Student Rights to Know

In summary, you, the consumer, have the right to seek and receive necessary information and counseling from the Office of Student Financial Aid and other UNCSA sources. If you have any questions or need additional information concerning UNCSA, please refer to the UNCSA website or the UNCSA Bulletin.

You have the right to:

Obtain information about the student aid programs available at UNCSA
Apply and be considered for assistance
Request an explanation of any phase of the financial aid process
Request special consideration if your family's financial circumstances change significantly (you must take the initiative in notifying the Office of Student Financial Aid of these changes)
Request an appointment with the Director of Student Financial Aid concerning financing your education
Request information concerning academic programs, costs and refunds, physical facilities, student retention, etc.
Appeal financial aid awards or denials based upon academic progress or enrollment requirements

Student Responsibilities
You have the responsibility to:

Apply for admission
Complete all financial aid forms accurately and submit them in a timely manner
Reapply for financial aid each academic year
Provide any additional information as requested by the Office of Student Financial Aid or any other UNCSA office
Inform the Office of Student Financial Aid of any personal changes (increase or decrease in your financial resources, change in name, address and/or Social Security Number, withdrawal or transfer from UNCSA)
Enroll for the necessary number of credit hours
Honor the policies and procedures set forth in the UNCSA Bulletin and the Campus Life Handbook
Request any information you feel is necessary
Perform the work that is agreed upon in accepting work-study
Attend required loan counseling and repay your loans in accordance with your repayment schedule

North Carolina Residency for Tuition Purposes

The University of North Carolina School of the Arts uses in-state residency, when referring to an academic program and/or tuition rate, as outlined and defined in the North Carolina General Statutes 116-143.1. The term is defined in detail in "A Manual to Assist the Public Higher Education Institutions of North Carolina in the Matter of Student Residence Classification for Tuition Purposes". This manual may be found in most North Carolina libraries and/or any admissions or financial aid offices at any of the 16 constituent campuses of The University of North Carolina. For more information on Residency please refer to the UNCSA Office of the Registrar.

Looking for Scholarships

UNCSA Scholarships
UNCSA has a variety of scholarships which can be awarded to college students and out-of-state high school students. Scholarships may be awarded based on talent (as determined by audition or jury through the Arts Schools), demonstrated need, or a combination of talent and need. These scholarships are awarded on an annual basis. (Students are encouraged to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at fafsa.ed.gov by March 1st of each year for the determination of need-based scholarships and other need-based aid. Note: Need-based scholarships for high school students are limited.)

Outside Scholarships
Scholarship information is available from private foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, and civic groups, as well as professional organizations related to your field of interest. Some of the best sources of scholarships may be in your local community! Be sure to explore these opportunities.

The Internet offers a wide range of free scholarship information and resource listings for students and prospective students in all areas of study. For your convenience, we have listed below several websites that may be helpful. The website descriptions are copied directly from the websites to provide a brief summary of the content. Take a few minutes to search these websites to look for scholarships for which you may qualify! Be aware that there may be some overlap among the websites.

www.collegeboard.org
Locate scholarships, internships, grants, and loans that match your education level, talents, and background. Complete the brief questionnaire and Scholarship Search will find potential opportunities from our database of more than 2,300 sources of college funding, totaling nearly $3 BILLION in available aid!
www.fastweb.com
Each FastWeb user answers a detailed questionnaire about themselves. The site then uses this data to generate a personalized suite of information of scholarships, colleges, internships, jobs, and more. At the heart is FastWeb's industry-leading scholarship database — the most comprehensive and accurate compilation of national, community, and college-specific scholarships available anywhere. Updated continuously by the company's own dedicated research team, FastWeb's database contains over 1.3 million scholarships worth over $3 billion.
www.finaid.org
Undergraduate scholarships and graduate fellowships are forms of aid that help students pay for their education. Unlike student loans, scholarships and fellowships do not have to be repaid. Hundreds of thousands of scholarships and fellowships from several thousand sponsors are awarded each year.
www.petersons.com
More than 1.7 million awards -- a total of nearly $8 billion -- the ability to search by your criteria. There are scholarships that are never awarded because no one ever applies for them. Don’t let free money go to waste.
www.studentscholarshipsearch.com
Scholarship Resource Network Express contains a database of over 8,000 programs with a distribution level of over 150,000 awards for undergraduate and postgraduate students worth a total of more than $35 million!

Beware of scholarship scams. If you are asked to pay money to get money, it could be a scam. Be wary of scholarships with an application fee, scholarship matching services who guarantee success, advance-fee loan scams, and sales pitches disguised as financial aid “seminars.”

Notice to High School Parents and Students

If you are a high school student, your Arts Dean may request that you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to assist them in determining your eligibility for some scholarships. The FAFSA is not designed for high school students, thus some questions may be confusing. High School students should be considered first-year college students when answering these questions. Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid if you need assistance.

Need-based financial aid, from the Office of Student Financial Aid, is very limited for high school students. If you have not filed the FAFSA by April 1, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid to determine if funds will be available. Regardless of when you file, however, you are not guaranteed any assistance by filing the form and/or demonstrating financial need.

Other Consumer Information

In accordance with Federal regulations set forth by The Higher Education Act of 1965 (as amended), certain consumer information must be provided to all students. To view additional consumer information items that are not included on the UNCSA Office of Student Financial Aid website, please refer to the UNCSA Bulletin or visit our Consumer Information page.