your, the student, and Custodial parent's if applicable, tax documents must be submitted to IDOC. In early February, the College Board will send an IDOC instruction email which includes your personalized IDOC ID#. All documents sent to the College Board must be accompanied by your personalized IDOC Cover Sheet.
How will Financial Aid contact me throughout the year?
Please keep in mind our primary means of communicating with you throughout the year is to the email address marked as preferred in OPUS. In addition, it is also very important that we have your correct mailing address. Email and mailing addresses can be updated and reviewed on OPUS under your Personal Information.
How do I contact the Office of Financial Aid?
Address: 200 Dowman Drive, Boisfeuillet Jones Suite 300, Atlanta, GA 30322. Phone: (404) 727-6039 Fax: (404) 727-6709 Office Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Advisors are available to see students from 9:00am - 12:00pm and from 1:00pm - 4:00pm.
Staff may be contacted at above phone number or via email.
When will I receive a bill?
Please consult Student Financial Services for information on their billing schedule. Student Financial Services can also be reached at (404)727-6095.
SunTrust and Wells Fargo are immediately adjacent to the main campus. The Emory Alliance Credit Union and ATM machines are located on campus as well.
How much cash will Emory College students need the first week of school?
This amount will vary. If you have chosen the unlimited meal plan, all your meals will be provided. You may need cash to purchase books for your classes and incidental supplies for your residence hall room. If your financial aid award creates a credit balance on your account, you will receive a refund from Student Financial Services. However, it may not be available to you the first week of classes. Student Financial Services can be reached at (404) 727-6095.
When will aid be credited to my student account?
Before aid will credit to your account, you must have no outstanding Financial Aid To Do items on OPUS and you must be enrolled. Federal regulation allows disbursement of funds to begin 10 days from the official start of term as decided by the University's Board of Trustees. The actual start date of courses for each program may vary from the official University calendar.
Why has Emory provided me with a form 1098T?
If you (or your dependent) paid qualified expenses during the last tax year for yourself, your spouse, or your dependent to enroll in or attend an eligible educational institution, you may be able to take an education tax credit. The University cannot provide tax advice concerning income taxes. Please contact a tax professional or the IRS for any tax questions. For more information, please visit the IRS Web site at: www.irs.gov or call 1-800-829-1040. Learn more about 1098T & 1098E processing at Emory University.
How can I obtain a copy of my 1098T and 1098E?
Student Financial Services will mail a 1098T form (tuition payments) and 1098E form (student loan interest) to all students who have paid tuition or student loan interest. For further information regarding 1098T and 1098E processing, please visit the Student Financial Services website.
What is a Direct Stafford Loan?
The Federal Direct Stafford Loan is a loan made by the U.S. Department of Education.
What is the difference between the Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loan?
Direct Subsidized Stafford - federal loan with interest paid by the government while you are in school at least half-time. Beginning with the 2012-13 aid year, this loan is for undergraduates only and has been discontinued for graduate students.
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford - federal loan with interest accruing while you are in school. You have the option of paying the interest or deferring it until after you begin repayment.
When does repayment begin on Federal Direct Stafford Loans?
Repayment of subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans begins six months from the date you graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time. These six months are called a "grace period". The subsidized portion of your loan does not accrue interest during this time. There is no penalty for early repayment.
What is the Student Access Loan (SAL)?
The Student Access Loan is considered gap funding for undergraduate students who need assistance securing additional funds to pay for educational expenses. The low interest loan is available exclusively to Georgia residents. The loan is managed by the Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC). Further instructions can be found under the Financing link for your specific career.
Can I have two Federal Work-Study jobs at the same time?
Students are allowed employment in only one Federal Work-Study (FWS) job at a time with one exception; a student may be employed in two FWS jobs if one of the positions is in the Emory Reads tutoring program (a division of the America Reads program). For more information on Emory Reads, please contact the Student Employment Office.
A student can be employed as a regular student worker (which is funded entirely by the hiring department) and as a Federal Work-Study student worker simultaneously.
How many hours can I work per week?
Federal Work-Study students are limited to working 20 hours per week during periods of enrollment and 40 hours per week during periods of non-enrollment, such as winter and spring breaks. For further clarification regarding periods of non-enrollment, please contact Student Employment at (404) 727-6039.
NOTE: Students who work over 20 hours per week (among all campus jobs) are subject to FICA (Social Security) taxes being deducted from his/her wages. Therefore, 20 hours per week is the maximum number of hours recommended for academic reasons as well as tax reasons.
May I change Federal Work-Study jobs during the academic year?
Yes, at any point during the academic year a student may change Federal Work-Study jobs. However, it is recommended
that you give your employer at least two weeks notice to process all necessary paperwork. You must be properly terminated from your previous position prior to being hired into a new position. For accurate recordkeeping purposes, it is imperative that you advise your new employer that you have recently changed positions.
Are Federal Work-Study earnings taxable?
Yes, Federal Work-Study earnings are taxable income. Emory Human Resources provides each student employee with a W-2 form after the end of the calendar year, which can also be accessed online.
How will I receive my Federal Work-Study funds?
You must be hired for an Emory Federal Work-Study job and work to earn your award. You will earn the award by working and receiving biweekly paychecks paid directly to you from the Emory Payroll Department. The maximum you may earn during the academic year is the amount of your FWS award. The earnings you receive are intended to offset your living expenses as an Emory student. How you choose to use these funds is entirely at your discretion. You will earn FWS funds for your work at an hourly rate (ranging from $7.50-$9.00 per hour for undergraduates and from $11.00-$12.50 per hour for graduate students).
What happens when I reach my Federal Work-Study award maximum?
Your department should notify you when you reach your award maximum. The department has the option of either continuing
your assignment and paying you 100% from its departmental budget or ending your assignment altogether. If funding permits, most departments will make every attempt to continue your assignment.
How can I learn more about Emory's Loan Replacement Grant and Loan Cap Program?
Emory Advantage reduces debt burden for families with annual income less than $100,000 who demonstrate a need for financial aid. Learn More.
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