Enrollment & Your Aid

Your enrollment status is based on the number of credits you are enrolled in for a given term. However, your enrollment status may be different based on how it is used - see example below.

• Institutional Enrollment

  The total number of credits you are enrolled in for each term. This enrollment determines how your tuition and fee charges are calculated by the Office of Student Accounts. This is the enrollment status used for enrollment verification purposes.

  How Credits are Considered

  These credits may or may not be applicable to your declared degree program(s).

  Types of Aid & Enrollment Requirements

  Stony Brook Scholarships & Grants (i.e. Presidential, Provostial, SB Campus Grant, etc.)- Minimum of 12 credits

• Federal Aid Enrollment

  The number of credits you are enrolled in for each term that are applicable towards your degree program(s). This enrollment level is used to determine your eligibility for federal grant, federal loan and federal work study programs.

  • If you are enrolled in any course that does not count towards your degree, or you have already satisfied the degree requirement, it cannot be used towards your federal aid enrollment status.
  • Aid is generally awarded based on the assumption that you will be full-time if you are not yet enrolled. Federal awards may be adjusted according to your final federal aid enrollment status for the term.

  How Credits are Considered

  The total number of credits you are enrolled in for each term that are applicable toward your degree program(s). This includes declared Primary Major, Secondary Major, Minor(s) and DEC/SBC requirements.

  The total of these degree applicable credits may differ from your institutional enrollment and state enrollment for the term.

  Types of Aid & Enrollment Requirements

  • Pell Grant: Minimum of 1 degree applicable credit
  • Federal SEOG: Minimum of 1 degree applicable credit
  • Federal Direct Stafford Loans: Minimum of 6 degree applicable credits
  • Federal Work Study: Minimum of 1 degree applicable credit
• State Aid Enrollment

  The number of credits you are enrolled in for each term that are applicable towards your degree program, Primary Major and DEC/SBC requirements.

  How Credits are Considered

  The total number of credits you are enrolled in for each term that are applicable toward your degree program. This includes Primary Major*, and DEC/SBC requirements only. Minors may only be considered if required by your degree program.

  *Exception for Excelsior Scholarship and EOP, can be seen in the Types of Aid & Enrollment Requirements 

  The total of these degree applicable credits may differ from your institutional enrollment and federal enrollment for the term.

  Types of Aid & Enrollment Requirements

  • Tuition Program (TAP) - Minimum 12 degree applicable credits
  • Aid for Part Time Study (APTS) - Minimum of 3 degree applicable credits (11 credit maximum)
  • Most other NYS Grant/Scholarship Programs- Minimum of 12 degree applicable credits
  • Excelsior Scholarship - Minimum of 12 degree applicable credits. *Secondary major credits are included for this program.
  • EOP Funding- Minimum of 12 credits. *Credits may or may not be applicable toward your declared degree program. 

Credit load & enrollment status

•  Full Time: 12 or more credits
• Three-Quarter Time: 9 to 11 credits
• Half-Time: 6 to 8 credits
• Less than Half-Time: 1 to 5 credits 

Displayed below are two examples designed to Illustrate how the same enrollment has different impact on financial aid eligibility based on the type of aid (Institutional, Federal Aid, State Aid).

You are highly encouraged to review how your enrollment applies to your degree  requirements in Degree Works and SOLAR. 

Your current and/or future financial aid eligibility may be impacted if  you do not complete the term, we cannot confirm your attendance, or you elect to use the G/P/NC option.

• Complete Term Withdrawals

  The process of withdrawing from the University is a formal procedure which the student has the responsibility to initiate. For information about withdrawing from the university visit:http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/registrar/registration/timeoff.php

  
  WITHDRAWING AND YOUR FEDERAL AID ELIGIBILITY 

  Federal Financial Aid is awarded to a student under the assumption that the student will attend school for the entire period for which the aid is awarded.

  • When a student withdraws, Federal Aid may be adjusted based on the percentage of the semester that the student completed.
  • The date recorded by the Registrar’s Office will be used as the official withdrawal date. This date will be used to determine the amount of Federal Financial Aid earned.
  • Tuition liability does not impact the amount of Federal Aid the student will earn when they withdraw from a semester. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the tuition liability schedule.http://www.stonybrook.edu/bursar/
  • If a student withdraws before 100% tuition liability the charges will be reduced accordingly. This may temporarily create a credit on the student account. The Bursar will not issue a refund to the student until Federal Aid eligibility is re-calculated. After the calculation is performed the University will issue a refund or the student will be responsible to pay any resulting balance.
  • Students who receive an approved medical withdrawal may submit an appeal for consideration of a partial or full refund of charges. Appeals must be submitted to the Bursar’s Office via email at bursar@stonybrook.edu within 15 days of withdrawal.
  • If you decide not to attend Stony Brook University, it is your obligation to properly withdraw through the appropriate office. Non-attendance of classes does not qualify as an official withdrawal, and does not relieve the student of his or her financial obligation.
  • If a student stops attending classes during a semester and does not officially withdraw, they will be considered an unofficial withdrawal. At the end of each semester attendance will be confirmed for students who did not receive any passing grades. If it is determined that the student did not attend until the end of the semester a withdrawal calculation will be processed.

  WITHDRAWING AND YOUR NEW YORK STATE AID ELIGIBILITY

  • If TAP was awarded and certified for full time tuition for the term of withdrawal, then it will be decertified for the following term. An appeal will be necessary.
  • If TAP was certified as a withdrawal with liability, then the student will receive the reduced amount of the award for the term of withdrawal and will most likely be decertified the following term. An appeal will be necessary.
  • If tuition charges are reduced or cancelled for the term of withdrawal, the current TAP award will be reduced or cancelled accordingly.
• Understanding the Federal Withdrawal Calculation
   When a student officially or unofficially withdraws from all classes in a semester, the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services will first confirm that the student began attendance in all classes for which Federal Financial Aid Awards were processed.  Federal Financial Aid Awards include:

  • Federal Pell Grant
  • SEOG
  • Perkins Loan
  • Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loans (Parent and Graduate)

  After confirming attendance and making any necessary adjustments, a Federal Calculation is run to determine the amount of aid the withdrawn student has earned.   The percentage of aid earned is calculated based on the percentage of the semester the student remained in attendance.  Once 60% of the semester has passed the student has earned 100% of the Federal Financial Aid that was awarded.

  • If the aid disbursed exceeds the amount of aid earned, the unearned amount will be returned to the Federal Programs.
  • The reduction of aid may create a balance due to the university, which the student will be responsible to pay.
  • If the amount of aid earned is greater than the amount already disbursed the student may be eligible for an additional disbursement.
  • Current outstanding charges on the student’s account will be paid first, any excess amount will be refunded directly to the student.
  • A disbursement from eligible grant funds will be made automatically.
  • Disbursements from loan funds must be authorized by the student
    • The student will receive an email communication explaining the amount of the disbursement and the type of loan to authorize.
    • A response to this communication must be received within 14 days or funds will be cancelled.

   

  • Example Withdrawal Calculation
     

    Bill Dollar withdrew from Stony Brook University for personal reasons.  Bill’s charges of $4628.25 for tuition and mandatory fees were paid from the aid that was disbursed to him and he received a refund.  At the time Bill withdrew, his tuition liability was 70% and 100% for fees.  Bill’s tuition and fee charges for the semester were adjusted to $3627.75.   Since Bill had a zero balance due to the university before withdrawing and the tuition is now adjusted, a credit of $1,000.50 will appear on his account. Bill completed only 17 days of the 107 days in the semester or 15.9% of the semester.  Bill was awarded the following financial aid, which was credited to his student account:  Federal Aid Type Amount  Federal Pell Grant $2,960  Federal Direct Subsidized Loan $1,727  Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan $990  Total Federal Financial Aid $5,677 To determine how much money must be returned by Stony Brook University and Bill, the financial aid staff must first determine how much financial aid Bill did earn.  Since Bill only attended 15.9% of the semester, he only earned 15.9% of his financial aid.    Total Financial Aid Disbursed $5,677 Multiply Percent of Earned Aid x  15.90% Amount of Earned Aid   $ 902.64  In the above calculation we have calculated that the student has earned $902.64 of the original $5,677 of financial aid.  The difference between $5,677 (original award total) and $902.64 (amount earned) is $4,774.36 (amount that must be returned). Since aid disbursed is greater than aid ‘earned’, the amount of ‘unearned aid’ ($4,774.36) must be returned to the Title IV programs. Funds to be returned:   Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan  $ 990 Federal Direct Subsidized Loan  $1,727 Federal Pell Grant +$2,057 Total Title IV aid to return $4774 Because the charges were reduced, Bill initially had a credit balance of $1,000.50.  Based on the withdrawal calculation, the University is required to return $4774 of federal aid.  The student will now owe the University $3,773.50.   Total Title IV aid to return $4774 Bill’s credit balance with the University after tuition was adjusted -$1,000.50  Amount Bill owes the University $3,773.50

• Confirmation of Attendance
  • Enrolling in courses is not enough to secure your financial aid.  It is essential that you attend all classes for which you are enrolled. 

  • Prior to the start of each semester Federal Aid will disburse based on the student’s enrollment on the date of disbursement.

  • If a financial aid hold exists, Federal Aid will not disburse.

  • After the start of each semester, immediately following Add/Drop, attendance must be confirmed by your instructor in order for Federal Grants and Perkins Loan funds to disburse.

  • After the semester has ended The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services is required to verify that students who receive a non-passing grade (F, I, Q, U, NR, NC, W) actually attended or participated in the class.

  • Failure to attend can be expensive.  Your aid may be reduced retro­actively, requiring you to repay aid you have received.

  • If you have any questions about your enrollment and eligibility for financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Services. 
• G/P/NC
  In order to maintain eligibility for federal and state financial aid, it is expected that you will complete and pass the classes you enroll in.  The impact of not doing so varies between state and federal aid and is outlined below:
  

  Federal Eligibility

  If you elect to use G/P/NC as a grading option for a course and do not earn the credits for the course (NC) your pace for federal financial aid eligibility will be negatively impacted. In order to meet Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines, students must earn a minimum of 67% of the classes they enroll in. This is a cumulative requirement.  A grade of NC will be seen as unearned in this equation. If you routinely earn all classes for which you enroll, one unearned class will not result in a loss of eligibility for federal aid.  If you have a history of term and class withdrawals and/or failed classes, a grade of NC may contribute to the loss of your aid. 

  Similarly, if you withdraw from a class ("W" on transcript), the impact on federal aid eligibility is the same as outlined above (NC grade).

  For additional details please read the section about Pace in our SAP for Undergraduates section.

  State Eligibility

  If you are a recipient of TAP or other NY State Scholarships or grants, and earn a "P" a "W"  or an "NC" in a course, it may affect your eligibility to receive NY State Aid in future terms. Because the outcome of these grading option choices is tempered by how many TAP payments you have already received, it is necessary to speak to a TAP Certifying Officer in the Registrar's Office to learn how these grading option choices specifically apply to your eligibility for NY State aid.