1. Is grant money available for Summer 2007?
Yes. There are state grant funds available for the 2007 that will be awarded on a first come first serve basis depending on when you register for classes. There are Pell Grant funds available for students who have eligibility left from the Fall 06 and Spring 07 semesters.

2. Is grant money available for Graduates for Summer or is it just for undergraduates?
There are limited state grant funds available for graduate students that will be awarded on a first come first serve basis depending on when you register for classes.

3. Are loan funds available for summer?
There are loan funds available, but each student’s eligibility depends on their specific situation. Stafford loans may be available if the student did not already receive all of their annual allocation unless they are progressing from freshman to sophomore, sophomore to junior, or junior to senior at the end of the Spring 2007 semester. There are also alternative credit based loans available to students through various lenders and the State of Texas in the form of a CAL loan. Students’ parents can apply for PLUS loans for the summer only if needed by completing a PLUS Loan Worksheet and submitting it to our office. Students may also increase their loan eligibility if their parents are denied the PLUS loan, if they have not already used that eligibility during the previous 12 months.

4. Can I get money for summer if I just go three (3) hours?
The Pell Grant is the only aid that is available to students attending less than 6 hours. Students who have pell eligibility left over from the previous Fall and Spring can receive the pell.

5. Do I do the ’06-07 FAFSA or the ’07-08 FAFSA for summer?
The summer 2007 financial aid is being attached to the previous Summer 2006, Fall 2006, and Spring 2007 semesters. Your aid for the Summer 2007 will be based upon information on the 2006-2007 FAFSA.

6. What does “header” mean?
A header school starts their financial aid year with summer. Lamar University has traditionally been a header school.

7. What does “trailer” mean?
A trailer school starts their financial aid year with Fall and it ends with summer school.

8. Why are we (the students) just now finding out about this header/trailer switch?
Lamar University is in the process of a computer conversion to Banner from the current SIS system. We were not made aware of the uncompatability of Banner and processing as a header school until recently.

9. How am I supposed to attend summer if there are not any funds available?
Lamar University’s cashier’s office may be able to assist but each student will need to contact them since we are unable to know ahead of time what each student’s individual situation is.

10. What if I don’t qualify for a private/alternative loan?
If you have exhausted all of your financial aid eligibility, there is nothing available through the financial aid office, and you do not qualify for a private/alternative loan by yourself or with a co-signer then unfortunately there is nothing that the financial aid office can do but you may want to discuss your situation with the cashier’s office.

11. What are the qualifications for a private/alternative loan?
Each lender is slightly different so it is best for the student to investigate each alternative loan carefully before applying for one. Lamar University’s financial aid office does provide a list of lenders who offer alternative loans that can assist you in deciding who to contact.

12. What if I don’t’ have good credit or a co-signer?
Unfortunately, due to regulations, loan limits, individual lender rules and requirements, if you do not qualify for any assistance through our office and you are unable to obtain an alternative loan the Financial Aid Office has nothing left to offer. You should contact the Cashier’s Office for any assistance they can offer