Financial Aid

Educational Expenses

Tuition and Fees

While every effort is made to keep costs at a reasonable level, annual inflationary increases should be expected. Tuition and fees set by the Board of Trustees are published in the Course Schedule, which can be accessed through sf.edu. If you have any questions or need additional information on current tuition and fees, please contact the Student One Stop.

Payment of Tuition

Tuition is to be paid each semester by the due date provided in the Student Finance section of Colleague Self-Service.Late fees may be added to a past due account. Students can send payment through the mail, pay online using the Payment Center available through Colleague Self-Service, or at the Student One Stop during operating hours.Students with a past due balance are placed on Student Account Hold, which prevents them from registering for future courses, receiving final grades, and receiving official transcripts. Unpaid student account balances are subject to a penalty or interest and collection fees.Students are responsible for any and all collection costs and attorney fees associated with the collection of unpaid student account balances.

All students with unpaid bills are subject to the following regulations:

• Credit for university work will not be given for a diploma, a teacher’s certificate, or for transfer purposes until all debts to the university have been paid.
• Students will not be eligible for readmission until accounts are paid in full.
• Students who have delinquent accounts may be restricted from attending classes until satisfactory arrangements have been made for payment of their past due obligations to the university.

Deferred Payment Plan

The University provides deferred payment plans through a third-party processor. Students may arrange for a budgeted payment plan to avoid a large cash outlay at the beginning of each semester. Students enroll in the deferred payment plans by paying a non-refundable fee and agreeing to pay a portion of their tuition and fees in equal payments that are due monthly. Information concerning the deferred payment plans is available on the Payment Center available through Colleague Self-Service. Please contact the Student One Stop for additional details concerning enrollment in the Payment Plan option.

Student Account Record

Students are expected to use the Student Finance section of Colleague Self-Service and the Payment Center whenever they need to review their Student Account Record, check their balance due, verify transaction activity and/or print their Student Account Record History. Students can obtain login assistance from the UTS Help Desk by calling 260.399.8195 or emailing support@sf.edu.

Returned Checks/Electronic Checks

Checks/electronic checks returned unpaid because of insufficient funds or for any other reason are considered a serious matter by the university. There is a $35 NSF fee if a check/electronic check is returned to the University for any reason. The student whose account was credited will be notified that the payment has been returned. Returned payments must be redeemed at the Student One Stop with cash, cashier’s check, or money order by the due date on the notice sent to the student. Personal checks are not acceptable for the redemption of a returned check/electronic check. The ability to pay with a personal check/electronic check will be suspended with the second returned payment.

Senior Citizen Discount

Students aged 60 and older who are non-degree seeking qualify for a reduction in tuition charges. The Senior Citizen tuition per credit hour is published in the Course Schedule.

Sources of Financial Aid

The university offers limited financial assistance to graduate students through:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized loans
• Federal Direct PLUS loans
• Private Loans

Federal Direct Loans

Students interested in determining their eligibility for the Federal Direct Loan program need to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

These unsubsidized loans are not need-based, and the student is responsible for paying the interest that accrues until the loan is repaid in full. The student can opt to pay the interest while in school or not pay until 6 months after completing degree or attending less the 5 hours a semester.

The Office of Financial Aid can be contacted at 260.399.8003 or at finaid@sf.edu for more information about the Federal Direct Loan program.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

Graduate students may borrow on their own behalf up to the cost of attendance minus all other aid received. The student must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident and be enrolled at least half time. Eligibility is subject to a credit check. Student may qualify for in-school deferment, though interest will accrue after full disbursement of the loan. The Grad PLUS loan has a fixed interest rate that is set annually. Applicants must complete a FAFSA and must have applied for their maximum annual loan eligibility through the Federal Direct Loan Program before applying for the Direct PLUS loan. Repayment of the loan will begin upon graduation or attending less than 5 hours a semester.

The Office of Financial Aid can be contacted at 260.399.8003 or at finaid@sf.edu for more information about the Federal Grad PLUS Loan program.

Private loans

Another option for loans are private loans. These loans have the same loan specifics as the Grad Plus loan, but loans are from private lenders not the government. Differences include interest can be fixed or adjustable, there is a 9-day holding period to give student the right to cancel if they want, and no origination fees. Options to choose lenders are on our website.

The Office of Financial Aid can be contacted at 260.399.8003 or at finaid@sf.edu for more information about Private Loans.

Refund Policy

1. Registration constitutes a contractual agreement between the student and the University of Saint Francis.
2. Should a student decide not to attend classes at USF any longer, the student must login to Cougar Connection and fill out the electronic complete withdraw form in Form Central. This form will also count as an exit interview.
3. Failure to attend classes does not withdraw a student from classes.
4. Students that drop below full-time during the drop/add period may have a refund due to them. This refund amount will be calculated based on revised billing and financial aid packaging.
5. If a student does not begin the withdrawal process or otherwise notify the University of his/her intent to withdraw due to illness, accident, grievous personal loss, or other circumstances beyond the student’s control, the University may determine the appropriate withdrawal date.
6. The return of grant funding from the state of Indiana’s Division of Student Financial Aid (SFA) is defined by the SFA Refund Policy. Under the SFA policy, if a student completely withdraws from USF before the end of the fourth week, the student is not eligible for the state award and USF must return 100 percent of the semester’s award to SFA. If a student withdraws after the fourth week, the SFA aid would be 100 percent earned and no SFA funds would be returned. Funds must be returned to SFA independent of other financial aid.
7. Students who receive Title IV funding (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Stafford Loans, PLUS or Perkins Loan) and completely withdraw from USF are subject to the Title IV return of funds calculation, as mandated by the Department of Education. The Title IV refund calculation is different than USF’s refund calculation; therefore, a student who withdraws before completing 60 percent of an enrollment period may owe USF for charges no longer covered by returned federal aid.
8. All USF and private financial aid will be refunded according to the tuition and fees schedule shown below.
9. Refunds will be made in the following order:
   1. Unearned SFA Awards
   2. Unearned Federal Aid
   3. Unearned USF scholarships and awards
   4. Outside agencies
   5. The student
10. If, prior to withdrawing, a student has received a disbursement of federal aid in the form of a refund, the student may be required to return part of the funds to the University of Saint Francis. If funds are to be returned by the student, this must be done within 15 days of notification by the University.
11. Students are responsible to pay any outstanding balance owed to USF after all adjustments have been made to their account based on the SFA, Title IV, and USF refund policies.

Fall and Spring Semester Refund Schedule

The following schedule reflects the percentage of tuition and fees refund allowable to students who completely withdraw from Fall or Spring Semester:

Online Programs, Summer Term, and Non-Traditional Courses Refund Schedule

The following schedule reflects the percentage of tuition and fees refund allowable to students who completely withdraw from any semester in the Online Programs, Summer term, and Non-Traditional courses. After the drop/add period, refunds only apply to students who withdraw from all of their courses.

Refund Schedule - Maryland Residents

Proportion of Course completed as of date of withdrawal tuition refundable

Department of Defense Tuition Assistance Program Refund Schedule

Any unearned Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) funds on a proportional basis through at least the 60 percent portion of the period for which the funds were provided. TAP funds are earned proportionally during an enrollment period, with unearned funds returned based upon when a student stops attending. In instances when a Service member stops attending due to a military service obligation, the university will work with the affected Service member to identify solutions that will not result in a student debt for the returned portion of the funds.

Processing Refunds

1. Refunds are processed through the Business Office, and any refunds will be available approximately one month after a student withdraws officially and after all debts are paid and all charges/credits are posted.
2. A completed official withdrawal form from the Registrar’s office is required for a refund to be processed.

Appeals

Students who have an extreme or unusual circumstance may appeal the USF Refund Policy. If you are a current student an appeal can be submitted on Form Central through your Cougar Connection account. If you are not a current student you can submit an appeal in writing addressed to:

Scholarship and Financial Appeals Committee
University of Saint Francis
2701 Spring Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46808-3994

Appeals must be submitted within 180 days after a student is notified of his or her tuition refund. All decisions of the Financial Appeals Committee are final.

Confidentiality & Appeal Process

Information used to award financial assistance to students of the University of Saint Francis requires the collection of financial information about the student and the student’s parents (when applicable). The Office of Financial Aid keeps this information confidential and students are encouraged to consider their awards a private matter.

If for any reason a student is dissatisfied with a financial aid award and cannot resolve his or her differences with the Office of Financial Aid, an appeal may be submitted to the Scholarship and Financial Appeals Committee. If you are a current student an appeal can be submitted on Form Central through your My Cougar Connection account. If you are not a current student, you can submit and appeal in writing addressed to:

Scholarship and Financial Appeals Committee
2701 Spring Street
Fort Wayne, Indiana 46808

This committee will review the appeal and is responsible for rendering a final decision.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that universities establish and apply standards of satisfactory academic progress for the purpose of receiving financial assistance under programs authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act. State and university programs administered by the Office of Financial Aid are also included in this requirement. Financial aid recipients must meet the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress, as outlined in the following sections, in order to establish and maintain financial aid eligibility.

Qualitative Requirement for SAP

Graduate students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to maintain SAP.

Quantitative Requirement for SAP (Pace of Progression)

Students must earn (complete) a minimum of two thirds (67 percent) of the credit hours they attempt. For example, if a student enrolls for 15 credit hours, the student must complete at least 10 of those hours. Note that repeat courses and coursework assigned with grades of “W”, “WP”, “WF”, “F” or “I” will not be counted as hours earned toward graduation, but will count toward attempted credits.

Hours accepted for transfer will be counted as both earned and attempted hours in the calculation.

Repeated Coursework

Students are allowed to repeat failed classes; however, they are only permitted to repeat a previously passed course (any grade other than “W”, “WP”, “WF”, “F” or “I”) one time and receive financial aid for it. This means that if you pass a course and want to retake it to improve your grade you may do so one time. Repeating the class a second time will not count towards enrollment status to receive financial aid. This should be kept in mind while setting up class schedules each semester.

Maximum Timeframe

In addition to meeting the minimum GPA and pace requirements, students must remain within the maximum timeframe to receive financial aid. Students may not exceed 150% of the published length of the educational program. All courses in which students receive a grade will be counted toward the duration of eligibility. Grades include but are not limited to: F, I, W, WP, WF, A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, P. Once a student has exceeded the 150% rule, they will no longer be eligible for financial aid assistance.

Failure to meet SAP requirements

At the end of each term (fall, spring and summer), the Office of Financial Aid will review the student’s enrollment records. If, after the completion of the term, the student did not meet the minimum GPA requirement and earn at least two thirds of the cumulative hours attempted, the student will be put on Financial Aid Warning. Students on Warning will have until the end of the next term to improve their status. If at that time the student has not met the two thirds rule and the minimum GPA, he/she will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension.

The student will be provided written notification of his/her ineligibility. The SAP Appeal Form will be included in this written notification.

SAP Appeals

Students who have been suspended must appeal to have their situation reviewed to determine if they can have their financial aid reinstated.

Appeals should be submitted using the SAP Appeal Form along with supporting documentation prior to the beginning of the next term of attendance. Circumstances that may merit appeals include but are not limited to the following: serious illness or injury to the student, a death of an immediate family member, or other circumstances that cause the student undue hardship. The appeal MUST include a detailed description of why the student was not able to meet SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to meet SAP at the next evaluation.

A successful appeal will result in either one semester Financial Aid Probation OR an approved Academic Plan for Financial Aid Funding signed by the student and the student’s academic advisor or ACDC staff member. Academic Plans may be used for multiple terms and are required for those students for whom it will be mathematically impossible to meet SAP after the end of the next term. An Academic Plan must ensure that the student will be able to meet SAP standards by a specific future point in time.

Approved Academic Plans will be evaluated at the end of each term. Failure to meet the criteria of the Academic Plan will result in Financial Aid Suspension. Students can also appeal when the plan has changed explaining what has happened to make the change necessary and how they will be able to make academic progress.

Appeals will be reviewed by the Director of Financial Aid who will consult with appropriate staff or faculty members as needed.

Student will be allowed to appeal a maximum of two consecutive terms.