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Penn Summer Waiver Award Program

Summer 2008

 
Description of the Program
In order to broaden the array of summer activities open to students receiving financial aid, the University has established the Summer Waiver Award Program. Students who are accepted to participate in the program and who meet the eligibility requirements listed below will qualify for a full or partial waiver of their expected contribution from summer savings.
 
Who is Eligible?
Applicants must currently be freshmen, sophomores or juniors who are: a) receiving university need-based grant aid or b) expect to qualify for university grant aid during the 2008-2009 academic year. A student who receives a full waiver (100%) during one summer is not eligible to participate in future summers. However, a student who receives a partial waiver in a given summer may participate in future summers up to the combined equivalent of a full waiver.  For instance, a student who receives a 75% waiver in one summer may still qualify for the remaining 25% waiver in a future summer.
 
Qualifying Summer Activities
A committee appointed by the Deputy Provost will review applications for summer savings waivers. Waiver awards may be given to students who are participating in low-paying (see below for details) or unpaid public or community service internships.  Students performing low-paying or unpaid work in the private sector related to their academic program or career aspirations (an internship that provides room and board is considered unpaid if no monetary compensation is received) may also be granted a waiver. Examples of programs that do and do not qualify include:
 
May qualify:
  • Working for a non-profit arts organization such as an orchestra or museum
  • Working for a community service organization such as a homeless shelter
  • Unpaid or low-paying work (that is academic or career related) for a private sector firm
  • Working on agricultural or community development in another country
  • Unpaid work for a government agency
Do not qualify:
  • Independent study, in the United States or abroad
  • Activities for which a student receives University course credit, e.g., summer courses or study abroad
  • Traveling abroad without taking classes
  • Working for a religious organization in an activity whose primary aim is proselytization
 

Amount of the Award

Note:  A student who would not otherwise be eligible for University need-based grant will not necessarily receive grant aid as a result of the waiver. 

 

The standard expected student contribution from summer earnings is $2,250-2,650. Students with a lower level of expected earnings in their financial aid package will only be eligible for that level of waiver.

 

Because federal regulations mandate a specific contribution based on earnings during the previous year, it may not be possible to apply the entire amount of the waiver to summer earnings. In such cases, the student’s self-help component (loan, work-study) for the following year will be adjusted by the remaining amount.

 
Waiver of the summer earnings expectation will reduce the overall expected family contribution, and increase the level of financial need. A student who would be eligible for University need-based grant can expect an increase in the grant to cover the waived summer earnings expectation. The actual award will be applied, in two equal installments, to the fall and spring bills.
 
Level of Award
To qualify for a full waiver, an applicant must participate in the qualifying activity for at least twelve weeks, for at least 35 hours per week. Activities of a shorter duration, and/or involving fewer hours per week, will qualify for reduced waivers according to a declining percentage of length of time and number of hours worked.
 

Example 1:  A student works 10 weeks at a government agency for 30 hours/week.  Waiver:  Assuming the work at the agency is approved, the student would receive a waiver of approximately 70%.

 

For low-paying internships and work in the private sector, we will further adjust the level of waiver based on the compensation level received.

 
Living at Home
Hourly Rate % Covered
$6.86+ 0
5.36-6.85 25
4.36-5.35 50
3.20-4.35 75
Under 3.19 100
Away from Home
Hourly Rate % Covered
$12.51+ 0
10.81-12.50 25
8.96-10.80 50
7.56-8.95 75
Under 7.55 100
 

Example 2:  The above student is living away from home and receiving $14.00/hour from the agency.  We would multiply the student’s wage by the length of time spent in the activity to come up with an adjusted wage of $10/hour.  Based on the above table, the student’s waiver would be further reduced from 70% to 50%.

 

Note:  The level of waiver is based on the assumption that the time students have outside of their approved activities can be used to earn additional money to contribute toward their education. 

 
Application and Verification Procedures
The deadline for applying for a waiver award is May 15, 2008. If applications are received after this deadline, we may not be able to consider them.  Applications are available on the SFS website https://www.sfs.upenn.edu/forms/sumwaive.php and can be submitted online or mailed to:

Summer Savings Waiver Program
212 Franklin Building
3451 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
 
Applicants will be notified of their eligibility via e-mail.
 

To receive the waiver award, the student’s employer must, at the end of the summer, submit a verification form confirming that the student has completed the approved activity. A link to the verification form will be sent to the selected participant in the student’s notification e-mail. Employers must submit verifications to the address listed above no later than September 21st.

 
 
Related Information
Special Policies
Summer Waiver Application
 

 

 
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