UIS
Graduate and Undergraduate Catalog
Academic
Year 2004 - 2005
Financial Assistance: Information for All Students
The UIS Office of Financial Assistance coordinates federal, state,
institutional, and private financial aid programs.
Undergraduate students, except Capital Scholars, must transfer
at least 30 credit hours to UIS to be eligible for financial assistance.
Students pursuing a master’s degree or graduate certificate
must have earned a bachelor’s degree – doctoral students
must have earned a master’s degree – and proof of that
degree must be on file with the Office of Admissions and Records.
Assistance is available in the form of grants, tuition waivers,
assistantships, scholarships, loans, part-time employment, and veterans’ benefits.
Applications for all forms of assistance can be obtained from the
Office of Financial Assistance unless otherwise specified. You
are encouraged to apply as early as possible for all forms of assistance
and it is recommended that you complete the federal application
(FAFSA) for the award year that begins each August as soon as possible
after January 1 each year.
For additional information, contact the Office of Financial Assistance
by visiting SAB 60, call (217) 206-6724, or click the Financial Assistance
link on the far left.
Veterans
The Office of Financial Assistance must certify military veterans
for benefits (GI Bill, Illinois National Guard, Illinois Veterans
Grant, MIA/POW, Vocational
Rehabilitation). A Request for Benefits form must be filed with the UIS certifying
official each term that you want benefits to be processed. Additional paperwork
may be required depending on the type of benefit. Contact the Office of Financial
Assistance to find out about the documentation required for a specific benefit.
Student veterans must also notify the office of any change that
affects the amount or disposition of benefits. These include changes
in address, academic status
(withdrawals, added classes, etc.), and number of dependents (through marriage,
divorce, births, deaths, etc.).
Illinois Veterans Grant
Students seeking this benefit must have been in active military
service for at least one year unless discharged for medical reasons.
All discharges must
be
honorable. Students must have resided in Illinois within six months of entering
the service and must return to Illinois within six months of leaving the service.
To apply, complete an application through the Illinois Student
Assistance Commission (ISAC). Application forms can be obtained
from the Office of Financial Assistance
or downloaded at www.collegezone.com. Once ISAC has processed the application,
they will mail you an award letter certifying the amount of eligibility.
This award letter must be submitted to the UIS Office of Financial
Assistance.
Illinois National Guard Grant
To apply for a National Guard Grant, you must be on active-duty
status and must have served in the Illinois National Guard for
at least one year. Applications
for this grant may be obtained from the Office of Financial Assistance or
from your unit of service, or
download one . Applications are renewable
each
year
and must be processed by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
ISAC must receive all applications by the following deadlines: fall semester
- October
1; spring semester - March 1; summer term - June 15.
Federal and state financial assistance programs (Pell, SEOG,
Work-Study, Federal Student Loans, Perkins Loans, PLUS Loans, Monetary
Award Program
Grant)
To receive assistance from most federal and state programs, you
must meet all eligibility requirements set forth in the Higher
Education Act as amended.
These requirements include approved citizenship status, enrollment level,
status
as
a regularly admitted student pursuing a degree (graduate students should
also refer to the section concerning Conditional/Provisional Admission
for Graduate
Programs), enrollment in coursework required for that degree, and satisfactory
academic progress (refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
section). Most financial aid programs have maximum time frames
or limits based on
cumulative or lifetime assistance from the program or on number of hours
you have attempted.
You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
every year that you wish to receive financial assistance.
Institutional Programs
Institutional Tuition Waivers, Grants, and Student Employment Each
year the campus provides a limited number of tuition waivers
made on the basis
of
demonstrated financial need. The Student-to-Student Grant program is funded
with voluntary
student
contributions and matching state aid. Awards are given to undergraduates
with financial need. A job center is located in the Office of Financial
Assistance and at the OFA website (www.uis.edu/financialaid) and bulletin
boards list
student work opportunities both on and off campus. You must be enrolled
in at least six
semester hours to be eligible for on-campus employment. Documentation
establishing identity and citizenship is required to comply with regulations
of the
Immigration and Naturalization Service.
UIS Student Emergency Loan Fund This fund provides short-term
loans to students enrolled at least half time (a minimum of six
credit hours).
Except in
cases of extreme emergency, loans are limited to students working on
campus and/or
those with expected financial aid. There are limitations on the number
and amount of loans that you can receive. Loans are interest-free, although
a
service fee
of 50 cents is charged when the loan is repaid.
Institutional Scholarships There are approximately 80 privately
supported institutional scholarships and awards available to qualified
UIS students.
You must submit
applications for institutional scholarships to the Office of Financial
Assistance unless directed to specific programs. Visit the UIS
Office
of Financial Assistance
website for a current list and details on how to apply.
Application Procedures for Financial Assistance
To be awarded most types of state, federal, and institutional need-based
financial assistance, you must complete the Free Application for
Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) or the Federal Renewal Application indicating UIS (school
code 009333) as a school
choice.
You can obtain the FAFSA from the Office of Financial Assistance
or access and submit it online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The Federal
Renewal Application
is sent
by the U.S. Department of Education to students who applied for
federal assistance the previous academic year. Both forms include
instructions
for mailing to
the federal processor, who will send the results directly to UIS
and,
for Illinois residents, to the Illinois Student Assistance Commission,
initiating
a state
application. If you are eligible to use the Federal Renewal Application
but do
not receive one, you must use a FAFSA to apply. Additionally, students
must meet the following requirements:
-
Be fully admitted to UIS as a degree-seeking student.
-
Enroll in at least six hours that lead to that degree.
-
Make satisfactory academic progress measured by completion
rate, GPA, and maximum time frame (applies to returning students
only).
Refer to
the Satisfactory
Academic Progress Policy section of this catalog for additional
information. The standards of this policy are established by
the U.S. Department
of Education and may differ from the academic policies of the
University.
-
Respond to any request for information from the Office
of Financial Assistance. As a result of applying for federal
assistance,
you
may be selected by the
federal processor or state agency for additional documentation.
Critical Dates Affecting Financial Assistance
Applicants for need-based assistance should be aware of the following
dates:
February 13 - Deadline to apply for institutional scholarships
for the upcoming year.
March 1 - Application for fall semester assistance should be initiated
to ensure consideration for all forms
of aid.
March 15 - Last day to submit paperwork to be considered for
spring semester assistance.
April 15 - Applications due for upcoming summer term.
May 1 - Applications should be complete (including results of needs
analysis) to ensure consideration for
all forms of assistance for the upcoming fall semester.
June 30 - Last day to submit paperwork to be considered for summer
term financial assistance.
October - 1 Application deadline for upcoming spring semester to
ensure consideration for all forms of
assistance.
November 15 - Last day to submit paperwork to be considered for
fall semester assistance.
Consequences of Complete Withdrawal for Aid Recipients
Recipients of Title IV (federal) financial assistance are considered
to earn their aid award by attending and/or completing course work.
For students
who withdraw (i.e., drop all courses) from UIS during any term
before that term
is 60 percent complete as determined by the Department of Education
calculation process:
-
the percentage and amount of federal aid earned will be
calculated
-
the amount of federal aid to be disbursed or returned will
be determined
-
unpaid institutional charges will be billed, and
-
you may owe a repayment if the federal aid disbursed to
you exceeded the percentage you earned.
In addition, any financial aid (federal, state, or institutional)
available to students who completely withdraw during any term will
automatically
be placed on financial aid cancellation. This means that these
students are
ineligible
for financial assistance during subsequent terms of enrollment
until they register for a minimum of six (6) credit hours at their
own
expense and
complete all
classes
in which they enroll, earning no less than a C (2.00) in all classes
for undergraduates, or no less than a B (3.00) in all classes for
graduate students.
Repeating Classes
In accordance with federal regulations, financial aid will pay
for ONE repeat enrollment in a class if you initially earned a
letter
grade (A,
B, C, D,
or F), or a grade of U or NC. This is done on the premise that
you are seeking to improve the original grade for that class, as
well
as to improve
your
cumulative
grade-point average.
The Office of Financial Assistance at UIS will not pay for repeat
classes for which a grade of incomplete (I) was previously assigned.
All enrollments in a class will count toward the total number
of attempted credit hours when your completion ratios and maximum
time frames are
calculated to determine
satisfactory academic progress (refer to the Satisfactory Academic
Progress Policy section for additional information).
Conditional/Provisional
Admission
for Graduate
Programs
A student must be fully admitted into an eligible degree program
and enrolled as a regular student in order to receive financial
aid. A “regular student” is
defined as one who is enrolled or accepted for enrollment for the
purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate offered by the University
of Illinois at Springfield.
UIS makes exceptions to this standard for students whose status
is conditional admission.
Graduate students are occasionally admitted to UIS conditionally
to allow them to complete specified prerequisite courses before
they are
fully
admitted to
their program. These students may receive financial aid as long
as they meet all other financial aid requirements (e.g., satisfactory
academic
progress),
but they must successfully complete their prerequisite coursework
within one calendar year (12 months). After that time, they must
be fully
admitted into
the program to begin or continue receiving financial assistance.
Provisionally admitted students are not eligible to receive financial
assistance.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Undergraduate and Graduate
Students
In accordance with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended
by Congress, the University of Illinois at Springfield has established
a minimum Standards
of Academic Progress (SAP) policy. ALL federal, state, and institutional
financial aid programs administered by UIS are covered by this
policy.
Students will be considered as making satisfactory progress if
they meet ALL of the following requirements. Failure to comply
with any
one may
result in
a loss of financial aid eligibility.
Rate of completion requirement
A student must earn a minimum number of credit hours each year
to graduate within a specified time frame. A maximum number of
semesters
is allowed
for you to complete
your work toward a degree. Withdrawing from the university or repeatedly
dropping courses may affect your ability to maintain minimal academic
progress and could
jeopardize your financial aid eligibility. The chart below illustrates
the minimum acceptable percentage of hours completed that undergraduate
and graduate
students
can have to maintain satisfactory progress for financial aid purposes.
(Note: Completion Rate refers to the percentage of hours completed
in relation to
hours attempted.)
UNDERGRADUATES
Hours attempted (includes transfer and repeated hours):
0-30 31-60 61-90 91+
Percentage of completed (Completion Rate):
50% 60% 70% 75%
GRADUATES
Hours attempted (includes transfer and repeated hours):
0-12 13-24 24+
Percentage of completed (Completion Rate):
50% 60% 75%
Grade-Point Average Requirement
Undergraduate students: A student must remain in good academic
standing by earning a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA)
of 2.00
(C) or better
on a 4.00
scale as determined by the university.
Graduate students: A student must remain in good academic standing
by earning a minimum cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00
(B) or
better on
a 4.00 scale as determined by the university.
Maximum Time Frame Requirement
Undergraduate students: Students are expected to complete degree
requirements within 12 semesters of full-time enrollment. Every
semester of enrollment
is counted, regardless of whether or not you completed the semester.
Transfer hours from other institutions will count toward the maximum
12 semesters
(12
transfer
hours = 1 semester). In addition, hours earned from repeated courses
will be counted in the calculation of hours attempted.
Graduate students: Students are expected to complete degree requirements
within 150% of the specified program of study. (For example: A
master’s degree
in management information systems is comprised of 44 credit hours. Students may
receive financial assistance for no more than 66 attempted credit hours if they
are pursuing this degree.) Transfer hours from any institution will count toward
the maximum time frame. In addition, hours earned from repeated courses will
be counted in the calculation of hours attempted, as well as all other attempted
hours.
Financial Aid Probation
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is reviewed at the end of
each semester. If you fail to meet the policy, you will be placed
on financial
aid probation
during the next semester you attend. You may still receive financial
assistance while you are on financial aid probation; however, you
must meet all Satisfactory
Academic Progress requirements to continue receiving financial
assistance during subsequent semesters of enrollment. Failure to
meet even one
SAP requirement will result in cancellation of your financial aid.
Financial Aid Cancellation
A student’s financial aid may be cancelled for any of the following reasons:
* Failure to make progress toward the minimum cumulative GPA
during the semester(s) of probation (2.00 for undergraduate students
and 3.00 for graduate students).
* Failure to meet the completion rate required during the semester(s)
of probation.
* Complete withdrawal from the University during a semester for
which aid was received.
* Failure to complete all credit hours attempted during the semester
with a passing grade.
Appeal procedures
Students placed on financial aid cancellation may file an appeal.
All appeals MUST be made in writing and addressed to the Office
of Financial
Assistance.
The appeal should include documentation that will verify the circumstance(s)
which impeded your satisfactory academic progress. Examples of
acceptable documentation include medical records, a letter from
a faculty adviser,
or a letter from
an employer on company letterhead.
Financial Assistance – Master’s Degree
Students
UIS provides or coordinates many paid internship opportunities
and scholarships for graduate students. Some of these are described
below.
For additional
information on merit and need-based financial assistance for
graduate and undergraduate students, see the relevant sections
above.
General Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships provide relevant educational experiences
in UIS' academic or public affairs programs. These on-campus internships
offer
you opportunities
to develop and apply skills in research, curriculum development,
data
analysis, editing, program evaluation, and coordination of special
events. Preference
will be given to students who have not received a master's degree
within four years
of beginning a graduate assistantship. Application deadline is
March 15.
Graduate assistants receive a monthly stipend (taxable income)
and work 20 hours per week during the academic year. During each
regular
semester
GAs
receive a
tuition waiver of 8 to 12 semester hours, for an academic-year total
of 16 to 24. GAs who served at least one full semester during the
regular academic
year
are eligible for a tuition waiver for six semester hours in the
subsequent summer term. The maximum tuition waiver for the academic
year is
30 hours.
For complete information, contact the Graduate
Assistantship Office in the Office of Graduate Studies, PAC 518, University of
Illinois
at Springfield,
One University
Plaza, Springfield, IL 62703-5407, phone (217) 206-6544; email gaprog@uis.edu;
or fax (217) 206-7623.
Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program
The Institute for Legislative Studies administers the Illinois
Legislative Staff Intern program, which provides outstanding master's
students
with firsthand experience
in the operations of the Illinois General Assembly and opportunities
for academic studies and research in legislative politics and policy
analysis.
Twenty to twenty-four legislative staff interns are assigned
either to the Illinois Legislative Research Unit or to one of four
leadership
staffs
of
the General
Assembly. The program lasts 10 1/2 months and requires fulltime
work in the assigned office. Interns are required to participate
in an
academic seminar
during the
fall semester specifically designed for this program.
Interns receive a total of eight graduate credit hours, tuition
and fees, and student insurance coverage along with a monthly stipend
of $2,026
while they
are in the program.
To be eligible for the ILSIP, you must have a baccalaureate degree
in any academic discipline, with a high-quality undergraduate academic
record.
Applications are due February 1 each year. For materials and further
information,
contact
the
Illinois Legislative Staff Intern Program, PAC 466, University
of Illinois at Springfield, One University Plaza, MS PAC 466, Springfield,
IL 627035407,
or
call (217) 206-6574.
Graduate Public Service Internship Program
Located within the Center for State Policy and Leadership, the
Graduate Public Service Internship Program (GPSI) is ranked as
one of Illinois’ premier
governmental internship programs. For over 30 years this program has provided
interns with the opportunity to simultaneously begin a professional career while
earning a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield.
The program is open to students with all academic backgrounds, including those
who have already earned an advanced degree.
The program is comprised of a 21-month internship placement at
a participating state or municipal agency for full-time UIS graduate
students. During
the academic year (August 16 – May 15), interns work 20 hours per week for a stipend
of $850 per month, while working full-time during the intervening summer term
(May 16 – August 15) for a stipend of $1,700 per month. Additional benefits
include nine credit hours of tuition waiver for the fall and spring terms, an
optional four-hour tuition waiver for the summer term, and $300 per fiscal year
for professional development activities.
GPSI is a competitive placement program; completing the application
process does not guarantee a placement. Application deadline: March
15. Placements
begin August
16, and continue for 21 consecutive months.
Additional scholarship opportunities for GPSI interns include
the Nelson Howarth Scholarship (former mayor of Springfield) and
the
W. Williams
Stevens Jr. Scholarship
(former director of the GPSI program).
For complete information, contact the Office of Graduate Intern
Programs, University of Illinois at Springfield, One University
Plaza, MS PAC
514, Springfield, IL
62703-5407, via e-mail at or by phone at (217) 206-6158.
Whitney M. Young Fellowship Program
This program is a memorial to the late Whitney M. Young, Jr., former
executive director of the National Urban League, educator, and
social activist. The
program is aimed at increasing opportunities in graduate education
for highly motivated
underrepresented minority students. The program is designed to
complement fulltime graduate work with research and scholarship
in the area
of public policy and
public affairs.
African-American, Hispanic-American, and American Indian students
who have completed undergraduate degrees with a minimum GPA of
3.00 (on
a scale
of 4.00) and who
are accepted into a graduate program at the University of Illinois
at Springfield are eligible for these fellowships. The application
deadline
is March 1.
Fellows are paid a monthly financial stipend of $796 for the
nine-month contract period, payable monthly (total annual amount
$7,164),
and a waiver of tuition
(minimum of 12 graduate credit hours) during the fall and spring
terms. Although students are not required to register for summer
terms, with
the director's
approval a tuition waiver for up to six credit hours will be granted
for attending summer
school. Fellows must maintain a GPA of 3.00 (on a 4.00 scale) in
all 400 and 500-level courses taken and must meet all requirements
of the
Whitney
M. Young,
Jr., Fellowship Program. All academic work for the master's degree
must be completed within two years from the date of entry into
the program.
For complete information, contact the Whitney M. Young Fellowship
Program/Graduate Program Office, Office of Graduate Studies, PAC
518, University of
Illinois at Springfield, One University Plaza, Springfield, IL
62703-5407; telephone
(217)
206-6544; or visit the website at www.uis.edu/~wmyfp.
Public Affairs Reporting Scholarships
Several scholarship programs are earmarked for graduate students
in the public affairs reporting program. The annual awards are
based on
academic
achievement,
financial need, and potential for a career in journalism. They
are:
James E. Armstrong Scholarships, established in memory of the
late publisher of the Illinois State Register and the Illinois
State
Journal, predecessors
of The State Journal-Register in Springfield.
Milton D. Friedland Scholarship, established in memory of the
late founder and general manager of WICSTV, NewsChannel 20 in Springfield,
and former
community relations associate for the campus.
Steven B. Hahn Reporting Scholarship, established by his parents
in his memory. Hahn was a legislative correspondent for The State Journal-Register
and United
Press International.
Robert P. Howard Scholarships, established by friends in memory
of the late capital correspondent for the Chicago Tribune.
Illinois Legislative Correspondents Association Scholarships
honor Burnell Heinecke, former Chicago Sun-Times Statehouse correspondent
and former
president of the
ILCA; Bill Miller, former director of the public affairs reporting
program and a founding member of the Illinois News Broadcasters
Association; and deceased ILCA members.
If you are interested, contact the director of the public affairs
reporting program at (217) 206-7494.
Financial Assistance – Doctoral Students
The University of Illinois at Springfield provides or coordinates
a number of federal and state financial assistance programs; DPA
students are eligible for some of them. For more information, see
the relevant sections above.
Doctoral Research Assistants
A limited number of doctoral research assistant positions may
be available each year to students who are pursuing the D.P.A.
degree
full time.
Doctoral research
assistants participate in research projects with faculty members
individually and through the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Center
for Governmental
Studies. The application deadline to ensure full consideration
is March 1 for an
appointment beginning with the following fall semester. Applicants
must simultaneously
apply for admission to the DPA program or must already have been
admitted. Doctoral
research assistants receive a stipend of $18,000 for the nine-month
academic year ($2,000 per month), plus a tuition waiver for up
to 12 hours during
each regular
semester and up to eight hours in the summer session.
For information
on doctoral research fellowships, please contact the DPA Program,
PAC 422,
University of
Illinois at Springfield, One University Plaza, Springfield,
IL 62703-5407; phone (217) 206-6076; fax (217) 206-7807; or visit
the
webpage at www.uis.edu/dpa/.
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