Current Undergraduate Students
Eastman Scholarships and Grants
Federal Aid
Applying for Federal Aid
Verification Process
Additional Funding
EASTMAN SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS
Merit Scholarships
Merit scholarships, such as the Howard Hanson and Lois Rogers Scholarships are awarded for a total of 8 semesters (10 for dual degree students). These award amounts will carry over into the new academic year provided that you are making satisfactory academic progress and are not on academic probation or have not already received 8 semesters worth of award funding.
You must maintain a 3.0 Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) to continue to receive a merit-based scholarship. Failure to maintain a 3.0 CGPA by the end of your first year of studies (or any subsequent semester) will result in a monetary reduction per semester of any merit scholarship. Academic probation students will usually receive a further merit scholarship reduction per semester. In more serious cases, the Eastman School of Music reserves the right to remove a student’s entire merit scholarship award.
Please note that jury awards and departmental awards do not roll over from year to year.
Need-based Funds
Eligiblity for the Eastman need-based institutional aid for students who began their undergraduate study at Eastman in Fall 2006 or later is determined based on the information you reported on the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov). You will be required to complete the verification process before your need-based aid will be credited to your tuition bill. As a student's need often varies from year to year, your need-based aid eligibility will be reviewed and awards will be adjusted each year accordingly. (International students who are not permanent residents of the United States are not eligible for Eastman need-based grants.) A student who continues to meet the need criteria each year may receive the grant for up to eight semesters of full-time undergraduate enrollment provided that they remain in good academic standing and maintain satisfactory progress towards their degree.
Students who are currently receiving a George Eastman Grant and were registered and attending Eastman during the 2005-06 academic year will have these funds credited directly towards their tuition bill. Student eligibility for this grant was determined at the time of acceptance to the Eastman School of Music. The grant is a four-year award and you will receive one eighth of the full grant for each of up to eight semesters (ten for dual degree students) of full-time undergraduate enrollment provided that you remain in good academic standing and maintain satisfactory progress towards your degree.
FEDERAL AID
The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant awarded to students by the federal government and does not have to be repaid. The U.S. Department of Education uses a standard formula, established by Congress, to determine your eligibility based on the information you reported on the FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov). All Pell eligible students must complete the verification process before any federal funds will be credited to your tuition bill.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG)
Awarded to Federal Pell Grant recipients who have the highest calculated need. The SEOG grant will be directly credited to your tuition bill upon completion of the verification process.
Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
The Academic Competitiveness Grant is a new grant program awarded to first and second academic year undergraduate students by the federal government and does not have to be repaid. This award began in the 2006-2007 academic year and is for full-time undergraduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants and are U.S. citizens. Students must also have completed a rigorous secondary program of study. We must have an official copy of your High School transcript and Advanced Placement test scores in order to confirm your eligibility. Once the Eastman School determines your eligibility, the ACG grant will be directly credited to your tuition bill upon completion of the verification process.
National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
The National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART) is a new grant program by the federal government awarded to students in the third or fourth academic year of an eligible program, who receive Federal Pell Grants and are U.S. citizens. Students must be pursuing an eligible major in physical, life, or computer sciences, engineering, technology, mathematics or a critical-need foreign language, and have a 3.0 CGPA. Only Eastman School students enrolled in the dual degree program (pursuing a BM degree at Eastman and a second degree program at the College) and who meet these criteria are considered for eligibility. Once the Eastman School determines your eligibility, the SMART grant will be directly credited to your tuition bill upon completion of the verification process.
The Federal Work-Study program provides full-time undergraduate students an opportunity to earn money towards educational expenses through on-campus and off-campus employment. The hourly pay for each position is based on the University of Rochester pay rate for the position based on the type of work and the skills required. Most FWS program students at the Eastman School of Music obtain employment within the school.
It is the student’s responsibility to seek available positions on campus if she/he wishes to earn work-study funds. Available positions are posted to the Careers and Professional Development website.
The hours you work will be determined by your class schedule, your supervisor, and the amount of FWS funds offered in your award letter. You may not work more than 20 hours per week and must be enrolled as a full-time student to be eligible for work-study.
This program provides low-interest (5%) long-term loans to students who demonstrate financial need. The Eastman School of Music has a very small allocation of these funds, so we are not able to award this loan to many students. If your aid package for the coming year includes this loan, you will sign your master promissory note (if we do not already have one on file for you) and additional documents when you return in August/September. Repayment does not begin until nine months after the student completes or withdraws from his or her educational program. If you wish to decline or reduce your Federal Perkins Loan, you must do so in writing.
Federal Direct Loan Program (subsidized and unsubsidized)
This program provides low-interest long-term loans for students' education expenses. Yearly loan limits per class status were increased by the federal government on July 1, 2007 to $3,500, $4,500 $5,500 and $5,500 respectively. A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need.
You will not be charged any interest on a subsidized loan before you begin repayment or during deferment, as the federal government subsidizes the interest during these periods. An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If you allow the interest to accumulate, it will be capitalized and added to the principal amount of your loan. On July 1, 2006 the interest rate for Direct Student Loans was fixed at 6.8%. Loans disbursed before this date will still have an annual variable rate which is adjusted each year on July 1, and will not exceed 8.25%. Approximately 1.5% of your loan is paid to the federal government as fees, so your actual dollar amount received will be less than the amount you borrow. Federal regulations require multiple disbursements of federal loans originated for a full academic year, so you will receive half of the loan amount in the fall term and half in the spring.
If your aid package includes a Federal Direct Loan and you are a first-time borrower at the Eastman School of Music, you must also complete a Loan Entrance Interview (www.dl.ed.gov) and a Master Promissory Note for Students (https://dlenote.ed.gov) before loan proceeds can be credited to your student account. If you are a returning student and you received a Federal Direct Loan last year, you will not be required to sign another master promissory note. Your Federal Direct Loan proceeds will be automatically applied to your student account. You will be notified of your loan eligibility through your financial aid award letter. If you wish to decline or reduce your Federal Direct Loan, you need to do so in writing no later than 30 days after the disbursement of your loan. Please note, you must decline your Federal Perkins Loan before declining a Federal Direct Loan.
Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students Program (PLUS)
This federal program provides credit-based loans that allow parents to borrow up to the cost of education minus other financial aid awarded. On July 1, 2006 the interest rate for Direct PLUS loans was fixed at 7.9%. Loans borrowed prior to this date will continue to carry a variable interest rate that will not exceed 9%. Repayment for PLUS loans begins 60 days after the second disbursement. Approximately 2.5% of this loan is paid to the federal government as fees, so the actual dollar amount received will be less than the amount you borrow. Parents may request that these fees be considered in the student’s Cost of Attendance so as to maximize the PLUS eligibility.
The PLUS loan is not automatically renewed each year. If your parents are interested in borrowing through the PLUS loan program they will have to re-apply (2009-2010) each year. Please note that a FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) is not required for a parent to borrow a PLUS loan, however we encourage students to complete the FAFSA so as to maximize their financial aid possibilities.
In addition to the Eastman PLUS application, parent borrowers will be asked to complete a Credit Balance Request Form for PLUS Borrowers for the Bursar’s Office. First-time parent borrowers who complete a PLUS application and are approved for this loan will also need to complete a Master Promissory Note for Parents.
If your parent or guardian feels that they may not be eligible for a PLUS loan, the Financial Aid Office at Eastman can run a credit check for them to determine their eligibility. He or she will need to complete and return the Credit Check Authorization Form. Students whose parents are not eligible for a PLUS loan based on their credit may receive additional unsubsidized loans.
More information on Federal Aid
APPLYING FOR FEDERAL AID
Eligibility
Students who wish to be considered for need-based funds (federal student grants, loans, and work-study) must complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov and:
- Be registered for at least 12 credit hours per semester (Students need only to be registered for 6 per semester to receive loans).
- Have made satisfactory academic progress towards completing their degree.
- Complete all necessary applications and return all required documentation.
Required Documentation
2009-2010 Academic Year
- A 2009-10 FAFSA, which can be completed on the web using your and your parents’ 2008 Federal tax returns. You may wish to first complete the 2009-2010 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet.
- In order to receive aid at the Eastman School of Music you must use Eastman’s Federal School Code, 008124, (Not the University of Rochester) in the school selection portion of the application. (NYS Residents: Eastman's Undergraduate TAP Code, 1016)
- If you choose to sign your FAFSA using an electronic signature then BOTH you and your parent(s) will need a FAFSA PIN. If you or your parent(s) do not remember or do not have a PIN, please apply for or request one at www.pin.ed.gov.
- Please also return the following to the Financial Aid Office:
- A 2009-10 Dependent Student Verification Worksheet.
- SIGNED copies of your Federal 2008 tax returns including all schedules and forms.
- SIGNED copies of your parents’ Federal 2008 tax returns including all schedules and forms (unless you are independent).
- Copies of ALL of your 2008 W-2 forms.
- Copies of ALL of your parents’ 2008 W-2 forms (unless you are independent).
VERIFICATION PROCESS
What is verification?
The verification process is completed by the school using documentation supplied by the student. In this process, the school compares the information submitted by the student and parents on the FAFSA with the student’s and the student’s parents’ Federal tax returns, W-2 forms and the verification worksheet. If there are discrepancies between the information on the FAFSA and the financial documentation submitted to the Financial Aid Office, the school will make corrections to the student’s FAFSA electronically. Such adjustments may result in a change in the student’s financial aid eligibility. Students whose Federal Aid is modified due to verification will receive a revised award letter outlining any changes.
Who needs to complete the process?
All students selected by the government for verification and all Pell eligible students are required to complete the verification process. Additionally, returning students whose FAFSA was completed using estimated tax figures (i.e. filed the FAFSA prior to filing their tax returns), those whose Student Aid Report (SAR) comments suggest that a specific item be reviewed, and those who have a flagged SAR due to inconsistent information will also be selected for verification. Any student who has applied for a Financial Aid Appeal will be verified as part of the appeal process.
What is needed for verification?
If you are selected for verification for the 2009-2010 academic year you will be required to submit:
- A 2009-2010 Dependent Student Verification Worksheet.
- SIGNED copies of your Federal 2008 tax returns including all schedules and forms.
- SIGNED copies of your parents’ Federal 2008 tax returns including all schedules and forms (unless you are independent).
- Copies of ALL of your 2008 W-2 forms.
- Copies of ALL of your parents’ 2008 W-2 forms (unless you are independent).
- Additional documentation that may be needed will be requested at the time of verification.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING
Outside Scholarships
We strongly encourage you to search and apply for outside scholarship funding. Receiving the greatest amount of outside scholarship funding requires you to consider scholarships beyond the music realm (clubs, religious organizations, ethnic groups, groups that your parents or other relatives may be involved with, etc.) and to keep your search broad (start with the general undergraduate scholarships, then try the arts, etc.).
Private Loans
Some students and families choose to borrow a private loan to cover a portion of the cost of education not already paid for by scholarships and federal grants/loans. We strongly encourage students and parents to exhaust all federal loan options prior to applying for a private loan. The federal loan programs generally offer lower interest rates and fees than private loans.
If you choose to pursue a private loan, we recommend comparing the costs associated with various loans before completing an application. Interest rates, fees, repayment periods, and other benefits can vary significantly between loans. Often these loans are based on credit-worthiness and approvals are not automatic. The FinAid.org website provides some comparative information regarding private loans. If you select a loan through a comparative website, be sure to also go to the lender's website to ensure you are getting the most up-to-date information about the loan.
The University of Rochester Eastman School of Music does not maintain a preferred lender list. As such, the University has no agreements or relationships with any lenders and does not receive any benefit, financial or otherwise, from the use of private loans by students. For more information on the University's policies, please see our Student Loan Code of Conduct and Policy on Private Lending.
Financial Aid Appeal
If your financial circumstances have changed drastically due to a parent’s/spouse’s unemployment, medical expenses, loss of personal funding (Social Security or Child Support), etc. then you may petition for additional aid by completing a 2009-10 Financial Aid Appeal Form. You will need to provide documentation to support your situation.