Getting started
This information will help you get acquainted with our general policies and procedures in Concordia’s Student Financial Services Office for graduate and DCP students.
Campus Communication
Your admissions packet will include information on how to access the portal (Concordia’s secure intranet), Blackboard (most classes will be using this platform), and your CUNE.ORG email account.
All correspondence with campus offices will be through your CUNE.ORG email account, so please check it often, or set it up to forward to an email account that is checked frequently. If forwarded, please make sure the account stays active!
How do I automatically forward my email to another address?
Students are encouraged to forward their other email accounts to cune.org, because the address is more professional-looking, the size limit of the mailbox is probably much larger and features like virus scanning and spam blocking are included.
If you prefer to read your email elsewhere, however, follow these steps. Login, click Mail at the top of the page, click Prefs (not Preferences) and enter your destination address (e.g., jdoe@example.com) in the Forward Address: textbox. Be careful to type the correct forwarding address. Otherwise, email could be lost. Then click the Update Preferences button at the bottom of the page. All incoming email will now be forwarded to the new address. If you would like a copy of the message to remain on cune.org and a copy to be sent to another address, enter both addresses separated by a comma (e.g. "John.Doe@cune.org, jdoe@example.com" without the quotes). To test that forwarding is working correctly, send yourself a message and check that it arrived at the intended destination.
Academic year
An academic year is comprised of three academic terms with two 8-week modules.
Fall term: End of August through December
Spring term: January through April
Summer term: May through August
How many courses per term do I take?
Full time enrollment in a graduate program is six credit hours per academic term (two 3-credit courses, one course in each module). Students should register for the academic term to ensure timely disbursement of financial aid.
Full time enrollment in the Degree Completion Program (DCP) is 12 credit hours per academic term. Students should register for the academic term to ensure timely disbursement of financial aid.
Financial aid eligibility is subject to adjustments if anticipated enrollment changes.
Important dates
Module and term dates for graduate and DCP students can be found on the academic calendar
Visit the academic calendar page »
Payment due dates for the current academic year
- Summer 2013: Payment due May 6, 2013
- Fall 2013: Payment due September 2, 2013
- Spring 2014: Payment due January 6, 2014
- Summer 2014: Payment due May 5, 2014
Cost of attendance
A student’s financial aid is based on the cost of attendance (COA), which is an annual estimate of how much it will cost a student to attend Concordia University. The COA includes tuition and an allowance for books and supplies, and an allowance for living expenses.
Books and supplies
Students should always be prepared to pay out of pocket for books and supplies as financial aid will not be available at the time needed to purchase these items. Loan proceeds will generally be processed 3 to 4 weeks after a term (or enrollment) begins. Contact the Financial Aid Office at 888-505-2863 if you have problems or questions about book purchases.
More financial aid terms
Check the link below for a full list of terms commonly used in financial aid offices.
Financial aid terms and definitions
COA – Cost of Attendance is the total cost to attend college for one academic year, including tuition, books and supplies, and a living allowance.
EFC – Expected Family Contribution represents the student’s financial strength to finance college costs. The amount is determined by completing the FAFSA.
Entrance Counseling – Entrance counseling is an online program that a student must complete explaining their rights and responsibilities regarding a loan. This must be complete before any loan money will be disbursed to a student.
Exit Counseling – Exit counseling is an online program to be completed before graduation or withdrawal to review the information about your student loans.
FAFSA – The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the standard federal application used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid. Concordia’s school ID is 002541.
Financial Aid – Any form of assistance received to assist with the cost of a student’s education. This includes but is not limited to: employer tuition reimbursements, VA/military payments, outside scholarships, Vocational Rehabilitation, etc.
Loan – Federal money that is borrowed and must be repaid.
Unmet Need – Unmet need is the difference between the COA and the EFC.
SAR – The Federal Student Aid Report is a document that will be emailed to you summarizing the information provided on the FAFSA. It also provides an opportunity to make any changes if something is not correct or if new tax information has been received. Please direct any changes to the Financial Aid Office. We are able to make required changes electronically.
Subsidized Loans – A need-based loan that does not accrue interest while you are in school at least half-time.
Unsubsidized Loans – A non-need-based loan that does accrue interest while you are in school.
Technical difficulties - passwords and 10-codes
What do you do if you lose your password? How important is it to remember your 10-code? Click the link below for advice and more information.
If you change your CUNE password and then forget it you should contact the Graduate Admission Office to ask that your CUNE password be reset. You can then use your 10-Code to get your new password.
If you forget your CUNE password and lose your 10-Code then you should contact the Graduate Admission Office to let them know. A new 10-Code will be sent to you using US Mail to your official home address.
Note that we will not give you a password over the phone and will not send a password to you through email.
Forgetting your password and losing 10-Codes usually means a delay of several days in getting a new password. PLEASE DO NOT LOSE YOUR 10-CODE OR FORGET YOUR PASSWORD.
If you have questions or problems please contact the appropriate office:
- Graduate: Office of Graduate/DCP Admission,
by phone at 888-505-2863 ext 6530, or by email at GradAdmiss@cune.edu.
- Degree Completion Program (DCP): Office of Graduate/DCP Admission,
by phone at 888-505-2863 ext 6530, or by email at DCP@cune.edu.
Tax information regarding the annual 1098-T form
The IRS Form 1098-T is issued to all students who attended Concordia and who paid qualified tuition and fees for the calendar year they are in attendance. The information on Form 1098-T is used to determine if you are eligible to claim an education credit on your Federal Income Tax Return for the applicable tax year. This form is to be used by the taxpayer or their tax advisor to compute an eligible tax credit.
Concordia University is required to provide the student with the 1098-T information for the applicable tax year by Jan. 31 of each calendar year. The 1098-T for the qualified educational expenses can be viewed and printed through Banner Self-Service. A paper copy will also be sent to the address listed in Banner. Please check your address information and keep it up to date.
Please note: Concordia University is unable to provide tax advice to students or parents. It is the taxpayer’s responsibility to determine and document the information used in their tax return. For tax assistance, please refer to the IRS publication 970 or consult your qualified tax professional.
