Award Letter
This document is issued through your SWORDS account by the Office of Financial Aid. It lists all the amounts, sources, and types of aid in your financial aid package. For more information about viewing and receiving your awards please visit the
SWORDS instructions.
CampusLogic
CampusLogic is the online portal students use at MGA to review missing verification requirements and complete and/or upload documents needed for financial aid file completion.
Checkpoint
This is when your HOPE eligibility is evaluated. For current HOPE recipients, checkpoints occur every 30, 60, 90 credit hours attempted and every spring semester. For students wishing to be evaluated for HOPE, they may request to do so after attempting 30, 60, or 90 credit hours, but not every spring. For more information regarding HOPE, please review
the HOPE information.
Consortium Agreement
These agreements explain terms, conditions, and responsibilities of transient students either attending Middle Georgia State as a transient student or an Middle Georgia State student attending another institution. Please note that consortium agreements do not serve as payment and your host school may demand payment prior to the Middle Georgia State disbursement.
A transient student is a student who seeks temporary admission to a college and transfers the credit back to their home college. The student's host college cannot determine their financial aid eligibility. Middle Georgia State University's financial aid office will only process consortium agreements with other University System of Georgia schools in an effort to assist students with federal financial aid processing. Please contact our office for instructions on completing a consortium agreement if applicable. The following process should be adhered to for HOPE scholarship only eligible students:
MGA HOPE eligible students enrolling as a transient student at another institution:
If the Middle Georgia State University student is a HOPE Scholarship recipient, they should print and submit the MGA HOPE Transient Request form to MGA'S financial aid office. When the student's eligibility for the HOPE Scholarship has been determined, the information will be submitted electronically to their host college. To receive the HOPE Scholarship as a Transient Student, both colleges must be recognized as HOPE eligible institutions. It is important to apply early to avoid costly processing delays.
HOPE eligible students attending MGA as a Transient student from another institution:
If the Transient student is a Hope Scholarship recipient, they should apply for the Hope Scholarship as a Transient student at their home college. When their eligibility has been determined, the home college will send the information to Middle Georgia State University's financial aid office electronically. It is important to apply early to avoid costly processing delays.
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Cost of Attendance
Often referred to as COA, the cost to attend school, including tuition and fees, books, supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal and miscellaneous expenses. The COA is determined by MGA and SGA (Student Government Association) using federal guidelines. The COA is NOT a bill; it is an estimate of potential expenses.
Default
The status of a loan when payment is 270 days (9 months) late. If this happens the lender can declare the entire amount owed, including interest, as immediately due and payable. Defaults are reported to credit bureaus and can stay on your credit record for seven years. If you have defaulted on a federal student loan, you may not be eligible to receive any additional federal financial aid.
Deferment
The option to postpone repayment for a period of time, under certain conditions, with permission from the lender. If you are an eligible half-time student, your loans are automatically deferred.
Direct Loan/Federal Direct Loan Program
Fixed rate education loans that are provided for undergraduate and graduate students attending college in an eligible program at least half time. These loans may be deferred while the student is attending school at least half time and they adhere to annual and aggregate loan limits set forth by the Department of Education. For more information, please review our
Loans information page.
Disbursement
When financial aid funds are applied to your account. This is reflected on your SWORDS account.
Education Loans
Money borrowed by a student or parent from a lender from the Federal government to fund post-secondary education; these require repayment with interest. For more information, please read our
Loans information page.
EFC - Expected Family Contribution
Amount considered reasonable for your family to contribute to your education expenses according to the FAFSA calculations which are determined by the Federal Department of Education.
Entrance Counseling
Online counseling that assists you in understanding your repayment rights and responsibilities, options for repayment, and debt management skills when applying for a Direct loan. Completing Entrance Counseling is a federal requirement. This may be completed at
www.studentaid.gov.
Exit Counseling
Online counseling that reminds you of your repayment rights and responsibilities, options for repayment, and debt management skills when graduating or dropping below a half-time status. Completing Exit Counseling is a federal requirement. This may be completed at
www.studentaid.gov.
Federal Financial Aid
Money offered by the federal government to assist eligible students in funding their post-secondary education. Federal Financial Aid includes some scholarships, grants, and all Direct loans.
Fees
A fixed sum charged to your account for services offered. For more information regarding
Tuition and Fees, please visit
Bursar.
Financial Need
The difference between the student's Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
Forbearance
A period of time when you're allowed to postpone or temporarily reduce the amount of your loan payment due to temporary financial hardship. For more information, contact your lender.
FSA ID
Students, parents, and borrowers are required to use an
FSA ID, made up of a username and password, to access certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information and electronically signing your
federal student aid documents. To obtain or read more information, visit
https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid
Grace Period
A feature of Federal Loans that gives you six months after you leave school or drop below half-time status before you must start making monthly payments on your loan. If you choose to let the interest on your Unsubsidized loan accrue, the interest and principal payments will begin at the end of your grace period.
Grants
Money available to eligible students based upon financial need, past academic performance, service to the community or special areas of study. Grants do not require repayment.
Half-Time
For all undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, limited-graduate, and provisionally-admitted graduate students, half-time is at least six credit hours. For all regularly-admitted graduate students, half-time is at least 4.5 credit hours.
Interest
The fee that is charged on an annual basis in exchange for lending the money. The interest rate, usually expressed as a percentage of the loan amount, may stay the same for the term of the loan (fixed rate) or it may change periodically (variable rate).
MPN - Master Promissory Note
The legal document you sign when you enter into an agreement with a lender for a Direct, Parent PLUS, or Graduate PLUS Loan. This document explains the terms and conditions of your loan and it is good for 10 years from the date you sign it. This means you may not have to sign a new application or MPN for additional loans from the same lender. You will, however, have the chance to review, reduce, or decline the loan amount on subsequent loans. To complete a MPN for a Direct, Parent PLUS, or Graduate PLUS loan, visit
www.studentaid.gov.
Origination Fee
The fee charged by the federal government and deducted from loan proceeds prior to disbursement.
Pell Grant
This is a federal grant for students who have a low EFC and are undergraduate students. This grant pays a certain percentage based on your EFC and the number of credit hours you are enrolled.
Principal
The original amount borrowed or the amount outstanding at any time on the loan. Interest is charged on this amount.
SAP - Standard of Academic Progress
The standards of academic progress required by the Higher Education Act in order to receive federal student financial aid. These standards are determined and published by the school. The SAP appeal is found on our
documents page.
SAR - Student Aid Report
Document you will receive after your FAFSA is processed. Please be sure to review this document to see if corrections need to be made to your FAFSA. Your SAR will contain your EFC.
Scholarships
Money for college that does not have to be repaid. The money can come from many sources including the government, community groups, schools and corporations. Awards can be based on hobbies, artistic or athletic talent, academic merit, and majors. Visit our
Scholarship information page for more details.
Special Circumstances
If your financial situation has changed dramatically since the previous fiscal year, you may complete a special circumstances application and submit supporting documentation (listed on application) to have your income reconsidered based on unemployment, change of employment status, medical reasons, loss of non-taxed income, or separation or divorce. The Special Circumstances application can be found on our
forms page.
Subsidized
The government pays the interest on the Direct loan for you while you are in school at least half time and during your grace period.
Transient
A student taking courses at an institution other than the home institution. Permission must be granted before registration. See your academic advisor and financial aid counselor for details.
Tuition
The amount charged to your account for instruction per course up to 15 credit hours. For more information regarding
Tuition and Fees, please visit the
Bursar.
Unsubsidized
Interest accrues on your Direct loan while you are in school. You have the option to pay on this interest while you are in school, but are not required to do so.
Verification
The process to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA is accurate. You will need to submit documentation that supports income and other information that you reported on your FAFSA.
Verification of Attendance
The process by which your instructor verifies whether or not you have been in attendance for the courses you have requested financial aid. This normally occurs during the first two weeks of the class period. Financial aid will not disburse for courses in which you are not verified in attendance.