University of Houston-Victoria |

Financial Aid Links

Financial Aid
Priority Deadlines:

Fall - March 15

Spring - October 15

Summer - March 15

First Possible Disbursement Dates:

Summer 1 and 10 Week 2012 - June 4, 2012

Summer 2 2012 - July 9, 2012

Disbursements occur Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

All documentation must be completed prior to disbursement.

FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

All awards from financial aid programs are funded by federal, state, institutional and/or outside agencies and are administered according to the laws, regulations, and requirements governing these programs. The program awards are contingent upon allocation and receipt of funds by University of Houston-Victoria from these agencies.

Determining Financial Need

Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending the university and the resources available to the student. Thus, financial need is determined to be the cost of attendance minus expected parental contribution; if applicable, expected student contribution and other available resources.

Receipt of additional scholarships or grants that arrive after a student’s award letter has been processed, or after funds have been disbursed, may necessitate recalculation of a student’s eligibility for aid. Students must notify the Office of Financial Aid of all outside awards. Any amount beyond the legal package limits is called an "over award." Federal and state laws require that such an over award be corrected, usually by the return of the over award amount to one or more of the programs. When such an over award amount to one or more of the programs is detected, required adjustments will be made. Details regarding University of Houston-Victoria packaging philosophy are available in the Office of Financial Aid.

Your financial aid awards are based on information you reported on the FAFSA as well as your classification and enrollment status. Any change to your enrollment status may change your financial aid awards. You must report any changes to the Office of Financial Aid immediately. Failure to do so could result in cancellation of your award and you may have to repay any amounts over-awarded to you.

Special Circumstances/Dependency Overrides

Students can complete a Financial Aid Special Consideration Form to report unusual circumstances which may impact their ability to pay for their education at UHV. These circumstances can be conditions which have reduced their income for the current calendar year or extraordinary expenses that provide less disposable income.

If a student does not meet the definition of an independent student as prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education and feels that they have relevant unusual circumstances, he/she can complete the Financial Aid Special Consideration Form.

The Departments of Education and Labor have established a Web site to assist those who are recently unemployed. That site is http://www.opportunity.gov.

Funding Process

A student receives financial aid in the following order of priority, depending upon availability of funds and student eligibility:

Grants
Scholarships
Student Employment
Loans

Financial Aid Correspondence

Prior to awarding financial aid, the student's file must be complete. All requested documentation must be turned into the Office of Financial Aid. If the student's file is incomplete, MyUHV will send a Missing Information Notice email to the students UHV email account and creates a task for the student to act on. If the applicant has not been admitted to UHV yet, a Missing Information Letter is sent to the student.

If the student has been awarded financial aid, MyUHV will send an Award Notice email to the student's UHV email account and posts each award that the student should accept, decline or modify in the UHV Self-Service Financial Aid section.

Non-Discrimination Policy

UHV is an equal opportunity, affirmative action, co-educational institution which does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, physical handicap, national or ethnic origin. Gender designations on financial aid applications are used in order to complete required federal and state reports.

Responsibilities And Rights Of The Students

While student financial aid often seems to be at the discretion of the institution, you have certain rights and responsibilities.

Rights

You have the right to know what student financial aid programs are available at the university.
You have the right to know the deadlines for submitting applications for each of the student financial aid programs available.
You have the right to know how student financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on that distribution are made and the basis for these decisions.
You have the right to know how your financial aid was determined. This includes how the costs for tuition and fees, room and board, travel, books and supplies, and personal and miscellaneous expenses were considered in your budget.
You have the right to know what resources (such as parental contribution, other student financial aid and your assets) were considered in the calculation of your award.
You have the right to know how much of your financial need, as determined by the university, has been met.
You have the right to request an explanation of the various programs in your student financial aid package.
You have the right to know the University’s Return of Title IV Funds Policy.
You have the right to know what portion of the student financial aid you receive must be repaid and what portion is from a grant. If you receive a loan, you have the right to know what the interest rate is, the total amount to be repaid, the payback procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan and when repayment is to begin.

Responsibilities

You must complete all application forms and submit them on time to the right place.
You must provide correct information. In most instances, misreporting information on student financial aid forms is a violation of federal law and may be considered a criminal offense that could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code.
You must provide all additional documentation, verifications, corrections and other information requested by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agency to which you submitted your application.
You are responsible for reading and understanding all forms that you sign and for retaining your copies.
You must accept responsibility for all agreements that you sign.
You must perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting a FCWS or TXCWS award.
You must be aware of, and comply with, the deadlines for application or re-application for student financial aid.
You should be aware of your institution’s refund policies and procedures.
The university must provide information upon request to prospective students about the institution's academic program, its student retention, its student placement rate and its crime rate. You should consider this information carefully before deciding to attend a specific institution.
You should be familiar with this section of the financial aid and general catalog dealing with student financial aid. Special attention should be paid to academic progress standards.
You should be aware that if you transfer from one institution to another, your student financial aid does not automatically transfer with you.
You are responsible for reporting name and address changes directly to the Office of Financial Aid and the lenders of any educational loans you receive.

Student Financial Aid Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Certification

The University of Houston-Victoria participates in an education loan program under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Each employee covered by this policy must comply with this policy and the Student Financial Aid Code of Conduct provided by this policy.

UHV will annually inform its employees who have responsibilities with respect to education loans of the provisions of the code of conduct. In addition, the policy will be posted prominently on its website. UHV employees must abide by applicable UHS Board of Regents Policies and System Administrative Memoranda as well as Texas and Federal law. To the extent there is any conflict between any provision within this Student Financial Aid Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Certification and any UHS Board of Regents Policy, UHS System Administrative Memoranda, or law, the UHS Board of Regents Policy, UHS System Administrative Memoranda, or law is controlling. UHV employees must abide by applicable UHS Board of Regents Policies and System Administrative Memoranda as well as Texas and Federal law. To the extent there is any conflict between any provision within this Student Financial Aid Code of Conduct and Conflict of Interest Certification and any UHS Board of Regents Policy, UHS System Administrative Memoranda, or law, the UHS Board of Regents Policy, UHS System Administrative Memoranda, or law is controlling.

Conflicts of Interest:

It is the policy of the University of Houston-Victoria to prohibit conflicts of interest with respect to education loans, including loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan program and private education loans.

2. Gifts:

An employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans may not solicit or accept any gift from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of FFEL Program loans or private education loans.
This prohibition applies to a gift to a family member of an employee of the University of Houston-Victoria, or to any other individual based on that individual’s relationship with the employee, if the gift is given with the knowledge and acquiescence of the employee, and the employee has reason to believe the gift was given because of the official position of the employee.
For purposes of this section, "gift" means any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimis amount. The term includes a gift of services, transportation, lodging, or meals, whether provided in kind, by purchase of a ticket, by payment in advance, or by reimbursement after the expense has been incurred.
This section does not prohibit the acceptance of the following:
1. standard materials, activities, or programs on issues related to a loan, default aversion, default prevention, or financial literacy, such as a brochure, a workshop, or training;
2. food, refreshments, training, or informational material furnished to an employee of the University of Houston-Victoria as an integral part of a training session that is designed to improve the service of a lender, guarantor, or servicer of FFEL Program loans or private education loans to the institution if the training contributes to the professional development of the employee;
3. favorable terms, conditions, and borrower benefits on a FFEL Program loan or private education loan provided to a student employed by the University of Houston-Victoria if comparable to those provided to all students of the institution;
4. entrance and exit counseling services provided to borrowers to meet the responsibilities of the University of Houston-Victoria for entrance and exit counseling as required by 20 U.S.C. 1092 (b) and (l) if the institution’s staff are in control of the counseling (whether in person or electronically), and the counseling does not promote the products or services of any specific lender;
5. philanthropic contributions to the University of Houston-Victoria from a lender, servicer, or guarantor of FFEL Program loans or private education loans that are unrelated to FFEL Program loans or private education loans, or any contribution from any lender, guarantor, or servicer that is not made in exchange for any advantage related to FFEL Program loans or private education loans; or
6. state education grants, scholarships, or financial aid funds administered by or on behalf of a state

3. Advisory board compensation:

An employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans or other student financial aid of the University of Houston-Victoria, and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, may not receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, except as provided by Subsection (b).
This section does not prohibit an employee from being reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in serving on the advisory board, commission, or group.

4. Contracting arrangements:

An employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans may not accept any fee, payment, or other financial benefit, including the opportunity to purchase stock, from a lender or a lender affiliate as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to FFEL Program loans or private education loans.
This section does not prohibit:
1. an employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is not employed in the financial aid office and who does not otherwise have responsibilities with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans from performing paid or unpaid service on a board of directors of a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans;
2. an employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is not employed in the financial aid office but who has responsibility with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans from performing paid or unpaid service on a board of directors of a lender, guarantor, or servicer of FFEL Program loans or private education loans, provided that the employee recuses himself or herself from participating in any decision of the board regarding FFEL Program loans or private education loans at the University of Houston-Victoria; or
3. an officer, employee, or contractor of a lender, guarantor, or servicer of FFEL Program loans or private education loans from serving on the UHS System Board of Regents, provided that the officer, employee, or contractor recuses himself or herself from any decision regarding FFEL Program loans or private education loans at a UH System institution.

5. Stock ownership prohibited:
An employee of the University of Houston-Victoria who is employed in the financial aid office or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to FFEL Program loans or private education loans may not own stock or hold another ownership interest in a lender, other than through ownership of shares in a publicly traded mutual fund or similar investment vehicle in which the person does not exercise any discretion regarding the investment of the assets of the fund or other investment vehicle.

6. Interaction with borrowers:
The University of Houston-Victoria may not:

for a first-time borrower, assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender; or
refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.

7. Offers of funds for private loans:

The University of Houston-Victoria may not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity pool loan, to students in exchange for the University of Houston-Victoria providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with:
1. a specified number of FFEL Program loans or private education loans;
2. a specified loan volume of those loans; or
3. a preferred lender arrangement for those loans.
In this section, "opportunity pool loan" means a private education loan made by a lender to a student attending the institution or to a student’s family member that involves a payment, directly or indirectly, by the University of Houston-Victoria of points, premiums, additional interest, or financial support to the lender for the purpose of the lender extending credit to the student or family member.

8. Staffing assistance:

The University of Houston-Victoria may not request or accept any assistance with call center staffing or financial aid office staffing from any lender, except as provided by Subsection (b).
This section does not prohibit the University of Houston-Victoria from requesting or accepting assistance from a lender related to:
1. professional development training for financial aid administrators;
2. the provision of educational counseling materials, financial literacy materials, or debt management materials to borrowers, provided that the materials disclose to borrowers the identification of any lender that assisted in preparing or providing those materials; or
3. the provision of staffing services on a short-term, non-recurring basis to assist the University of Houston-Victoria with financial aid-related functions during emergencies, including state-declared or federally declared natural disasters, federally declared national disasters, and other localized disasters and emergencies identified by the Secretary of Education.

9. Revenue-Sharing Arrangements:

The University of Houston-Victoria may not enter into any revenue-sharing arrangement with a lender.
In this section, "revenue-sharing arrangement" means an arrangement between an institution and a lender under which a lender provides or issues a FFEL Program loan or private education loan to students attending the institution or to their families, and the institution recommends the lender or the lender’s loan products in exchange for the lender paying a fee or providing other material benefits, including revenue or profit sharing, to the institution or an officer or employee of the institution.

10. Definitions:
The following definitions apply in this Student Financial Aid Code of Conduct:

"FFEL Program Loan" means a loan made, ensured, or guaranteed under Part B, Title IV, of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (P.L. 89-329).
"Lender" means:

"An eligible lender in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program for loans made, ensured, or guaranteed under Part B, Title IV, of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (P.L. 89-329).
A private educational lender as defined in Section 140 of the federal Truth in Lending Act.
Any other person engaged in the business of securing, making, or extending education loans on behalf of the lender.

3. "Private Education Loan" means a loan provided by a private educational lender that is not a Title IV loan and that is issued expressly for postsecondary education expenses to a borrower, regardless of whether the loan is provided through the educational institution that the student attends or directly to the borrower from the private educational lender. A private education loan does not include an extension of credit under an open end consumer credit plan, a reverse mortgage transaction, a residential mortgage transaction, or any other loan that is secured by a real property or a dwelling.

11. In addition to the School Code of Conduct, the University of Houston-Victoria prohibits:

1. University staff from awarding and disbursing the same transaction.

2. Participating in the selection, awarding, or administration of any scholarship, grant, or loan award supported or funded by Federal, State, or University funds if a real or apparent conflict of interest exists. A conflict of interest arises when an immediate family member, partner or other organization which employs or is about to employ any of these parties, has a financial or other interest in the decision of the UHV employee.

3. University staff cannot manipulate the dates of awards for any scholarship, grant or loan that may be perceived as favorable to the employee or any family member.

Right to Privacy

The Office of Financial Aid makes every effort to ensure that all information remains confidential in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 as amended. See the UHV Catalog for more details.

Aid to Disabled Students

Special aid to students who have certain physical or emotional handicaps is offered by the Texas Rehabilitation Commission (TRC). To be eligible for TRC services, the individual must have a physical or mental disability which constitutes or results in a substantial handicap to employment.

In addition, there must be a reasonable expectation that the vocational rehabilitation services will benefit the individual in terms of employment. TRC clients are entitled to diagnostic evaluation, counseling and guidance, career planning, job development, placement and follow-up.