Information for Study Center Directors and Staff

Students pay all program fees directly to EAP (see Student Budget Worksheets and Payment Coupons). Fees are subject to change based on Regental, campus, or EAP action. The student has signed an agreement for the program that carries with it legal and financial commitments (see Student Agreement).

Students should include their University of California ID Number for identification purposes.

800.01 Program Fees

The SC Director is not authorized to issue refunds to students for any item included in the program fees. Any fee reductions for non-participation in program activities or services are dependent on recoverable costs from the agency or service provider. Amounts may not be determined until after the end of the program.

800.02 Fee Reductions Pertaining to Room and Board

When room and board charges are included in the program fees, the SC Director should not specify any fee reduction to a student who moves out of the housing prematurely or withdraws from the program. Such fee reductions are determined by UOEAP’s Finance unit, in consultation with the Study Center. In no event is the host institution to refund the student directly for room and board.

800.03 Fee Reductions Pertaining to Orientation or Field Trips

When orientation or field-trip expenses do not equal that which has been charged to the students as a group, fee reductions are determined by the Finance unit in consultation with the Study Center. The Study Center must not make refunds directly to the student, nor should the Study Center quote specific amounts for expected refunds or fee adjustments without prior consultation with Finance. Submit orientation and field-trip expenses promptly in order to expedite any adjustments.

805. FINANCIAL AID

805.00 Financial Aid, General

Financial aid eligibility is determined by the student’s UC campus Financial Aid Office. The actual distribution of funds originates with the Finance unit at UOEAP. Certain types of financial aid, such as military or private scholarships, sometimes require special arrangements for disbursement through EAP. Consult with Finance if there is a question or concern.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the campus Financial Aid Office may revise a student’s financial aid award. If this happens, the campus Financial Aid Office will inform the UOEAP Finance unit as well as the student.

805.01 Academic Requirements for Financial Aid

EAP students must carry a minimum load of 36 quarter units as an undergraduate or 24 quarter units as a graduate during the academic year (see also Section 335, Course Load).

805.02 Financial Aid Disbursement

With the exception of PLUS Loans and certain outside agency awards, financial aid awards including Federal Direct Loans (except UCLA students) will be credited to the student’s EAP account. Disbursement of aid to students is calculated by first deducting the applicable program fees (see Student Budget Worksheets and Payment Coupons) from the total funds credited to the student’s EAP account. Any credit balance is disbursed to the student in the form of a UC financial aid check(s) or by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). (See Section 805.03, Financial Aid Disbursement Schedule.) Students are responsible for providing UOEAP Finance with a US address for financial mailings and checks.

Students whose financial aid does not fully cover their program fees have a balance due. In such cases, EAP will send a billing statement to the student’s financial mailing address one month prior to the final payment due date.

805.03 Financial Aid Disbursement Schedule

EAP program fees are deducted from financial aid awards applied to the student’s account. Remaining credit balances are disbursed according to the Financial Aid Disbursement Schedule. The first financial aid disbursement for all programs will take place approximately two weeks prior to the program’s official EAP start date. Disbursements can be automatically deposited or a check will be sent via first-class US mail to the address indicated by the student.

Financial aid checks may be delayed due to missing documents or revisions by the campus Financial Aid Office. Students should retain reserve funds in case this situation arises.

805.04 Lost UC Financial Aid Check

If a UC financial aid disbursement check is lost or destroyed in the mail, the student should notify UOEAP Finance as soon as possible. A replacement check will be processed in five to ten working days. The student should specify in his or her notification the address to which the replacement check should be sent. An emergency loan may be approved; consult Finance at UOEAP.

805.05 Financial Aid, Program Extensions

In order to avoid a lapse in financial aid disbursement, financial aid students who wish to extend participation in EAP should submit their Petition to Extend form no later than the established deadline. Upon official approval by the student’s campus, Finance will notify the respective Financial Aid Office of the student’s extension and the revised EAP budget. The Financial Aid Office will send the student a revised financial aid offer letter. The student must sign, accept, and forward the offer letter to their Financial Aid Office, which will in turn notify Finance of the accepted financial aid awards. Upon notification of any additional awards, Finance will issue a UC financial aid disbursement check, if applicable. An extension does not guarantee additional awards.

805.06 Financial Aid Problems

If financial aid problems or questions arise while abroad, the student should contact Finance via e-mail at stufinance@eap.ucop.edu, or by fax at (805) 893-2583. Finance will communicate with the campus Financial Aid Office, if necessary. Replies to the student may be delayed if additional information is needed from the campus Financial Aid Office.

810. FINANCIAL AID FORMS FOR THE FOLLOWING YEAR

810.00 Financial Aid Applications

The US Department of Education sends Renewal Applications to US addresses of students who are currently receiving financial aid. Students should complete either the FAFSA application or renewal to apply for financial aid for the academic year following EAP. The application is available at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov

Students should contact their campus Financial Aid Offices by October for scholarship applications, procedures, and deadlines. Financial aid contacts are identified at the end of EAP’s Campus Contact Information List.

815. WITHDRAWAL FROM EAP—STUDENT FEE ACCOUNT

815.00 Withdrawal from EAP, General

Withdrawal from EAP may carry serious financial implications for the student. Specific consequences vary depending on established deadlines, financial aid status, and contractual obligations of the student and/or EAP. A minimum penalty of $300 will be assessed, plus any unrecoverable cost or obligation as outlined in the Student Agreement. In some cases, the student will owe the full amount of program fee(s). The student’s financial aid awards may be retroactively reduced or canceled following withdrawal from EAP. If a balance due the University remains after the adjustments are determined, a student’s UC registration may be blocked. This is called a “hold”; it will remain in place until the EAP account is paid or payment arrangements satisfactory to EAP are approved. The student may not be able to re-enroll at UC if a hold is in place.

The withdrawal process is the same for all students. However, regulatory requirements mandate specific procedures terminology and timelines that must be followed for students on financial aid. The federal regulations are documented in the Federal Student Aid Handbook.

The Study Center is the office that establishes the student’s effective date of withdrawal. The information is provided to the SC Director and staff at the request of the UC Financial Aid Office.

When a student notifies the Study Center of intent to withdraw, federal regulations require the Study Center to process that student’s withdrawal on the date the student notified the office. The key factor in complying with the federal regulations is documenting the date of the student’s intent to withdraw.

Intent to withdraw means that the student indicates he or she has either ceased to attend school and does not plan to resume academic attendance, or believes at the time of notification that he or she will cease to attend school. A student who contacts a school and only requests information on aspects of the withdrawal process, such as the potential consequences of withdrawal, would not be considered a student who is indicating that he or she plans to withdraw.

Official notification definition: A student may provide official notification of his or her intent to withdraw by following the school’s withdrawal process. In this case, the withdrawal date is the date the student begins the school’s withdrawal process. A student may also provide official notification in other ways. If a student otherwise provides official notification (as explained below), the withdrawal date is the date notification was provided.

If a student both begins the school’s withdrawal process and otherwise provides official notification orally or in writing of his or her intent to withdraw, the earlier of the two withdrawal dates is the withdrawal date that must be used for purposes of the financial aid calculation.

The official withdrawal date is the date that must be on the withdrawal paperwork. The withdrawal date applies even if a student begins the school’s withdrawal process or otherwise notifies the school of his or her intent to withdraw and projects a future last date of attendance.

Once a student notifies the school of his or her intent to withdraw and the withdrawal process is started, it is imperative that the Study Center immediately notify Finance of the student’s intent to withdraw. The reason for the urgency is that the federal government has mandated that the Financial Aid Office process a student’s award adjustments within 30 days of the effective date of withdrawal.

If a student is withdrawing for reasons other than illness, injury, or an emergency, it would be wise to advise the student to withdraw after the academic term is complete to reduce negative financial or academic consequences.

815.01 Revised Financial Aid Awards

If a student withdraws from EAP, the campus Financial Aid Office is notified of the adjusted program fees, if applicable. The student’s financial aid award are reviewed and adjusted by the campus Financial Aid Office. The student’s EAP account is adjusted accordingly.

820. FINANCIAL AID ELIGIBILITY/STUDENT LOANS

820.01 Student Loans

The SC Director may make small emergency loans to current EAP students from Study Center operating funds. The limit is $100 or its equivalent in local currency (the limit is €100 in the European Union). These loans must be collected by the Study Center within 30 days. SC Directors may not lend a student more than $100 without the approval of Finance. SC Directors are personally responsible for loans made to students in excess of $100 without approval from UOEAP. For any loan issued, the SC Director or staff should discuss with the student the method and date of repayment, and obtain the student’s signature on a dated Promissory Note. A simple receipt will not suffice. Only in extreme emergencies should SC Directors pay bills (such as for medical expenses) on behalf of students, and they should not do so without first explaining to the student that such payment is technically a loan. The student will have to complete a Promissory Note to acknowledge that the Study Center is paying the bill on his or her behalf and to formalize the student’s intent to repay the Study Center. Without a Promissory Note, EAP has no legal recourse to collect money from students. The SC Director should forward a copy of the note and a brief explanation of the emergency immediately to Finance. It is imperative that the Promissory Note be returned to EAP once the student has repaid the loan.

If the SC Director provides a loan just before the student returns to the US, the student may repay the loan of foreign currency in the current US dollar equivalent directly to Finance with a check or money order made payable to UC Regents. The foreign currency amount of the loan will then be reimbursed to the Study Center upon receipt of the next Report of Expenditures. If the student does not repay the loan, EAP will be responsible for the loss and will take legal recourse against the student. In order to do so, the original Promissory Note must be returned to EAP, along with any original billing or invoices provided (please translate if necessary).

820.02 Loans to Students for Medical Expenses

All EAP students have health insurance. The terms of the insurance require that the students pay expenses and then process a claim for reimbursement through the health insurance provider. It is expected that students will be able to pay and process claims for regular health expenses without Study Center assistance. If the student is unable to pay in exceptional cases, such as an accident or a major illness, the SC Director may consult with Finance and pay the hospital or doctor directly using Study Center operating funds. If the situation is an emergency, the SC Director should assist as needed and report to Finance afterwards. Paying medical expenses for a student is a loan, and the student must sign a Promissory Note, not simply a receipt. In such cases, the student must also assign the insurance proceeds to UC Regents. A copy of the Promissory Note, the Assignment Letter, and a brief statement by the SC Director with regard to the nature of the emergency that made the loan necessary should be forwarded to EAP immediately. If the student still owes money to EAP after receipt of the insurance proceeds, Finance will bill the student.

820.03 Emergency Loans to Students from Other Study Centers and to Former EAP Students

On rare occasions, SC Directors may receive requests for emergency loans from students attending other EAP Study Centers. Where circumstances seem to justify such a loan, an SC Director may lend up to $100. In every instance, however, the SC Director should require a completed Promissory Note for repayment within 30 days, and should forward a copy of the note as soon as it is completed to Finance along with justification for the loan.

820.04 Unpaid Student Bills

For personal student expenses (such as library fines, telephone bills, or damage to property), host universities and others such as landlords should seek payment directly from the student. In cases where the student has not paid bills despite notice or when the student has left the program with an unpaid debt or damage to property, the SC Director should contact Finance. After approval by Finance, the SC Director will pay the outstanding debt using Study Center operating funds. The SC Director should collect the appropriate documentation such as a bill, invoice, or receipt and send these to Finance in the next Report of Expenses. If applicable, please translate the documentation. The student will be billed for the expense through the EAP student account. If the student does not pay, a registration hold will be issued.

820.05 Regents Emergency Loans

Note: If a student inquires about this loan, advise them to contact the respective Student Finance Analyst at UOEAP before taking any further steps. The student will be provided additional information and guidance concerning their request.

In order to help students meet certain financial emergencies while abroad, the Regents Emergency Loan fund has been established and is administered by the UC SB Financial Aid Office on behalf of EAP. The fund normally enables an eligible student to borrow up to $600. Repayment begins six months after the official close of the academic program abroad.

The SC Director’s appraisal of the request for a Regents Emergency Loan is a critical factor in the review of the loan application. SC Directors are requested to use the information the student provides and any other data about the student’s problem and then make a recommendation regarding the loan request.

The SC Director should use the emergency loan application form in appraising the student’s need and making the loan recommendation. Because it is not known when or if this fund will ever be replenished, and because careless budgeting or unwise spending should be discouraged, SC Directors are urged to help conserve this fund by exercising great care in the evaluation of all requests for emergency loans. This loan should be used only when other sources of aid are not available (see Regents Emergency Loan Information to Students, Paragraph 5).

Before SC Directors forward the completed loan application and papers with a recommendation to EAP, they are urged to carefully review all the material and information submitted. Failure to follow correct procedures will delay solving what may be an urgent financial problem. One adult co-signer on the loan is needed, regardless of the age of the student. This co-signer must be a current resident of the US. Neither the SC Director nor a member of his or her family is eligible to co-sign this note.

The administrative steps to be followed in processing an EAP Regents Emergency Loan request are as follows: