Who is Eligible?
Your status at the University will determine the extent to which you are eligible for the financial aid programs. Your enrollment as a full or part time student, undergraduate or graduate, is particularly critical in determining your eligibility for government programs, and the extent to which you can be funded.

Additionally you must:

• have a valid Social Security number
• U.S. citizen, national, or permanent resident
• High school diploma or GED
• Enrolled as a regular student in a matriculated program
• Make satisfactory academic progress
• Not in default in any loan program
• Programs does not exceed the allowable limits (ie: completion of credits in a timely manner)
• Males between 18-26 need to register with Selective Service System

Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate students pursuing their first four year undergraduate degree (Bachelors) may be eligible for the full array of financial aid programs from the federal and state governments. Those students wishing to obtain a second four year degree or a program certificate may only qualify for federal loans, excluding Perkins loans.

Transfer Students
Please see our Transfer Information Page.

Graduate Students
Graduate Students are eligible to apply for the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program and the regular student employment program. Priority for Federal Perkins and Federal Work-Study is given to undergraduate students. Graduate Students must have 5 matriculated credits per semester.

A number of graduate assistantships and fellowships are available to qualified graduate students. Graduate assistants and fellows receive a stipend and a fee waiver for the academic year. Students interested in applying for these positions should contact the Graduate School and their respective academic departments for detailed information.

International Students
International students are not eligible for federal and state financial assistance. However, students possessing F-1 or J-1 visas may work part-time on campus through the University's own student employment program. Students may work up to twenty hours a week when classes are in session and forty hours a week during breaks. For information and eligibility criteria, contact Cinzia Richardson in the Department of International Student Services at 973.720.2306 or to their offices in Raubinger Hall.

Change in Family Status/Circumstance
If your status or your family's circumstances change because of a separation, divorce, unemployment or death, we may be able to help. Please pick up a "Request for Review" at the Office.

The Form must be submitted with all required supporting documentation. Any adjustment in aid resulting from this request is contingent upon your eligibility according to program regulations and the availability of funds to the University at the time of review.

Determining Independent Status
To determine Independent Status the Financial Aid Office is required to adhere to the standard definition of independent status as mandated by Congress and outlined by the United States Department of Education.
According to this definition, you will be considered an automatic independent student if you meet one of the following criteria:

• reached 24 years of age
• is an orphan or legal ward of the court (or was prior to their 18th birthday) *requires documentation
• is a veteran of the Armed Forces *may require documentation
• is married at the time of filing
• enrolled in a graduate or professional program (beyond bachelor's degree)
• Have legal dependents other than a spouse for whom YOU provide at least 50% support *requires documentation

Students who qualify as automatically independent are not required to provide parents' information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Financial Aid Office does reserve the right, however, to request additional documentation to verify your dependency status.

If you believe you have specialized circumstances that warrant being considered independent beyond the above reasons, please call and request a "Dependency Status Appeal Form". You would need to be counseled to proceed with this specialized appeal.

Cost of Attendance (Budget)
The cost of attending William Paterson University for an academic year (two semesters) includes your tuition, books and supplies, dorm/rental costs, transportation and loan fees. The Office will assume that you will be enrolled full-time (twelve hours or more each semester for undergraduates, nine hours or more each semester for graduates) for the academic year for the purposes of putting together the first Award Package. Adjustments will be made upon actual registration.

Financial Need
Financial Need is the difference between your cost of attendance (budget) and the Estimated Family Contribution as per the FAFSA. This system is federally legislated and used by postsecondary institutions across the nation. Mathematically, financial need is determined as:

Cost of Attendance (student budget) -
Expected Family Contribution (parents and student)
______________________
= Financial Need

Citizenship Policy
An applicant who is a permanent resident or other eligible non-citizen may need to provide documentation of that status to receive federal student financial aid funds.
Confirmation may be provided automatically through the results of a computer match with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) records. If the applicant's status has been confirmed, no other documentation is required, and eligibility for federal aid has been established.

If INS confirmation is not received, the applicant must bring one of the following documents, if applicable, to the Financial Aid Office in order to establish eligibility:

• a Certificate of Naturalization/Citizenship (preferred)
• a valid U.S. passport
• an Alien Registration Receipt Card (Form 1-151, I-551, or 1-551C)
• Temporary Resident Card (Form I-688)
• an Arrival-Departure Record (Form 1-94)
• a Family Unity Status Form (1-797s)
• a Form FS-240
• a completed Form G-641
  

A staff member in the Aid Office will review the document and make the determination to clear the student for financial aid or mail the documentation to the INS for confirmation. Within 10-15 working days after mailing the INS will respond. Financial aid will not be awarded until the INS confirmation is received at the Financial Aid Office.

Applicants will meet eligibility requirements for federal aid as long as the documentation is submitted by the student and the secondary confirmation is determined by the last day of his/her enrollment during the academic year. If the documentation is not received by the last day of enrollment, the applicant will not be eligible to receive federal financial aid funds

The Financial Aid Office at William Paterson University
300 Pompton Road, Wayne, NJ 07470
Tel: 973.720.2202 - Fax: 973.720.3133
http://ww2.wpunj.edu/finaid/famain.htm