As a student at LHU, you may qualify for federal and state financial aid including the: Federal Pell Grant; Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG); Federal TEACH Grant; Pennsylvania State Grant; Federal Work Study Program; Federal Perkins Loan; Federal Direct Stafford Loan; and Federal Direct PLUS Loan.

2. Is it possible to receive financial aid for distance education?

Yes. In general, the same type of federal and state financial aid available to students taking traditional, classroom courses is available to students taking online courses. All students must be degree-seeking, academically eligible, and for most financial aid programs, enrolled at least half-time. Federal Pell Grants may be available to eligible undergraduate students enrolled less than half-time. Financial aid packages for undergraduate students may consist of grants, work study, and loans, while most aid for graduate students comes from federal loan sources.

Important Note for Undergraduate Students Enrolled in Online Programs (e.g. RN to BSN program)--LHU students enrolled in online, undergraduate degree programs do not qualify for Pennsylvania (PA) State Grants administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA). PHEAA requires that at least 50 percent of an online program's course requirements be completed through traditional, classroom instruction in order for students in those programs to receive state grant funding. For example, students enrolled in LHU's RN to BSN program do not qualify for PA State Grant because all courses required for that program are delivered online.

3. How do I know if it is worth applying for financial aid?

Unfortunately, that's not an easy question to answer. Because many factors (e.g. household size, number of family members in college, income, certain assets, etc.) are considered in the determination of your eligibility for financial aid, it is difficult to estimate your eligibility based on income alone. The Student Financial Services Office recommends that every student apply for financial aid at least once to have his or her eligibility reviewed. Keep in mind that, in general, any accepted student is eligible for some type of financial assistance (e.g. Federal Stafford Loans) regardless of his or her calculated financial need.

4. How do I apply for Financial Aid?

To apply for both federal and state financial aid programs, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. More information about the LHU financial aid application process can be found via the LHU home page at www.lhup.edu/financial-services.

5. The FAFSA asks for Lock Haven University's Federal School Code. What is it?

Lock Haven University's Federal School Code is 003323

6. What are the application deadlines or suggested completion dates for the filing of a FAFSA?

Students are able to complete the FAFSA beginning January 1^st of the year they will enroll in college (e.g. January 1, 2013 for the 2013-2014 academic year). The Student Financial Services Office recommends that students complete the FAFSA each yearby March 15^th. Late applicants will be considered on a fundsavailable basis.

7. My parent(s) can't help me with college expenses. Does that mean I'll receive more money?

Financial aid programs are based on the belief that students (and their parents or spouses, if applicable) have primary responsibility for paying their educational expenses. If you are a dependent student, your parent's inability to assist you with expenses should be evident from the information you and your parent provide on the FAFSA form. Although it may mean a significantly increased amount of debt, which should be carefully considered, most students can cover their educational expenses with the help of available financial aid programs.

8. Does applying as an independent student increase my financial aid eligibility?

The financial aid eligibility of an independent student is determined solely from a review of his or her own (and spouse's, if applicable) information as reported on the FAFSA. It is important to note that a student cannot simply decide to file as an independent student. He or she must meet one of the criteria for financial aid purposes to be considered independent. For the 2011-2012 academic year, you are independent for financial aid purposes if at least one of the following applies:

You were born before January 1, 1990 ( for the 2013-2014 academic year);
you're enrolled in a graduate or professional educational program (beyond a bachelor's degree);
you're married;
you're currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training;
you're a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;
you have children for whom you will provide more than half support from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014;
you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) for whom you provide more than half support, now and through June 30, 2013.
at any time since you turned age 13, both your parents were deceased, you were in foster care OR you were a dependent or ward of the court;
you are or were an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence;
you are or were in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence;
at any time on or after July 1, 2012, your high school or school district homeless liaison determined that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless;
at any time on or after July 1, 2012, the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determined that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless; OR
at any time on or after July 1, 2012, the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determined that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.

Note : If you have unusual circumstances that you feel make you independent even though none of the above criteria applies to you, please contact the Student Financial Services Office to discuss your situation.

9. I was selected for federal verification. What does that mean?

Verification is a process the Department of Education uses to make sure that the information reported on the FAFSA is accurate and true. Some FAFSA applications are selected because of inconsistent information and others are chosen at random. For applications that are selected, the Student Financial Services Office requests copies of student's and parents' (if dependent) federal tax returns and W-2s as well as completion of a verification form. The Student Financial Services Office then compares information on the tax returns and other documents to the FAFSA and corrects any errors. The student is notified of any corrections made and the effect the changes have had on his or her aid eligibility. For more information about verification, click here.

10. Our family has special circumstances (e.g. recent loss or reduction of income, considerable un-reimbursed medical or dental expenses, etc.). Can the Financial Aid Office consider these circumstances when reviewing my eligibility for financial aid?

Please contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss any special circumstances you feel might affect the amount you and your family can contribute toward your educational expenses. A staff member will determine whether your eligibility for financial aid can be reevaluated due to your family's special circumstances.

11. When will I know how much financial aid I am eligible to receive?

The Financial Aid Office begins sending Financial Aid Award Letters to new freshmen and transfer students in March. Most new freshmen receive their Financial Aid Award Letters by the end of May. Transfer students are awarded once they pay their admission deposit and after LHU receives and evaluates their final college transcripts.

12. What is the difference between subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans?

Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans are need-based loans available to undergraduate enrolled at least half-time. The government pays the interest to the lender on behalf of qualified borrowers for as long as students are enrolled at least half-time in a degree-seeking program and typically for six months thereafter, at which time repayment of the principal and interest must begin. Payment is deferred if the student returns to school.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are non-need-based loans available to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at least half-time. The government does not pay the interest to lenders on behalf of the borrowers. Repayment of the interest is the student's responsibility from the date the loan is disbursed and may be paid or capitalized (added) to the principal balance of the loan. Repayment of principal does not begin until six months after the student drops below half-time. Payment is deferred if the student returns to school.

In addition, interest rates on subsidized and unsubsidized loans may vary.

13. I don't need the entire Federal Direct Stafford (or Direct PLUS) Loan amount that's been approved. How can I reduce the loan amount?

Student and parent borrowers may reduce or cancel their approved loans by completing a Loan Change/Cancellation Form.

14. I received a Financial Aid Award Letter, but need more money than I've been offered. What else is available?

The Financial Aid Office provides information about educational loan programs and payment options with each Financial Aid Award Letter.

If you're considering an educational loan like a parent PLUS or alternative loan, please apply early. The Financial Aid Office will process your loan and other financial aid applications as quickly as possible. These processes, from the time of application to the disbursement of those funds, normally take at least 14 to 21 business days. During peak processing periods, they may take longer. Here are some things you can do to help.

Apply early to allow sufficient time for the processing of your application. Even with today's technology, the fact is that the processing of most financial aid and loan applications takes time. Apply for parent PLUS and/or Alternative Loans at least 4 to 6 weeks before those funds are needed to pay educational expenses.
Respond in a timely manner to any requests for additional information (i.e. proof of income, etc.) that you receive from SFS and/or your lender.
Be patient. It takes time for our staff to process the large volume of applications received. Periodically checking on the status of your application is a good idea. You may call us at 570-484-2344, email us at finaid@lhup.edu, or stop by the office in 118 Russell Hall to inquire during office hours.

15. Where can I find a list of all my student loans?

You can find information about your federal (i.e. Title IV) student loans by logging into the National Student Loan Data System at nslds.ed.gov. You may use the web site to make inquiries about your federal loans (e.g. Stafford, Perkins) and/or federal grants (e.g. Pell). You can also find information on loan and/or grant amounts, outstanding balances, loan statuses, and disbursements. In addition, the site lists the names your loan servicers and organizations that send bills, collect loan payments, process requests for deferment of payment, etc. At this time, there is no single web site where you can obtain information on all your private, alternative loans. However, information about those loans may be reflected on your credit report.

16. What is an overaward?

Federal and state regulations require SFS to consider all sources of financial assistance when awarding aid. Those sources include things like scholarships (LHU or private), athletic grants, tuition waivers, VA education benefits, and alternative loans. If your Financial Aid Award Letter did not include all of the assistance you are receiving, chances are SFS was not aware of all your awards when your financial aid was packaged. The addition of other aid sources may cause an overaward, which means that SFS may have to reduce one or more of your awards. For example, if SFS awarded you your maximum eligibility of $20,000 in financial aid, and then you receive a $2000 scholarship, SFS may be required to reduce the aid awarded by $2,000 to keep you within the $20,600 limit. You can help prevent an overaward by informing SFS of all sources of financial assistance as soon as you know about them.

17. Where can I get information about scholarships?

If you are an incoming Freshman please go to www.lhup.edu/admissions/scholarships/index.htm. Or if you'd prefer, you may send your request via email to admissions@lhup.edu. If you are an upper classman you will need to submit a LHU Foundation Scholarship Program Application to be considered for these scholarships. For more information regarding the scholarships that are available and how to apply please go to www.lhufoundation.org/scholarships.html.

Other possible sources of scholarship information include: your high school guidance office; libraries; unions; churches; civic organizations; chambers of commerce; and the internet. The following web sites provide financial aid and/or scholarship information: www.fastweb.com, https://www.brokescholar.com/, www.collegenet.com, www.collegeboard.org, www.finaid.org, www.student aid.ed.gov; and www.pheaa.org.

18. When will I receive the fall semester bill?

You will receive the fall semester bill from Student Accounts by the end of July. All awarded federal and state financial aid will be listed on the bill and deducted from your fall semester charges. If any of your federal, state, or other financial aid is not listed on your bill, please contact the Financial Aid Office for assistance. Please note that Federal Work Study will not be listed on the bill. Students employed under the Federal Work Study Program receive bi-weekly paychecks for wages earned. Additional billing information can be found at www.lhup.edu/financial-services/date-tables.htm.

19. Does Lock Haven University offer a payment plan?

Yes, LHU offers a very affordable monthly payment plan, which is administered by Tuition Management Systems (TMS). Information about the TMS payment plan is available online.

20. The amount of financial aid I'm receiving exceeds my bill. Can I use my refund to buy my books?

Financial aid refunds may be used for any educational expenses a student incurs, including books. Keep in mind, however, that the Student Accounts Office cannot guarantee that your refund will be available in time for you to buy your books. Therefore, you should plan to use other funds to buy your books. In general, students spend $400-650 per semester on books and supplies.

21. I'd like to work on campus. How do I find out about jobs?

The LHU Career Services Office posts job openings at www.lhup.edu/career/oncampuslocalemployment.htm. Student employment forms are available online.

For information about jobs available through the Parsons Union Building (PUB) or Bentley Dining Hall (i.e. Food Service), inquire directly at those locations.

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