Financial Aid and Scholarships

Introduction

The funding of a DeSales education is the primary responsibility of the student (and parent[s] of dependent students). Resources are available to assist the student in meeting costs of higher education from the federal and state governments, DeSales University, and outside resources. It is the student’s responsibility to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) yearly for consideration of the various financial aid programs.

Determination of Financial Aid Eligibility

Filing the FAFSA allows the federal government to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The Office of Financial Aid will use the EFC to develop a financial aid package, based upon the student’s need and available resources. Need is determined by subtracting the EFC from the Total Cost of Attendance (tuition, fees, room, board, books, personal, commuting, and living expenses).

The financial aid package specifies the types and amounts of assistance, including non-federal aid a student will receive to cover his or her education related expenses. Government and University funds are limited and the amount awarded to a student may not meet all financial need. Parents may apply for Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) and students may apply for Alternative Loans to fully fund up to the Total Cost of Attendance.

All awards are subject to revisions. Factors affecting a student’s eligibility include changes in residency status or enrollment, and adjustments as a result of the verification process. If an adjustment of an award is made, the student will be notified and advised to access their financial aid information through the student portal.

Financial Aid Application Procedures

Prospective Undergraduate Students

• Gather end of the year income information and documentation to prepare tax returns. Retain copies of all documentation sent to the IRS (1040, W2’s, required schedules, etc.)
• Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after October 1. DeSales University’s Federal School Code is 003986.
• It takes approximately 1-2 weeks for the results of the online FAFSA to reach DeSales University.
• For maximum consideration for institutional assistance, the FAFSA should be completed before December 1.

NOTE: Students do not have to be accepted by the University to complete the FAFSA.

Upon deposit, the Office of Financial Aid will send a packet of information that will include an official award letter.

Returning Undergraduate Students

Renewal of financial aid is not automatic. Students who have received aid are required to reapply each year. For renewal of aid, the FAFSA should be filed by May 1 for the upcoming academic year. Funding may be limited for those who file after this date.

For state grant consideration, students must submit the FAFSA and the appropriate state grant applications by the published deadlines of their home state agencies. (Pennsylvania residents must file the FAFSA by May 1 for State grant consideration.)

After the FAFSA has been processed and the Student Aid Report (SAR) is received, the Office of Financial Aid will provide an official award letter provided verification has been finalized (if applicable).

ACCESS Students

Students enrolled in ACCESS have financial aid opportunities through the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Loan Programs. ACCESS students who reside in Pennsylvania  may also qualify for a Pennsylvania State Grant. To award federal and state financial aid to ACCESS students, the ACCESS sessions have been grouped as follows:

Fall semester: Fall Day, Session 1 and Session 2
Spring semester: Wintermester, Spring Day, Session 3 and Session 4
Summer semester: May term, Session 5, Summer Minimesters, and Session 6

With the exception of the Federal Pell Grant program, students must enroll in at least six credits per semester to be eligible for financial aid. Please note that for financial aid purposes, CLEP, Challenge Exams, and/or Portfolio Assessment credits do not count toward the semester enrollment.

ACCESS students who enroll in classes during the traditional day semester will be charged a fee for doing so.

ACCESS students applying for financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

To participate in the Federal Direct loan program, students must complete a master promissory note and entrance counseling. These processes are done online from the U.S. Department of Education website at www.studentloans.gov.

Students must present payment for courses taken until a financial aid deferment is approved by the Office of Financial Aid and the Treasurer’s Office. Only after students have completed all forms, are enrolled, and their file is complete in the Office of Financial Aid, will they be sent a notice of financial aid eligibility. Financial aid can then be viewed via the MyDSU student portal.

Financial aid may not completely cover tuition. Students are responsible for costs accrued after financial aid (grants and/or loans) has been credited to their accounts. ACCESS students receiving any financial aid at DeSales University will be reviewed for satisfactory academic progress toward a degree at the end of each semester.

The maximum time frame to obtain a degree using federal aid programs is approximately six years (or 12 full-time semesters). Pennsylvania residents may be eligible for a maximum of 8 semesters of state grant funds. ACCESS students are not eligible for university aid due to the reduced costs of the ACCESS program. No federal loans can be awarded retroactively to pay for past due balances. All questions should be directed to the Office of Financial Aid.

Verification Process

Verification Policy

The U.S. Department of Education selects a portion of all FAFSA filers for a review process called “Verification.” Additionally, during the process of reviewing financial aid information at any time during the academic year, the Office of Financial Aid is required to question any inconsistent information by selecting the application for verification. If the student is selected by the Department of Education or by the institution, DeSales University will be comparing information from the FAFSA application with requested documentation submitted to the Office of Financial Aid. If a student/family chooses not to provide this information, they are advised that the University will be unable to administer any forms of federal aid and institutional need-based awards. If there are differences between the student application information and financial documents, the Office of Financial Aid may need to process corrections on the FAFSA once the changes have been finalized.

Verification Documentation

Students selected for this process may be asked to submit one or more of the following:

• A verification worksheet
• For dependent students: the student’s and the parent(s)’ financial documents (IRS tax transcripts, W-2 forms, etc.)
• For independent students: the student’s and the spouse’s (if applicable) financial documents (IRS tax transcripts, W-2 forms, etc.)
• An expense/resource worksheet (if applicable)

All information must be completed in its entirety, all documents signed as required, and submitted by the specified deadlines.

Verification Deadline

The deadline for each applicant depends on when financial aid application information is received. Verification and Missing Document request letters are sent to students every week, after financial aid (ISIR) information is received. These letters are sent five times over a ten-week period. The final request notifies the student that s/he will not receive any need-based federal or institutional funding if the requested documents are not received by the date listed in the letter. This date is generally one week from the date the letter is generated.

Notification of Award Changes due to Verification

The method by which DeSales University notifies applicants if the award changes because of the verification process is to send an “Official Award Letter.” Initially, the Office of Financial Aid sends first year students an “Estimated Award Letter.” On that particular award letter, it is stated:

An Official Award Letter will be sent to you after you deposit with the Office of Admissions and all required documentation has been received and processed. All need-based awards are subject to change if you are selected for verification and/or discrepancies are found with finalizing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Continuing students do not receive an Estimated Award Letter, but Official Award Letters are not prepared until after verification is completed and corrections (if needed) have been processed. If any overpayments were to occur, they would be reported to the Department of Education by way of the Overpayment reporting option on the National Student Loan Database (NSLDS) system.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

To retain eligibility for federal and institutional financial aid, students must maintain satisfactory progress in their academic program, and they must be in good academic standing. Students are required to complete 40 three-credit courses and are expected to average 5 three-credit courses per semester. While ACCESS students do not have these enrollment requirements, they are required to meet the same Satisfactory Academic Progress standards as outlined below.

Satisfactory academic progress is reviewed at the end of each term for traditional day and ACCESS students. Students will be ineligible for federal and institutional financial aid when their academic progress fails to meet the following qualitative and quantitative requirements:

Any additional students who are placed on Academic Probation because of failure to meet the institution’s Academic Standards based on a combination of attempted credits AND attempted courses will also be ineligible.

The completion rate is calculated as the number of passed courses (courses for which a student earned a passing grade) divided by the number of attempted courses (the total of earned courses, and courses for which a student has received a grade of W, F, FA, FO, WP, or WF). Courses dropped during the published 100% refund period and audited courses are not treated as attempted or earned courses. For courses that have been repeated, attempted and earned courses for all occurrences are included. For transferred courses, courses accepted will be included in attempted courses only for the purpose of determining placement in the charts above.

Regardless of cumulative GPA and completion rate attained at any time, students will be ineligible for federal and institutional financial aid when their total courses attempted exceed 150% of the credits required for their program (example: 120 x 150% = 180).

A degree audit is performed for any student who changes programs or pursues additional degrees. If a student has exceeded the maximum time frame based on total attempted courses, including transfer courses, additional time to attempt the remaining courses required for completion may be granted if courses already taken are not applicable to the new programs or if additional courses are needed to earn an additional degree.

Financial Aid Warning

Students not making satisfactory academic progress for the first time may receive one semester of financial aid on probation. The one time financial aid probation provides one term for a student to get back on track and regain eligibility. Students must attain satisfactory academic standing by the end of the semester for which they receive aid on probation.

Financial Aid Probation

If a student finds himself or herself on academic probation or not making satisfactory academic progress in a subsequent semester, s/he may appeal to the Financial Aid Committee for one additional semester of financial aid on probation. In order for the financial aid committee to review a student’s appeal the following information is needed:

• A written statement from the student explaining why s/ he was unable to achieve satisfactory academic standing;
• A written plan outlining how he or she will achieve satisfactory academic standing that has been reviewed with an academic advisor;
• One written letter of reference from the academic advisor or a SAP waiver request, on the student’s behalf, from the dean of undergraduate studies. Waivers may be granted due to serious illness, severe injury, or the death of a relative. The dean may grant an appeal one time under these circumstances only if it is possible for a student to mathematically meet the qualitative and quantitative program requirements within 150% of the published length of the program.

While appeals are generally granted for only one semester, detailed multi-semester academic plans may be developed, on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the dean of undergraduate education. If granted, academic plans are monitored each semester to ensure that the student meets all requirements. Students must meet all of the conditions of the academic plan in order to continue to receive financial aid.

Financial Aid Suspension

No appeal will be granted and other financial arrangements (such as an alternative loan and/or payment plan) must be used if a student finds himself or herself on academic probation and not making satisfactory academic progress in any subsequent semester after s/he has received a semester of aid on warning and a semester of aid on appeal or if s/he fails to meet the conditions of an academic plan.

Academic Progress for State Aid

Before crediting a State Grant to a recipient’s account, the school must verify that, for the last academic year during which the student received state grant aid, the student completed the required minimum total number of credit hours for the terms to which grant aid was applied.

Appeal for Change in Circumstances

If a family’s financial situation changes after the FAFSA has been filed due to the death of a custodial parent, separation, divorce, disability, or total loss of employment by one or both of the custodial parents, the student should write a letter of appeal to the Office of Financial Aid. The Office of Financial Aid will determine the appropriateness of the appeal and as deemed necessary request additional information throughout the process to have a complete assessment of the situation. Upon final review of the appeal, the family will be notified in writing of the outcome. Approved appeals may receive additional funds on a case-by-case basis.

Explanation of Enrollment Status

General Information About Financial Aid Programs

Financial Aid Recipients:

1. Must be U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents, or be eligible non-citizens;
2. Must be enrolled at DeSales University in an eligible program of study leading to a degree or certificate awarded by the institution. It should be noted that a student’s enrollment status will affect financial aid eligibility. For example, students must be enrolled half-time to qualify for a Federal Direct Loan;
3. Must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress;
4. Not currently in default on a Federal Stafford Loan or a Federal Perkins Loan; not owe a repayment on a Federal Pell grant, a Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), or a state grant;
5. Must demonstrate financial need as determined by information provided by the student and the student’s family on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
6. Must sign a Statement of Educational Purpose verifying that any aid received will be used to meet education-related expenses;
7. For male students between the ages of 18-25: must sign a Statement of Registration Compliance, verifying that the student is either registered with Selective Service or is not required to be registered. Registration may be done on the FAFSA.

Student Rights

A STUDENT HAS THE RIGHT TO KNOW:

1. What financial aid programs are available at DeSales University;
2. The deadlines for submitting applications for each of the programs available;
3. How financial need is determined. This includes costs for tuition, living expenses, books and supplies, and personal and miscellaneous expenses considered in the student’s budget;
4. How the University refund and repayment policies work;
5. How the Office of Financial Aid determines whether a student is making satisfactory academic progress and what happens if a student fails to maintain progress.

Student Responsibilities

A STUDENT MUST:

1. Complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the appropriate office;
2. Provide correct information. Deliberate misreporting of information on financial aid applications is a violation of the law and may be considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code;
3. Complete and return all additional documentation requested by the University;
4. Inform the Office of Financial Aid of any scholarships, benefits, or resources received for educational expenses from private sources;
5. Read and understand all forms the student may be asked to sign and keep copies of them;
6. Accept responsibility for all agreements signed;
7. Make satisfactory academic progress toward a degree;
8. Notify the Office of Financial Aid of any change in address, housing status, or financial situation;
9. Apply for financial aid every year by the deadlines specified.

Definitions

Grants and scholarships are considered gift aid; students are not required to repay the funds received. Need-based grants are based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA.

Loans, typically offered at low interest rates, are to be repaid by students and/or parents(s) usually after they complete their program of study or separate from the University.

Employment opportunities are offered to students to help them meet their educational costs.

Scholarships

Scholarship funds available at DeSales University are awarded on the basis of academic achievement and/or financial need. Students are considered for need-based scholarships if they have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on file by the published deadline.

Thanks to help from our generous donors, DeSales University is proud to offer several scholarship opportunities for our students.

Merit Scholarships

DeSales University recognizes students’ academic achievement in high school by awarding two categories of academic merit scholarships.

The selection process for these scholarships is competitive with awards going to top-ranking applicants based on grade point average, class rank (if available), and SAT or ACT scores (if provided).

Presidential Scholarships - $23,000 to full tuition annually
Trustee Scholarships - $5,000 to $18,000 annually

A separate application is not required. Academic scholarships are available for up to eight semesters. Scholarship notification will be sent by January to students who have applied by December 1 of their senior year.

Leadership Scholarship

DeSales University recognizes students’ leadership achievements in high school by awarding six full tuition scholarships to participants in the Leadership Scholarship essay program. Students are asked to complete a written essay about character and leadership from which finalists are chosen to interview for one of six full tuition scholarships.

Because we are a NCAA Division III institution, leadership in athletics cannot be considered in awarding any scholarships or grants.

Tuition Incentive Program (TIP)

Graduates of the Allentown Diocesan and Oblate High Schools will receive a total of $20,000 over four years ($5,000 per year) in the form of University grant assistance. The awards are in recognition of the financial and spiritual commitment that students and families make to attend private, Catholic high schools and their recognition of the benefits of investing in a private, Catholic higher education.

Catholic Schools Grant (CSG)

DeSales University will provide University grant assistance in the amount of $12,000 over four years ($3,000 per year) to graduates of Parochial and Private Catholic high schools beyond the Allentown Diocese.

Oblate Parish Scholarship (OPS) and Oblate Sponsor Scholarship (OSS)

DeSales University will make two scholarships available for members of the Oblates to award to a student of their choosing. The Oblate Parish Scholarship can be given to a prospective college student who is a member of a parish administered by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales. The Oblate Sponsor Scholarship can be given to a prospective college student regardless of his/ her parish or high school affiliation. Each Oblate can award one scholarship to one student each year. Each award provides a total of $20,000 over four years ($5,000 per year).

Eligibility guidelines to receive TIP, CSC, OPS, and OSS grants are as follows:

1. First-time students with a high school graduation date after June 1, 2004, or later who enroll in DeSales University beginning Fall 2004 are eligible. (Note: these grant programs are not retroactive for currently enrolled students receiving a similar grant.)
2. This grant is applicable toward DeSales University tuition charges and will not transfer to other institutions or to other family members. It is provided regardless of financial need.
3. Students must apply for admission as a full-time day student no later than December 15 of their senior year to be considered for other University grants or scholarships.
4. The University reserves the right to consider the benefits of CSG applicable to other scholarship, grant, or tuition discounts for which students may qualify under academic or need-based criteria.
5. Awards will be limited to $7,500 for students qualifying for both TIP and OPS/OSS.
6. This grant is applicable to traditional students as long as they are considered a dependent of their parent(s) and remain a full-time day student.
7. These grants do not apply for ACCESS, nontraditional nursing students, or graduate students.

Transfer Scholarship Program (Aviat Scholarships)

Aviat Scholarships of between $10,000 and $14,000 per academic year to eligible transfer students. Qualifications are:

1. Students must apply by December 1 for the Spring Semester or May 1 for the Fall Semester.
2. Students must have at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) upon transferring to DeSales University.
3. Students must have at least 8 courses that will transfer to DeSales University.
4. Students must remain in good academic standing to maintain scholarships.
5. The benefit is applicable to traditional full-time students who remain dependent on their parents.
6. ACCESS, nontraditional nursing students, and graduate students are excluded from TSP.

Departmental Scholarships

These awards are competitive and are made on the basis of outstanding academic achievement, demonstrated talent in the pertinent field, and participation in a special scholarship day.

DeSales University Need-Based Grants

For renewal of DeSales University Need-Based Grants, students must demonstrate continued financial need and maintain satisfactory academic progress as stipulated in the Undergraduate Catalog.

Please note:

1. All types of institutional funds may be re-classified as Endowed Grants/Scholarships or Named Grants/Scholarships. Recipients may be required to write a letter to the donor and, if requested, attend a dinner or reception with the donor. If the recipient does not fulfill these requirements, the institutional funded aid will be removed.
2. Students who have a negative impact on the campus community through their social or academic behavior may jeopardize their institutional aid awards.
3. A student is deemed ineligible for institutional aid during a period of disciplinary probation imposed upon the student as a result of appearing before the Disciplinary Affairs Committee or before the dean of students. (See the Student Handbook concerning disciplinary probation.)
4. A student is deemed ineligible for institutional aid if he or she is found guilty of academic dishonesty as a result of appearing before the Academic Affairs Committee or before the dean of undergraduate studies (See the Undergraduate Catalog concerning academic dishonesty.)
5. Reinstatement of institutional aid eligibility following a period of disciplinary probation or charges of academic dishonesty, requires a written request for reinstatement by the student and written support of reinstatement by the appropriate student life or academic official attesting to the student’s good standing within the University community.

The Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship

Students who demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and show promise of continued excellence may receive approximately $3,000 per year for four years of postsecondary education. Students are required to be in the top 5% of their high school class, have a minimum score of 1100 on their SATs, and have a high school cumulative GPA of 3.5. The deadline for application is May 1 before enrolling in a postsecondary educational institution. Recipients are selected by the Department of Education in their state.

Endowed Scholarships

Through the generosity of individual donors, endowed funds have been established to provide annual scholarships. Endowed scholarship funds are traditionally awarded to returning undergraduate students. The following two scholarships may be awarded to freshmen.

Dr. Julius G. Bede Scholarship for Computer Science & Mathematics

Incoming freshmen who major in mathematics and/or computer science and demonstrate strong academic achievement may receive up to $2,500 per year for four years. Eligibility requirements include minimum score of 1100 on SAT (Math/Verbal combined) or 24 on ACT, strong academic performance in high school (minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0), and interview with faculty member(s) from the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. To retain the scholarship from year to year, students must remain a mathematics and/or computer science major and achieve a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 at DeSales University.

Moriello Scholarship

This endowment was established for the benefit of DeSales University undergraduate students studying in the Division of Business. Selected students receive a merit-based scholarship of $5,000 per year for four years. Incoming freshmen must submit a resume and a two-page essay discussing their interest in a business career by February 1. Final selections are made by the scholarship committee after interviewing candidates. Continued eligibility is contingent upon maintaining a 3.0 GPA throughout all four years.

Dan & Ellen Cunningham Dance Scholarship

This scholarship was established by Danny Cunningham ‘86 in recognition of the love and generosity of his parents, who provided him with a rich education in Dance, Theatre, and the Liberal Arts. It was established for the benefit of a DeSales University freshman undergraduate student in the Division of Performing Arts who is a Dance major. The amount of the scholarship will be $2,500 each year, with renewal contingent upon meeting the criteria identified below. These scholarship gifts will not impact any need-based or academic-based aid that the students would already receive.

A recipient will be selected annually by the Head of the Division of Performing Arts and Dance faculty after Dance major auditions. Each recipient must have a demonstrated financial need, maintain a GPA equal to or above 3.0, and remain in good academic standing in accordance with University guidelines.

Students receiving endowed funds will be required as a condition of the financial grant to write a letter annually to the donor of the grant. They may also be required to participate for one night in our annual fund-raising phonathon and to attend a reception held for donors and student grantees.

ACCESS Scholarships

At present, two scholarships are awarded annually to ACCESS students. The Father Alexander T. Pocetto, OSFS Scholarship is awarded to students based on academic achievement and who exhibit an appreciation for the pursuit of higher education. The Pocetto Scholarship is named in honor of Fr. Alexander T. Pocetto, retired senior vice president of DeSales University and one of the founders of the ACCESS program.

The David M. Petzold Scholarship is awarded to a criminal justice major based on academic achievement and a record of service to the community. The David M. Petzold Scholarship was established in memory of Officer David M. Petzold, who was killed in the line of duty on November 9, 2006. David was an alumnus of the DeSales University ACCESS criminal justice program.

Other Scholarships

Other scholarships are available through private donors and organizations. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid for information.

Family Tuition Reduction

Whenever two or more dependent children from the same family are in attendance during the same semester at the University as full-time undergraduate students, the family tuition reduction policy may apply. The second and succeeding children will be eligible for a tuition reduction up to a maximum of fifteen percent (15%). The exact amount will be determined after all other forms of applicable financial aid have been determined and deducted. Please be advised that this program is not available to ACCESS students, graduate students, or traditional students who have used up their 8 semesters of eligibility.

Tuition Payment Plans

Using University sponsored payment plans, students and their families can make 10 regularly scheduled monthly installment payments during an academic year without interest or carrying charges. A separate enrollment fee is required, and the first one-tenth payment is usually due before May 1. For more information, contact the treasurer’s office at 610.282.1100, ext. 1343.

Special Programs

Teacher Certification

Post baccalaureate students attending DeSales University and pursuing a teaching certification from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are eligible to apply for Federal Direct loans pending enrollment in 6 or more credits. Teacher certification is considered to be a fifth year undergraduate program and students who answer no to all the dependency status questions on the FAFSA will be considered dependent students. This means these students will be required to provide their parents’ financial information on the FAFSA.

Withdrawal and Refunds

Students withdrawing from the institution must inform the registrar’s office in writing. The official date of withdrawal for the purpose of a refund will be the last date of attendance as determined by the registrar.

Students withdrawing from the institution who are residence hall students and/or are on the University meal plan should consult the treasurer’s office.

Return of Federal Student Aid (Title IV) Funds Policy

The Department of Education has established a policy determining the amount of Title IV program assistance that you can earn if you withdraw from school. The Title IV programs covered by this law include Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, SEOG Grants, Direct and Perkins Loans, and Federal PLUS Loans.

When you withdraw during your payment period, the amount of Title IV program assistance that you have earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. If you received (or your school or parent received on your behalf) less assistance than the amount you earned, you may be able to receive those additional funds. If you received more assistance than you earned, the excess funds must be returned by the school and/or you.

The amount of assistance that you have earned is determined on a pro rata basis. For example, if you completed 30% of your payment period of enrollment, you earn 30% of the assistance you were originally scheduled to receive. Once you have completed more than 60% percent of the payment period, you earn all of the assistance that you were scheduled to receive for that period.

If you did not receive all of the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. If your post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, your school must get your permission before it can disburse them. You may choose to decline some or all of the loan funds so that you don’t incur additional debt. Your school may automatically use all or a portion of your post-withdrawal disbursement of grant funds for tuition, fees, and room and board charges (as contracted with the school). The school needs your permission to use the post-withdrawal grant disbursement for all other school charges. If you do not give your permission (DSU asks for this when you enroll), you will be offered the funds. However, it may be in your best interest to allow the school to keep the funds to reduce your debt at the school.

There are some federal financial aid funds that you were scheduled to receive that cannot be disbursed to you once you withdraw because of other eligibility requirements. For example, if you are a first-time, first-year undergraduate student and you have not completed the first 30 days of your program before you withdraw, you will not receive any Direct loan funds that you would have received had you remained enrolled past the 30th day.

If you receive (or your school or parent receives on your behalf) excess Title IV program funds that must be returned, your school must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of:

• your institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of your funds, or
• the entire amount of excess funds.

The school must return this amount even if it didn’t keep this amount of your Title IV program funds.

If your school is not required to return all of the excess funds, you must return the remaining amount. Any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for a PLUS Loan) repay in accordance with the terms of the promissory note. That is, you make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time.

Any amount of unearned grant funds that you must return is called an overpayment. The maximum amount of a grant overpayment that you must repay is half of the grant funds you received or were scheduled to receive. You do not have to repay a grant overpayment if the original amount of the overpayment is $50 or less. You must make arrangements with your school or the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.

The requirements for Title IV program funds when you withdraw are separate from any refund policy that your school may have. Therefore, you may still owe funds to the school to cover unpaid institutional charges. Your school may also charge you for any Title IV program funds that the school was required to return.

Withdrawal date for Title IV purposes is defined as the date the student began the institution’s withdrawal process, the student’s last date of recorded attendance, or the midpoint of the semester for a student who leaves without notifying the institution if the last date of attendance cannot be established.

Attention ACCESS students:

If an ACCESS student has a Pell Grant, the sessions not yet begun will be discounted, and the Pell Grant will be reduced to the lower enrollment status before calculating the aid to be returned. Student loans are contingent upon a student being enrolled at least half time (6 credits) per semester. If you enroll and later drop classes that you have never begun so that your enrollment status falls below 6 credits, you are not eligible for a student loan that semester. If a loan disbursement was made before you dropped below half-time, that disbursement can remain. However, subsequent disbursements must be cancelled.

For financial aid purposes, a student who stops attending (or officially withdraws) at any point in the ACCESS semester is considered to have withdrawn, even if one or more classes have been completed with a passing grade. In other words, a student is considered to have withdrawn if he/she does not complete all days scheduled to complete within the semester. If a student is enrolled simultaneously in two courses within a Session and stops attending only one of those, it is not considered a withdrawal.

If a student officially drops classes that he/she has never begun attending before his/her withdrawal from the institution, those classes are not counted in the “days scheduled to complete.” The school must document completion of all courses with a passing grade. If there is no passing grade in the last scheduled course, the school must demonstrate the student completed the period.

The following questions and examples may help clarify this:

1. Did the student cease to attend before completing or fail to begin attendance in a course scheduled to attend? If yes, go to question 2. If no, it is not a withdrawal.
2. When ceased to attend or failed to begin attendance in an enrolled course, was the student attending other courses? If yes, not a withdrawal. If no, go to question 3.
3. Did student confirm in writing attendance in a later Session in the term? If no, student is a withdrawal. If yes, not a withdrawal if attendance is resumed in the later Session and the resumption of attendance is within 45 days of the withdrawal.

Example 1:

Student has two 8 week sessions within a semester with two classes each session.

The student begins attendance in both courses in the first session but stops attending both after a few weeks. No written confirmation of intent to attend session 2 is received.

This student is a withdrawal and a Return of Tittle IV funds calculation must be performed.

Example 2:

Same scenario as above, but student stops attending only one of the two courses in the first session. The student is not a withdrawal.

Example 3:

Same scenario as above. During the first session, the student withdraws from both courses in the second session, and he/she completes both courses in the first session with a passing grade. The student has not ceased to attend a course he was scheduled to attend because the course was dropped within the first module and before they began. So the student is not a withdrawal. However, recalculation of a PELL grant is required because he/she was paid for two courses that he/she never attended.

Example 4:

Same scenario as above. The student begins attendance in both courses in the first session but stops attending both after six weeks. However, he/she provides a written confirmation of intent to attend session 2. The student is not a withdrawal unless he/she fails to begin session 2. If he/she fails to begin session 2, the withdrawal date and days of attendance are determined as if the confirmation of future attendance was never provided.

When a Return of Title IV funds calculation is required, the total calendar days used in the calculation include all days in which the student is scheduled to attend but does not count days of courses officially dropped before complete cessation of attendance.