Your Guide to Financial Aid Options at 天美传媒

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Financial Aid

Fund Your Future with Financial Aid

When and Where to Reach Us

Office Hours: Monday-Friday, Walk-ins: 9am-5pm MST; 8-9 am MST via appointment
Closed: School Holidays

Location: Student Solutions Center inside the Penstemon Building

Who to Talk to

Bee Sena 鈥� Director of Financial Aid
Chris Schreiner 鈥� Associate Director of Financial Aid
Eleanor Dailey 鈥� Financial Aid Counselor
Alix Snyder 鈥� Financial Aid Counselor
Deborah Kronz 鈥� School Certifying Official [email protected]

Need-Based Aid

Sources of financial aid can include both need-based financial aid and non-need-based aid.

Need-based aid is awarded based on a student鈥檚 demonstrated financial need, which is calculated from the student鈥檚 cost of attendance (COA) minus your student aid index (SAI) calculated by the FAFSA. The cost of attendance is the estimate of how much it will cost to go to school for the whole school year, including estimated expenses like food, and books.

Need-based aid includes sources such as

The Bridge Grant from 天美传媒 (for on-campus undergraduate students)
The Federal Pell grant,
Federal Work Study, and
Direct subsidized loans.

Non Need-Based Aid

Non-need-based aid can be offered even if you don鈥檛 have financial need. Non-need based aid includes:

Merit-based scholarships,
Military-based benefits
Immigration status-based aid
Transfer school affiliated grants

Students must and meet the to be considered for the following federal grants.

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell grants are need-based grants (up to $7,395 for the 2024-2025 and 2025 – 2026 school years) available to first-time undergraduate low-income students or students from low-income families. Grant eligibility is determined based on the student鈥檚 Student Aid Index (SAI) calculated with data from the FAFSA. Federal Pell grants are pro-rated to a student鈥檚 exact number of credits up to 12, the minimum for full time, and are available even at less than half time. Additionally, students are limited to no more than 6 year鈥檚 worth (12 full-time terms) of Pell grant in their lifetime.

Federal TEACH Grants

Federal TEACH grants are grants for students seeking to be Highly Qualified teachers and who are pursuing their Bachelor鈥檚 or Master鈥檚 degree in teaching. Federal TEACH grants can be as much as $4000 per school year (subject to federal budget sequestration – learn more here) for full-time students and are available in addition to other Federal awards such as student loans and Pell grants, as well as other sources of aid from other organizations including state and school-based aid. The Federal TEACH grant does require a service obligation after graduation, else the Federal TEACH grant turns into a Federal unsubsidized loan.

Please see the for additional details.

Federal SEOG Grants

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are available to first-time undergraduate students with the highest financial need. The school determines who will receive these grants but is limited to a total lump-sum allocation for the school each year.

At 天美传媒, students who are Pell eligible are given first priority, and in addition we reserve these grants for students with unusual or special financial circumstances who may not be able to have their needs met via other traditional financial aid sources. Students can submit an e-mail to [email protected] to be considered for an SEOG grant if they believe they meet the criteria mentioned above. Please see the guidance under the 鈥淲hen All Else Fails鈥� section of the the Appeals tab of this website for guidance in writing an e-mail to financial aid for requesting additional assistance.

After you have considered all federal loans, you may also be interested in applying for a Private Loan for Education. A private loan is a credit-based educational loan. Terms and conditions are set by each individual lender, so students should shop wisely for their lender. Students unable to qualify on their own may need to obtain a co-borrower/co-signer. Students may borrow up to their Cost of Attendance budget, less any other financial aid funds and resources received.

Students have the following rights relating to private/alternative loans鈥�

The right to select any lender even though it may not be included on the 天美传媒 Lender List
The right to comparative information regarding interest rates and other benefits included on the 天美传媒 Lender List
The right to prompt certification of any loan, irrespective of lender choice
The right to inquire as to how the lenders on the 天美传媒 Lender List were chosen

Private Loan Lender List

天美传媒 objectively evaluates all prospective private educational loan lenders on an ongoing basis. Lenders chosen may be subsequently removed for failure to adequately serve the needs of students.
天美传媒 staff will make parents and students aware of their option to choose any lender. This choice will be clearly communicated via the financial aid website and whenever a parent or student inquires about student lending options.
天美传媒 will process all loan applications regardless of lender choice. All applications will be processed in as timely a manner as possible.

Reference the link below for a list of private lenders to compare rates and review options.

Private Loan Shopping Tips

Some lenders offer options such as:

The ability to borrow money up after the enrollment period. This can help students pay off past due balances
Ability to borrow while enrolled less-than half-time.
International Students and DACA students
Ability to borrow with a co-signer (which may qualify the borrower for lower interest rate).
Co-signer release

Look for these and other options for each lender by clicking the 鈥渄etails鈥� button on each lender鈥檚 options listed on the ELM Select Private Lender Lists.

Other Important Information Regarding Borrowing

Students should first complete the FAFSA so that eligibility for the federal loan programs (Federal Direct, Parent PLUS, and Graduate PLUS) can be determined before considering a private educational loan. Students who apply for a private loan prior to having federal loan eligibility determined will be asked to complete a FAFSA.

Students should only borrow what they need and should carefully scrutinize whether they should borrow the full amount of what was offered in their award letter.

天美传媒 partners with various organizations in an effort to best serve our students鈥� needs with respect to student borrowing. These organizations include lenders who offer private educational loans. In establishing and maintaining these relationships, faculty and staff should always be cognizant of what is in the best interest of our students. In this regard, faculty and staff are expected to maintain a commitment to exemplary standards of professional conduct and ethical behavior.

Americorp

Armericorp service positions offer pay during the time an individual is a service member, an Education Award upon completing their service which can be applied toward tuition and fees at a school of their choice or toward past student loans, and some schools, like 天美传媒, also offer Americorp Scholarships on top of all of this to match some or all of the earned education award from Americorp. Learn more about . Learn about 天美传媒鈥檚 Americorp Scholarships on our scholarship page.

State Vocational Rehabilitation

States across the nation offer assistance to individuals with disabilities via , and benefits can include money for tuition and fees in some cases. Individuals who believe they may be eligible should contact their state鈥檚 Vocational Rehabilitation office to inquire about the process for applying for benefits. Once through the approval process, individuals are connected with a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor who will discuss options with the students for training in their chosen career field. Should the counselor and student together decide that 天美传媒 is a good fit for the student鈥檚 needs, State VR will authorize payment of tuition and fees minus other financial aid typically up to a certain limit depending on which VR program the student qualifies for. Reach out to your state VR office today to get started on the process if you may be eligible.

If you have already been approved for services, please contact the financial aid office to be connected to our Financial Aid Counselor liaison for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits. We鈥檒l help you with the enrollment certification process which needs to be completed each term.

Tribal Nation Education Scholarships

Many Native American Nations throughout the United States offer Education Scholarships to their members. Typically these scholarships require an application which includes a Financial Needs Analysis form which the school completes to verify the student鈥檚 enrollment and educational expenses. Students receiving Tribal Education Scholarships are encouraged to send their Financial Needs Analysis forms to the financial aid office via e-mail to [email protected] as soon as possible during the application process. These forms typically are required before being approved for a scholarship and need to be submitted before the scholarship deadline.

Potentially eligible students should consult with their tribe鈥檚 scholarship office regarding specific dates and processes associated with their tribe. Don鈥檛 know where to begin? Check out these resources:

Other Outside Scholarships

Check out our for links to many other scholarship and grant opportunities from other organizations.

Appeals and Advocating for More Aid

Financial Aid Appeals

Some circumstances (loss of employment, death, divorce, high medical expenses etc.) may affect your family’s current income or cause unusual living or school-related expenses.

If this happens, please call the Financial Aid Office immediately at (928) 350-1111 or

The Financial Aid team will help you determine if you can appeal and how. There are multiple ways that you may qualify for more aid 鈥� see discussion in the sections below. Financial aid appeals are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis and may take several weeks. Submit your appeals as soon as possible.

Avoiding Financial Aid Pitfalls

It is possible to lose your financial aid! Please read this section carefully to learn how to avoid the most common reasons students sometimes lose their financial aid during the term or fail to have their financial aid renewed in a following term.

Failure to attend, complete, and/or withdrawing or dropping courses may result in a recalculation of financial aid eligibility levels and a possible return of financial aid. If this happens, you could be responsible for paying tuition and fees that your aid previously covered 鈥� even if you previously received a refund.

Before you consider dropping or withdrawing from school or from particular courses, we strongly encourage you to contact the Financial Aid office. Also, reach out to your academic adviser or success coach for enrollment options. You may be able to take an incomplete,or swap out a class instead of dropping it completely. These strategies may help you maintain your current financial aid level.

Please read these important rules for further information:

Federal grants are pro-rated if a student did not begin a scheduled course.
Federal grants are pro-rated to the student鈥檚 enrollment level at the point of withdrawal, taking into account only those courses in which the student began. This most often affects Pell grants (see the Pell grant Freeze Date section under the 鈥淚mportant Dates and Deadlines鈥� tab above.)
Aid eligibility is re-evaluated according to Return to Title IV (R2T4) federal regulations.
In certain circumstances, a student鈥檚 federal aid is required to be re-calculated, resulting in a proration of aid. In most circumstances this is equates to a LOSS of some financial aid, which results in a balance due to the school for the portion of the student鈥檚 tuition and fees which the financial aid previously covered. The recalculation is done pro-rating the student’s federal financial aid to the student鈥檚 official withdrawal date or, in the event of an unofficial withdrawal, to their last date of attendance or participation. 天美传媒 is not required to take attendance, and so therefore if the last date of attendance or participation is unknown, the midpoint date of the student enrollment dates is used, counting all dates in the sessions in which the student was enrolled at the point of withdrawal.

The R2T4 requirement is waived in certain cases in which a student has received Title IV federal aid and was enrolled in sessions other than the full – term session. These cases include:

鈻� If a student has completed all requirements for graduation prior to withdrawing.
鈻� If a student has successfully completed with a passing grade (D or better) enough credits to be considered half time.

If the student has successfully completed with a passing grade (D or better) at least 49% of the countable days of the enrollment period. Countable days include all days in every session of the enrollment period 鈥� not just the sessions in which the student is enrolled鈥揺xcluding breaks of 5 days or more which apply to all students. Only those days for the sessions in which the student received a passing grade are included in the percentage calculation in the numerator.
Incompletes affect the R2T4 waiver and the R2T4 calculations.
The days of this incomplete session can only be included in the number of countable days calculation (for determining if the R2T4 can be waived) if the student successfully finishes the incomplete and the grade is posted within the first 45 days after the course session ends. This is true even if academic policy allows the student to continue working on the course after the 45 day timeline.
If it is determined that the student does not qualify for an R2T4 waiver, then the days in the incomplete session are included in the R2T4 calculation up to the point the student stopped participating before the end of the course session. The last day of attendance or participation cannot be after the end of the course for this calculation. For example, if the student鈥檚 last day they participated in the course before the last day of the class was 3 weeks before they end of the class, then they submit another assignment for the class after the last day, the date used for the R2T4 calculation would be the date they submitted the assignment 3 weeks before the end of the course.
Written confirmation of future attendance is required.
If a student is registered for a session which begins after the point the student withdraws or stop attending a course before it has ended, a student MUST CONFIRM IN WRITING if they intend to still participate in their future session course. To do so, please send e-mail to [email protected]. Not doing so, will still result in evaluation of an R2T4 calculation as described above and the student may then lose aid and owe a balance. This returned aid may or may not be able to be re-disbursed should the student start again.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid Toolbox

Your Financial Aid Advocates

How to Reach Us

When and Where to Reach Us

Who to Talk to

Deadlines

Key Dates and Deadlines

Scholarship Deadlines

Priority Institutional Financial Aid Scholarship Deadlines

Endowed Scholarship and Donor-Restricted Fund Deadline

FAFSA Deadlines

FAFSA Recommended Filing Dates:

FAFSA open and close dates:

Registration and Billing Deadlines

Tuition and Registration Deadlines:

Anticipated Financial Aid & Your Student Bill:

How to Pay Your Bill

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals Deadlines

Continuing Student SAP Appeals Deadline is the Thursday prior to the start of the term

Returning Student Priority* SAP Appeals Deadlines

Priority Financial Aid Appeals Deadlines

New Student Appeals Priority Deadline

Financial Aid Disbursement Dates

Spring 2025 Earliest Possible Disbursement Dates

Summer 2025 Earliest Possible Disbursement Dates

Fall 2025 Earliest Possible Disbursement Dates

Spring 2026 Earliest Possible Disbursement Dates

Summer 2026 Earliest Possible Disbursement Dates

Pell Freeze Dates and Session Add – Drop Deadlines

Spring 2025 Pell Freeze Dates and Add 鈥� Drop Deadlines

Enrollment Levels and Grant/Scholarship Proration Amounts:

Withdrawal Deadlines

Spring 2025:

Sources of Aid

Need-Based Aid

Non Need-Based Aid

天美传媒 Financial Aid – General Criteria

天美传媒 Admissions Scholarships

天美传媒 Endowed and Donor-Restricted Scholarships

Federal Title IV Grants

Federal Pell Grants

Federal TEACH Grants

Federal SEOG Grants

Federal Loans

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan ProgramFunds come directly from the US Department of Education rather than from private lenders.

Private Loans

Students have the following rights relating to private/alternative loans鈥�

Private Loan Lender List

Private Loan Shopping Tips

Other Important Information Regarding Borrowing

Student Employment and Work-Study

State Aid

Arizona State Aid

Other Outside Aid Resources

Americorp

State Vocational Rehabilitation

Tribal Nation Education Scholarships

Other Outside Scholarships

Get Aid

How the Process Works

Filing and Updating Your FAFSA

Federal Aid Eligibility

Confirmation E-Mails and Your Student Aid Report (SAR)

Confirmation E-mails

Student Aid Report (SAR)

Financial Aid Packaging and Aid Offers

Financial Aid Offers

Calculating Your Aid

Cost of Attendance

Student Aid Index (SAI)

Financial Aid Verification

Accepting Your Aid Offer

Ask for More

Appeals and Advocating for More Aid

Financial Circumstances Appeals

Cost of Attendance Appeals

Independency Appeals

When All Else Fails

Hang on to Your Aid

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
Funds come directly from the US Department of Education rather than from private lenders.