Summer Session

Summer aid for undergraduates

Loans are the primary type of aid available to help pay for summer classes. Students can choose to borrow either a federal loan or a private student loan, while a parent may borrow a federal Parent PLUS loan.

To be eligible for a federal student or parent loan, you must:

- Be enrolled for at least six credit hours over the course of the summer
- Have completed all application requirements to be considered for federal aid
- Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program

You must not have used your full federal loan eligibility during the academic year in order to use a federal student loan. For example, juniors are eligible to receive a maximum of $7,500 between their subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans during the fall and spring semesters. If they only use $5,500 during the academic year, they will still have $2,000 in federal loan eligibility that they could use during the summer semester.

How to apply

All undergraduate students who need to apply for aid, whether a federal loan or a private loan, for the summer session, must submit an online application by logging into FAOnline and choosing the Summer Aid Application page from the available menu. The form becomes available to undergraduates on February 13 each academic year.

In addition to the Summer Aid Application, students who wish to use a federal student loan or a Parent PLUS loan to help pay for their summer courses must have already submitted a FAFSA for the current academic year. The FAFSA is not required for students who will use a private student loan.

Parents can apply for the Parent PLUS loan. It is recommended that parents applying for the loan wait until after April 1. Credit checks done for PLUS loans are only good for 90 days; once the 90 days have passed, a new application will need to be submitted.

Important dates and deadlines

- - Summer Aid Application in FAOnline opens February 13.
  - Applications are usually reviewed by the end of February.
  - Award notifications are sent to students via email.
  - Applications for the federal Parent PLUS loan and private student loans should not be submitted earlier than 90 days before the start of classes.
  - Keep in mind that applications with private loan lenders can take up to three to four weeks’ processing time before the loan funding is actually sent to the University.
  - Processing time for federal student loans and the Parent PLUS loan is normally two weeks, depending on when the application is submitted and when all loan requirements have been completed.

Summer study abroad programs

Students do have the option of studying abroad during the summer. Offices like the Department of Modern Languages and Cultures and the Center for Education Abroad have information available on the various programs that are offered for summer study.

In addition to the federal loans and private loans that students may use to help pay for these programs, individual departments also have funding available to help cover costs. It’s a good idea to touch base with the department offering the program to find out what is involved in applying for these grants and scholarships.

Non-UR summer programs

Students occasionally study through non-UR programs offered by other institutions. After working with the College Center for Advising Services to confirm that credits will be accepted toward their degree, we recommend students schedule an appointment to discuss funding options.

A consortium/contractual agreement is required when a student participates in a program or attends courses at another institution, but will remain a matriculated student at Rochester, receiving financial assistance. University scholarship/grant assistance cannot be used for courses at another institution, but students may have eligibility to receive federal or private loans to help with their costs.

To be eligible to use a federal student or parent loan for a non-UR program, you must:

- - - Be enrolled for at least six credit hours over the course of the summer
    - Have completed all application requirements to be considered for federal aid
    - Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program (credits must transfer toward Rochester degree)
    - Complete a consortium/contractual agreement between the host institution and Rochester (this includes summer programs abroad)

Students should email their financial aid counselor to discuss their funding options and to receive the consortium/contractual agreement document. The form requires information and signatures from several offices at Rochester as well as the host institution, so we recommend that you start the paperwork as soon after April 1 as possible. Institutions must be eligible to receive Title IV funding in order to enter into a consortium/contractual agreement with Rochester.