2012-2013
financial aid
at eiu
a guide to the dollars and cents of
realizing your dreams
at eastern illinois university
Planning for college can be one of the biggest financial challenges for families. The costs can seem daunting and you’re going to be faced with lots of terms you’ve never heard before.
That’s why Eastern Illinois University is committed to helping students get the financial aid they need to
achieve their educational goals and fulfill their dreams. In fact, more than 80 percent of the student body
receives some sort of financial aid. In 2011-2012, that amounted to more than $132 million in financial aid
awards and loans.
But, even before you get to the financial aid package, you’re already ahead at Eastern. EIU helps you plan
by locking in your tuition rate for all four years. You will never face rising tuition costs from year-to-year at
Eastern. The tuition you pay freshman year will be the exact same rate you pay senior year. You’ll never
get an unpleasant surprise about tuition and wonder how you’ll afford to finish as a result.
What’s more, we offer our same, low in-state rate to students coming from the five states contiguous to
Illinois. So, even if you’re from across the border in Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Missouri or Wisconsin, you’ll
still only pay the in-state rate. And, if you’re one of our distinguished scholars (ACT of 26 or above or a
combined SAT of 1760 along with a 3.5 GPA), we’ll offer the in-state rate no matter where you live.
Scholarships
We offer a wide variety of scholarships including both need-based awards and merit scholarships to help
you pay for your education. In fact, if you go to our website at www.eiu.edu/scholarships you can review
our scholarship search engine. You can also plug-in your ACT or SAT scores along with your GPA into our
merit scholarship calculator and find out instantly the amount of Commitment to Excellence Scholarship
you will receive.
We’ve included a chart showing some of the key scholarships that are available, but the list is extensive and
we’re always adding to it, so please refer to the website and find the scholarships for which you qualify. Just
go to our website and click on “cost to attend” under the admissions tab.
Grants
Grants can be an important part of the student financial aid package. They can cover a significant portion
of a student’s expenses and – best of all – they don’t have to be repaid. The federal Pell Grant is a key
part of many student’s financial aid packages, but take a look at the grid in this booklet and then go to our
website for others that might be appropriate for you.
We also help in other ways like our textbook rental program. We understand the cost of textbooks can be
a burden, so we run our own rental service and charge just $9.95 per credit hour no matter how expensive
the textbook might be. On average, it saves our students nearly $900 per year.
And, we offer a wide variety of loans including both federal direct student loans and loans from private lenders. We’ll work with you to find the best combination of aid sources to meet your needs so you won’t face a
mountain of debt after graduation.
You may also want to consider working on campus as a way to help pay for your education. We have
more than two thousand students working across the campus through the Federal Work Study program
or through regular student employment. Look on our website under financial aid for student employment
opportunities. (www.eiu.edu/finaid/employment.php)
Cost to Attend
In-State
Tuition & Fees
$10,930
$279 per credit hour –15 hours/Fall & Spring
Room/board $ 8,820
12+ meal plan
Total Direct Costs
$19,750
Out-of-State
Tuition & Fees
$27,670
$837 per credit hour –15 hours/Fall & Spring
Room/board $ 8,820
12+ meal plan
Total Direct Costs
$36,490
Expected indirect costs (supplies/travel/miscellaneous – $4,500)
So, how do you get started?
The first step is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA as soon after January
1st as possible. You’ll need both your student tax return and that of your parents. At EIU, our priority filing
date is March 1st, so by completing your FAFSA early, you’ll be ready to take advantage of the broadest
array of financial aid. Some of the scholarship pools and other aid programs do get depleted as time goes
on, so you’ll want to be right in the front of the line.
We highly recommend completing the FAFSA online. It is far easier, does many of the calculations for
you and lets you save your work so you don’t have to complete it all at once. Make sure, though, that you
are on the official website for the application. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov There are many services that offer
to help you complete the forms, but they often charge a fee or try to sell you other services. The website
listed above is free and easy to use.
You will need to apply for a Personal Identification Number or PIN at www.pin.ed.gov Both parents and
student will need a PIN because they are used to sign the form electronically. You’ll also need Eastern
Illinois University’s federal school code – 001674.
Call us with your questions at 217-581-6405 or 217-581-3714.
We realize the world of financial aid can be confusing and we’re ready to help you navigate it. Email us
with your questions at [email protected] or call us Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm Central
Time. Or, if you’re on campus, stop by our offices in the east wing of the Student Services Building.
Get started today!
We want to help you attend EIU and we look forward to assisting you. Don’t delay – check out our scholarships and get your FAFSA completed as early as possible and you’ll be on your way to paying for your
EIU education.
Merit Scholarships
Eastern Illinois University offers students several different merit awards based on academic performance. Each
new scholarship is renewable for four to eight semesters (depending on the type of scholarship) as long as the
student recipient meets renewal criteria. Visit our online merit calculator at
www.eiu.edu/scholarships/merit.php.
New Freshmen*
scholarship
amount
minimum
ACT
minimum GPA
(4.00 scale)
renewal criteria
sample ACT and GPA awards
Commitment to
Excellence - Tier 1
$3,500
36
30
27
2.75
3.35
3.65
Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher to renew. The award is
renewable for a total of eight (8) consecutive semesters.
Full-time enrollment (12 hours or more) is required.
Commitment to
Excellence - Tier 2
$2,500
34
28
21
2.75
3.25
3.65
Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher to renew. The award is
renewable for a total of eight (8) consecutive semesters.
Full-time enrollment (12 hours or more) is required.
Commitment to
Excellence - Tier 3
$1,500
28
24
21
2.75
2.90
3.00
Cumulative GPA of 2.50 or higher to renew. The award is
renewable for a total of eight (8) consecutive semesters.
Full-time enrollment (12 hours or more) is required.
scholarship
amount
Presidential
Scholars Award
$11,000
Honors Award
$3,000
criteria
Eligible recipients must have an ACT of 30, GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and be in the top 10% of
graduating class OR an ACT of 28, GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale and be in the top 5% of graduating class.
Up to 20 Presidential Scholars Awards are given each year.
Eligible recipients must have an ACT of 30, GPA of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale and be in the top 10% of
graduating class OR an ACT of 28, GPA of 3.75 on a 4.0 scale and be in the top 5% of graduating class.
Entering freshmen who do not receive a Presidential Scholars Award may be eligible to receive the
Honors Award.
* based on availability of resources
New Transfer Students*
scholarship
amount
minimum GPA
(4.00 scale)
renewal and other criteria
A minimum of 15 college-level credit hours transferred from an accredited
college or university is required. Cumulative GPA of 3.00 or higher to renew.
The award is renewable for a total of four (4) consecutive semesters. Full-time
enrollment (12 hours or more) is required.
Transfer Academic
Excellence - Tier 1
$2,000
3.50 - 4.00
Transfer Academic
Excellence - Tier 2
$1,000
3.00 - 3.49
A minimum of 15 college-level credit hours transferred from an accredited college
or university is required. Cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher to renew. The award is
renewable for a total of four (4) consecutive semesters. Full-time enrollment (12
hours or more) is required.
* based on availability of resources
Panther Promise*
Panther Promise is available to students from households with an annual income ranging from $33,000 to
$67,000. Selected recipients will receive up to $2,500 per year for up to eight semesters. To be eligible, the
recipient must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), be a first-time freshman or a first-time
transfer student to Eastern, attend full-time and meet the income requirements listed above. (*based on
availability of resources.)
Grants
Grants are a great type of financial aid because you don’t have to repay them. One of the best known is the
Pell Grant, but there are others you should consider. Each grant has different requirements for eligibility.
Eligibility for need-based grants is determined using federal and/or state formulas from the information that the
student has provided on the FAFSA.
award
amount
additional information
Federal Pell Grant
Awards vary from
$602 to $5,500 for
the academic year
Need based, awarded to students with an EFC up to 4,995; available to undergraduates who
have not earned a bachelor’s degree, awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students
Federal
Supplemental
Educational
Opportunity Grant
Award amounts vary
Need based, awarded only to Pell Grant eligible students, must be enrolled full-time, available
to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree
Teacher Education
Assistance for
College & Higher
Education Grant
$4,000 each year,
prorated for part-time
students
Non-need based, but must file a FAFSA. Eligible recipients must be a U.S. citizen or eligible
non-citizen and an undergraduate student. Recipients must score above the 75% percentile on
the ACT/SAT test or have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25 as a high school graduate. Grant
recipients must agree to teach for at least four years within eight years of finishing their teacher
preparation program and to teach high-need subjects in designated schools that serve lowincome students. Students must be enrolled in a teacher education certificate program in one
of the following areas: Foreign Language, Mathematics, Science, or Special Education.
Monetary Award
Program
Awards vary from
$944 to $4,720
Need-based, students and parents must be Illinois residents. MAP is available to undergraduate
students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree. Students with an EFC
greater than 9,000 are not eligible. Grants may be limited based on FAFSA application date,
number of applicants and funding levels appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly.
Loans
The federal government makes loans available to students on a yearly basis. Loans require repayment using a
repayment plan six months after the student graduates from college or after the student ceases to be enrolled
in at least six credit hours. Student loans can be a useful tool in funding an education, however students are
encouraged to borrow wisely and to only borrow what is needed.
award
William D. Ford
Direct Subsidized
Loan
amount
Varies depending
on grade level
additional information
Loan is based on need. It does not require a co-signor and interest rates are fixed.
William D. Ford
Varies depending on
Direct Unsubsidized grade level
Loan
Loan is non-need based and it is available regardless of financial need. It does not require a
co-signor and interest rates are fixed.
Parent Plus Loan
(optional)
Parents of dependent students with a good credit history may receive Federal PLUS Loans if
the student is enrolled at least half-time. Plus loans are not based on need, so these loans are
made regardless of income level.
Varies based on
personal need
For additional information, please contact:
The Office of Financial Aid, 600 Lincoln Ave.,
Charleston, Illinois 61920-3099
217-581-6405
e-mail: [email protected]
eiu.edu/finaid