Expenses & Financial Aid

Tuition and expenses may be subject to change after publication, including tuition and fee increases due to currency exchange rate fluctuations for study abroad programs. For current rates, visit our website at www.plattsburgh.edu/fees.

Estimated Expenses/Semester
As of January 2017

*The Student Association fee for Main Campus students is charged to all graduate and undergraduate students matriculated at the Main Campus regardless of where they take their classes. The rate is based on the semester they matriculated.

The Student Association fee for Branch Campus students is charged to all undergraduate students matriculated at the Branch Campus regardless of where they take their classes. The rate is as follows:

**For a description and criteria for waiver eligibility, click the fee name at www.plattsburgh.edu/fees.

In-state Residency for Tuition Purposes

An emancipated U.S. citizen or permanent resident whose domicile has been in the State of New York for a period of at least one year immediately preceding the time of registration for any period of attendance shall be considered a New York state resident for the purpose of determining the tuition rate payable for such period. Generally, an unemancipated student’s state of residency is considered the same as that of his or her custodial parent(s) or legal guardian(s). All other persons shall be presumed to be out-of-state residents for such purpose, unless domiciliary status is demonstrated in accordance with guidelines adopted by the University and in 8 NYCRR §302 (Tuition and Fees). Certain holders of non-immigrant visas may qualify for in-state tuition. Students who are classified as out-of-state residents for tuition purposes but believe they are eligible for in-state tuition may apply for consideration as in-state residents. To be considered, they need to complete a residency application and submit the application along with requested documents to the Associate Director of Student Financial Services. An application is available on the Student Accounts website at www.plattsburgh.edu/studentaccounts. Click on “Out-of-State Students” to the left. The deadline for applying is Friday of the fourth week of each semester.

Billing Procedure

For instructions on how to process and pay a current-term bill, please go to the Student Accounts website at www.plattsburgh.edu/studentaccounts. Click on “Forms” to the left. Look for the heading “Adjust Bill, Confirm Enrollment, Make Payment.”

For information about each fee, please go to the Student Accounts website at www.plattsburgh.edu/fees. A bill for your registered courses will be available online following course registration. Check or money order should be payable in U.S. funds to SUNY Plattsburgh. Tuition and fees may also be paid with MasterCard, Visa, Discover or American Express cards. International students should pay through Flywire at www.flywire.com/pay/plattsburgh. Please make payment by the due date to avoid administrative and late payment fees. Bills processed after the bill due date will be assessed an administrative fee (between $30 and $50, depending on the balance). A late payment fee of up to $50 per month thereafter may be charged on outstanding balances, up to a maximum of four charges per semester. The Registrar charges continuing students who missed the priority registration period a $40 late registration fee.

Miscellaneous Expenses

Textbooks, except those provided by the library, and other incidentals such as pencils, paper, art supplies, lab materials, etc. must be paid by the student.

Refunds

Fees are refunded in accordance with policies established by those services (or service providers). A student who is given permission to cancel registration shall be liable for payment of tuition in accordance with the following schedule:

Account balances less than $5 will not be refunded unless specifically requested by a student within 120 days of initial forfeiture. Otherwise the balance may remain forfeited.

Note to financial aid recipients: Refunds are determined by specific financial aid policies and regulations when a student withdraws from the college or from all courses during a semester. (See Financial Aid.)

Refund Process

SUNY Plattsburgh has partnered with BankMobile Disbursements, a financial services company focused solely on higher education, to bring refunds to SUNY Plattsburgh students.

After students receive their optional BankMobile Vibe debit card, activating the card is easy:

1. Go to www.refundselection.com.
2. At the bottom of the screen enter your personal code.  This is either the number on your card you received in a bright green envelope or your net ID followed by your two-digit birth month and two-digit birth day.
3. Decide how fast to receive future refunds.

Students can choose one of two options for how to receive future refunds:

1. Electronic deposit to another account.
2. Electronic deposit to an optional BankMobile Vibe account.

For students choosing the an optional BankMobile Vibe account, the card becomes a debit MasterCard (not a credit card) that can be used wherever MasterCard is accepted. For students choosing ACH to another bank account, the card does not function as a debit card. However, we suggest that the card be kept in a safe place in case students decide to change their refund option in the future. Visit bankmobilevibe.com to learn more about the benefits of the optional BankMobile Vibe debit card and these refund options.

The optional BankMobile Vibe debit card is mailed to the current mailing address on file with SUNY Plattsburgh. To learn more about how Cardinal Cash and the optional BankMobile Vibe debit card differ, click on the link web.plattsburgh.edu/studentlife/studentaccounts .

Financial Aid

SUNY Plattsburgh’s Office of Financial Aid administers programs designed to assist students in securing financial resources to help pay for college. This office processes over $60 million in financial assistance each academic year. Financial aid is offered through federal, state, veterans, institutional, and private programs. The following sections summarize these programs, including application procedures, eligibility criteria, guidelines, and award amounts. The section also describes the academic standards that students must satisfy while attending SUNY Plattsburgh in order to remain eligible for federal, state and institutional aid programs. All information cited below is subject to change without notification. Additional information can be found on the financial aid website.

Federal Aid Programs and Eligibility

To apply for federal aid programs, click “Apply for Aid” on our Web page www.plattsburgh.edu/financialaid and follow the steps. If you apply for federal aid programs, the Financial Aid Office will determine your eligibility for federal grants, loans, and workstudy based upon your responses on the federal application (FAFSA). Our Web pages includes descriptions of these programs.

In order to be eligible for federal aid, students must file the FAFSA, meet federal citizenship and residency requirements, possess a social security number, register with Selective Service (males only), have a high school diploma or its equivalent, and matriculate in a degree program at SUNY Plattsburgh. All federal aid programs require students to enroll for at least six credits per semester, excluding the Pell Grant and TEACH Grant. Matriculated students may only receive aid for courses that are required for their degree. Students may only receive federal aid once for a repeat course that was previously passed.

Students cannot be in default on federal loans and must meet all federal standards for academic progress each semester. (See Satisfactory Academic Progress.)

For all federal loans, students must sign a promissory note, pass an entrance interview, and complete an exit interview. Students selected for verification by the federal government must furnish income and household data upon request. In addition, due to government regulations, students may need to submit additional information to the office upon request. All of these requirements and other requirements that students must satisfy are described in the Federal Student Aid Handbook www.ifap.ed.gov.

All federal financial aid awards are contingent upon the enrollment status of the student at the time of the award. Changes in enrollment status may result in changes to the award. For example, if a student registers with a full-time course load (at least 12 credits) and then drops below full-time, the student may lose a portion of federal aid and be responsible for repaying the funds to the federal government or the college. The amount to repay is calculated from a formula provided by the federal government. Failure to repay funds may result in a loss of aid eligibility for all federal student aid at SUNY Plattsburgh and any other institutions, and account holds, as well.

State Aid Programs and Eligibility

Our Web pages include descriptions of state aid programs. The most common state aid programs include the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and other state programs offered by the Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC).

To apply for the Tuition Assistance Program, click “Apply for Aid” on our Web page at www.plattsburgh.edu/financialaid and follow the relevant steps. To apply for other state aid programs, follow the instructions provided by the specific aid program. These are available online at www.hesc.ny.gov.

In order to be eligible for TAP, students must complete the online TAP application, satisfy state residency requirements, and progress each semester. (See Satisfactory Academic Progress). Students must be enrolled in a New York state institution full-time and meet GPA requirements. Matriculated students may only receive aid for courses that are required for their degree. Students may receive state aid only once for a course with an acceptable grade earned for graduation. Receiving aid for a repeat course is only allowed if the student received an initial grade that was not acceptable and the repeat is required for graduation. Due to state regulations, students may need to submit additional information to our office upon request. All of these requirements and other requirements that students must satisfy are described in the HESC Programs, Policies, and Procedures at www.hesc.ny.gov.

Similar to federal aid, all state financial aid awards are contingent upon the enrollment status of the student at the time of the award. Changes in enrollment status may result in changes to the award. For example, students will lose a TAP award if their enrollment status falls below full-time (at least 12 credits) prior to the end of the fourth week of the semester. If changes in enrollment status reduce award levels, students may be responsible for repaying the funds to the state government or the college. Failure to repay funds may result in a loss of aid eligibility for all state aid at SUNY Plattsburgh and any other institutions, and account holds, as well.

Institutional Aid Programs and Eligibility

Student Accounts offers two payment plans that are designed to assist those students and their families who find it difficult to pay their total bill by the due date. A payment plan brochure may be downloaded at www.plattsburgh.edu/studentaccounts.

The Office of Admissions, the Global Education Office, and academic departments award most institutional grants, scholarships, and housing discounts. New students’ eligibility for awards is determined through review of academic records undertaken by the Office of Admissions (518-564-2040) for new domestic students and by the Global Education Office (518-564-3287) for new international students. In the spring, academic departments select continuing students from within their major for grants and scholarships based upon academic achievement. Visit our Web pages or contact one of these departments for more information on institutional programs.

Some institutional awards have criteria that students must satisfy in order for the award to be renewed from semester to semester (e.g., minimum GPAs, on-campus residence, etc.). In order to renew an award, students must satisfy all the criteria outlined in their initial award letter. The Financial Aid Office evaluates whether students satisfy these criteria at the end of each semester. Once the evaluation is complete, Financial Aid cancels all aid for which the student did not satisfy the standards and notifies the student. The first time a student fails a GPA standard, the student is automatically assigned one semester of probation and the award is reinstated for this probationary semester. If the student does not satisfy all the standards at the end of this probationary semester or in any future semester, the student becomes ineligible for the award. Institutional awards cancelled for these reasons are lost permanently. If an award is for undergraduate study, a student will lose the award if their enrollment status changes to graduate student, even if the student meets all other criteria.

Private Aid Programs and Eligibility

Private financial aid programs generally include grants and scholarships from non-profit organizations and alternative loans from banks and other lenders. The sponsor determines the application procedures for private grants and scholarships, such as Gates Millennium and Elks Scholarship. Students can use one of the scholarship search engines to search for private grants and scholarships. Some banks offer alternative loans to students who need additional assistance in meeting college costs.

Veterans Affairs Aid Programs and Eligibility

Financial aid staff is available to assist students in obtaining educational benefits sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Veterans, active duty service personnel, and their families may be eligible for funding through Chapter 1606/1607 (Reserves and National Guard), Chapter 30 (Montgomery GI Bill), Chapter 31 (Vocational Rehabilitation), Chapter 32 (VEAP), Chapter 33 (Post 9/11 GI Bill), and Chapter 35 (DEA).

For more information visit the GI Bill website www.gibill.va.gov. This website includes an online application for VA education benefits, called VONAPP. The Veterans Support Coordinator also assists veterans, those in the National Guard, reservists, and dependents (spouses and children) of veterans/active-duty military personnel in taking full advantage of the educational benefits available to them through the GI Bill and other military-affiliated programs.

For questions about VA, DoD and other military-related benefits, please call the Veterans Support Office at 518-564-4425 or email guyn3924@plattsburgh.edu.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students must satisfy minimum academic standards in order to remain eligible for federal and state aid programs. The Financial Aid Office evaluates whether students satisfy these standards at the end of each semester. Based on the evaluation, Financial Aid assigns a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) status for the upcoming semester and depending upon the result, may be required to cancel all financial aid for which the student is ineligible.

Federal Eligibility Standards

All matriculated students must meet the following standards to both establish and maintain eligibility for federal aid programs. Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standards are evaluated at the end of each semester. SAP standards for federal aid programs include qualitative (GPA) and quantitative (pace) components, and maximum time frame requirements.

Qualitative Measure (GPA). Students who have completed less than one year of academic pursuit must maintain a minimum Plattsburgh cumulative GPA of 1.6. At one year completed and beyond, a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA is required.

The cumulative GPA at Plattsburgh does not include transfer coursework, or the following grades: pass (P), incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), withdrawal from college (WC), non-credit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR), and audit (U). The college’s Academic Amnesty Policy does not apply to the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress for financial aid. Grades removed under academic amnesty will continue to be counted in the SAP review.

Quantitative Measure (Pace). Students who have completed less than one year of academic pursuit must earn at least 50% of all credits attempted. At one year completed and beyond, 66.7% of all attempted credits must be earned.

Transfer credits accepted at SUNY Plattsburgh count as both attempted and completed credits. Note that pass (P) grades are considered completed credits, although the following are not: failure (E), incomplete (I), withdrawal (W), withdrawal from college (WC), non-credit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR), and audit (U).

Maximum Time Frame. Students must successfully complete their degree pursuit within 150% of the credits required for graduation. Generally, 150% is a maximum of 180 attempted credits or six years of study. Upon request from the student, the number of years remaining will be adjusted for students who have graduated from Plattsburgh and are working on their second bachelor’s degree.

Repeated Credits. Students may repeat coursework according to University academic policy, defined in the college catalog. Federal aid programs may only be used one time for retaking previously passed coursework. The most recent/last grade earned in repeat coursework will be used in the GPA computation and only courses taken and repeated at SUNY Plattsburgh (or through cross registration) will count toward a student’s GPA. Each course attempt is included in the quantitative and maximum time frame components of SAP review.

Remedial and English as a Second Language (ESL) Credit Limitations. The maximum number of remedial and ESL credits attempted for which aid may be received is 30 credits. Students must attend in college-level coursework while taking remedial and ESL classes, earning at least 3 college-level credits in their first semester and at least 6 college-level credits in subsequent semesters.

Financial Aid Warning and Appeals. The first time students fail a federal standard (other than maximum time frame and maximum semesters for Pell), they are automatically assigned one-semester of warning and continue to receive federal aid during this warning semester.

If ineligible for federal aid, students may continue to attend without federal aid or appeal for a probation term.

If students have not exceeded the maximum time frame for federal aid or maximum TAP points, students can regain eligibility through two options.

First, students can attend without federal and state aid while addressing all of the failed standards. Students will become eligible again once all the minimum standards are satisfied again. In this situation, students could consider using an alternative loan to help fund educational expenses.

Second, students may appeal for a probation term. The form is available in the directory of forms. Appeals are warranted under extraordinary and unusual circumstances beyond the control of the student that had an inevitable impact on academic performance. Examples may involve an unexpected acute physical illness, unforeseen acute psychological condition, or unanticipated catastrophic event experienced by the student, parent, spouse or partner.

The student must thoroughly and comprehensively document the circumstances in writing from credible sources. There must also be a reasonable expectation that the student will meet all future requirements. In general, students may only receive one appeal in their academic career. An appeal is only valid for one semester of probation. By the end of this semester, students must satisfy all of the academic standards in order to regain eligibility.

Students may not appeal the maximum time frame for federal aid or maximum TAP points for state aid.

* The 1.6 minimum GPA applies to all students with < 16 attempted credits at Plattsburgh.

** The minimum cumulative GPA for TEACH grants is 3.25. Federal regulations do not authorize warning terms for TEACH grants.

New York State Eligibility Standards

Students must satisfy minimum academic standards in order to remain eligible for federal and state aid programs. Financial Aid evaluates whether students satisfy these standards at the end of each semester. Once the evaluation is complete, each student is assigned a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) status for the upcoming semester.

The standards for state aid programs depend upon the number of TAP points earned by the student (see table below).

A student earns 6 points for each TAP award used during the spring and fall semester (12 per year), and earns 3 TAP points for using a part-time TAP award during summer sessions or for a single APTS award.

For example, in order to meet state standards, a student with 30 TAP points must have completed 12 required credits during the last semester with a TAP award at Plattsburgh, have earned at least 45 credits during their academic career, and have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 at Plattsburgh.

TAP recipients are also required to declare a major by the time fifty-seven credits are earned by the student. Unlike federal regulations, the state does not have a probationary semester. The first time a student fails one of these standards, the student is ineligible for TAP and other NYS awards the following semester. Note that incomplete (I) and failure (E) grades are considered completed credits, although the following are not: withdrawal (W), withdrawal failing (WE), unknown (UK), noncredit (NC), non-available (N), proficiency (PR) and audit (U). Students may appeal to waive ineligibility.

* Only EOP students are eligible.
** Some state aid programs have different academic standing criteria. Visit www.hesc.ny.gov for more information on the conditions for award eligibility and renewability.

* Only EOP students are eligible.

Guidelines for Maintaining Undergraduate Full-Time Status for New York State and Federal Financial Aid Programs

NYS and federal regulations stipulate that undergraduate students may receive financial aid only for courses that are required for their degree program. Undergraduate NYS financial aid programs include the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP), SUNY Tuition Credit, and other miscellaneous programs administered by the Higher Education Services Corporation (www.hesc.ny.gov). Undergraduate Federal Aid Programs include Work-Study, Pell Grants, TEACH Grants, Supplemental Grants (SEOG), Perkins Loan, Nursing Loans, Subsidized Loan, Unsubsidized Loans, and Parent PLUS Loans (www.studentaid.ed.gov). Visit the corresponding links for a comprehensive description of eligibility requirements and additional information.

Undergraduate students need to enroll in 12 credits or more of required coursework in order to maintain full-time status for NYS and federal aid programs.  Failing to maintain full-time status can result in the cancellation and/or reduction of financial aid, along with the bill balances that result from these adjustments.  NYS and federal governments have different regulations regarding what constitutes required coursework.  The purpose of this document is to help students and advisors identify required courses that would count toward full-time status for NYS and federal aid programs, and in doing so prevent award cancellations and reductions.  We encourage students and advisors to use the degree audit function in Degree Works to assist with this process.  Ultimately, maintaining full-time status is the student’s responsibility.

There are many issues that can impact a student’s full-time status in a semester.  These include Programs of Study, Required Coursework, Full-Time Status,  Undeclared Students, Double Majors, Minors, Change of Major, Repeat Coursework, Final Term of Study, Experiential Learning, Pre-Requisite Coursework, Course Deviations, and Withdrawals.  The rules surrounding these issues are complicated and overwhelming at times.  Below are some general guidelines to help students enroll in 12 credits of required coursework and maintain full-time status for NYS and federal aid programs:

• If you have a major, enroll in at least 12 credits of non-repeat courses that satisfy general education (GE), major, elective, or additional degree requirements in your first major. 
• Students with optional second majors and optional minors should reserve electives to satisfy course requirements for the second major or minor, or take these courses beyond 12 required credits. 
• If you plan to repeat a course, take the repeat course above 12 required credits or contact the Financial Aid Office in order to determine whether the repeat is eligible for financial aid.
• If you are undeclared, all non-repeat coursework during freshmen and sophomore years (i.e. before earning 57 credits) is considered required for financial aid.  Remember to declare a major before earning 57 credits.
• If you change majors or declare a major before the end of the add/drop period, ensure your coursework in the semester is required for the new major.
• If you are considering withdrawing from some or all your courses, contact the Financial Aid Office and ask how this would impact your financial aid in both the current and next semester.
• See below for additional rules, explanations, and exceptions to these guidelines.

Programs of Study

Only programs of study approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED) are eligible for NYS and federal aid. NYSED has approved all undergraduate majors at SUNY Plattsburgh as well as an undergraduate Certificate in Communication Disorders and Sciences. Unfortunately, minors are not recognized by NYSED. Minors are only aid eligible when required by a major, when satisfying other requirements, or when taken beyond 12 required credits (see Minors). Visit the NYS Inventory of Registered Programs for a list of approved programs of study.

The college catalog defines the courses required to graduate in each major at SUNY Plattsburgh. A major includes general education (GE) course requirements, major course requirements, and elective credits. The number of required elective credits for each major is equivalent to the minimum of 120 credits for graduation less the number of required GE and major credits. For example, in order to graduate with a Bachelor’s in Biology, students can complete 33 credits of GE courses, 68 credits of major courses, and 19 credits of electives for a total of 120 credits. The college catalog defines the specific courses in these areas.

Required Coursework

NYS. A course is considered required for NYS aid programs if the course satisfies a student’s GE requirements, major requirements, or elective requirements in one NYSED approved major. There are exceptions for undeclared students and students in their final term of study (see Undeclared Students and Final Term of Study). For double majors, the first major on file with the Registrar is used to establish required coursework for NYS aid programs (see Double Majors).

Federal. A course is considered required for federal aid programs if the course satisfies a student’s GE requirements, major requirements, or elective requirements in a NYSED approved major. While the federal definition has no restrictions on the number of majors, double majors should sequence courses in order to avoid loss of the following three federal aid programs: Pell, TEACH, and SEOG (see Double Majors).

Full-Time Status

NYS. Students must enroll in at least 12 credits of required coursework, per the NYS definition above, in order to be eligible for most NYS aid programs. If a student enrolls in at least 12 required credits, then he or she is considered full-time for NYS aid programs. Students who enroll in 11 or fewer required credits are not eligible for most NYS aid programs. Repeat coursework only counts as required under certain conditions (see Repeat Coursework). Note that courses taken beyond 12 required credits would not impact full-time status, and could be required or not.

Federal. If a student enrolls in at least 12 required credits, per the federal definition above, then he or she is considered full-time for federal aid programs. Note that while students must be full-time to remain eligible for most NYS aid programs, students may be part-time and remain eligible for most federal aid programs. However, if a student moves from full-time to part-time status, some federal aid programs may need to be reduced or cancelled. Repeat coursework only counts as required under certain conditions (see Repeat Coursework).

• Example: Student A is a declared biology major. Per the undergraduate course catalog, in order to graduate biology majors can complete 33 credits of GE requirements, 68 credits of major requirements, and 19 credits of electives for a total of 120 credits. For the fall semester, Student A enrolls in 6 credits of GE requirements, 3 credits of biology requirements, and 3 credits of electives. Before the fall, Student A had completed 6 of 19 credits of electives, leaving 13 more to satisfy. Student A satisfies the full-time status requirement in the fall for both NYS and federal aid because he or she is enrolled in 12 credits of GE, major, and elective requirements in a NYSED approved major.
  
  Note that Student A would not have been eligible for TAP, and also considered part-time for federal aid (i.e. ¾ time), if he or she entered the fall semester with 19 or more credits of electives. If this would have been the case, the electives block would have already been satisfied, and the 3 elective credits would not be required and would not count toward full-time status for NYS and federal aid. In this scenario, to regain TAP eligibility and full-time status for federal aid, he or she could elect to register for another 3 credits of GE or major requirements for a total of 15 credits, of which 12 of them would be required for TAP and federal aid.

Undeclared Students

NYS and Federal. At SUNY Plattsburgh students move from sophomore to junior status upon earning 57 credits. NYS regulations state that to remain eligible for aid students must declare a major within 30 days of the first term of their junior year (i.e., earning 57 credits). All non-repeat coursework taken by undeclared majors before this, during their freshmen and sophomore years, is considered required for both NYS and federal aid programs. Any repeat coursework in an undeclared freshman and sophomore years would have to meet standard conditions (see Repeat Coursework). This exception does not apply to any declared majors, who must comply with the standard definitions of required coursework (see Required Coursework).

• Example: Student B is an undeclared sophomore who has earned 30 credits. If Student B registers for 12 credits in the upcoming spring semester and remains an undeclared student for the entire semester, all 12 credits are considered required for both NYS and federal aid programs. Student B must remember to declare a major before earning 57 credits and becoming a junior.
  
  Note that if Student B decides to declare an education major that is effective during this spring semester, than the exception for undeclared majors no longer applies. The 12 credits would have to satisfy the standard definitions of required coursework in order for Student B to remain full-time for both NYS and federal aid programs. If not, NYS and federal aid programs would have to be cancelled or reduced (see Change of Major).

Double Majors

NYS. Students are allowed to declare more than one major at SUNY Plattsburgh. However, only courses that apply toward the first major are considered required for NYS aid programs. A course that only applies toward a second major is not considered required for NYS aid programs and does not count toward full-time status. The only exception is when a NYSED approved major requires a double major. There are currently only three majors at SUNY Plattsburgh that satisfy this exception: Anthropology, History, and Latin American Studies. For all three, students can elect to satisfy Cognate requirements in the first major with a second major. A course that applies toward both majors is considered required for NYS aid programs because it is required for the first major. Any course beyond 12 required credits could apply solely to a second major and not impact eligibly for NYS aid.

Federal. The federal rules for double majors are specific to three grant programs: Pell, TEACH, and the SEOG grants. For these three programs, the federal government considers an undergraduate student to have graduated once the student completes all of the required coursework for one major, whether the student has been conferred the Bachelor’s degree or not. A student is no longer eligible for Pell, TEACH, and SEOG once this occurs, but will remain eligible for other federal aid programs (ex. student loans). Double majors can avoid losing these three aid programs by arranging courses to enter their final semester with required courses in both majors.

• Example: Student C is a double major in marketing and psychology. Marketing is the first major and psychology is the second major. Student C has also not completed the graduation requirement for either major. Student C registers for 12 credits in the upcoming fall semester: 3 credits of GE requirements, 3 credits of major requirements for marketing, 3 credits satisfy major requirements for both marketing and psychology, and 3 credits of major requirements for only psychology. Before the fall, Student C had completed 10 of 20 credits in the electives block for marketing, leaving 10 more credits of electives to satisfy.
  
  Student C satisfies the full-time status for all federal aid programs because upon entering the fall semester he or she still had graduation requirements left to satisfy in both majors. Student C also satisfies the full-time status requirement for NYS aid in the fall semester because he or she is enrolled in 12 credits of GE, major, and elective requirements for marketing. The 3 credits of psychology major requirements also count as electives for marketing and therefore count toward full-time status for NYS aid programs.
  
  Note that if Student C entered the fall semester with 20 or more credits of electives for marketing, the electives block would have already been satisfied, the 3 psychology credits would not count toward full-time status for TAP, and the student would be ineligible for NYS aid programs. In this scenario, to regain TAP eligibility, he or she could elect to register for another 3 credits of GE or marketing requirements for a total of 15 credits, of which 12 of them would be required for TAP.

Minors

NYS and Federal. Coursework that solely satisfies a minor is not considered required for NYS and federal aid programs. The only exception is when a minor is included in an approved NYSED major. There are only a few majors at SUNY Plattsburgh that satisfy this exception and require a minor. For these few majors, coursework that solely satisfies a minor is required for NYS and federal aid programs. A course that applies towards both a first major and minor is also considered required for NYS and federal aid programs because it is required for the first major. A course beyond 12 required credits has no restrictions and could apply solely to a minor.

• Example: Student D is an education major with a minor in computer science. This is an optional minor, not one required by the major. Student D registers for 9 credits in the spring that are considered required for both NYS and federal aid. Student D is deciding whether to enroll in a course that only applies toward a minor or a course that applies to both a major and minor. Student D would not be considered full-time for aid if he or she selected the course that solely applies to the minor, but would if the other course was chosen. Student D would also be considered full-time for aid if he or she elected to enroll in both courses since 12 credits are for the major and any course beyond this has no restrictions.

Change of Major

NYS. In order to be eligible for NYS aid programs, NYS regulations state that students must enroll in at least 12 credits of required coursework for one NYSED approved major. If a student changes their major and it becomes effective at any point in the current term, then full-time status would be re-evaluated based upon required coursework in the new major rather than the previous major. If the student is no longer considered full-time under the new major, NYS aid programs would be cancelled in the term of the major change. Avoid this by making any major changes effective in the next term and ensuring all coursework in the next term is required for the new major.

Federal. Full-time status for federal aid programs is determined at the time of aid disbursement. If a student changes majors after all of their federal aid has disbursed, full-time status is not re-evaluated and this change has no impact on federal aid. If a student changes their major before the disbursement of federal aid, then his or her full-time status will be re-evaluated based upon required coursework in the new major rather than the previous one.

• Example: Student E is an accounting major and is enrolled in 15 credits of required coursework for NYS and federal aid programs. Student E changes their major to philosophy halfway through the fall semester. After this change, only 6 of 15 credits are now considered required under the new major. Student E would no longer be considered full-time for NYS aid programs and all fall NYS aid programs would have to be cancelled. Student E would remain full-time for federal aid programs as long as all federal aid had disbursed by the effective date of the major change. Student E could avoid all loss in aid by delaying the effective date until after add/drop period is over.

Repeat Coursework

NYS. A repeat course counts toward full-time status for NYS aid programs when both the following conditions are satisfied: a) the course is required for NYS aid purposes and; b) the initial grade was not acceptable for graduation as defined in the college catalog. A student who originally earned a passing grade in a course, one that would allow graduation, but wishes to repeat the course in the hopes of improving the grade and overall grade point average cannot count the repeated course toward full-time status for NYS aid programs. Repeat courses also count toward full-time status for certain physical education, music, independent study, and other courses in which credit is earned each time. Any repeat course beyond 12 required credits does not impact full-time status.

Federal. A repeat course counts toward full-time status for federal aid programs depending upon whether the course was previously passed or not.  For this purpose, federal regulations define passing as any grade higher than an “E” regardless of any graduation requirements or college policy that establish a minimum higher grade.  A course that was previously failed will count toward full-time status until the course is passed with a grade higher than “E”.  There are no restrictions on the number of repeats for a previously failed course (i.e. grade = “E”).  However, a course that was previously passed (i.e. grade > “E”) may only be repeated once for federal aid programs.  In other words, a previously passed course will only count toward full-time status for federal aid programs once after the original take.  Any repeat course beyond 12 required credits will not affect full-time status.

• Example: Student F registers for 9 credits in the fall that are considered required for both NYS and federal aid.  Student F also registers for 3 credits of repeat coursework for a total of 12 credits.  Student F originally earned a “D” grade in the course.  The college catalog indicates that a) the course is required for graduation; and b) that a “C” or higher is required for graduation.  The student is considered full-time for both NYS and federal aid programs.  The repeat course is allowed for NYS aid programs because the course is required for graduation and the original grade was not acceptable for graduation.  The repeat course is allowed for federal aid programs because a previously passed course may be repeated once.  If the student happened to earn another “D” in the course and needed to repeat it for a second time, it would not be allowed for federal aid since the “D” grade would have been considered passing according to federal rules.

Final Term of Study

NYS. Students must enroll in 12 credits or more of required coursework in order to maintain full-time status for NYS aid programs.  The only exception is in the student’s final term of study.  If a student needs fewer than 12 credits to graduate in their final term, other non-required courses may be included to determine full-time status.  If the student does not graduate at the end of this term, all non-required courses would be removed from the calculation of full-time status and any adjustments to NYS aid programs would be applied retroactively.

Federal. For Pell, TEACH, and the SEOG grants, the federal government considers an undergraduate student to have graduated once the student completes all of the required coursework for one major, whether the student has been conferred a Bachelor’s degree or not.  Once this occurs a student is no longer eligible for Pell, TEACH, and SEOG, but he or she will remain eligible for other federal aid programs (ex. student loans).  If a student satisfies all graduation requirements for a major and elects to enroll in classes in the following term, then he or she would be ineligible for Pell, TEACH, and SEOG whether a degree was conferred or not.

• Example: Student G is in her final term of study and only has 6 required credits remaining to graduate.  Student G registers for these 6 required credits in the spring as well as 6 non-required credits.   Student G is considered full-time for NYS aid programs because this is her final term of study.  Student G is considered half-time for Pell, TEACH, and SEOG.  Note that if Student G does not graduate, her spring TAP would be cancelled even though the semester had already ended.  She would also be ineligible for Pell, TEACH, and SEOG if she enrolled in classes in the next term and had already met all of her graduation requirements, whether she was conferred a degree or not.

Experiential Learning

NYS and Federal Aid. Experiential learning includes internships, and both study-away and study-abroad programs. There are no specific exceptions for these experiential learning opportunities.  Students who plan to use NYS and federal aid to help fund these opportunities should ensure that coursework is considered required.  Sometimes students must change courses in study-away or study abroad programs upon arrival at the host location, and students should ensure that any schedule revisions would also be considered required for NYS and federal aid purposes.  Transcripts may be evaluated upon return to campus and aid may be retroactively impacted by non-required coursework.

• Example: Student H is participating in a study-abroad program in Italy in the fall. He submits his Permission to Attend Form to the Registrar and it includes 12 credits of required coursework in Italy. However, upon arriving at the campus in Italy, one of the original 3 credit classes is full and he substitutes it with a different course. When he returns to SUNY Plattsburgh, his official transcript indicates that the substitute class is not-required. His fall package would be retroactively adjusted to reflect 9 credits instead of 12 credits, and he would be responsible for any account balance resulting from this.

Pre-Requisite Coursework

A pre-requisite course is considered required for NYS aid only if the course satisfies a student’s GE requirements, major requirements, electives, or additional degree requirements in a student’s first major.  A pre-requisite course is considered required for federal aid programs only if the course satisfies a student’s GE requirements, major requirements, or additional degree requirements in a major.  Pre-requisites that are not listed in the Catalog under a major are considered optional for both NYS and federal aid.

Course Deviations

NYS and Federal Aid. Students must enroll in 12 credits or more of required coursework in order to maintain full-time status for NYS and federal aid programs. The lack of class availability does not exempt students from satisfying the full-time status requirements except for students with NYS aid programs in their final term of study (see Final Term of Study). Approved course deviations may substitute for required coursework as long as it is an appropriate substitution and there is no other path that would allow the student to take the required course.

Withdrawals

NYS and Federal. Withdrawing from some or all of your classes can impact semester charges (ex. tuition, fees, etc.) and financial aid, leaving students an unexpected account balance for a semester. There are two questions that students want to answer before making the final decision to withdraw:

1. How will this affect my charges and financial aid this semester?
2. How will this affect my financial aid next semester?

If a student is considering withdrawing from some or all their courses, we encourage the student to contact the Financial Aid Office and ask these two questions. It can impact either this semester or next, both, or neither. The impact depends upon the following factors: the timing of the withdrawal (i.e. the effective date of the withdrawal); the length of the course; the different aid programs in the aid package; and the number of credits retained after withdrawing.