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When students are unable to fully fund their education from personal resources, it is Columbia International University’s
policy to attempt to assist them in obtaining additional financing from federal, state, institutional, and private resources to the
fullest extent possible. Students who wish to be considered for aid from these sources must meet general eligibility
requirements as well as fund-specific criteria. Eligibility requirements and instructions for applying are outlined below.
International students are not eligible for federal or state aid but may qualify for institutional aid. The following requirements
are necessary to be eligible for financial assistance:
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Acceptance by the CIU Admissions office
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Completion of the FAFSA (annually) and CIU Scholarship Application
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Enrollment as a degree-seeking student
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Institutional aid requires full-time enrollment.
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Federal student loans require minimum half-time enrollment (6 hours per semester undergraduate; 4.5 hours per
semester graduate/seminary).
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Federal Pell Grant has no minimum enrollment requirement.
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For federal aid, a student must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen and certify that funds will only be used for
educational expenses.
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Recipients of federal student loans must certify that they are not in default on any federal student loan and do not owe
a repayment on a federal student grant.
The two applications needed to determine a student’s eligibility are the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
the CIU Scholarship application. The FAFSA is available online at
www.fafsa.ed.gov
. CIU’s federal school code is 003429. The
CIU Scholarship application is available on Financial Aid Online.
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Once students submit their FAFSA, the Office of Student Financial Services will contact them regarding the completion of their
financial aid file. The student must respond immediately to any request for additional information or documentation. Failure
to do so could cause the student to forfeit awards. Undergraduate students, if eligible, can receive federal grants, loans, and
work-study. Graduate-level students, if eligible, can receive federal loans and work-study. Current information on federal aid
is available online at
www.ciu.edu/become-student/financial-aid
, or by visiting the Office of Student Financial Services.
Undergraduate Students
Federal Pell Grant
provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate students. Award amounts vary depending on
financial need and enrollment status.
Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
provides need-based grants to help low-income undergraduate
students finance the costs of postsecondary education. When making FSEOG awards, the institution must give priority to
those students with “exceptional need” (those with the lowest Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) at the institution) and
those who are also Federal Pell Grant recipients.
Undergraduate & Graduate-level Students
Federal Direct Loan Program
Direct Loans are low-interest loans for students and parents to help pay for the cost of a student’s education after high school.
The lender is the U.S. Department of Education rather than a bank. Eligibility for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans is
based on the information reported on the FAFSA. No interest is accrued on subsidized loans while the student is enrolled in
school at least half-time. Interest accrues on unsubsidized loans during all periods. Direct Subsidized Loan eligibility is
determined by the student’s financial need and number of college credits earned. Direct loans go into repayment following a
one-time, six-month “grace period” after graduation or dropping below half-time enrollment.
OLUMBIA NTERNATIONAL NIVERSITY
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