Columbia Financial Aid and Educational Financing

Currently Enrolled Students

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How do I log into the Online Financial Aid System?

To sign in please enter your Student ID (starts with the letter C followed by 9 numbers) and your Password (date of birth, MMDDCCYY format) in the 'Log-In' box. Do not use the 'First Time User' link even if you are a first-time user. Once logged in, follow the prompts to set up a new password and create security questions.

How does financial aid work with Study Abroad?

Financial aid generally can be used to help cover the expenses of a study abroad program that grants academic credit during the Fall or Spring semesters. As part of the application process for studying abroad, the Center for Undergraduate Global Engagement (UGE) suggests that students speak with a financial aid officer to discuss the impact on the financial aid award.

How do I waive the medical insurance if I am already covered?

All full-time students are by default enrolled in The Columbia Plan to meet students’ health-related needs beyond the on-campus services offered by Columbia Health.

To request a waiver from default enrollment, you must submit a request online (July 15-September 30) via the Columbia Health website. February 15 is the deadline for spring enrollment (new students only) or June 30 for full-time summer enrollment (new students only). All requests are considered but approval is not guaranteed.

PLEASE NOTE: A waiver must be submitted for each year of enrollment at Columbia.

Information on the waiver process and other services provided by Columbia Health can be found on the Columbia Health website.

How do refunds work?

In cases where a student’s financial aid overpays the billed charges, and a surplus is formed, this credit will be refunded to the student via check or direct deposit. To set up direct deposit, the student should log into Student Services Online (SSOL) and click on the Refund option.

How are bills sent?

Billing at Columbia is only sent online. Students will receive an e-mail notification when a new E-Bill is generated. For parents or other third parties to receive billing notifications, the student needs to first set them up as Authorized Payers to the account. To do this, the student should log into Student Services Online (SSOL), click on Account, select the View E-Bill and Pay by E-Check option, and then go to the Authorize Payers, and set up an account for each person he/she wishes to receive the bill.

Please note that there are two different ways in which to view the account. The first is the official E-Bill. The E-Bill is a monthly snapshot of the account balance at a given time, and will not update until a new E-Bill is generated. The second is the Recent Activity section. This section is updated daily, and will reflect the most current account balance.

What if my parent does not have a Social Security Number?

Your parent will not be able to borrow a Federal Parent PLUS loan without a Social Security Number; please contact our office for additional financing options.

What is the difference between Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans?

Interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan is paid by the U.S. Department of Education while you are in school at least half-time and during your six-month grace period after you leave school. If you are unsure about your eligibility, please contact our office.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans begin to accrue interest once the loan has disbursed to the student account.

May I request a re-evaluation of my financial aid package? (Current Students)

You can submit a request to have your financial aid award reconsidered for one of the following reasons:

  • Your family’s financial circumstances have changed since you originally submitted the financial aid application.
  • Your family’s financial circumstances are complex in nature, and you would like us to review the file again with new information or clarification not previously submitted.

As appeals vary, and can be sensitive in nature, we recommend that you contact our office and speak with a financial aid officer prior to submitting a request. All requests for reconsideration should be done using our Request An Appeal page.

We will begin reviewing financial aid appeals in late July. If you submit an appeal, you should hear from us by email in early August.

When will I receive my financial aid award letter?

If you submitted your financial aid application materials by the May 5th deadline, you should receive the financial aid award by early July. After this, financial aid awards will be sent out on a rolling basis throughout the summer.

What will my bill look like?

Your financial aid award is separate from your bill. The financial aid budget includes billed items (such as tuition & fees, housing and meal plan) and unbilled items (such as books, and personal expenses), which will not appear on the bill. Your Expected Family Contribution (Parent Contribution plus Student Contribution) will not match your bill dollar for dollar.

Additional information about the E-Billing process is sent students during the summer. The Fall semester E-Bill will be sent to students and authorized payers in mid-August and is due in early September.

For an estimate of what your bill will look like, please utilize our Bill Estimator Tool (updated each July).

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