Archive for Financial Aid – Page 6

Did you know?

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Wednesday, May 14th, 2014 

When the US Congress passed The Bipartisan Student Loan Certainty Act of 2013, it created a student loan interest rate tied to the 10-year Treasury note, to be adjusted annually. As you are aware, interest rates have been rising, and the US Department of Education recently announced that rates for academic periods beginning on or after July 1, 2014 will be as follows:

Direct Unsubsidized Student Loans: 6.21%

Graduate PLUS Loans: 7.21%

These rates represent a 0.8% increase over the rates available between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014. If you intend to borrow and are enrolled in a program that includes a summer term, such as the PESP or PEPM programs, or continuing students in the EMPA program, the lower rates still apply so long as you complete all necessary application materials before July 1.

These rates are fixed for the life of the loan, although we are encouraged by recent proposals in the Senate to allow for refinancing of student loans at lower interest rates. Also remember that the government deducts fees from these loans at the time of disbursement; rates set during Sequestration are now at 1.073% for the Unsubsidized Loan and 4.292% for the PLUS loan.

If you have any questions about student loans, please contact the SIPA Financial Aid Office at [email protected]  or 212-854-6216. We hope you have an enjoyable and productive summer.

 

Categories : Application Tips, Paying for SIPA
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A few words about Public Service Loan Forgiveness

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Monday, April 14th, 2014 

If you are considering student loans to help finance your studies at SIPA and may later pursue a career in the public or non-profit sectors, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program could mean considerable savings on loan repayment in the future.

Borrowers who pursue full-time careers in the non-profit or public service sectors can have their outstanding student loan balance forgiven after 120 months of repayment (payments need not be consecutive).  This program applies to and Federal Direct Loans (also known as Stafford Loans) or Graduate PLUS loans you may borrow at SIPA.

For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office or visit any of these websites:

Non-profit or public sector employment may include:

  • A Federal, State, local, or Tribal government organization, agency, or entity;
  • A public child or family service agency;
  • Volunteering full-time in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps;
  • A tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization;
  • A Tribal college or university; or
  • A private non-profit organization that provides any of the following public services:
  • Emergency management
  • Military service
  • Public safety or law enforcement
  • Public interest law services
  • Early childhood education
  • Public service for individuals with disabilities and the elderly
  • Public health
  • Public education or other school-based services
  • Public or school library services

As many SIPA alumni pursue such careers, they may qualify for loan forgiveness.  Please contact us at [email protected] if you have any questions.

 

Categories : Application Tips, Paying for SIPA
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It’s FAFSA Time!

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Wednesday, February 26th, 2014 
· No Comments

Admitting the best applicants and getting them here is always on our mind.

Students admitted to SIPA are considered for scholarships (presuming you had submitted your application by the fellowship deadline), but if you need additional assistance from student loans or Work Study, you will need to complete the 2014/15 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA.  To do so, go to www.fafsa.gov.   The information collected on the FAFSA will be used by the SIPA Financial Aid Office to determine your eligibility for student loans available from the federal government and possible work study jobs.

If you completed the FAFSA as an undergraduate, you’ll be familiar with the process, although as a graduate student, no parental information is necessary.   If you have a PIN number that you used as an undergraduate, use the same one.  If you have never completed a FAFSA before, you will need a PIN in order to complete the FAFSA; you must go to www.pin.ed.gov, which is linked from www.fafsa.gov.

When you complete the FAFSA, designate Columbia University as the recipient with our school code number, 002707, in Step 6 of the FAFSA.

Do not wait until you have received an admission decision to complete your FAFSA.  While there is no absolute deadline approaching, you should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible; we recommend that you do so by about March 1 for a timely review.  Also be aware that this is an annual form, and you will need to complete the 2015/16 FAFSA for your second year should you wish to borrow or be considered for a work study position.  If you are only interested in SIPA scholarships and do not wish to borrow loans, you need not complete the FAFSA.  You can, however, submit a FAFSA later if you decide that you do want to explore student loan or Work Study options.

The FAFSA is a lengthy form that collects a lot of information.  If you are completing the FAFSA for the first time, it can be confusing.  If you have any questions or need any assistance, contact us at 212-854-6216 or email us at [email protected].

 

Note: Do not complete a FAFSA if you are an international student.  It is used to determine eligibility for aid available only to US citizens and permanent residents.

 

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Categories : Paying for SIPA
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Looking for funding? These Columbia scholarships should be on your list.

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Thursday, February 6th, 2014 
· No Comments

SIPA students are eligible to apply for a number of interschool funds that are not administered by SIPA but by another school or department within Columbia University.   Some of these scholarships may not apply to new incoming students but keep them in mind when considering all your funding options as a continuing student.

FLAS Fellowships: Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowships are available for either the summer or the academic year and open to Columbia University students who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents in a program that combines training in select foreign languages with international or area studies.  The FLAS Fellowships are administered by the Columbia University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).  The application deadline for FLAS fellowships is Friday, February 28, 2014. For more information, see the GSAS website, or email [email protected] for more information.

Harriman Institute: The Harriman Institute offers fellowships to Columbia University graduate students committed to the study of Russia, Eurasia and Eastern Europe.  A number of different awards are available, with an application deadline of February 14, 2014.  For more information, go to http://harriman.columbia.edu/courses/graduate-student-support.

Weatherhead East Asia Institute: Offers language fellowships and the Y.F. and L.C.C. Wu Fellowship that is available to all graduate students with a preference for students from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and China, and for U.S. citizens of Chinese, Hong Kong, or Taiwan descent.  The Wu Fellowship provides an academic year support of $5000.  The application deadline is February 28, 2014.  For more information, click here.

Lemann Foundation Interschool Fellowships: The Lemann Interschool Fellowship is a new award administered by the Provost Office and should not be confused with SIPA’s own Lemann funding.  The application deadline for continuing SIPA students is  Feb 1.  Incoming new students applying to the SIPA Lemann Fellowship will also be considered for the Lemann Foundation Interschool Fellowship.

Dolores Zohrab Liebmann Fellowships: The fellowship is available to graduate students at various universities around the country.  Candidates from Columbia University are selected by the Provost’s Office; application deadline in December.

University Graduate Fellowships: These small awards (generally in the range of $1000 to $5000) are available University-wide based on very specific eligibility criteria (including children of Houghton-Mifflin employees, Univ of Nebraska alumna, Greek descent, students who speak Estonian, and residents of Vermont).  The application deadline is usually June 1.  For more information, see the SFS website.

 

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Categories : Paying for SIPA
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A new SIPA Financial Aid webpage

Posted by Columbia SIPA 
· Monday, January 27th, 2014 
· No Comments

The SIPA Office of Financial Aid is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. From the SIPA homepage, the page is reachable via the “Financial Aid” link, on both the Admissions and Student menus.

The site is intended to provide a single location for information about financing options available to SIPA students, including fellowships, student loans, and aid from the federal government; billing and payment; external funding opportunities; and the application processes. It also includes new information specifically for both international students and dual degree students.

Why all this information was not in one place before confused us… but that was the past.  Now we look to the future.  Please visit the site; we hope you find it helpful and look forward to your feedback, which can be sent to [email protected].

 

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Categories : News, Paying for SIPA
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"The most global public policy school, where an international community of students and faculty address world challenges."

—Merit E. Janow, Dean, SIPA, Professor of Practice, International and Economic Law and International Affairs

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