Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 45.08
Liaison Jessica Krejcik
Submission Date Feb. 5, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Concordia University
PA-8: Affordability and Access

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 4.00 Stephanie Sarik
Director
Financial Aid & Awards
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have policies and programs in place to make it accessible and affordable to low-income students?:
Yes

A brief description of any policies and programs to minimize the cost of attendance for low-income students:

Work-study program:
- The Work Study program is open to all full-time students in the Concordia community, and is based primarily on financial need.
- Students must also have applied for, and are receiving, governmental student aid.

https://www.concordia.ca/students/financial-support/work-study.html

Entrance Bursary program for new admission applicants
- Students must have applied for admission to the University
- Needs assessment is part of the bursary application process
- Applicants must write statements and provide other information
- Applications are reviewed and ranked by committee

In-Course for current/returning students
- Preference to students on governmental assistance
- Students not receiving governmental assistance can also apply and needs test will be conducted
- Applicants must write statements and provide other information
- Applications are reviewed and ranked by committee

http://www.concordia.ca/students/financial-support/bursaries.html


A brief description of any programs to equip the institution’s faculty and staff to better serve students from low-income backgrounds:

None.


A brief description of any programs to prepare students from low-income backgrounds for higher education:

New admission applicants can signal financial aid interest during the application process. The Financial Aid and Awards Office will reach out to them to help them explore and understand their options. Current/returning students are always encouraged to visit the Financial Aid and Awards Office if they are considering applying for governmental assistance, and we also provide award information where applicable.


A brief description of the institution's scholarships for low-income students:

At Concordia, scholarships are based solely on academic merit with no exploration of the student’s financial situation at home. Students in financial need can apply for either the Entrance Bursary or the In-Course Bursary programs which are intended to assist financially needy students.


A brief description of any programs to guide parents of low-income students through the higher education experience:

None. However our administration of the US Loans program entails a significant amount of communication with students’ parents during at least the initial phase of the student’s application for US Loans.


A brief description of any targeted outreach to recruit students from low-income backgrounds:

The University recruiters describe our need-based Entrance Bursary program during their site visits. The Financial Aid and Awards Office creates “To Do List” items for new admission applicants to raise their awareness of the need-based Entrance Bursary program, and to encourage them to apply.


A brief description of other admissions policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

None.


A brief description of other financial aid policies or programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students:

We encourage new and returning students to consider applying for the Entrance or In-Course Bursary programs, explore governmental assistance options, and also search for external award opportunities.


A brief description of other policies and programs to make the institution accessible and affordable to low-income students not covered above:

None.


Does the institution have policies and programs in place to support non-traditional students?:
Yes

A brief description of any scholarships provided specifically for part-time students:

The majority of our scholarships and bursaries are restricted to full-time students. However there are several that are open only to part-time students. Our awarding committees use the students’ full-time or part-time status when selecting recipients for these awards.


A brief description of any onsite child care facilities, partnerships with local facilities, and/or subsidies or financial support to help meet the child care needs of students:

Concordia offers services to both student parents, faculty and staff. We have two daycares on our campuses and a resource centre for student parents.

See: http://www.concordia.ca/campus-life/daycares.html

The Concordia University Student Parents Centre (CUSP):
- Provides support and services to help student parents achieve their goals
- Offers a safe and accessible space to congregate, study, voice concerns, share interests and develop a support network
- Features a comfortable lounge with couches and a microwave, computers with internet access and a play area for children
- Provides referrals and resources for such things as childcare, financial aid and housing

See: http://www.concordia.ca/offices/cusp.html


A brief description of other policies and programs to support non-traditional students:

None.


Does the institution wish to pursue Part 2 of this credit (accessibility and affordability indicators)?:
No

Indicators that the institution is accessible and affordable to low-income students::
Percentage (0-100)
The percentage of entering students that are low-income ---
The graduation/success rate for low-income students ---
The percentage of student financial need met, on average ---
The percentage of students graduating with no interest-bearing student loan debt ---

The percentage of students that participate in or directly benefit from the institution’s policies and programs to support low-income and non-traditional students:
---

The website URL where information about the institution's affordability and access programs is available:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.