Federal Pell Grant
Federal Pell Grants are available to many undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and who have not already earned a bachelor’s, graduate, or professional degree. A Federal Pell Grant does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances such as when a student completely withdraws before the 60% point of the term. (See the Return of Title IV Policy of the Financial Aid Policies section of the catalog.) Federal Pell Grant cannot be issued at more than one school at a time. Students must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) corresponding to the correct term of enrollment to apply. A new FAFSA is required every academic year to continue federal aid opportunities. The Financial Aid Office uses the results of the FAFSA to determine eligibility. Amounts can change yearly and will depend on the Student Aid Index (SAI), (formerly known as EFC) from the FAFSA, the cost of attendance (COA) as determined by enrollment status and yearly direct and indirect costs, and attendance for a full academic year or less. If eligible, a student may also receive up to 150% of the scheduled Pell Grant for an award year, making it available to many USAO students in the fall, spring, and summer terms.
The Federal Pell Grant is available for no more than the equivalent of 12 full-time terms, or 600%. This is referred to as lifetime eligibility used, or LEU. US citizenship is required for the Federal Pell Grant, and all other federal aid programs.
Beginning with 2024-2025, Special Rule for Pell Grants: replaces Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) and Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) Awards with new or modified eligibility criteria for students whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while serving on active duty as a member of the Armed Forces on or after September 11, 2001 or actively serving as and performing the duties of a public safety officer and is less than 33 years old as of the first January 1 of the processing year. Eligible students will receive a maximum Pell Grant regardless of their SAI. The student must collaborate with the Financial Aid Office to document eligibility
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG or SEOG)
The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program provides additional need-based grants to Pell Grant eligible undergraduate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Students must enroll in at least half-time status in eligible credit hours for consideration. The Financial Aid Office has substantial flexibility in determining the amount of FSEOG to grant students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment. Priority is given to those students with exceptional need (those with the lowest EFC scores) and those who apply early. USAO is allotted a limited amount of FSEOG each year and cannot award funds above this allotment. The amount of FSEOG received can be affected by other gift/grant aid in the overall financial aid package. Renew the FAFSA each academic year as early as possible to maximize opportunity for FSEOG.
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
OTAG (Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant) is a limited fund from the State of Oklahoma and is made available to students with the highest unmet need. OTAG recipients must also be residents of Oklahoma and eligible for the federal Pell Grant. Due to funding limitations, not all Pell eligible students can receive OTAG. Early application is encouraged. The amount of OTAG offered can be affected by other gift/grant aid in the overall aid package. Section 407 of the Higher Education Opportunity Act requires that states notify students that grants such as OTAG are a part of LEAP (Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership) and are funded by the federal government and the state.
Oklahoma’s Promise (OKP)
Oklahoma’s Promise is a unique program for students in the State of Oklahoma. Students must enroll in the State program while in grades 8 through 11. Homeschool students must enroll at ages 13 through 16. Family income requirements at the time of enrollment are set by the State of Oklahoma and eligibility is determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE) and the Oklahoma’s Promise program. Some students may qualify due to special income provisions set by OKP and State policies. High school completion requirements and yearly income checks must be met prior to receiving program benefits in college. A yearly FAFSA is required to determine each academic year’s income eligibility. More information on Oklahoma’s Promise is available at okhighered.org/okpromise/. Oklahoma’s Promise is generally the value of tuition each term; but does not pay for remedial coursework or the full amount of “locked tuition”. It also cannot exceed the student’s cost of attendance, so final amounts may be impacted by other gift/grant aid in the overall financial aid package.
Federal Work-Study
Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for eligible undergraduate students with unmet financial need in their overall financial aid package. Priority for work-study jobs is given to full time students. The base rate of pay for most work-study students at USAO is $8.00/hour. Students cannot begin Federal Work-Study until employment paperwork is complete and approved. Students and supervisors are required to report and submit the time worked for each pay period the student is eligible, on the appropriate payroll due date. Pay is issued bi-weekly directly to the student. Time sheets and payroll submissions for Federal Work-Study are expected to go digital by summer 2024.
Students who have eligibility for and are interested in the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program can review available work-study employment opportunities, as well as area part time non-work-study employment openings, by signing up with the “Handshake” platform. All students may check with the Financial Aid Office regarding their eligibility or other questions regarding this program. Placement in a position is based on the availability of jobs.