Financial Aid

• Financial Aid Eligibility and Application Procedures
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy
• Financial Aid Warning, Suspension, and Appeal
• Refund/Repayment Policy
• Unofficial Withdrawal Policy
• Financial Assistance
• For More Information

We believe a student should consider the advantage of a private college when choosing an institution of higher education. Realizing the cost of higher education today, Friends University makes every effort to enable all students to attend regardless of financial resources, age, sex, marital status, physical handicap, race, religion, and/or national origin. Financial need may be met through a combination of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. Friends University provides financial counseling and encourages campus visits by students and parents to discuss financial planning. If additional information is desired, students should direct their questions to the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Eligibility and Application Procedures

1. To be eligible for federal and state financial aid, students are required to complete the FAFSA, be fully admitted to the University, and enrolled in a program leading to a degree.
2. Financial need and availability of funds are primary factors in determining awards. Most awards are for one year and are always made on a full-time basis.
3. Federal aid is prorated when enrollment is less than full-time. Undergraduate federal loans require a minimum of 6 credit hours per term. Graduate federal loans require a minimum of 3 credit hours per term.
4. State aid requires enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in a standard term program.
5. Institutional aid requires enrollment in a minimum of 12 credit hours per semester in the College of Business, Arts, Sciences, and Education (traditional undergraduate program). Institutional aid is designated for tuition.
6. All awards are to be used for educationally related expenses.
7. Financial aid will be forfeited by a student who has been dismissed for academic reasons or failed to comply with the satisfactory academic progress policy.
8. Discrimination is prohibited – refer to the Non-discriminatory Policy.

Eligible Admissions Statuses

• Students tentatively admitted to the University are not eligible to receive financial aid.
• Students fully admitted to the University, which includes Admission on Probation, are eligible to receive financial aid; however, financial aid may be limited. Contact the Financial Aid Office regarding your individual file.

Application Procedures for Financial Aid

1. A need analysis is required for aid from federal, state, and some institutional programs. To determine the need, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
2. Complete/provide any additional documents requested by the Financial Aid Office.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy

Friends University is required by federal regulation to monitor satisfactory academic progress for federal financial aid recipients. The satisfactory academic policy (SAP) at Friends University is in accordance with federal guidelines. Satisfactory academic progress is checked after every semester at Friends University.

Full-time students must earn a minimum number of credit hours in conjunction with the number of years of enrollment. Part-time students will be expected to make the same proportional progress as full-time students. Students must earn a cumulative grade point average in accordance with their academic classification. Eligible students may receive aid up to a maximum of 1.5 times the regular length of time required to complete a degree as defined by the academic program. Students are required to complete 67 percent of all attempted hours to maintain eligibility to receive federal financial assistance.

QUALITATIVE (GPA) STANDARDS

QUANTITATIVE STANDARDS

Pace toward Degree

Progress is measured quantitatively at the end of each semester by comparing the number of cumulative attempted hours within the number of cumulative earned hours (i.e., A, B, C, D, or P).  Students must have earned at least 67 percent of the overall credits they have attempted to remain in good standing. The following letter grades do not count toward earned hours but do count toward the completion of attempted hours: AU – Audit, F-Failure, I-Incomplete, WD-Withdrawal.

The following letter grades do not count toward earned or attempted hours—NC, THA, THB, THC, THD, THF, and THP—for Satisfactory Academic Progress purposes. These courses have not been accepted as counting toward the student’s degree program at Friends University because they have exceeded the maximum number of transfer hours allowed under the university’s academic policy (69 hours) or they were classified as developmental courses.

Maximum Time Frame

Undergraduate students are eligible to receive federal aid up to 186 attempted credit hours. Graduate degree level students are eligible to receive federal aid up to 54 attempted credit hours. Once a student has exceeded the maximum credit hours federal financial aid will be suspended.

Retakes

Federal regulations indicate that a student may receive federal financial aid for repeated coursework previously taken in the program but may not include more than one repeat of a previously passed course. This means courses for which you have passed with a D or better can only be repeated once in your enrollment status to count for federal financial aid eligibility determination.  Any previously failed courses may count towards financial aid eligibility determination until the course is passed.

Financial Aid Warning, Suspension, and Appeal

Financial Aid Warning Status

Students will be placed on financial aid warning status after their first semester of not maintaining SAP. A student placed on a financial aid warning status is eligible for financial aid, no appeal is necessary. After their second consecutive semester of not maintaining SAP at Friends University, their financial aid will be terminated.

Financial Aid Suspension Status

If the student does not meet the above-listed requirements during the warning period the student will be placed on financial aid suspension. Suspension status prevents the student from receiving any federal, state, or institutional financial aid for future semesters until the student either successfully appeals or once again meets the above SAP standards.

Financial Aid Appeal Procedure

If a student fails to meet satisfactory academic progress standards and is no longer eligible for federal financial aid, there is an appeal process. Appeal forms are available from the financial aid office. Extenuating circumstances, such as family difficulties, personal problems with roommates or significant others, illnesses, death in the family, or other extraordinary circumstances can be considered for an appeal.  Students must also appeal to change their academic plans. They must explain what has happened to make the change necessary and how they will be able to make academic progress.

Complete the appeal form and supply any supporting documentation and return it to the Assistant Director of Financial Aid explaining why the student failed to make progress, and what has changed in the student’s situation that would demonstrate the ability to make satisfactory academic progress. An appeal must be made before the enrollment period or arrangements made if more time is needed.

The Assistant Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal and contact the student by a reasonable date.

Financial Aid Probation Status

If an appeal for federal financial aid is granted, the student will be placed on probation status and may receive federal financial aid. There may be specific terms or conditions required in which case the student will be required to submit to a prescribed academic plan. Students must meet the minimum SAP requirements before they can be removed from financial aid probation. Students who continue to meet the terms of their signed academic plan may remain on financial aid probation until minimum SAP requirements are met. If a change in the academic plan becomes necessary, see the “Financial Aid Appeal Procedure” description above. Probation status is for one payment period only unless a signed academic plan exists.

Students who choose to pay for their expenses using private resources may continue to enroll in subsequent semesters without appealing. Students may have their financial aid restored and be removed from suspension or probationary status once all satisfactory academic progress standards and/or probationary conditions are met.

Reestablishing Aid Eligibility

Financial aid eligibility will only be reinstated with a successful appeal process or by paying on your own until you achieve SAP standards listed above. Not attending one or more semesters will not affect or change SAP status.

Refund/Repayment Policy

The percent and procedure for a refund are dependent on the date of official withdrawal and Federal regulations. Withdrawal is not official until it is received by the University Registrar’s Office.  All refunds will be granted in full accordance with current Federal regulatory guidelines and University Policy. Failure to attend classes does NOT constitute official withdrawal. 

Friends University will refund institutional charges including tuition and fees based on the following: 

9-20 Week Classes

Course dropped prior to the start of the course (term): 100%

Course dropped during the first 10 calendar days of the course (term): 100%

Course dropped during the calendar days 11 -20 of the course (term): 50%

Course dropped after 20^th calendar day of the course (term): 0%

5-8 Week Classes

Course dropped prior to the start of the term: 100%

Course dropped during the first 5 calendar days of the course (term): 100%

Course dropped during the calendar days 6-10 of the course (term): 50%

Course dropped after the 10^th day of the course (term): 0%

4 Week (or shorter) Classes

Course dropped prior to the start of the course (term): 100%

Course dropped after the course (term) begins: 0%

Course fees will be refunded only if the student qualifies for a 100% refund.  All refunds and deposits that may be due to a student will first be applied to any debts owed to the college.  Refunds for students receiving federal financial assistance are subject to federal guidelines. 

Unofficial Withdrawal Policy

Per federal regulations, schools are required to review students who received federal financial aid and did not pass any courses. An assessment must be made to determine whether the student earned the non-passing grades while attending courses, or stopped attending courses, but did not officially withdraw.

Students who stopped attending courses may be required to repay a portion of the federal financial aid for that semester. If it is determined that a student never began attendance in some or all courses, financial aid may be reduced or canceled. The review process will be completed within 30 days after the end of each term or the end of each part of term.

Students no longer attending a course(s) need to officially drop or withdraw entirely by visiting their academic advisor and/or the Office of the Registrar.

At the end of each semester, students receiving federal Title IV financial aid, who do not pass any courses and who do not officially withdraw from the college will be reviewed to determine if the non-passing grade was earned while attending or if the non-passing grade was given due to no longer attending a course. The Financial Aid office will utilize a report that contains the last date of attendance or activity as reported by the course instructor to determine the last date of attendance or academic activity.

The last date of attendance or academic activity in the case of online courses, as reported by any of the instructors, is determined and utilized in the Return of Title IV Funds calculation. If the instructor can verify no attendance or activity, it will be assumed that the student never did attend and/or never participated academically in the course.  If attendance or academic activity cannot be verified, all aid may be canceled.

If a last day of attendance cannot otherwise be determined, the student is assumed to have attended 50% of the term or part of term and the formula is calculated and federal funds will be returned based on that length of attendance.

If a student unofficially withdraws, they will not receive a downward adjustment in contracted University charges. Therefore, any refund owed to a federal financial aid program is the student’s responsibility and will appear as a charge on the student’s next University bill. 

Financial Assistance

There are various types of financial assistance available to students attending Friends University:

1. Grants and Scholarships
2. Loans
3. Work Opportunities

Institutional Scholarships

Friends University offers full-time students enrolled in the College of Business, Arts, Sciences, and Education (traditional undergraduate program) a variety of institutional scholarships most are designated for tuition and fees. Students are able to receive a combination of academic, performance, and other need-based scholarships for which they are eligible. Scholarships are commonly awarded upon admission to the college and renewable for up to 10 semesters as long as the student is meeting the renewable cumulative grade point average. Please visit the Friends University Financial Aid section of the website for the most recent institutional scholarship information.

Other Grant and Scholarship Opportunities

Friends University funds students through the generosity of many donors. Students who are enrolled full-time and have submitted FAFSA results will be put into the eligibility pool for endowed and annually funded scholarships. In most instances, paper applications are not required.  Scholarships not administered by Friends University provide many students with aid to attend college.  In most cases, the student must apply directly to the donor group. These grants/scholarships must be reported to the Office of Financial Assistance. Many Friends University students have received help from such organizations as the Veterans Administration, ROTC, vocational rehabilitation, fraternal originations, tribal organizations, service clubs, and churches.

Federal and State Aid

Friends University participates in the federal grant, loan, and work-study programs along with Kansas state scholarship programs. In order to be eligible for federal and state assistance students must be enrolled as degree-seeking students and must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.ed.gov and be sent to Friends University electronically by utilizing the Title IV school code 001918. For a full listing of federal and state aid programs, visit the financial aid pages of the Friends University website.

Disbursements

Scholarships, grants, and loans will be disbursed as a credit to the student’s account either by direct deposit or by the endorsement of check(s). Direct deposit transactions will be made when the 100 percent (100%) refund period has expired for the enrollment period.

Work Opportunities

• On-Campus Employment

Friends University provides a variety of on-campus employment opportunities for students with or without federal work-study. On-campus positions are posted at the Center for Student Success or at www.ecampusrecruiter.com/friends.

• Off-Campus Employment

The Center for Student Success at Friends University assists students in finding full- and part-time employment. Many businesses and industrial employers list jobs with the Center for Student Success throughout the year. Students can access these jobs by visiting the Center or online at www.ecampusrecruiter.com/friends.

For More Information

For Application forms and/or more information concerning any of the financial assistance programs described, please contact: