If you'll be a college student receiving federal financial aid in 2012-2013, several changes passed might affect you.

Pell grants: Effective immediately and retroactively, students are only eligible for 12 full-time semesters for the grant. Awards may vary from semester to semester based on credits.

Subsidized federal loans: The six-month, interest-free grace period upon graduation is eliminated. Loans will accumulate interest starting at graduation. This change affects loans acquired between July 1 and June 30, 2014. Also, graduate students are no longer eligible for subsidized loans.

For more information about federal financial aid, visit www.federalstudentaid.ed.gov/students.html.

Please note that the Financial Aid Office and the Distance Learning Center is monitoring your grade point average (GPA) for any potential impact on your financial aid. You will be notified if your GPA is nearing academic probation status (below 2.0 for undergraduates/below 3.0 for graduate students).

Also, a +/- grading scale may affect your status. For example, a graduate student earns a B- in two three-credit courses, earning a GPA of 2.7.This falls below the 3.0 requirement and the student will be placed on academic probation. If the student does not earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better after the next semester, financial aid will not be awarded based on lack of academic progress.

To learn more, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 608-342-1836 or finaid@uwplatt.edu.

Due to increased credit card security requirements, the University of Wisconsin-Platteville can no longer accept credit card numbers via fax.