Types of Financial Aid

Federal Pell Grant
What is it? A grant awarded by the federal government, based on financial need.
Range of award at UPG: $400 - $4050/year
Who qualifies? Undergraduate U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, enrolled full-time or part-time. Expected Family Contribution (EFC) must be below 3851
How do I apply? By completing the FAFSA. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
What is it? A grant awarded by the federal government, based on financial need.
Range of award at UPG: $750 first year students, $1300 second year students
Who qualifies? U.S. citizens enrolled full-time in an undergraduate program. Must have completed a "rigorous high school program" and be pell grant-eligible.
How do I apply? By completing the FAFSA. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART)
What is it? A grant awarded by the federal government, based on financial need.
Range of award at UPG: $4000 to students enrolled in their third and fourth academic year
Who qualifies? U.S. citizens enrolled full-time in an approved, undergraduate program; Pell Grant Eligible; must have a GPA of at least a 3.0.
How do I apply? By completing the FAFSA. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
What is it? A grant awarded by the federal government, based on financial need. UPG is given a limited amount of funds from the government and will be disbursed on a "first come - first serve basis" to qualifying students.
Range of award at UPG: $500 - $1000/year
Who qualifies? Undergraduate, Pell-eligible, U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, enrolled full-time.
How do I apply? By completing the FAFSA. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

Federal Perkins Loan
What is it? A subsidized loan with a fixed 5% interest rate which students begin to repay nine months after graduating or dropping below half-time enrollment. The interest rate is a fixed 5%. UPG is given a limited amount of funds from the federal government and will be disbursed on a "first come - first serve basis" to qualifying students.
Who qualifies?Students enrolled full-time and have financial need
How much can I borrow? Range of Award $500 - $4000/year
How do I apply? Borrowers must complete the FAFSA, the Perkins Master Promissory Note, and the Entrance Counseling Interview. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

Pennsylvania State Grant
What is it? A grant based on financial need, awarded by the state agency (in Pennsylvania, that agency is PHEAA).
Range of award at UPG: $200 - $4500/year
Who qualifies? Undergraduate students with financial need and enrolled for at least 6 credits per term.
How do I apply? For a PHEAA Grant, Pennsylvania residents must submit a FAFSA by May 1. PHEAA may require a completed PHEAA Status Notice Form; if so, PHEAA will mail this to the student.

New Economy and Technology Scholarships
What is it? A scholarship for Pennsylvania residents who are pursuing higher education and training in science and technology fields.
Range of award at UPG: Up to $3000/yr beginning the sophomore year.
Who can apply? Pennsylvania residents with sophomore or higher standing, having a minimum cumulative G.P.A. of 3.0, who are enrolled full-time, and are pursuing a bachelor's degree in an approved science or technology field.
How do I apply? All applicants must complete the FAFSA. First time applicants must also complete the New Economy Technology Scholarship Program application at www.pheaa.org.

UPG Grants and Scholarships
What are they? A grant or scholarship offered by UPG based on high school academic achievement and College Entrance Examination Scores. Available for up to four years provided the recipient maintains a minimum 3.25 cumulative Grade Point Average. Scholarships are not transferable between Pitt campuses. An Admissions Committee upon submission of admissions application determines these awards.
Range of award at UPG: $500 - $5000/year
Who qualifies? Freshmen admission applicants are automatically reviewed and notified by the Office of Admissions.
What is the deadline? Offers are extended until funds are expended. Early application is encouraged. Contact the Admissions Office for more specific information.

Federal Work-Study
What is it? A job awarded to students based on need. Students work 10 hours/week. UPG is given a limited amount of funds from the federal government and will be disbursed on a "first come - first serve basis" to qualifying students.
Range of award at UPG: $2100 - $2250/year
Who qualifies? Undergraduate, U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens enrolled full-time and have financial need.
How do I apply? By completing the FAFSA. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted. Completing all the work-study forms on the UPG web-site.
What is it?: The Financial Aid Office makes the award after determining the student's need. Although Work-Study may appear on the award letter, a job is not guaranteed. New applications will be referred to a supervisor when a job becomes available.

Federal Stafford Loan
What is it? A long-term loan which students begin to repay six months after they graduate or drop below half-time enrollment. The interest rate is a fixed 6.8%.
Subsidized & Unsubsidized: A subsidized loan is when the government pays the interest while the student is enrolled. An unsubsidized loan is when the student is responsible for the interest while enrolled in school. Interest begins to accrue on the day funds are disbursed and can be paid quarterly or capitalized and added to the loan principal. Borrowers can receive subsidized and unsubsidized loans for the same period, but the combined total of both programs can not exceed the annual loan limits.
Who qualifies? Students enrolled for at least six credits per semester.
How much can I borrow? The annual loan limits are based on the number of completed credits at UPG:
$3500 for Level 1 students
$4500 for Level 2 students
$5500 for Level 3 and 4 students
Independent students may borrow an additional $4000 to $5000
How do I apply? Stafford borrowers must complete the FAFSA, the Stafford Master Promissory Note, and the Entrance Counseling Interview. If selected, all Verification forms must be submitted.

Federal Parent Plus Loan
What is it? A long-term, loan with a fixed 8.5% interest rate in the parents' name only.
Who can apply? Parents of dependent undergraduate students approved by lenders for credit purposes. Dependent undergraduate students whose parents have been denied credit approval may apply for additional unsubsidized Stafford Loan funds.
How much can you borrow? The annual limit is the undergraduate education Budget minus all other financial aid, including loans.
How do I apply? Obtain an application from a participating lender or on-line at www.upg/pitt.edu, under Financial Aid. In most circumstances, parents should apply for two terms, half of the loan will be disbursed for the fall term and the other half will be disbursed for the spring term. A parent needs to reapply each academic year. If a student is not filing the FAFSA, proof of dependency must be submitted to the school.

Alternative Student Loans
What is it?A long-term loan which students can repay after they graduate. Unlike the Stafford or Perkins, these loans are not federally regulated and can have a variable interest rate up to 22%. The student applies directly to the bank.
Who can apply? Eligibility criteria, terms, and conditions vary by lender. Many offer repayment incentives and waive up-front fees. Most banks will require that the student have a co-signor and will offer incentives based on the credit-worthiness of that co-signor. It is important that the student compare loans to receive the best value. If you are not filing the FAFSA, contact your Financial Aid Office.
How much can you borrow? The annual limit is the undergraduate education Budget minus all other financial aid, including loans.
How do I apply? Pre-approvals are available on-line or by telephone. Listed are a few lenders that offer competitive loans. The Load Code for the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg is 003379-04.

List of Potential Lenders and Information