Financial Aid and Scholarships

The mission of Financial Aid and Scholarships is to support the goals of the University by assisting students and parents to identify possible sources of financial assistance that will encourage economic, social, cultural and academic diversity in the student body. In fulfilling this mission, the office provides counseling and information on financial resources, educational financial planning, and debt management. We also support the University’s goal to provide access to higher education and to attract a talented and diverse student population.

Financial aid available to Coastal students is derived from federal and state government sources such as scholarships, grants, work-study, loans and Veterans Educational Benefits. Additional scholarships are provided by Coastal Carolina University, along with other funds made available through private and public sources.

To determine whether or not a student is eligible for federal student aid programs, the student and his/her family completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. As applicants’ financial aid files are completed, funds are awarded and the students are notified via email. The University expects students and their families to share in the responsibility of meeting the costs of college.

Operating Principles

Coastal supports the following principles:

1. The primary purpose of a financial aid program should be to help provide financial assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend college.
2. The family of a student is expected to make a maximum effort to assist the student with college expenses. Financial assistance from colleges and other sources should be viewed only as supplementary to the efforts of the family.
3. The student who receives federal financial assistance must maintain satisfactory academic progress as outlined in the University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy to remain eligible for federal financial aid.

Veteran Education Benefits

Eligible veterans can receive assistance with applying for VA educational benefits. The U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs determines eligibility for and awards this benefit. You can determine if you are eligible by calling the VA Regional Office at 1-888-442-4551. Then contact the Office of Veterans Services in Student Life to obtain the appropriate forms for certification, 843-349-4124.

Students receiving VA educational benefits are expected to maintain satisfactory progress towards a degree. Normal standards of progress, as stated in the Catalog, are applicable to VA students. Veterans or eligible persons must take courses that are essential to their degree program and cannot receive VA benefits for courses that are not essential to their program of study, or for repeating courses in which they have earned a satisfactory grade, or for courses which are graded on a Pass-Fail basis. To receive benefits for an Independent Study or Distance Learning, approval must be obtained from the S.C. Commission on Higher Education prior to certification for the semester.

Once enrollment has been certified, the VA student is responsible for reporting any updates or changes to his/her enrollment status to the Office of Veterans Services in Student Life. This includes the dropping and/or adding of classes and complete withdrawal from the University. Failure to do so may result in the termination of benefits and possibly an overpayment situation.

The following is a synopsis of VA Program Chapters:

Contact Greg Nance for Chapter 31, Chapter 1606, and Tuition Assistance at glnance@coastal.edu or 843-349-2203.

Contact Sheila Singleton for Chapter 33, 35, 1607, and 32 at ssinglet@coastal.edu or 843-349-2464.

Federal Tuition Assistance

Eligible Active Duty, National Guard, and Reserve Service Members may be eligible for Federal Tuition Assistance or (FTA) through their branch of service. Federal Tuition Assistance is administered through the Department of Defense and authorizes each branch of the military to pay up to $250 per semester credit hour, not including fees. FTA is paid directly to the school by the individual service branches. For further information regarding Federal Tuition Assistance please contact Gregory Nance at 843-349-2203 or glnance@coastal.edu.

Financial Aid

To determine if you are eligible for financial aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Federal Title IV Census Date

Coastal Carolina University uses the last date of the 100 percent tuition refund period as the official federal census date for all federal aid recipients. For an accurate calculation of federal awards students must be enrolled in required courses as of the established census date.

In summary:

• To receive Direct, Perkins or PLUS loans, you must be enrolled in at least six eligible credit hours on the federal census date. Classes added after the federal census date will not be counted as eligible credit hours for federal loans.
• Federal Pell Grant amounts will be awarded based on the number of TIV eligible credit hours that you are registered in as of the federal census date. Classes added after the federal census date will not be counted as eligible credit hours for federal Title IV aid.
• Required coursework – enrollment status, in part, determines eligibility for federal Title IV aid. Federal aid includes the Pell, SEOG, and TEACH Grant, Perkins Loan, Direct Student (Subsidized and Unsubsidized) Loans, Direct Parent PLUS Loan, Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, and Federal Work-Study. Enrollment status is determined by the number of credit hours that you are enrolled in that actually count toward your degree program. Classes that do not fulfill core, foundation, major, or required elective requirements within your degree program are not counted in determining your enrollment status for federal aid eligibility.

Grants

Federal Pell Grants

The Federal Pell Grant is a student aid program that provides grants for students attending college who have not previously received a baccalaureate degree. Eligibility is based on your resources and determined by a formula developed by the U.S. Department of Education. Pell Grant awards range from $606 to $5,920.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program is a student aid program from which you may receive up to $1,500 each year depending on your financial need, the availability of FSEOG funds at Coastal, and the amount of other aid you receive. These funds are limited.

South Carolina Need-Based Grant

The South Carolina Need-Based Grant Program is designed to provide additional financial assistance to South Carolina’s neediest students. The award will assist South Carolina residents who wish to attend public or colleges or universities in the State. These funds are limited.

Educational Loans

Federal Perkins Loan

The Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan to assist you in paying for your education. You may be eligible to borrow up to $3,000 a year. As a student, you pay no interest on the loan while attending school at least half time. The interest rate is five percent during the repayment period which begins nine months after you leave college or cease being enrolled as at least a half-time student. These funds are limited and based on need. This loan will not be available after the 2017-2018 academic year.

Federal Direct Student Loans

The Federal Direct Student Loan is a low-interest college loan designed to assist students and parents with funding a student’s education after high school. Direct Student Loans are federal loans and can be subsidized or unsubsidized depending on the student’s financial need. Students must be enrolled at least half time (six required credit hours) to be eligible to receive these loans.

Direct Subsidized Loans are awarded on the basis of financial need. The federal government pays the interest on these loans while the student is in school. The maximum lifetime award amount for the Direct Subsidized Loan is $23,000. Please refer to Federal Student Aid for additional restrictions regarding Direct Subsidized Loans.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not awarded on the basis of financial need and will accrue interest while the student is in school. Interest only payments may be made while the student is in school to avoid having the interest added to the principal loan amount. Maximum award amounts are determined on the basis of the dependency status of the student and their current grade level. Independent students may also be eligible to borrow up to $4,000 a year for their freshman and sophomore years, and up to $5,000 a year for junior and senior years. Dependent students whose parents have been denied a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan are also eligible for additional unsubsidized loan funds.

These loans have a six-month grace period before repayment begins after the student graduates or is no longer attending at least half-time.

To determine if you are eligible, students must complete:

1. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),
2. Master Promissory Note for Federal Direct Student Loans, and
3. Entrance Loan Counseling for Direct Student Loans.

South Carolina Teachers Loan

The South Carolina Teachers Loan Program was established by the State of South Carolina through the Education Improvement Act of 1984 to attract talented and qualified students to the teaching profession. This loan has forgiveness options by teaching in South Carolina public schools in an area of critical need.

The loan is forgiven at the rate of 20 percent for each full year of teaching in a critical subject or a critical geographic area within South Carolina. If you teach in both a critical subject and geographic area, your loan will be forgiven at the rate of 33 1/3 percent for each year of full-time teaching. The subject areas deemed critical at the time you apply will be honored when you begin teaching; critical geographic areas must be deemed critical at the time of your employment. If you decide not to teach, the interest rate on the loan is determined by the South Carolina Student Loan Corporation.

Freshmen and sophomores may borrow up to $2,500 per year. Juniors, seniors and graduate students may borrow up to $5,000 per year. This loan has a priority filing deadline of April 30 and the funds are limited.

For more information and to determine if you are eligible, please visit the South Carolina Student Loan website.

Federal Direct Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)

The PLUS program was created to give parents of dependent students an additional financial resource. There is no interest rate subsidy, and need is not a factor. There is no interest rate subsidy, and need is not a factor. The interest rate is determined each July by the Department of Education. The PLUS program is available for parents of dependent students only.

Repayment of the loan begins once it is fully disbursed; however, deferment options are available by contacting the loan servicer. A PLUS loan is used primarily to assist families pay tuition bills not covered by other aid. Loans may be made up to the total cost of education per dependent, minus other estimated financial aid.

To apply for a Federal Parent Loan for a dependent student, parents complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be completed each year prior to completing the PLUS loan application. Obtain more information on the Financial Aid and Scholarship’s website.

On-Campus Student Employment Opportunities

The Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity coordinates all on-campus student employment. The department will assist students with locating part-time jobs on campus. For more information and to view an active list of available student positions, please visit the Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity website.

Federal Work Study Program

The Federal Work Study program is a federal student aid program that provides part-time jobs on campus for eligible students. Students may work up to 20 hours a week when classes are in session and up to 37.5 hours during times when classes are not in session up to an authorized amount of wages with approval from Financial Aid and Scholarships. Students should seek placement in available jobs through the Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity. Funds are limited.

Institutional Work Study Program

The Institutional Employment Program is a Coastal Carolina University program that provides part-time jobs on campus for students who may or may not have financial need. There is no application for this program other than completing the applicable job application. Students should seek placement in available jobs through the Office of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Institutions participating in Title IV federal aid programs are required by the United States Department of Education to establish institutional policies which define and measure the quantitative and qualitative progress of eligible students. Each student who receives federal financial aid at Coastal Carolina University is required to maintain satisfactory academic progress toward completion of his/her program of study. Students will be evaluated on an annual basis.

Coastal Carolina University’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy:

1. Students must be admitted and enrolled as degree-seeking students.
2. Students must meet the University’s standards for continued enrollment as specified in the Academic Standing  section of the university catalog. A petition for continued enrollment granted by the Academic Suspension Petitions Committee does not constitute evidence of satisfactory academic progress for federal financial aid purposes. If mitigating circumstances were a factor in the student’s unsatisfactory academic performance, a separate appeal process is required for federal financial aid consideration.
3. Students must achieve or maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0.
4. Students must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 67 percent of the courses they attempt at the institution. Please note, courses dropped from a student’s schedule after the published drop/add period are included in the completion percentage.
5. Students must complete requirements for a single degree within 150 percent of the published length of the program. The total number of credit hours attempted may not exceed the equivalent of 12 full-time (15 credit hour) semesters or 180 attempted credits. Please note that all transfer work accepted by the University is included in a student’s total attempted credits.

Transfer students unconditionally admitted to the University will be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for federal financial aid at the time of enrollment. Students with excessive transfer credits are encouraged to see a Financial Aid Counselor in reference to their maximum time frame of eligibility for federal financial aid.

If a student’s ability to meet the University’s standards of satisfactory academic progress was affected by mitigating circumstances, he/she may appeal the denial of federal financial assistance with Financial Aid and Scholarships. Examples of mitigating circumstances include but are not limited to: mental or physical illness, death of a loved one, divorce or separation. Written documentation, in addition to that required by the established appeal process, is required to validate the mitigating circumstance(s).

A student who has earned a previous degree and is now seeking a second degree is required to submit an appeal for federal financial aid consideration. These students must submit documentation to explain why they are seeking a second degree or career change. In addition, the program evaluation with an anticipated graduation date, signed by their adviser is required. If the student’s plan is deemed reasonable, a conditional approval for federal financial aid will be issued one semester at a time until the student successfully completes his/her goal or fails to meet the stipulations of his/her conditional approval.

A student’s unsatisfactory academic progress standing may not affect his/her ability to seek or receive private financial assistance to attend the institution. A student who does not have mitigating circumstances to warrant an appeal for federal aid is encouraged to explore alternative or private funding to continue his/her enrollment. Please see a Financial Aid Counselor if you need assistance with obtaining private funding from a lender that doesn’t require Satisfactory Academic Progress standards to be met.

Refunds/Repayments

Students are academically and financially responsible for their course registration and must terminate enrollment in classes which they do not intend to complete. To drop a course, the student must complete a Registration form available from their adviser. To completely withdraw, the student must complete a University Semester Withdrawal form available from the University College. Refund refers to the amount of money used to pay institutional charges that the institution must return to the student and/or to the financial aid programs after the student has withdrawn or dropped courses. Repayment refers to the amount of any cash disbursement made to the student that the student must repay to the school after the student has withdrawn or dropped courses. For students who receive federal Title IV funds, a copy of the Return of Federal Title IV Funds policy worksheet is available in Financial Aid and Scholarships. The student should refer to the Fees and Expenses  section of this catalog for specific refund schedules.

Policy for Withdrawal Refunds

Refunds for students who withdraw from the institution are calculated on the basis of either 1) University refund calculation (students who do not receive Title IV federal financial aid), or 2) University refund calculation and Return of Federal Title IV Funds policy (students who receive federal Title IV financial aid). Both refund calculations conform to federal regulations set forth by the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Amendments of 1998 (Public Law 105-244 approved on Nov. 1, 1999).

The Return of Federal Title IV Funds policy applies only to students at the University who are recipients of federal Title IV financial aid. A copy of the Return of Federal Title IV Funds policy worksheet is available in Financial Aid and Scholarships. The University policy applies to all other students who withdraw from the institution.

Any financial aid for which the student was eligible prior to withdrawal, but which has not been disbursed, will be canceled and returned to the source. Students who stop attending and fail to withdraw from the University may be subject to the repayment of any Title IV federal funds received.

Distribution of Refunds/Return of Funds

If a student receives Title IV (federal) funds from more than one source, the University will distribute the refund based on the following mandated priorities:

1. Unsubsidized /Direct Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized /Direct Stafford Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Direct PLUS
5. Pell Grant
6. FSEOG
7. Other Title IV Programs

Repayments for Withdrawals

After a Return of Federal Title IV calculation has been completed and funds have been returned to the federal program(s), the student may owe a repayment to the university.

Any student who owes a repayment will be billed by Coastal Carolina University’s Office of Student Accounts, and have a hold placed on the academic record which prohibits graduating, obtaining a transcript, or registering for classes. The student may also be prohibited from receipt of any further disbursement of Title IV federal aid at any institution.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Coastal Carolina University offers a variety of scholarships to new students accepted into the University as well as to continuing University students. Specific criteria for each of the merit awards are listed on the Office of Admissions and Merit Awards website. Merit-based scholarships are automatically awarded while application-based scholarships require completion of a scholarship application via WebAdvisor.

As there are a limited number of awards available in each scholarship category, not all students who meet the minimum criteria will be awarded a scholarship. Please read the requirements and deadlines for each of the scholarships carefully.

Coastal Carolina University scholarships are applied to the student’s account in equal amounts each semester. Scholarship recipients must maintain full-time student status at Coastal Carolina University during the fall and spring semesters unless otherwise noted in a specific scholarship. Many of Coastal Carolina University’s scholarships are renewable for a maximum of eight semesters. The maximum length of the award is specified in the scholarship award letter.

The renewal criteria must be met each academic year. Most scholarships require the student to complete at least 30 credit hours per academic year (fall, spring and subsequent summer semesters) and maintain a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA, unless otherwise noted. Students who do not meet the required scholarship criteria for renewal have the opportunity to use the summer semesters to attain the required GPA and earn the required credit hours at Coastal Carolina University. The total of all scholarships and financial aid awards cannot exceed the cost of attendance as determined by the Financial Aid and Scholarships. Scholarship award amounts may vary each year depending on donor contribution or for the purpose of not exceeding the student’s cost of attendance.

All scholarship recipients are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order for Financial Aid and Scholarships to determine an accurate cost of attendance for each student. The FAFSA should be completed and the results submitted to Financial Aid and Scholarships by March 1st in order to be considered for application-based scholarships requiring demonstration of financial need.

The awarding of all scholarships is dependent upon available funding.

For more information, contact:

Financial Aid and Scholarships
Coastal Carolina University
P.O. Box 261954
Conway, SC 29528-6054
Toll free: 1-800-277-7000

Notes:

1. Awards are based on available funding.
2. Renewal of university merit awards requires earning an average of 30 credit hours each academic year while maintaining a minimum 3.0 cumulative CCU GPA.
3. The maximum number of eligible semesters depends upon the academic level of the recipient at the point of matriculation at Coastal Carolina University. Freshmen students are awarded for a maximum of eight semesters and transfer students are awarded according to the number of credits transferred into the University.
4. All references to SAT score in this publication refer to the evidence-based reading and writing plus math sections on exams taken in March 2016 and later unless otherwise noted.
5. Out-of-state merit awards include a cash award and a partial out-of-state tuition waiver.
6. Out-of-state tuition waiver(s) may not exceed the difference between in-state and out-of-state tuition.
7. Information in this publication is subject to change without notification.

Merit Scholarships for New Students

Coastal Carolina University is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and recognizes outstanding freshmen and transfer students through its merit scholarship program. All full-time, degree-seeking students who apply for admission to the University are automatically considered for the following merit scholarships. For additional information on the Merit Scholarship program, please refer to Merit Scholarships for New Students in the Office of Admissions section of this catalog.

South Carolina State Scholarships

The following scholarships are available to South Carolina residents only. For more information on the scholarship programs listed below, please visit the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education’s website.

• The SC Palmetto Fellows Scholarship and Palmetto Fellows Scholarship Enhancement Programs (See your high school guidance counselor for an application)
• The SC Palmetto LIFE Scholarship and LIFE Scholarship Enhancement Programs - no application necessary
• The SC Hope Scholarship Program - no application necessary

Academic Common Market (ACM)

The Academic Common Market (ACM) is a tuition-savings program for college students from selected states in the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) who want to pursue degrees that are not offered by their home state institutions. If approved, students can enroll in out-of-state institutions that offer their degree programs and pay only the in-state tuition rates. The ACM program is not competitive or merit-based, but applicants must meet home state residency requirements and college program admissions requirements. To qualify for the Academic Common Market, a student must be a resident of an SREB member state, be admitted unconditionally into the institution and program that is approved by the home state, enroll as a full-time student and be certified by the home state to participate.

For information on how to apply for Academic Common Market programs, please visit the Southern Regional Education Board’s website. Additional information is also located on the Admissions and Merit Awards and Financial Aid and Scholarship’s websites.

Application-Based Scholarships for New and Continuing Students

Application-based scholarships require that students complete a scholarship application via WebAdvisor and submit any additional requirements by the application deadline each year for consideration. Applicants will be notified through Coastal email or postal mail of the results of their application each year. For the most current information on scholarship opportunities, visit the Financial Aid and Scholarship’s website.

Horry County Higher Education Commission Scholarships

Scholarships are available to eligible residents of Horry County enrolled at Coastal Carolina University. For more information about each scholarship opportunity, please visit the Admissions and Merit Awards and Financial Aid and Scholarships websites.