Student Financial Aid Services

Financial Aid is money, or the opportunity to earn money, which helps students attend the college or university of their choice. The Financial Aid Office at Southeastern Oklahoma State University offers several types of financial aid.

Below are some links to help navigate this page:

• FAFSA
• OHLAP
• Grants
• Loans
• Student Employment
• Scholarships
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Rehabilitation Services

FAFSA at Southeastern

School Code: 003179

For more information visit the FAFSA Website.

OHLAP at Southeastern

FAQs About OHLAP

OHLAP Website

Visit the OHLAP Website!

Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP)

OHLAP is a state funded program that will pay tuition at an Oklahoma Public two-year college or four-year university for those students who qualify. To be considered eligible students must have signed up during their 8th, 9th, or 10th grade year with a validated household income of less than $50,000 and complete the required coursework and conditions outlined by the Oklahoma State Regents Office in order to qualify.

The scholarship however does not cover items such as books, supplies, room and board, and other fees that are usually associated with tuition costs. Students are encouraged to apply for other types of financial aid to cover these costs.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid office or the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education student's Information Hotline at 800-858-1840, by email ohlapinfo@osrhe.edu on the web at http://www.okhighered.org/ohlap/, or by writing OHLAP,

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education
PO Box 108850
Oklahoma City
OK 73101–8850.

After completing the requirements to obtain the OHLAP Scholarship the following conditions apply to using the OHLAP scholarship:

1. The student must meet normal admission standards for first-time entering students at the type of college or university to which he or she applies.
2. Before tuition payment is made, the student must actually be enrolled at a college or university.
3. The student has three years from the time of high school graduation to start taking college courses.
4. The student may receive awards for no more than five years after enrolling in college.
5. Awards cannot be used for courses taken after the student completes a bachelor’s degree.
6. The student must maintain good grades in college to keep receiving awards.

FAQs About OHLAP

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Grants

That form of aid which does not require repayment or that work be performed. Southeastern participates in the following grant programs:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
• National SMART Grant (SMART)

Federal Pell (Basic) Grant - provides gift aid for undergraduate students. In general, a student may receive PELL Grant until the course of study required for the first undergraduate baccalaureate degree has been completed. Financial need is determined by the Federal Government. The Pell Grant is limited to 10 semesters of full-time awards.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) - provides gift aid from undergraduate student who demonstrate financial need. The federal grant award is dependent upon financial need and availability of funds.

Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG) - is made to students who are legal residents of Oklahoma and enrolled at least half-time. OTAG awards are made by the Oklahoma State Regents based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Awards range from $500 to $1000 per year. The OTAG grant is a part of LEAP (Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership) and is funded by the federal government and the state.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) - ACG is for Pell-eligible students who are enrolled full time, are U.S. citizens, and have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study. These students must also maintain a 3.0 g.p.a

National SMART Grant (SMART) - The SMART grant is for Pell-eligible students who are enrolled full time, are U.S. citizens and are enrolled as a third or fourth year student in a four-year program. They must be majoring in science, computer science, technology, math or certain designated foreign languages. These students must also have a 3.0 cumulative g.p.a.

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Loans

Below are some helpful links:

• Direct Loan Application Process
• Entrance Counseling
• PLUS Loan Application Process
• Exit Counseling

Money provided to students which must be repaid. Generally, student loans have low interest rates and permit a long term repayment. Southeastern participates in the following loan programs

• Direct Loan Program
• Federal PLUS Loan

Direct Lending

SOSU is currently participating in the FFELP loan program. This program entitles the student to choose which private lender they would like to disburse the loan funds. SOSU will be dropping the FFELP loan program and participating in the William D. Ford Direct Lending Program or Direct Lending. The Direct Lending program will be in effect beginning July 1, 2010. If you are currently enrolled for the summer 2010 semester and have not been awarded financial aid for the summer 2010 semester and are interested in student loans, you will be required to complete the direct lending process after June 21, 2010. For the 2010-2011 academic year beginning with the Fall 2010 semester. All loans will be exclusively with Direct Lending after July 1, 2010. Thus, no new loans will be processed under the current FFELP loan program after June 21, 2010. If you are currently a student at SE and receive federal student loans as a means of paying for educational expenses your loans beginning July 1, 2010 will be processed under the Direct Lending program. All borrowers will be required to complete entrance counseling and sign a new MPN (Master Promissory Note). Through the Federal Direct Lending program, all students who apply for loans may complete the entrance counseling at anytime at www.studentloans.gov. Once you have completed the entrance counseling and accepted your awards on campus connect, the Financial Aid office will originate your loan to the Department of Ed and you will at that time sign a new MPN. If you have accepted loans for the Fall 2010 semester you must complete the necessary steps to ensure your funds are dispersed properly. The loans you currently have with the private lenders will not be affected by the Direct Lending program. You will have the option to consolidate them all together under the new Direct Lending program. With the Direct Lending program students borrow subsidized, unsubsidized, and PLUS loans from the U.S. Department of Education through Southeastern. Loans through the Direct Lending program operate essentially in the same way as the FFELP program. The interest rates will be the same except PLUS (they may have a lower interest rate and different repayment options). The payment option on the subsidized and unsubsidized will remain the same. Under the Direct Lending program your loan payments will be sent directly to the U.S. Department of Education. If you are expected to graduate after July 1, 2010 or completely withdraw from SE, you will be required to complete your exit counseling at www.studentloans.gov. If you would like further information regarding Direct Lending you may go to the U.S. Department of Education website. Department of Education website is http://www.ed.gov/ and the phone number to contact the Department of Education is 1-800-872-5327.

Direct Loan Application Process

1. File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Complete the FAFSA file in the Student Financial Aid Office. You may view the documents needed to complete your file on Campus Connect if you have been admitted to Southeastern. Students not able to view Campus Connect will be sent a document letter requesting the information to be returned.
3. Complete Entrance Counseling at studentloans.gov for processing to be continued. This process is for all students required for Direct Lending. .
4. Once your entrance counseling is complete you will need to sign the MPN at www.studentloans.gov.
5. Review your financial aid award summary on Campus Connect. Click Student Info-Accept/Decline award. Select the year for which you would like to view your financial aid or award package information and then Accept/Decline aid award button.
6. If all the previous steps have been completed, the Office of Financial aid will originate your loan to the Department of Education for processing.
7. SE will receive your funds from the Department of Education electronically. Once eligibility and enrollment are verified from the Financial Aid Office, Auxiliary Business Services will disburse the funds to your SE debit card or the refund preference you chose on SEdebitcard.com. Disbursements are every Tuesday and Friday.
8. If you graduate or drop below half-time attendance, regulations require that you complete the Exit Counseling session. Exit Counseling can be completed at www.studentloans.gov.

Federal PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students)

If you are a dependent student and your financial aid doesn't meet your full cost of attendance, your parent may be able to take out a federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) if they so choose. PLUS Loans are available to provide a parent with additional resources to help pay the educational expenses of an undergraduate child, who is enrolled at least half time. Since the parent is the borrower, the responsibility of repaying PLUS Loans rests with the parent rather than the student. The Office of Student Financial Services will pursue other options of aid for you before calculating PLUS Loan eligibility. PLUS eligibility is a last resort.

To be eligible to receive a PLUS Loan, a parent will be required to pass a credit check. If for some reason the PLUS Loan is denied, you may have the option to borrow additional unsubsidized Stafford Loans in your own name. A copy of the PLUS Loan denial from the lender is required for us to confirm your additional unsubsidized Stafford Loan eligibility.

Repayment on a PLUS Loan starts within 60 days upon disbursement. Some lenders have interest only payment options for up to four years. The PLUS Loan interest rate is variable and could change each year of repayment, but by law it will never exceed 9.0 percent.

Borrow Only What You Need – Keep Track of Your Paperwork!

Student loans are easy to get. They are so easy, they can be dangerous! They are loans and they must be paid back, with interest. So borrow conservatively! Also keep in contact with your lender so you always have current information about your loan from them.

PLUS Loan Application Process

1. File a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Complete the FAFSA file in the Student Financial Aid Office; indicating at this time that you are interested in a Plus Loan. You will also need to complete a Plus Loan Questionnaire. The student may view the documents needed to complete the file on Campus Connect if they have been admitted to Southeastern. Students not able to view Campus Connect will be sent a document letter requesting the information to be returned.
3. The student can review their financial aid award summary on Campus Connect. Click Student Info-Accept/Decline award. Select the year for which they would like to view their financial aid or award package information and then Accept/Decline aid award button.
4. If all the previous steps have been completed, the Office of Financial Aid will certify your loan and transmit it electronically to the guarantee Agency for approval.
5. The Guarantee Agency reviews your prior loan history, if any, and checks to see if you have a Master Promissory Note (MPN) on file. If no MPN is on file, the guarantee Agency will send an email to you directing you to OpenNet website where you may sign your MPN electronically. If you have received that e-mail or letter you may now complete your MPN.
6. You may track your loan through ELM Resources to see if the loan has been approved by the guarantee agency, the scheduled amounts and dates of disbursements, receipt of your MPN, etc.
7. Your lender forwards your loan funds electronically (EFT) to the University through the National Disbursement Network. These funds are deposited into a University checking account.
8. The Office of Financial Aid confirms your continued eligibility for the loan funds and authorizes Financial Services to prepare your disbursement. Any outstanding University obligations are paid first and, if funds remain, the balance is mailed to your home address as shown on the Plus Questionnaire.

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Student Employment

Student Employment is an award for which the student must work. Money is earned hourly and paid twice monthly. The maximum amount a student can earn under these programs is determined by financial need and availability of funds. Southeastern participates in the following student employment programs:

• Federal College Work Study
• Regular University Student Employment

Federal Work-Study Program - provides part-time employment for students who are enrolled at least half-time and demonstrated financial need. The maximum amount a recipient can earn under this federal program is determined by his/her financial need.

Regular University Employment - provides part-time employment for students enrolled at SOSU. This program is for students who do not qualify form employment under the Federal Work-Student Program. You will be paid on the same basis as the Work-Student employees. Applications are available in the Financial Aid Office.

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Bureau of Indian Affairs

The United States government through the Bureau of Indian Affairs provides annual scholarship grants to assist eligible students to attend institutions of higher education. In order to qualify, a student must prove Indian blood quantum and meet certain residence, need, and scholastic requirements. Grants may cover such items as tuition, books, room and board, travel, and miscellaneous expenses. Below is a list of Native American contact information:

Further information may be obtained from the counselor of the Multicultural Student Office located in the Student Union Building, Room 137.

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Rehabilitation Services

The Department of Rehabilitation Services provides benefits to students with substantial physical, mental, or emotional handicaps. Eligibility and the vocational objectives of the student must be approved by a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor prior to receiving assistance. Financial assistance includes tuition and fees, contingent upon amount of other financial aid being received, and required textbooks, based on financial need and financial aid. This information and policy is subject to change when Federal and/or State policies are changed. Information can be obtained at:

Vocational Rehabilitation Office
801 West Main Ste A
Durant, OK 74701
Phone: (580) 924-2677
Fax: (580) 924-0208

Application for Rehabilitation Services should be made to the Durant office or to:

Department of Rehabilitation Services
3535 N.W. 58
Suite 500
Oklahoma City, OK 73112.

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Financial Aid

• Scholarships
• Student Financial Aid Services
  • FAFSA
  • OHLAP
  • Grants
  • Loans
  • Student Employment
    • Career Management Office
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs
  • Rehabilitation Services
  • Veterans Affairs
• Forms
• Complete Withdrawal
• Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
• Statement of Ethical Principles/Code of Conduct
• Cost of Attendance
• Contact Information