Cost & Aid

TUITION AND FEES

• Tuition
• Room Charges
• Board Charges (Meal Plans)
• Semester, Program, Activity and Other Fees
• Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board Charges

The deposits, tuition, room, board and fees noted in the following sections are in effect for the 2008-2009 academic year and are subject to change without prior notice by The Sage Colleges’ Board of Trustees. All policy statements and other information in the following sections reflect information current at the time of this publication. Payments All payments for tuition, room, board and fees are due in full by the following dates. Students who register beyond these payment deadlines are expected to pay in full at the time of registration.

Payments can be made at the Office of Student Services, which accepts cash, MasterCard, Visa, and money orders or checks payable to The Sage Colleges. All student balances must be paid in full unless the student has been awarded financial aid sufficient to cover the outstanding balance or is enrolled in one of the College’s payment plans. Students will be permitted to attend classes and utilize College facilities only after they have settled their financial obligations to the College. Any subsequent modification to an expected amount of financial aid or student loan remains the full responsibility of the student and must be paid in full by the student. In addition to following application and verification procedures for financial aid, the student’s eligibility must be confirmed and the student must accept offered awards in writing before those amounts can be applied as payment against tuition and fees. Please note that loan programs require an extended period of processing before the loan amount is credited to the student’s account. Failure to fully pay the student’s liability may result in the removal of registration from any or all classes. In addition, an unpaid financial obligation to the College will result in the withholding of the student’s grades, transcript of credits, diploma, and official reports and make the student ineligible for future financial aid awards, pre-registration, and resident room selections. Employer Reimbursement For students who receive full or partial reimbursement from employers, the Office of Student Services has established procedures that comply with both College and employer requirements. Authorizations from the agency or employer must be presented at the time of registration. Deferred Payment Plans The Sage Colleges offers a variety of low-cost payment options that allow parents and students to spread the cost of attendance over the period of enrollment. For additional information regarding these payment plans, contact the Office of Student Services at 518-244-2201 (Troy) or 518-292-1781 (Albany). Deposits New and returning students, both full- and part-time, must submit a $50 deposit at the time of registration, refundable until the first day of class. This deposit is credited against the student’s tuition, room, board and fees. Health Insurance All full-time students must maintain health insurance coverage for all semesters in which they are enrolled. Full-time students may purchase health insurance through The Sage Colleges. For information on this plan, contact the Office of Student Services at 518-244-2201 (Troy) or 518-292-1781 (Albany). Senior Citizen Tuition Discount Senior citizens (65 and older) may audit a course at The Sage Colleges without a tuition charge, on a space-available basis. All applicable College fees still apply and are charged accordingly. Tuition Tuition charges are not refundable. Adjustments for withdrawals and other circumstances can be found in the Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board Charges section. All students enrolled in Sage Graduate School pay tuition per credit hour according to the course for which they enroll (refer to the appropriate catalog for tuition rate and fees for Sage College of Albany, Russell Sage College, or Sage Graduate School). Summer tuition rates are published each spring prior to course registration. During summer sessions all students pay tuition per credit hour according to the level (undergraduate and graduate) and discipline of the course.

Room Charges The following room charges are not refundable. Refer to the Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board section for information regarding adjustments to room charges due to a student’s withdrawal from the College or an approved leave of absence.

Board Charges Graduate students have the option of choosing a board plan. The following board charges are not refundable. Refer to the Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board section for information regarding adjustments to board charges due to a student’s withdrawal from the College or an approved leave of absence.

Declining Balance Meal Plans The Sage declining balance meal plans are designed to meet the dining needs of students living off campus. Established as a way to provide tax-free purchases on meals, the meal plans provide a 5% discount on all purchases and, depending on the plan chosen, may include bonus money. Declining balance meal plans can be used to make purchases at any Sage dining operation on the Troy or Albany campus. Declining balance meal plans are maintained on a student’s Sage ID Card and work similar to a debit card. Only the person pictured on the ID card can use the funds on that card. If an ID card is reported lost, funds on the card can be transferred to a replacement ID card. With a commuter meal plan, students only pay for the meals they purchase, and balances can be used to purchase meals for guests. Meal plans cannot be changed after the first week of classes, at which time all contracts become final and are non-refundable. Additions of $25 or more can be added at Dining Services throughout the semester and can be paid for by cash, check, Visa, or MasterCard. Any additional deposits to a commuter meal plan are also eligible for the 5% discount and tax free status. Students enrolled in a commuter meal plan for the fall semester will automatically be enrolled and billed for the same plan for the spring semester. If a student chooses not to participate in the spring or would like to change the amount of their meal plan for the spring semester, written notification to the Office of Residence Life must be received prior to the start of spring classes. Balances remaining at the end of the fall semester will be added to the spring semester starting balance. Balances remaining at the end of the spring semester may not be used to make bulk purchases. These balances are non-refundable in accordance with NYS tax regulations, and they do not carry over to any future semester. Declining balance meal plans may be purchased by contacting the Office of Residence Life at 518-244-2008. For more information about boarding and declining balance meal plans, please refer to The Sage Colleges Dining Services home page Semester, Program, Activity and Other Fees The following fees are not refundable or subject to adjustment after the first day of classes. These fees are charged accordingly and in addition to the previously stated tuition, room and board charges.

Enrollment and Room Deposits

Adjustments for Tuition, Room and Board Charges A student who notifies the College of his or her withdrawal or leave of absence in writing and in accordance with the College’s withdrawal policy is eligible for an adjustment to tuition, room and board charges in accordance with the following schedules. Non-attendance does not constitute a withdrawal from a class or the College. Any student receiving Federal (Title IV) financial aid may be required to return a portion of their aid to the granting agency if they separate from The Sage Colleges prior to the end of a semester. Any adjustment for tuition, room or board charges may be less than the amount of aid that must be returned and may create a liability to the College that must be paid by the student. The date of official academic withdrawal as recorded by the Registrar’s Office is the basis of all adjustments for tuition, room and board charges. It is important that the student adhere to the following processes to ensure that the correct adjustment is applied to their account. To withdraw from a class To withdraw from a class, the student must complete the necessary forms and submit them to the Office of Student Services (the forms are available from this office). To withdraw from the college or request a leave of absence To withdraw from the College or to request a leave of absence, the student must notify the Dean of the Sage Graduate School. Resident students must also notify the Office of Residence Life. Students required to withdraw from a class or the College for disciplinary reasons are not entitled to any adjustment to tuition or room charges.

FINANCIAL AID SERVICES

• To Apply for Financial Aid
• Conditions of Financial Aid Awards
• Federal and State Sources of Financial Aid
• Assistantships, Fellowships and Scholarships

Eligibility To qualify for financial aid, graduate students must be enrolled as degree or certificate seeking students on at least a half-time basis of 4.5 credit hours per semester (minimum six hours per semester is required for assistantships and fellowships). Eligibility for grants and loans requires United States citizenship or permanent resident status. It should also be noted that federal and state legislation frequently modifies requirements and eligibility standards for financial aid. Application Procedures Because financial aid is awarded on an annual basis, these procedures must be followed each year. While admission is not required to initiate an application for financial aid, new students will not receive confirmation of their status until the Office of Financial Aid Services is notified that the admission process is complete.

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed as soon as possible after January 1, but not later than March 1, preceding the academic year for which assistance is requested. Students are requested to file the FAFSA on the internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Electronic filing is an accurate and fast means of filing for financial aid.

• New York State residents should also complete the application for the Graduate Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). The New York State Higher Education Services Corporation will mail this form to your home..

• Upon request, applicants must submit all pages of completed tax forms for verification by the Office of Financial Aid Services.

Conditions of Financial Aid Awards

• All aid is awarded on an annual basis and aid amounts are credited to student accounts for each semester’s charges.

• Refunds of any excess credit will be made approximately halfway through each term through the Student Services Office. Refunds are generated when the student account reflects a credit balance resulting from direct payments and/or the posting of financial aid.

• Since aid is awarded on the basis of annual financial information from students, and college costs change each year, financial aid awards may vary depending on the changing circumstances.

• Outside sources of assistance – such as private scholarships and Vocational and Educational Services for Individuals with Disabilities (VESID) – must be reported to the Office of Financial Aid Services. Financial aid already awarded could be modified as a result.

• All awards of federal or state aid are tentative, pending approval and receipt of funds from the source.

• Costs on which financial aid eligibility is calculated are limited to direct expenses such as tuition, fees, books and supplies.

Federal and State Sources of Financial Aid Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans are available through banks and other lending institutions. Graduate students may borrow up to $8,500 per year, not to exceed their cost of attendance. Insurance and origination fees of approximately three percent are removed from the gross amount before disbursement. For students demonstrating financial need, the loan is subsidized, with interest paid by the Department of Education during school enrollment. The interest rate is variable, but cannot exceed 8.25 percent. Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are available to students who do not demonstrate need or to independent students who are eligible for an additional Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. This loan is available through banks and other lending institutions. Graduate students may borrow up to $10,000 per year, not to exceed their cost of attendance. The loan is for those without need and interest must be paid by the student during school enrollment. PLUS Loans for graduate or professional students are offered through lenders as part of the federal PLUS Loan Program. Requirements for eligibility include the determination that the applicant does not have an adverse credit history. Repayment begins on the date of the last disbursement of the loan. A fixed interest rate of 8.5% applies. Applicants must complete the filing of the FAFSA. Further information is available through the Office of Financial Aid Services. Alternative Loan Programs are offered through lenders to assist students with the cost of education. The yearly limit on an alternative loan is equal to the cost of education minus available financial aid. To receive an alternative loan, students will, more than likely, need to be creditworthy. The lender may also require a cosigner. Information on this option is available through the Office of Financial Aid Services. Veterans Administration Benefits may be available to those with at least 180 days of continuous active duty between 1955 and 1976. The assistance is in the form of monthly stipends and is dependent on enrollment status. Details are available from the Office of the Registrar on the Albany Campus. Ombudsman When reasonable efforts through other channels have not resolved a dispute or problem regarding federal education loans, students can contact the Student Financial Assistance Ombudsman. The U.S. Department of Education’s Ombudsman Office can propose solutions that may help students and other parties come to a final agreement, although an ombudsman can’t reverse a decision or take sides. Reach the ombudsman at:

New York Graduate Tuition Assistance Program provides up to $550 per year for master’s degree students who are New York state residents. Awards can be renewed for up to four years of graduate study. No student may receive TAP awards for more than a combined undergraduate/graduate total of eight years of study. In addition to the above, New York State administers programs of assistance for children of deceased or disabled veterans, and of deceased corrections officers and fire fighters. Direct grants are available to Vietnam-era veterans. New York state also provides grants and scholarships to students who concentrate in specific fields of study, including education, nursing, physical therapy and occupational therapy. Information may be obtained from the Office of Student Services. Assistantships, Fellowships and Scholarships Sage Graduate School is committed to an equitable, supportive and professional environment for graduate education. Graduate assistantships and fellowships provide financial support while helping students develop independent judgment, intellectual breadth, professional and personal accountability, and the ability to communicate effectively. Graduate Assistantships provide tuition waivers and a stipend for working in an academic or administrative office, assisting faculty in research, or in limited instances, teaching undergraduate classes. For each three-credit tuition waiver plus $1000 stipend, a student works 150 hours or teaches one three-credit course equivalent. Assistantships are awarded on the basis of financial need and academic ability. To be eligible for assistantships, students must follow the financial aid application procedures described above, including submission of the FAFSA after January 1. Students also must complete by an Application for Assistantship form available from the Sage Graduate School web page (Academics, Forms) or in the Graduate School office. Preference will be given to students who complete this process prior to March 1 of the year preceding the asssistantship award. Upon receipt of FAFSA information, which identifies the level of federal and state aid for which the student is eligible, the Office of Financial Aid Services determines whether or not the student is also eligible for a graduate assistantship and provides that information to the Dean of the Graduate School. The dean and program director conduct an academic review of eligible applicants and select those to receive the assistantships available. Beginning on March 15 of each year students will be notified of their eligibility for an assistantship award. Students enrolled for six hours per semester, including the summer term, may receive no more than two tuition waivers plus stipend per year. Students enrolled for nine or more hours may receive one tuition waiver plus stipend each semester, including the summer term, but no more than three tuition waivers plus stipend per year. An assistantship award means that the student is eligible to apply for the open assistantship positions posted at www.sage.edu/sgs/costaid/grad_assistantships/ or available in the Graduate School office. Job descriptions allow students to match their skills and experience to the openings. These may be in academic departments or administrative offices; selection is made by the individual supervising the graduate assistant. When a selection has been made, the student assistant receives a contract of employment which must be returned within two weeks of the issue date. If the contract is not returned, the assistantship is released for award to another student. Student assistants may be asked to perform only duties that are contained in the job description for the position they occupy; they may not be asked or required to perform inappropriate services (e.g., child care, pet care, or other personal services) as part of their responsibilities. Student assistants are expected to be accountable and professional in carrying out the duties of the position; less than satisfactory performance may result in the termination of an assistantship award. The typical appointment periods are as follows:

Graduate stipends are paid twice each month, on the regular pay dates for salaried employees. A form I-90 or other proof of eligibility to work in the United States must be provided to the Office of Human Resources before compensation may begin. Teaching assistantships may be available to a limited number of students in post-master’s programs who have already earned master’s degrees and who are otherwise qualified to deliver undergraduate instruction. Such awards are contingent on departmental need for such instruction. Teaching assistants are assigned to a departmental faculty mentor who provides supervision and feedback during the teaching assignment. Teaching assistants, as with other instructional faculty, receive course evaluations from students and a final written evaluation from the faculty mentor. Graduate assistantships are renewable each year for up to four years of study, contingent upon the maintenance of academic good standing in the student’s program of study and satisfactory performance in the assistantship position. To renew an assistantship each year, the student must file the FAFSA between January 1 and March 1 and complete the Application for Assistantship form. In addition, the supervisor must complete the Assistantship Renewal Request Form. Both are available on the Sage Graduate School web page (Academics, Forms) or in the Graduate School office. Broughton Graduate Fellowships provide funding to selected graduate students who demonstrate excellence in research in their fields of study, without regard to financial need. To be eligible for a Fellowship, a student must have completed at least 18 hours of graduate coursework at Sage with a minimum B average and have the recommendation of the research advisor. The Fellowship is intended to create opportunities for advanced scholarly work for graduate students doing creative, advanced study and research, including preparing a thesis or final project for a master’s degree, at Sage Graduate School. Students in all graduate programs are eligible. The criteria for selection of Broughton Fellows are: a record of outstanding academic achievement and evidence of creative and imaginative problem solving. All Broughton Fellows present the results of their research at the Sage Research Symposium in the spring of each year. Applications may be downloaded from www.sage.edu/sgs/research/broughton or obtained in the Sage Graduate School office. Awards are made three times a year: in the fall (October 21)for students working on fall projects to be presented in the spring; in the spring (February 15) for students working on spring projects to be presented in the spring; and in the late spring (April 15) for students who will be working on their projects during the next year and who will be presenting the following spring. Daniel A. Cowan Scholarship For a student at Sage Graduate School who is an entrepreneur or owns their own business and is paying for his or her own education. Helen Webb Mancheski Scholarship For physical therapy students Louis & Hortense Rubin Community Fellows Program This is a cooperative venture among the faculty of Sage, RPI, HVCC, Emma Willard, and participating agencies of Rensselaer County, administered by Sage. The fellowship provides for faculty to strengthen the participating agencies in the region, as well as for part-time consulting. In the fall of each year there is an informational forum followed by an application process. For more information on the Rubin Community Fellowship Program visit www.sage.edu/sgs/research/Rubin Please refer questions to the Office of Financial Aid Services at (518) 292-1783.