Financial Aid (Scholarships, Grants, Loans and Student Employment)

Student Financial  Services

College is both an academic and a financial commitment.  Oakland University understands the costs of tuition and other expenses may leave  students and families feeling overwhelmed. Oakland University believes cost should not stand in the way of an exceptional education and we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding college experience at an affordable price. More than 65 percent of Oakland University students receive financial assistance totaling more than $160 million. You can benefit from those funds, too.

A variety of scholarships, grants, student employment opportunities, and loans are available through Oakland University, federal, state, and private sources. Complete information about these financial assistance resources is available online at oakland.edu/financialservices.

The Students Financial Services Office includes financial aid, student employment, and  cashier services. It provides all financial assistance information and services such applying for financial aid, student bills, on campus jobs, accept payments, etc.  The office is located  in 120 North Foundation Hall and it is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except during holidays and holiday breaks when Oakland University is closed.  No appointment is necessary; students may walk-in, call, or email Financial Services for assistance.

Sources of Financial Assistance

Oakland University

Oakland University offers a variety of scholarship programs. Scholarships are awarded primarily on the basis of academic accomplishment and do not require repayment. Additional selection criteria may apply.  Most scholarships are awarded automatically through the admissions process, however additional scholarships are available from various academic and student service departments and may require additional application materials.  A complete list of scholarships can be found at oakland.edu/financialservices under Available Financial Assistance on the menu.

Oakland University grants are available for students whose FAFSAs demonstrate financial need. Grants do not require repayment. To be considered for need-based grants, students must complete the FAFSA at fafsa.gov.

Scholarship and grant awards are typically made in the fall and winter for the upcoming academic year and are only available to students admitted and beginning enrollment in the fall semester. Awards are divided between the fall and winter semesters and usually require full-time enrollment. Some awards are able to be used during the summer semester.

Scholarships and grants may be able to be renewed.   Renewals are subject to the availability of funding and meeting any additional renewal criteria set forth by the award.   Students can view renewal criteria by visiting oakland.edu/financialservices and selecting the OU Scholarships and Grants Renewal Criteria tab under the Available Financial Assistance menu item.

Federal and State Assistance

Oakland University participates in all federal financial aid programs. Grants, loans and on-campus student employment (work study) are available. All federal programs require the annual completion of the FAFSA at fafsa.gov.  More information about Federal programs is available at studentaid.ed.gov.

Oakland University also participates in all financial aid programs available through the state of Michigan. State programs may require the annual completion of the FAFSA at fafsa.gov. More information about state of Michigan programs is available at michigan.gov/mistudentaid.

Private Resources

Many organizations and private agencies provide financial assistance to students. Some of these are local organizations, foundations, professional associations, civic organizations, corporations and religious organizations. Information on these programs varies greatly and may be obtained from the sponsoring organizations, high school counseling offices and the Financial Services website. Students are encouraged to pursue these resources on their own.

When a student becomes aware he or she will receive a private scholarship Financial Services must be notified in writing by completing a Revision Form available online at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu.  Scholarships checks should be sent to Financial Services and should include the student’s name and Grizzly ID number. If the check is co-payable to the student and Oakland University, the student should write on the endorsement section of the check, “Payable to Oakland University” and endorse the check, then submit it to Financial Services.  Federal regulations and University policies require private scholarship to count as financial aid resources when determining eligibility for need-based financial aid and count toward meeting the cost of attendance.

Applying for financial  assistance

Students must be admitted and enrolled in a financial aid eligible program at Oakland University to be considered for all financial assistance which includes scholarships, grants, student employment, and loans. Admitted students automatically receive consideration for scholarships, many of which  are  able to be renewed provided renewal criteria are met.

To be considered for Oakland University, federal, and state,  need-based aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at fafsa.gov. To maximize  the financial aid award package,  students should complete  the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 for the upcoming academic year.    Students must complete a FAFSA for each year  they are interested in receiving financial  assistance. Since financial need-based aid and most institutional aid is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis as funding is available, it is beneficial to apply early. If  students qualify for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship,  the FAFSA must be received by March 1. Be sure to include Oakland University’s federal school code of 002307 on  the FAFSA.

Although tax returns may not be completed, students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA with estimated information using the previous year’s tax return or information from the most recent paystub(s).  When estimating tax information, it is important to be as accurate as possible, as inaccurate information can change a financial aid package significantly.  Once tax returns have been completed, students are required to update their FAFSA with completed tax information, preferably using the Data Retrieval Tool embedded in the FAFSA.

Students must include  their social security number on  the FAFSA for the U.S. Department of Education to process  the application.  Students who complete a FAFSA must also provide  their social security number to Oakland University  to be awarded Oakland University grants, federal, and state aid, as well as for student employment purposes. If Oakland University does not have  the student’s social security number, Financial Services is unable to process the FAFSA and/or student employment requests.

Awarding Financial Assistance

Before a financial aid package is offered Oakland University takes steps to determine the amount and type of aid for which a student is eligible.  The following sections describe the steps taken during this process. 

Estimated Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance represents how much financial assistance a student can receive and includes estimated expenses a student may have related to attending college.  The Cost of Attendance figure includes direct expenses charged by Oakland University as well as indirect expenses incurred by the student while he or she is in college.  Direct expenses, those billed directly to the student by Oakland University include tuition and on-campus housing, if a student lives on campus.   Indirect expenses, those not billed by Oakland University but still may be expenses incurred by the student, include books, off-campus room and board, transportation, personal/miscellaneous expenses and loan costs.  Actual costs may vary because the number of enrolled credits, housing options, class standing, can vary from student to student. Financial aid packages are put together based on the estimated Cost of Attendance Federal, state and institutional financial aid can be awarded up to the estimated cost of attendance in coordination with all other resources. There are times when a financial aid award must be reduced if Cost of Attendance or Financial Need is exceeded.  The Cost of Attendance can be viewed online at oakland.edu/costs.

Utilize the Cost Estimator to estimate your charges directly billed by Oakland University and to estimate the amount, if any, of the remaining balance after financial assistance is paid to the eBill.  The Cost Estimator can be found by selecting the Cost Estimator tab at oakland.edu/costs.

Financial Need

Financial Need is determined by subtracting the Expected Family Contribution (received from FAFSA) from the Cost of Attendance.

Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution = Financial Need

The difference between the cost of attendance and the EFC is the financial need. Financial aid requiring a demonstrated financial need utilizes this formula to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid, such as grants.

Revising Financial Assistance

Financial aid is initially offered for the regular academic year of fall and winter semesters.  Summer aid is awarded separately.  Oakland University scholarships, grants, and Federal Pell Grants, if available for a student during the summer are awarded automatically.    Students interested in receiving Federal student loans for the summer semester are required to complete a Summer Loan Eligibility Request form available at oakland.edu/financialservices.

Awards are subject to estimated cost of attendance, limits on individual awards, housing options, enrollment status, grade level, residency, financial need, etc. Initial financial aid awards are based on full-time enrollment. After the enrollment period has begun, financial aid packages are adjusted to exhibit the enrollment status on the credit lock date, the last day to drop a class with a 100% refund. Changes in expected enrollment status can be made prior to the start of the enrollment period by completing a Revision Form available at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu item. Financial aid awards are based on enrollment at Oakland University. Students participating in an OU community college partnership program can combine transferrable credits and OU credits. Federal and state financial aid cannot be received at two schools during the same enrollment period. Financial aid can only be applied to the semester in which it is awarded.

Awards may be revised or canceled if: 

• Other awards or resources are received
• Total financial aid awards exceed the student’s cost of attendance or financial need
• Financial aid satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is not met
• Required documents are not submitted
• The student is not enrolled on the last published day to drop courses (financial aid credit lock)
• The student is not enrolled for all semesters on the award notification
• Eligibility for financial aid changes
• Enrollment or housing status changes
• All coursework is dropped
• Incorrect or fraudulent information is provided
• Financial aid is received at another institution during the same enrollment period
• The student is in default on a federal loan or owes a refund of federal funds received at a post-secondary institution

Federal Direct Loans may be prorated (reduced) when the remaining period of study is shorter than a full academic year.

Financial aid awards can be reduced or declined by completing a Revision Form available at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu item It is important to submit a Revision Form before the beginning of the semester and before financial aid awards disburse to the student account.

Oakland University makes every effort to maintain accuracy; however, in the event an error is made, the error will be corrected and the student will be billed for the excess amount received.

Award Notifications

Financial aid award notifications are sent to  students’ OU email address beginning at the end of March for the next academic year. After the initial award notification is sent, a new notification will be sent each time an award from any source is received and when any adjustments to the awards take place.  Financial aid awards and adjustments continue throughout the year as subsequent funding and information become available.  Awards can be viewed on the student’s MySAIL account at any time following the initial award notification.

Financial aid is initially offered for the regular academic year of fall and winter semesters. If  a student qualifies for a summer Federal Pell Grant, it will automatically be awarded.  If  a student  is interested in receiving federal student loans for the summer semester,  he or she will need to complete a Summer Loan Eligibility Request form, available on the financial aid website at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu.

Financial Services may need additional information or documentation  before financial aid can be applied to a student’s bill. It is important to respond to any request promptly. Delays in providing information and documentation to Financial Services  may affect  the financial aid award package and/or the payment of funds to  the student’s account.

Enrollment Status

Undergraduate students are encouraged to enroll in a minimum of 32 credits each academic year (16 credits in fall and 16 credits in winter semesters) in order to complete degree requirements within four years. Financial aid awards for undergraduate students are based on full-time enrollment for the fall and winter semesters, unless otherwise indicated. If the student’s enrollment differs from the enrollment within the award notification, the student should complete a Revision Form available at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu item prior to the start of the semester. If the student does not update their enrollment status, it will automatically be updated after the first two weeks of the semester.

Students who are considering dropping or withdrawing from a class are encouraged to discuss their circumstances with Student Financial Services.

Students preparing for admission to a second undergraduate or graduate degree program are eligible for federal financial aid for a maximum of 12 consecutive months.

The following minimum enrollment requirements determine eligibility for financial aid each semester. A passed course repeated more than once cannot be included in enrollment status and financial aid cannot be received for the course. Audit courses, credit by examination (competency credit), continuing education courses and courses not required for the current degree program do not count in enrollment status and do not qualify for OU, federal or state financial aid.  

*Includes first and second undergraduate degrees, teacher certification and undergraduate & graduate non-degree preparatory course work.

** Limited financial aid is available to students enrolled less than half-time since, most financial aid requires full time or half-time enrollment.

Unusual Circumstances and Dependency Status

Extenuating family circumstances such as long term loss of employment or income, death, separation or divorce, medical/dental expenses not covered by insurance and a dependent student’s relationship with parent(s) can affect a student’s financial aid package. If  a student has extenuating circumstances, an Unusual Circumstances Form and/or a Dependency Status Appeal Form are available online at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu. Changes in the income of a dependent student are not considered for review.

Financial  Assistance Disbursement

Financial aid funds are paid each semester by crediting the student account (excluding non-disbursable financial aid such as work study) as early as 10 days before the first date of the semester, provided all financial aid requirements are met. For students enrolled in a combination of sessions (i.e. 2 week, 4 week, 7 week, etc.), financial aid funds will not pay to the student account until the student reaches the appropriate enrollment status (usually full time).  If you are a financial aid recipient, all your financial aid requirements must be met before your financial aid will apply to your University account. You must provide the Financial Aid Office with adequate processing time. If your financial aid is not finalized prior to the billing due date, you are responsible for your charges. If applicable, a refund will be sent to you when your financial aid is finalized.

Financial aid may be based on the number of registered credits and/or on-campus housing status at the time of disbursement. A student can receive financial aid for repeating a previously passed course only once. Some financial aid applies only to tuition. You can view your financial aid disbursement on MySAIL.

If financial aid requirements are met after the date financial aid is scheduled to pay, financial aid will disburse within 2 weeks after requirements are listed as Satisfied on MySAIL. Students who receive a financial aid disbursement and a refund and then drop a class, withdraw from the university, or drop below minimum enrollment for financial aid eligibility before the first date of the semester, financial aid may be canceled or adjusted and  the student will be required to return any money refunded, as well as funds due to  Oakland University.

Financial aid is finalized based on the number of registered courses on the credit lock date, which is the last date to drop a class with a 100% refund. Courses added after the date to drop a class with a 100% refund are not considered for financial aid with the exception of student loans, which disburse based on your number of registered credits at the time of the disbursement. If  a student receives a financial aid disbursement and drops a class between the disbursement date and the last date to drop a class with a 100% refund,  financial aid might be reduced.

Direct Loans require a minimum enrollment of at least half-time. If  a student’s enrollment is less than half-time or he or she withdraws, Direct Loans will be canceled. If a disbursement is made from a Federal Direct Loan,  the student (and  parent, if the parent received a PLUS loan) can cancel or reduce the loan by  completing a Revision Form (available at oakland.edu/financialservices under the Forms menu) within 30 days of the disbursement notification. The loan will be canceled or reduced and  the student will be billed for the amount owed to OU. Notifications received after 30 days following the disbursement notification will not be processed. If  a student is considering dropping a class,  he or she  is encouraged to discuss the circumstances with a financial aid administrator.

Billing and Payments

Oakland University generates a bill each month for which there has been transaction activity relating to tuition, on-campus room and board and other related educational expenses billed through the student account, or if there is a remaining account balance. Billing is done electronically and the bills can be viewed by accessing eBill at mysail.oakland.edu. An email notice is sent to all students who have billing activity. Students can print a paper bill by accessing eBill. Paid financial aid is reflected on the billing notice and deducted from charges.

Grants, scholarships and loans are reflected on eBill and deducted from any university allowable charges provided all financial aid requirements are met. If a student receives an eBill with an amount due, it is important to pay the bill by the due date. If a student has an amount due and expects financial assistance to pay the bill but it is not reflected on the bill, it must be paid by the due date. A 1½% monthly late payment penalty is assessed on any unpaid student account balance, regardless of financial aid standing.

Payments can be made electronically through eBill (Students will need their Grizzly ID and 6 digit SAIL PIN). The eBill system offers students the ability to:

• View current and historical billing statements.
• Save most common payment methods.
• Sign up parents, spouses, and others as Authorized Users.
• Schedule a payment for a date in the future.
• Make payments from a checking account, savings account, credit card, and debit card.
• Enroll in a payment plan.
   

Sign up for the OU Payment Plan each semester and spread your tuition, on-campus housing and other charges into several smaller payments. To enroll or learn more, visit oakland.edu/paymentplan. 

Payments can also be made by mail or in-person at the Cashier’s Office, Oakland University, 120 North Foundation Hall, 2200 Squirrel N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester, MI 48309-4401. If paying by mail, allow 5-6 days for mail delivery. All payments should include the Grizzly ID to insure correct and timely processing. Photo identification will be required if paying in person.

Payments made from a business or corporate account will be reflected as an outside resource and counted as part of the financial assistance package when determining eligibility for financial assistance. Outside resources will be included in the federal 1098T issued at the end of the calendar year for tax filing purposes.

Financial Aid Refunds

If financial  assistance exceeds allowable charges (i.e., tuition, on-campus housing), the student (or parent, if  he or she received a PLUS loan) will receive a refund to pay other education-related expenses, such as books, off campus housing, and miscellaneous costs. If a refund is expected, students are encouraged to enroll in direct deposit, allowing OU to direct deposit the refund into a bank account.  Students can enroll in direct deposit for financial aid refunds through their MySAIL account. Direct deposit is not available for a parent receiving a refund from a parent PLUS loan.

Refunds are direct deposited or mailed to the student (and/or parent) within 14 days after the date financial aid was disbursed to the student account. If a refund is issued while there are unpaid charges on the account, a hold will be placed on the account that will prevent registration, and the release of transcripts, diplomas, or other statements of record. If any charges are incurred on the account after financial aid has been refunded, it is the student’s responsibility to pay the additional charges.

Purchasing Books

Oakland University does not operate on a book voucher system and cash advances for the purchase of books are not available. If the student is planning to purchase books with a financial aid refund, it is important for the student (or parent, if the parent received a PLUS loan) to expect the refund only after all financial aid requirements have been met and institutional tuition and on-campus housing charges have been paid. The refund might be issued after classes begin.

Return of Federal Title IV Assistance

When an eligible federal Title IV financial aid student withdraws (officially or unofficially) from all classes before 60% of the semester is complete during an enrollment period in which attendance has begun, federal regulations require Oakland University to determine the amount of financial aid earned. A student is only eligible to retain the percent of Title IV aid earned that is equal to the percentage of the enrollment period that was completed by the student. For students enrolled solely in courses that are less than the 15-week full semester, the enrollment period is adjusted to reflect the length of the courses. A return calculation will be performed when a student is registered for a future part-of-term which has not yet begun and the student has withdrawn from all current courses which are meeting. The unearned Title IV aid must then be returned to the appropriate federal aid program(s), which may result in the student owing financial aid funds to the University, the federal government, or both. If more than 60% of the enrollment period has been completed by the student, none of the Title IV aid needs to be returned.

Federal Title IV financial aid funds include: TEACH, Federal SEOG, Federal Pell Grants, Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized and Direct PLUS (Parent or Graduate) Loans.

The following steps determine the amount of Federal Title IV financial aid a student has earned up to the time of withdrawal and the amount that is unearned and needs to be returned:

1. Calculate the percent of the enrollment period completed by the student. Divide the number of calendar days the student attended* by the number of calendar days in the enrollment period (less any scheduled breaks of five days or more). If the calculated percent exceeds 60%, the student has earned all Title IV aid for the enrollment period.
2. Calculate the amount of earned Title IV aid. Multiply the percent of the enrollment period completed by the total Title IV aid disbursed or could have disbursed according to late disbursement rules.
3. Calculate the amount of unearned Title IV aid. Subtract the amount of earned Title IV aid from the total amount of federal aid disbursed. The difference must be returned to the appropriate Title IV program by the University or by the student.

*If a student who began attendance and has not officially withdrawn fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course during the enrollment period, grade reports from the class professor will verify the last date of attendance. If a professor does not have a record of class attendance, the midpoint of the semester will be used to calculate the percent of the enrollment period.

Oakland University notifies students with details of their earned and unearned federal Title IV financial aid. Students are provided with instructions related to repaying the funds to the University or to the federal government. In some instances a late disbursement of earned Title IV aid can be made to the student. When a student has withdrawn and a credit balance is created, a Return of Title IV calculation must be performed before any credit balance may be refunded. Any Title IV credit balance must be allocated first to repay any grant overpayment owed by the student as a result of the current withdrawal.

Funds returned (by the University and/or the student or parent) must be allocated in the following order:

1. Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan
2. Federal Subsidized Direct Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Federal Direct PLUS Graduate Loan
5. Federal Direct PLUS (Parent) Loan
6. Federal Pell Grant
7. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
8. Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)

Unearned loan funds owed to the federal government are repaid according to the terms of the loan promissory note. Grant funds are owed directly to the federal government. The student is required to repay only 50% of the grant overpayment. If the student does not repay a federal grant, the student is not eligible for federal Title IV funds at any school until the overpayment is paid. The student may also owe funds to Oakland University. Official withdrawal procedures are available on the Office of the Registrar website at oakland.edu/registrar.

Withdrawing from classes may impact the receipt of future financial aid. Students should be familiar with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy, which is available on the Financial Aid website at oakland.edu/financialservices.

Students are strongly encouraged to contact the OU Financial Aid Office prior to withdrawing from classes to obtain information on the effects of withdrawing. Many times a withdrawal requires a student to refund Oakland University and/or the federal government a large portion of the financial aid that had been disbursed. Examples of the federal financial aid refund policy are available in the Financial Aid Office.

Adjustment to financial aid on the student account
$1,000 returned to the Federal Subsidized Direct Loan program by OU
$ 161 returned to the Federal Pell Grant program by OU 

End result of withdrawing
$1,161 unearned aid that was reversed off of the student account; student owes this amount to OU and will be billed. A hold will be placed on the student record preventing future registration, graduation and transcripts.

NOTE: The Return of Title IV date for students enrolled in any combination of sessions will be based on their entire enrollment time period.

Financial aid satisfactory academic progress

Oakland University is committed to providing fair and equal access to resources to meet educational costs for students. To receive federal, state and institutional financial aid at Oakland University, students must meet the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Federal regulations require the Financial  Services to monitor the academic progress of students at the end of each semester. The complete Oakland University academic record, including transfer credits, is considered regardless of whether or not financial aid was received each semester. Students who fail to achieve the minimum standards may lose financial aid eligibility.

The SAP standards for financial aid are applicable to but not limited to the following program: Federal College Work-Study, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Teach Grant, Michigan Competitive Scholarships, and all Oakland University awards.

Some scholarships have standards stricter than the financial aid satisfactory academic progress standards. The standards vary for each scholarship and are provided in the scholarship descriptions.

Standards of financial aid satisfactory academic progress

Three criteria must be met to satisfy the standards of satisfactory academic progress:

1.        Grade point

Students must maintain a cumulative Oakland University grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 at the end of each semester. Students who fail to meet this requirement are placed on warning status and must meet the GPA requirement by the end of the next enrolled semester at OU. Students can receive financial aid while on a warning status. However, students who fail to achieve a 2.00 GPA while on a warning status become ineligible for financial aid the following semester at OU.

2.        Credit hours

Students must complete a minimum of 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted, including transfer credits, by the end of each semester. Second Undergraduate and Teacher Certification students are considered to have attempted 92 credits Students who fail to meet the credit hour requirement are placed on warning status and must meet the credit hour requirement by the end of the next enrolled semester at OU. Students can receive financial aid while on a warning status. However, students who fail to complete at least 67% of attempted credit hours while on a warning status become ineligible for financial aid the following semester at OU.

3.        Maximum credit hours

Students must complete their academic program by the end of the semester in which 150% of attempted credits, including transfer credits, is reached.

Withdrawal from class

Withdrawn credits count toward credit hours attempted.

Repeating courses

All repeated credits count in the number of attempted credits. A passed course may be repeated once. A passed course repeated more than once will not be included in enrollment status. A failed course may be repeated until it is passed. Repeated credits are only counted once in the cumulative completed credits.

Ungraded credits

Ungraded credits, including incompletes and in progress grades, count in the number of attempted credits, but they are not included in the credits completed of the GPA. When the class is completed, the credits and GPA are considered. Students with ungraded credits cannot receive subsequent financial aid disbursement until the ungraded credits are completed and the financial aid satisfactory academic progress is evaluated. Financial aid cannot be received retroactively due to completion of ungraded credits.

Audit credits

Audit credits do not influence grade point average. They do not receive credit and are not counted in credits attempted or completed. Audit credits are not eligible for financial aid.

Credits by examination

Credits by examination (competency credits) are counted in credits attempted and completed. They do not influence the GPA. Credits by examination do not qualify for financial aid.

Regaining eligibility

Students may automatically regain financial aid eligibility by achieving a 2.00 minimum Oakland University GPA and/or successfully completing a minimum of 67% of attempted credits hours, including transfer credits, at their own expense. Financial aid may be received in the next semester of enrollment when the requirements are satisfied. Financial aid cannot be received retroactively for any semester in which satisfactory academic progress was re-established.

Appeal process

Students may appeal the loss of financial aid eligibility due to a deficient GPA or credit hours if extenuating circumstances exist such as the death of a close relative of the student or an injury or illness of the student. Students must explain why they failed to meet the Financial Aid SAP standards and what has changed to allow the student to meet the SAP standards at the next evaluation. Documentation must be included with the appeal to support the circumstances. Appeals must be received in the Student Financial Services/Financial Aid Office, 120 North Foundation Hall, 2200 N. Squirrel Rd., Rochester MI 48309 before the last day to drop a class with a 100% refund for the semester in which it applies. Appeals received after the deadline date will be processed for the next semester. An email notification of the decision of the appeal will be sent within 7 days of receipt of the appeal or by the deadline (whichever is earlier). Approved appeals are not retroactive to prior semesters.

A Financial Aid Appeals Committee reviews satisfactory academic progress appeals. Students are responsible for providing adequate information for the committee to consider. Decisions will be made based on the information provided without any subsequent meeting on the part of the committee. Decisions of the committee are final.

Student employment

Student employment provides on-campus jobs for undergraduate and graduate degree-seeking students enrolled at OU at least half-time; a few off-campus jobs are also available. Two types of student employment are available at OU: Federal Work Study and regular student employment. Federal Work Study provides on-campus jobs for students who demonstrate financial need.  In order to be eligible to receive the Federal Work Study award completion of the FAFSA is required and must exhibit financial need.  Regular student employment allows on-campus employment for students who do not qualify for Federal Work Study; the FAFSA is not required.

During the fall/winter semesters students can work up to 25 hours per week; however, international students are limited to 20 hours per week. During fall/winter semester breaks (December to January semester break, Winter Recess) and the summer semester, students may work up to 40 hours per week. International students may work up to 40 hours per week during the summer only.

Although a student does not need to be enrolled for summer semester in order to work on campus during the summer, the following requirements must be met:

• Be enrolled at least half-time in the preceding winter semester, or be a newly admitted student for summer enrolled at least half-time.
• Have not completed graduation requirements.
• Be enrolled at least half-time for the upcoming fall semester.

Students who will work through student employment must complete the following applicable hiring forms available on the Oakland University website at oakland.edu/financialservices:

• If you never worked on campus, complete an Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form, a W4 Employee’s Federal Withholding Allowance Certificate, a MI W4 Employee’s Michigan Withholding Exemption Certificate, and submit your original Social Security Administration card to be photocopied.
• If you worked on campus and have secured an on-campus job, your employer will need to submit notification of their intent to employ you.
• Fall/winter and summer are separate award periods and will require complete rehiring forms. The Employment Eligibility Verification (I-9) form must be presented to Student Financial Services with the required original documentation. Copies of documents cannot be accepted.

Direct deposit of payroll from student employment is available. The University will deposit  a student employee’s paycheck electronically into an account at any financial institution within the U.S.  Students will be able to retrieve a copy of your pay stub by accessing the Employee Services site on the Oakland University SAIL web page. To enroll for direct deposit visit the Financial Services link in MySAIL.

OUCareerLink is web-based software where  students can search all forms of employment in one convenient location online at OUCareerLink.com. To use this website as a student, you must first register for a user account. To create an account, register online at OUCareerLink.com. Click on the “Students” link. Fill out the profile form creating your own username and password. Descriptions of the positions and information on how to apply for the jobs are on the website. Students cannot begin working until Student Financial Services sends an authorization to the hiring department. The hiring department will notify the student when work can begin.

Financial aid appeal procedure

A student can appeal an institutional financial aid process, procedure, or policy. However, federal, state, and external agency regulations and guideless cannot be appealed.

The appeal procedure is as follows:

1. The student provides a written appeal to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee, c/o Director of Financial Aid, Financial Aid Office, Oakland University, 120 North Foundation Hall, 2200 North Squirrel Rd., Rochester, MI 48309.
2. The Financial Aid Appeals Committee reviews the appeal and researches and investigates the issue within 14 days.
3. If appropriate processes, procedures, and policies have been applied, a Financial Aid administrator sends a response to the student, providing the student with information, details and rationale of the explanation.
4. If the Financial Aid administrator needs additional information, the student will receive a request. The deadline date to respond will be provided to the student. If additional information determines a change in a previous decision, adjustments will be made and the student will be notified. If the student does not respond to a request for additional information by the deadline, the appeal will be canceled.
5. If the appeal concerns a process, procedure, or policy of another department, the Financial Aid appeals committee will confer with that department on the student’s behalf or the student will be referred directly to the department.
6. If an error is made by the Financial Aid Office, the error will be corrected and the student will receive a response.