Sources of Financial Assistance
Parents and students are urged to contact public and private foundations, service clubs, religious organizations, etc., that may provide sources of outside scholarships or other financial assistance. Information is available from high-school guidance counselors, library reference desks, and the internet.
U.S. Government Financial Assistance Curtis Financial Assistance Award Sequence Curtis students who are United States citizens or permanent residents of the United States and have a high school diploma may be eligible to receive U.S. Department of Education Title IV Higher Education Assistance (HEA) funding. Students must complete and file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to establish eligibility. The web site is www.fafsa.ed.gov. Financial assistance in the form of Pell grants, Direct Stafford loans, and/or PLUS loans will be awarded to students on the basis of documented financial need. The Office of Student Financial Assistance is responsible for administering and certifying student eligibility for these aid programs. Not all Curtis programs are eligible for these federal programs. The programs are as follows: Direct Loans are government sponsored low-interest loans to assist students and their parents in meeting educational expenses. Direct Student Loans are ad mistered by the Office of Student Assistance. Direct Loans may be certified as interest-subsidized or unsubsidized, based on federal eligibility requirements. All loan amounts are determined by the Office of Student Financial Assistance. MAXIMUM BORROWING PER ACADEMIC YEAR (includes unsubsidized loan portion) Eligibility for a Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is established by filing the FAFSA. Parents and graduate students who qualify may borrow funds up to the cost of attendance less other financial assistance. Parents and graduate students obtain these loans through the Direct Loan program. A credit check is performed as part of the eligibility for this loan. Contact Veronica McAuley for more information. Pell grants are undergraduate, need-based federal grants administered and certified through the Office of Student Financial Assistance, based on a standard federal needs-analysis formula. Students must file the FAFSA to establish eligibility. Contact your local Veterans Administration Office for information on grant and loan programs for veterans. Ms. McAuley can assist with certification requirements. Veronica McAuley, director of off-campus housing and acting director of student financial assistance International and other students who are not eligible for Direct loans through the U.S. Department of Education may apply for a private loan. The Office of Student Financial Assistance can help students and families secure alternative loan funding. Curtis does not recommend any private lenders nor has a preferred lender list. Students who borrow through the Curtis loan program will be notified on their financial aid award notice. Many states offer financial assistance to their residents. Contact the appropriate agency in your state for information and application procedures. Many governments outside the United States provide financial assistance to their citizens who are studying abroad. International students should contact the ministry of higher education in their home country for information and applications. Federal Direct or an alternative loan, as described above. Students who require supplemental financial assistance for living expenses are expected to work and earn as much of the assistance as possible, artistic and academic schedules permitting. On-campus employment is the second level of funding awarded in a financial-assistance package. The amount of on-campus employment relates directly to the instrument and year of study and reflects our judgment that the hours of expected work are appropriate. The financial assistance package may include an award labeled “Lab Orchestra,” although the assignment may be to the lab orchestra and/or the opera orchestra. Note: Some students asked to play in lab or opera orchestras may not have been awarded this aid in a financial-assistance package. These students will be paid on a per-performance basis. This award may be offered as a Lenfest Hall Residential Grant, Lenfest Hall Dining Grant, or as a direct grant payable to the student in monthly installments or other form of assistance. The exact type of aid will be shown on your financial aid award notice. Students offered grant assistance are required to take at least some loan funds in order to retain grant funding. Students offered grant assistance are generally required to work a minimum number of hours each week in order to retain funding. Grant recipients must demonstrate satisfactory artistic and academic progress each year.U.S. Government financial assistance
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
First-year undergraduates: $5,500
Second-year students: $6,500
Third-through-fifth-year undergraduate students: $7,500
Graduate students: $20,500 per academic yearPell Grant
Veterans Benefits
Contact
(215) 717-3188Alternative loan programs
State resources
International resources
Curtis financial assistance award sequence
1) Loans
2) On-campus employment
3) Lab orchestra and/or opera orchestra
4) Supplemental grants, including housing and dining assistance
