Some UCLA Extension Students to Lose Aid

About 500 students pursuing degrees through UCLA Extension programs will no longer be eligible for federal grants and subsidized loans, the U.S. Education Department has ruled.

UCLA Extension officials have notified students in 28 certificate programs--ranging from accounting to hotel management and taxation--that their federal financial aid packages will not be available in the spring quarter, which begins March 31.

“Taking it away in the middle of our program--that doesn’t seem fair,” said Amy Filko, who is in the midst of a two-year certificate program in computer graphics. “People make financial plans.”

About 20% of the 500 students fall in the category the university considers to have the greatest financial need, said Julie Jaskol, a UCLA Extension spokeswoman.

“For the ones who are deemed to be in the most financial need, we can offer UCLA Extension grants, which would essentially waive their fees,” she said. “For the others, we are giving them information about other types of loans.”

UCLA Extension, an off-campus, continuing-education program for adults providing enrichment courses and professional training to 60,000 students, has traditionally offered federal financial aid packages only to students in certificate degree programs.

But a recent Education Department review of UCLA Extension programs determined that 28 certificate programs do not qualify for federal financial aid. The reason is that those programs offer neither graduate-level degrees nor courses that would qualify for full credit toward regular undergraduate degrees at UCLA.

The programs cover a wide variety of topics, including alcohol/drug counseling, creative writing, film scoring, interior design, real estate and screenwriting.

In a letter to affected students, financial aid officers warned that, not only would they lose federal aid, but payments on any outstanding federally subsidized Stafford Loans must begin within six months. Usually payments on such student loans can be deferred until after graduation.

UCLA Extension officials are reviewing the programs to see if any can be--or should be--redesigned to fit within federal guidelines for financial aid.