Scholarship Policy

Policy Statement

This policy pertains to institutional scholarships funded and administered by SUNY Oneonta, the SUNY Oneonta Foundation and the SUNY Oneonta Alumni Association.

Rationale:

SUNY Oneonta has adopted this policy to formalize the university's practices related to general scholarship eligibility, awarding and renewability.

Applicability of Policy

This policy applies to all students who are recipients of scholarship support administered by SUNY Oneonta.

Policy Elaboration

GENERAL SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY

• Unless specifically noted in the individual scholarship description, recipients must be matriculated in a degree program and registered full time (12 credits); or negotiate a valid consortium agreement; or serve in a full-time internship; or be enrolled full time in a study abroad program.
• Fall semester freshman must meet academic (GPA) eligibility for the specific scholarship by the end of the spring semester and at the end of every semester thereafter. There is no GPA review at the conclusion of the student’s first semester.
• Continuing students receiving awards much meet academic eligibility for the specific scholarship at the end of each academic semester.
• Recipients must agree to release identity and descriptive information for use in university publications and news releases.
• Many scholarship awards are based on financial need, which is defined by FAFSA data for the appropriate year. Priority consideration for new awards is for FAFSA filing dates prior to March 1. Many scholarships, even those not based on need, are selected from FAFSA applicants with priority to applicants with FAFSA filing dates prior to March 1 of the award year.

AWARDING

• All awards are subject to available funding levels, which may change during an award year.
• Scholarships are awarded by fund managers in various campus departments and offices. In most cases, eligibility is determined from institutional data contained in admission records, financial aid records, and academic records. With few exceptions, application to specific scholarship programs is not necessary.
• The award process occurs throughout the year.

STUDENT NOTIFICATION

• A letter detailing scholarship terms and conditions will serve as the official notice of a student’s scholarship award.
• Award amounts may differ from the original award in renewable terms (out terms). Subsequent award amounts (amounts in out terms) are communicated with all other financial aid awards.
• Scholarship awards are made possible through generous gifts from donors, many of whom are SUNY Oneonta alumni. The university encourages students who have benefited from the generosity of others to make a similar investment when they are in a financial position to do so. Recipients will be provided with information regarding the donor for the purpose of sending a letter of appreciation through the Division of University Advancement. It is the expectation of the SUNY Oneonta Foundation that recipients write letters of appreciation to donors.

RENEWABILITY

• Many scholarships are automatically renewable, extended to consecutive future semesters for a period of time typically not to exceed 8 semesters so long as the recipient continues to meet eligibility guidelines. If a student loses eligibility for a semester they are not automatically entitled to receive the scholarship they were initially awarded for any future semester.
• Cumulative institutional GPA's (based on a 4.0 scale and including only credits taken at SUNY Oneonta through the last completed term) are reviewed at the completion of every term, with the exception of incoming fall freshmen as noted above.
• Filing of a diploma application will confirm a student’s graduation term and result in cancellation of any future scholarship awards.

LOSS OF ELIGIBILITY / APPEALS

• It is the recipient’s responsibility to be familiar with the terms and conditions and scholarship policy as explained on this page. Recipients will not receive warnings or notifications for failing to meet terms and conditions. We review terms and conditions (Discovery) on a continual basis except for GPA requirements, which is specified above. It is possible discovery (failure to meet terms and conditions) will not occur immediately, and may, in fact, occur after the recipient benefits in some way (billing deferral, disbursement, refunds, etc.). The timing of discovery does not affect eligibility or constitute eligibility. We reserve the right to cancel any scholarship at such time discovery is made regardless of timing.
• Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence before the published date each semester at which time a student incurs full tuition liability lose scholarship funding. Students who withdraw or take a leave of absence after that date will retain scholarship funding for that semester.
• Students may appeal the loss of scholarship eligibility. To begin your appeal please email finaid@oneonta.edu with the name of the scholarship and your Oneonta ID number. Appeals are reviewed by the Scholarship Appeals Committee which meets periodically. The decision of the Scholarship Appeals Committee is final. As with all awards, all successful appeals are subject to availability of funding.

Definitions

Financial Need: Need is defined by Congress as the difference between a student’s Financial Aid Budget and the amount the student’s family can reasonably be expected to contribute. The amount of the expected family contribution is calculated by the U.S. Department of Education from information provided on a student’s FAFSA application.