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This document contains information about the following topics:
Springfield College offers a comprehensive financing program to students who have matriculated in an eligible degree or certificate program. We know that financing a Springfield College education is a challenging task. Our staff is prepared to assist and advise students and family members involved in the financing process on the variety of financing options and application procedures.
All information in the student financial aid application file is considered confidential. Disclosure of family financial information is governed by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The financial aid staff cannot discuss details of the student’s application with persons other than the student and/or responsible parent. If other individuals acting on behalf of the student are to have access to this information, a confidential release form, available upon request, must be on file with the Office of Financial Aid. Students and parents are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid at any time during the year to discuss concerns, questions, or major changes in family finances.
The Office of Financial Aid is a resource for educational financing options beyond the need-based financial aid programs. Students and family members involved in the financing process are encouraged to contact financial aid staff for information and application procedures. Financial aid staff work closely with the bursar in the management of student accounts.
Need-Based Financial Aid
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Springfield College awards College grant funds primarily on the basis of financial need. Academic achievement, cocurricular/community activities, and leadership potential are also considered when making award decisions. State and federal funds are awarded and disbursed subject to the program regulations from the awarding agency.
All U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens who have been accepted into a degree or eligible certificate program may apply for assistance.
Unless otherwise indicated, aid is awarded on the basis of full-time enrollment (undergraduate, twelve credit hours per semester; graduate, nine credit hours per semester). Awards are subject to adjustment and/or cancellation if enrollment is less than full time. Students enrolled less than half time are not eligible for Springfield College grants, federal loans, and most state aid programs. Some students enrolled less than half time may be eligible for a small portion of their Federal Pell Grant eligibility. Springfield College grants/scholarships are based on full-time enrollment.
Students must be in good academic standing. See the section on “Financial Aid.”
Application Process
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As a result of the completion of the financial aid application process, an expected family contribution is calculated. Students are expected to take responsibility for the financial aid application process which must be completed for each year assistance is needed.
All applicants for need-based financial aid must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year. The FAFSA can be completed on the Web (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Verification of data on the application forms is done by collecting appropriate year-end federal tax transcripts and W-2’s.
Undergraduate Students
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The priority application date for first-year students is March 15, transfers May 1. Late applications may reduce access to financial aid. The web site for the Springfield College financial aid application is www.spfldcol.edu/home.nsf/admissions/financialaid
Returning undergraduate are sent information in January, on re-applying for financial aid for the upcoming academic year. The priority application date for returning students is May 1. Late applications may reduce access to financial aid.
Academic Eligibility
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Recipients of financial aid (including most loan programs) must make satisfactory academic progress toward their degrees. Satisfactory progress is defined by the College and is reviewed each semester. The evaluation consists of a review of quantitative progress (semester hours earned per year) and qualitative achievement (cumulative GPA), (see Academic Progress Policy). The Office of Financial Aid will place a student on financial aid suspension for failure to meet the standard. While on financial aid suspension, a student loses all eligibility for College, federal, and state assistance, including student/parent loans.
The Office of Financial Aid may grant a semester of financial aid probation if there are documented circumstances affecting the student’s ability to maintain good academic standing. Requests for financial aid probation must be made in writing to the director of financial aid. The complete policy of satisfactory academic progress as it applies to financial aid is available from the Financial Aid Office.
Financial Aid Policy
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The College makes admissions decisions without regard for ability to pay educational expenses. All information in a student’s financial aid file is treated in accordance with the Federal Family Rights and Privacy Act. Unless otherwise indicated, aid is awarded on the basis of full-time enrollment (minimum of twelve credit hours per semester). Aid awards are subject to adjustment and/or cancellation if the student does not enroll full time.
The total financial assistance one can receive cannot exceed need as determined by the Office of Financial Aid. Students are required to advise the Office of Financial Aid of outside scholarship aid. If there is a gap between calculated need and the amount of aid in the student’s financial aid package, the outside scholarship is allowed to fill that unmet need. If need has been met, outside aid may reduce the loan component of the financial aid package first.
Students must make satisfactory academic progress toward their degrees to continue to receive financial aid (see section on “Academic Eligibility”). An award can be canceled during the academic year for failure to meet the academic requirements of the award, for failure to submit required documentation, for conduct inconsistent with the standards of the College, for failure to enroll, or if incorrect information was provided in the application process.
Students must complete the financial aid application process for each academic year in which assistance is needed. Renewal of awards is contingent upon the continued demonstration of financial need and availability of funds. Springfield College cannot guarantee the availability of College funds to all needy students.
Students are responsible for filing properly completed forms by the published priority dates. Failure to complete the process in the required time may jeopardize eligibility for assistance. Students must also provide all documentation requested by the College’s Office of Financial Aid. Failure to comply may result in a denial of assistance. All applicants should apply to their home state scholarship program. Aid is awarded on the basis of financial need and academic standing and is subject to federal, state, and College policies. Any change in a student’s enrollment, financial, marital, or residential status must be reported promptly to the Office of Financial Aid. The financial aid award shall be void if and when incorrect or inconsistent information is revealed on forms or other documentation submitted in the application process. All awards are subject to verification. Cases of fraud are reported to the appropriate authorities. Student’s accounts are credited when all documentation has been submitted and verification is complete. Students receiving tuition remission / tuition exchange are not eligible for Springfield College grants or scholarships.
Traditional Graduate Students (non-PCS)
Full-time graduate students are expected to complete 18 credit hours per academic year. Satisfactory Academic Progress reviews are conducted at the end of fall and spring semesters.
Qualitative Measure (CGPA)
Graduate students are expected to maintain a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.0 or better.
Quantitative measure
Graduate students are expected to complete at least 70% of all credits attempted.
Maximum Time
In no case may a student take more than 150% of the published program credits. There is no appeal for exceeding 150% of the published program credits.
Please note these are general financial aid eligibility requirements. Requirements to renew academic scholarships and athletic eligibility may be different.
Financial Aid Warning
When a student fails to meet Qualitative and/or Quantitative measure they will be placed on Financial Aid Warning. Financial aid eligibility will continue for one semester while the student works toward meeting the standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress.
Financial Aid Suspension and Probation
Students who continue fail to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress standards after one semester of Financial Aid Warning will be place on Financial Aid Suspension and ineligible for additional financial aid. Financial Aid Suspension may be appealed and students may receive one additional semester of financial aid with an explanation of the circumstances and an approved plan to meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards. Students who make progress toward meeting the standards but have not yet met the minimum standards may have financial aid eligibility renewed one semester at a time.
Other Notes:
- Courses graded with a W, I, F, IE, IC, FN, NR, or CP are counted as credits attempted but not successfully completed.
- Courses dropped before the published add/drop date each term do not count as credits attempted.
- Transfer credits are neutral for the Qualitative measure (CGPA), but transfer credits do count as credits attempted.
Process for Evaluation and Notification
At the end of each semester the Financial Aid Office will determine if a student is meeting all three standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students who are failing to meet any of the standards will be notified by letter.
The law specifies how Springfield College must determine the amount of Title IV program assistance that you earn if you withdraw from school. The Title IV programs that are covered by this law are Federal Pell Grants, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants, TEACH Grants, Direct Loans, Direct PLUS Loans, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), and Federal Perkins Loans.
Though your aid is posted to your account at the start of each period, you earn the funds as you complete the period. If you withdraw during your period of enrollment, 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 that you earned, you may be able to receive those additional funds. If you received more assistance that you earned, the excess funds must be returned by Springfield College 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 or period of enrollment, you earned 30% of the assistance you were originally schedule to receive. Once you have completed more that 60% of the payments period or period of enrollment, you earn all the assistance that you were schedule to receive.
If you did not receive all of the funds that you earned, you may be due a post-withdrawal disbursement. If the 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. Springfield College 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). Springfield College needs your permission to use the post-withdrawal grant disbursement for all other institutional charges. If you do not give permission, 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 Title IV 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 Loans funds that you would have received had you remained enrolled past the 30th day.
If you received (or Springfield College or parent perceived 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 excess funds.
Springfield College 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.
For any loan funds that you must return, you (or your parent for 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 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 Springfield College to cover unpaid institutional charges. Springfield College may also charge you for any Title IV program funds that the school was required to return. If you don’t already know Springfield College’s refund policy, you should ask for a copy. Springfield College can also provide you with the requirements and procedures for officially withdrawing from school.
If you have questions about your Title IV program funds, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1.800.4.FEDAID (1.800.433.3243). TTY users may call 1.800.730.8913. Information is also available on Student Aid on the Web at www.studentaid.ed.gov and/or contacting Springfield College Financial Aid Office at 413.748.3108 or our web-site www.springfieldcollege.edu.
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