Frequently Asked Questions

Typically, yes. This often is a discussion as a part of a student’s IEP meeting(s) in high school.  They would become their own guardian upon turning 18 unless someone legally pursues guardianship.  If a family is interested in exploring legal guardianship, our office encourages families to consider alternatives to legal guardianship, i.e. power of attorney over medical decisions, financial decisions.

No, FERPA waivers are only available when a situation arises in which a student wants to bring their family into the conversation.  As emerging adults, it is important for students to learn the privacy laws that they have the rights to.  Also important, is for students to learn that they are expected to communicate holistically about their lives to those closest to them.

Yes, your student will be encouraged to maintain regular communication with you through their practicum course and meeting with their advisor. Student-specific progress updates will NOT be provided by office staff, unless a FERPA waiver has been signed by the student concerning specific situations.

Families are always encouraged to support their students in reaching out to the office first.  This supports keeping the student at the center of all concerns and communication regarding their time here at UNCG.  Families can also reach out to student advisors (our Assistant Directors).  Responses will always aim to be student lead/centered and be provided through the student with support of instructors and staff.

Though our office can never guarantee the success of any student, it is our mission to work with students to develop skills and tools to become more self-determined, interdependent, emerging-adults by the time they graduate.

Visit our Cost & Aid Section of the website here (subject to change from year to year). The per semester average cost can vary depending on where a student lives and what they do for a meal plan and/or groceries.

There can also be added cost depending on the level of support a student may need; however there is a level of support built into the program fee.  Qualifying students may apply for financial aid from the Federal Pell Grant program. Students with intellectual disabilities are eligible for federal financial aid thanks to the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008. To apply for aid, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA). For more information about aid for students with intellectual disabilities, visit the Federal Student Aid Website.  Also, here are some FAQs about Financial Aid specifically for programs like ours.

A student enrolling in the ICS program of study can be considered for a Federal Pell Grant if they meet the financial needs requirements as determined through the application process. The designation as a Comprehensive Transition Program (CTP) does not include access to Federal Student Loans, such as Stafford, at this time.

Yes, you may submit an application for determining eligibility for these grants. You must complete a 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Please direct your specific questions to the Financial Aid Office of UNCG. You can talk with any counselor at the Financial Aid Office but you may find that Cathryn Garrett has particularly relevant knowledge for students with disabilities who are applying for financial aid. She can be reached at 336-334-5702 or [email protected].

Tours are offered through the Office of Admissions.  If you would like to schedule a tour, please use this link to register for an on campus tour.  If you let our office know when you are scheduled to come, one of our staff can generally be available to meet with you before your tour to talk more specifically about the program of study.  **This is for tours occurring Monday-Friday.  Our office is not open on Saturday or Sunday.**

This would have to be through a medical professional or a school diagnosis.  We require that an applicant submit a recent copy of a psychological evaluation with their application to the program.  Typically these psychological evaluations will provide any diagnosis or multiple diagnoses an applicant might have.  A starting place would be with the school system that a student is enrolled in for secondary school, and/or Vocational Rehabilitation Services.  An IEP may also list diagnosis/diagnoses (reason for services).  We would still require a recent psych eval as a part of his application.  You can also Refer to the American Association on IDD for a definition of intellectual disability.

This is outlined on our website here.

Yes, the ICS program of study is a hybrid model that has courses specifically for the program of study, taught by departmental staff, as well as courses that students take outside of the department from across campus.  Both CTP and degree-track courses receive credit and students will have transcripts that reflect all of their coursework.

The ICS department does not support or offer modifications for degree track courses.  Enrolled students are eligible for accommodations through the Office of Accessibility Resources and Services (OARS) on campus.  Students are supported to work with that office to determine what accommodations they qualify for, and inform their professor of those accommodations.  If a student needs additional support, that is agreed to in their college support plan and the department offers those additional layers of support.

No, students need to be able to handle an unstructured environment without staff for periods of time on both weekdays and/or weekends. In addition to scheduled support sessions, our office provides problem-solving support via phone, available to students for emergency situations.

The ICS office supports students to create a College Support Plan which is part Academic plan of study and part support plan.  The student begins with identifying natural resources first.  The goal is for students to learn to utilize natural resources on campus and in the community before additional layers of support are added.  Once the natural resources are in place, if students need additional resources, the office works with the student to engage with support staff, provided through our office by interns, graduate assistants, and partnerships with other campus and community partners.  Lastly, if students still need further support, the ICS office will work with students and families to find a third-party provider who can (generally at a financial cost) provide additional layers of support.

This depends on each individual student.  We have many students who live on campus.  We also have students who live in privately owned student housing near campus.  As a part of the admissions process, we engage in what we call a “purposeful housing model” approach, and make recommendations based on meeting the applicant, discussing support needs, and the goals that they would like to work on while enrolled.  Sometimes it is holistically better for students to live off campus.