Mar 19, 2024  
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog 
    
2016-2017 Graduate Catalog [Not Current Academic Year. Consult with Your Academic Advisor for Your Catalog Year]

Scholarships and Financial Aid


General Information
Planning ahead is essential when applying for financial aid. The entire financial aid process can take up to eight weeks. It is important for you to get started as soon as possible after January 1 to ensure you receive your award in time to pay tuition and fees. We know that the financial aid process can be confusing. The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid is available to help answer your questions.
How to Apply
To apply for federal, state or university funding, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The University of Houston Federal School Code is 003652.
Awards may range from scholarships and grants to work-study and student loans. Most, but not all, programs require a student to demonstrate financial need.
 
You must have your FAFSA and all required documents submitted to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid by the priority deadline of April 1, to receive the maximum consideration for limited financial aid resources. 
 
Please visit our web site at www.uh.edu/finaid for the Six Steps to Financial Aid and for more details on all the financial aid programs available at the University of Houston.
Disbursement of Aid

Each semester, financial aid disbursement begins no earlier than the first day of classes. Proceeds from loan funds will begin disbursing on the first day of class and proceeds from grant funding will begin paying on the 13th class day. If you have satisfied all application and disbursement requirements and met the conditions of your award, your financial aid will be automatically credited to your UH student account as payment. If you have financial aid remaining after your tuition has been paid, you can request your refund through Self-Service at myUH.edu.

Revisions and Cancellations of Aid

The university reserves the right to review, revise, or cancel all financial aid at any time due to changes in your financial and/or academic status or failure to comply with federal or state laws and regulations, including financial verification, audit procedures, and university policies. In addition, all financial aid is subject to revision based on the funds received by the university from the federal or state government and any changes to federal or state laws, regulations or policies.

Aid Revisions After Drop/Add Period

If your financial aid is disbursed at the beginning of the semester and you reduce your number of enrolled hours within the drop/add period, your aid will be adjusted to reflect your semester enrollment (registration). If your reduced enrollment results in less eligibility for aid, your will be charged for the overpayment of financial aid - creating a balance due on your UH student account.

Maintaining Eligibility

The various federal and state regulations governing student financial assistance programs require that an institution develop a standard to measure students’ reasonable progress towards a degree objective - Satisfactory Academic Progress. Academic progress is reviewed at the conclusion of each semester. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will result in the denial or cancellation of your financial aid.

The Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid may administratively grant one probationary semester of assistance for students whose academic progress has changed to “warning” at the conclusion of their first semester of enrollment at UH.

The following qualitative and quantitative standards must be met to remain eligible for financial aid at the University of Houston. Certain programs, including the Graduate Tuition Fellowship, may have higher standards than those listed below.

Qualitative Measures of Academic Progress

The qualitative measure of academic progress is a grading scale of 0.00 to 4.00, based on students’ enrollment classification.

Classification GPA Minimum Requirement
Undergraduate 2.00
Postbaccalaureate 2.00
Graduate 3.00
Law & Optometry 2.00
Quantitative Measures of Academic Progress

Students cannot receive financial aid beyond a specified total of attempted credit hours, and they must complete a certain percentage of the credit hours for which they are enrolled.

Classification Maximum Attempted Hours Including Transfer Hours Ratio of Passed Hours to Attempted to Hours
Undergraduate 180 credit hours 75%
Postbaccalaureate 100 hours beyond bachelor’s 75%
Graduate and Professional 100 hours beyond bachelor’s 75%
Law & Optometry 200 hours beyond bachelor’s 75%

NOTE: Hours passed DO NOT include grades of: I (incomplete), U (unsatisfactory), F (failed), Q or W (withdrawal); however, these hours are included in hours attempted.

Withdrawal Policy

For any student who officially or unofficially withdraws from the university or fails to earn a passing grade in any class, federal regulations require a refund calculation for all students receiving Federal Title IV Funds. The calculation of the return of these funds may result in your owing a balance to the university. Also, any future aid will be canceled. For any withdrawal prior to the 12th class day, all state and institutional aid will be canceled. Withdrawing from classes will impact your Satisfactory Academic Progress and may cause you to be ineligible for future financial aid. All students should visit with a financial aid advisor prior to withdrawing.

Fraud Policy

Federal regulations (34 CFR 668. 16(g) require a school to refer to the Department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) any credible information indicating that an applicant for Federal Student aid may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with his or her application. Commonly falsified items include false claims of independent student status, false claims of citizenship, use of false identities, forgery of signatures of certifications, and false statements of income.

If such intent is suspected on the part of a student, employee or third-party servicer, the case will be referred to the University of Houston’s legal counsel immediately for initial investigation, followed by a formal report made to the OIG. You may be fined up to $20,000, sent to prison, or both.

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