Financial Aid Office: 215.951.2940 financialaid@PhilaU.edu www.PhilaU.edu/financialaid
Eligible students who are enrolled on at least a half-time basis (defined as at least 4.5 credits per semester) may apply for the Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work Study, Federal Stafford Loan and Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans.
Types of Financial Aid Available:
The Federal Perkins Loan program provides students with long-term, low-interest loans for educational expenses. The amount which can be made available to an applicant is based on the student’s computed financial need and available funding. A student is eligible to borrow up to $5,000 during one academic year, but not more than $30,000 for undergraduate and graduate study. No interest is charged while you maintain at least half-time status. Repayment of the loan with interest at five percent per annum on the unpaid balance begins either six or nine months (based on the conditions of your promissory note) after you graduate or terminate your student status or become less than a half-time student. Repayment must be completed within 10 years after the interest begins to accrue.
Entrance Interviews
Federal law requires that every student who has obtained a Federal Perkins Loan through Philadelphia University must have an entrance interview. This can be done at www.aessuccess.org.
Exit Interviews
Federal law requires that every student who has obtained a Federal Perkins Loan through Philadelphia University must have the opportunity for an exit interview before leaving the University. This can be done online at www.aessuccess.org. The Financial Aid Office will contact the borrowers prior to their anticipated graduation dates to remind them of the necessity for an exit interview.
The Federal Work-Study Program is designed to stimulate and promote the part-time employment of students who have demonstrated financial need and who require the wages from the employment to pursue their studies. Students in the Federal Work-Study Program are employed by the University. Students are paid bi-weekly for the hours worked during the preceding pay period. Federal Work-Study is not deducted from the student’s tuition invoice. Employment under the Federal Work-Study Program is awarded as part of your “financial aid package.”
The Financial Aid Office will attempt to match you with a job based on your job application form which will be sent with your award letter. You must maintain satisfactory progress to renew your employment.
Loans are available to students enrolled for at least five credit hours per semester. You may borrow up to $8,500 per academic year subsidized and $12,000 per academic year unsubsidized, with annual limits totaling $20,500 per academic year. The distinguishing feature of the Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan is that the interest must be paid by the student, on a quarterly basis, while the student is enrolled in school.
The total amount outstanding that you may borrow for undergraduate and graduate study is $65,500 subsidized and $138,500 combined subsidized and unsubsidized.
The annual interest is a fixed rate of 6.0 percent for the subsidized loan and 6.8% for the unsubsidized loan. The government will pay this interest on the subsidized portion of the loan until six months after you have terminated your studies or dropped below half-time status, at which time you must begin repayment of the principal and interest. Interest begins to accrue upon disbursement on the unsubsidized portion of the loan.
There may be a three percent loan-origination fee deducted by the bank from the face value of the loan. In addition, your lender may deduct an insurance fee of up to one percent.
Under current regulations, all applicants must pass a “needs test” to qualify for this loan. A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filed at www.fafsa.ed.gov prior to certification of a loan application by the school. You must maintain satisfactory progress to renew your loan.
Electronic Stafford Loan applications are available at www.aessuccess.org. Sample payment plans for Federal Stafford Loans are available at the Financial Aid Office.
Entrance and Exit Interviews
Federal law requires that when you borrow through the Federal Stafford Loan program for the first time, you must complete an entrance interview. In addition, when you graduate, withdraw, or enroll less than half-time, you must complete an exit interview. The entrance and exit counseling sessions can be completed online at www.aessuccess.org.
The Graduate PLUS Loan allows the graduate student to borrow up to the calculated cost of attendance minus any other aid that the student is receiving. The interest rate is 8.5 percent. Applications and more information are available at www.aessuccess.org
Philadelphia University requires that all students applying for aid file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This may be done online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Financial aid, regardless of its source, may not be automatically renewable. It is your responsibility to obtain the application forms and submit them once each academic year.
Call the Financial Aid Office at 215.951.2940 with questions.
A limited number of graduate assistantships are available to selected qualified incoming graduate students. Assistantships are competitive and require full-time enrollment. Compensation includes tuition remission for nine credits for each of the fall and spring semesters and a stipend. Graduate assistants will receive “Guidelines for Graduate Assistantships” with their appointment letters. See pages 119-120 for information. Contact the Office of Graduate Admissions for more information.
The University meets all of the criteria for Veterans Education. The graduate programs have been approved for payment assistance. Veterans pay the cost of tuition, fees, books and supplies directly to the University. Veterans Administration education benefits are paid directly to the student on a monthly basis. Contact the University’s Financial Aid Office so that appropriate paperwork is filed with the V.A. on the student’s behalf.
To initiate a leave of absence or withdrawal a student must notify their program director in writing. A student is considered in attendance until the formal notification is completed. Federal regulations mandate that a stipulated refund calculation be used for any student receiving any form of federal financial aid who withdraws. A copy of this calculation is available at no charge from the University’s Business Office. Tuition for all other students who withdraw from the University will be refunded on the following basis:
|
Before 1st class meeting |
100% |
|
Before 2nd class meeting |
80% |
|
Before 3rd class meeting |
60% |
|
Before 4th class meeting |
40% |
|
After 4th class meeting |
0% |
Online: (Online classes follow this refund policy regardless of log-in status)
|
Before classes start |
100% |
|
First week of class |
80% |
|
Second week of class |
60% |
|
Third week of class |
40% |
|
Beginning of fourth week of class |
0% |
The date for calculating refunds is the date on the student’s written request for withdrawal. Failure to complete withdrawal in writing results in an unofficial withdrawal. Refunds, transcripts and recommendations will be withheld until this written request is received.
The University uses Federal regulations to determine the refund of federal financial aid funds to the federal government. A copy of this federal refund calculation is available at the University’s Financial Aid Office.
Students dismissed from the University receive tuition refunds prorated from date of dismissal. Refunds for medical reasons will be reviewed on an individual basis. All refunds will be paid within 30 days of graduation or withdrawal/dismissal.
The University is required to establish satisfactory academic progress standards for its federal financial aid recipients in accordance with the U.S. Department of Education regulations. These standards ensure that only those recipients demonstrating satisfactory progress toward the completion of their educational programs continue to receive financial aid.
Whether a student is considered to be making satisfactory academic progress depends on successful semester completion of courses (credit hours), cumulative grade point average (GPA) and maximum time limits to complete their course of study. Students must meet all the requirements listed below:
Semester Completion Requirement- A student must have earned hours equal to at least 75 percent of total hours attempted for the semester to remain in good standing. Students earning less than 75 percent of the hours attempted will be placed on financial aid probation.
Attempted hours are defined as the hours for which the student is enrolled and charged as of the census date of each semester. Earned hours are defined as the sum of hours for which a student has earned a grade of A, B, C or D. Withdrawals, incompletes, audits and failures are not earned hours. Passing grades received for pass/fail courses are considered attempted and earned hours; failing grades in pass/fail courses are considered attempted but not earned. Repeated courses are included in the calculation of attempted and earned hours.
Grade Point Average Requirements- Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 or have academic standing consistent with the requirements for graduation, as determined by the University. Philadelphia University’s academic standards are outlined in the graduate course catalog.
Maximum Time Limit Requirements- A student’s eligibility for financial aid will be terminated once they have attempted more than 150 percent of the normal credits (as defined in the undergraduate course catalog) required for your degree program. All attempted hours are counted, including transfer hours, whether or not financial aid was received or the course work was successfully completed.
Evaluation of Academic Progress- A financial aid recipient’s satisfactory academic progress is evaluated after each semester of the academic year. At that time, a student will either be in good standing, be placed on financial aid probation or denied financial assistance for future enrollment periods. The student must meet all three progress requirements (completion rate, GPA and be within the maximum time frame) to remain in good standing. Students will be notified by the Financial Aid Office if they are placed on probation or denial status for financial aid.
Probation status- Probation status will not prevent the student from receiving financial aid. The probationary semester is meant to inform the student of potential academic problems and provide time for corrective action. If a student does not meet the satisfactory academic progress standards after the probationary period, denial status could be imposed or continued probation approved. Denial status will prevent the student from receiving any Title IV and institutional financial assistance for future enrollment until such time as the student meets all satisfactory academic progress standards.
Appeal and Reinstatement- Students may appeal their denial status by submitting an Appeal Form to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeal forms are included in the letter informing students of their denial status and should be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.
Some circumstances such as medical problems, illness, death in the family, relocation or employment changes or personal problems can be considered for an appeal. Documentation verifying the situation may be requested.
Submission of the form is required within four weeks of receipt of the denial letter. The Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal and contact the student via letter as soon as a decision is reached.
Students can raise their GPA and/or satisfy credit deficiencies by taking additional course work at Philadelphia University without receiving financial aid. Students can eliminate credit deficiencies, but not GPA deficiencies, by successfully completing approved course work at another institution without receiving aid at that institution. Transfer credits used to satisfy credit deficiencies cannot be credits that were earned prior to the semester in which the student incurred the deficiencies. The student must submit a copy of the academic transcript to both the financial aid and registrar’s office.
The policy does not preclude a student from enrolling in subsequent semesters. Students may have their financial aid reinstated by the Financial Aid Office once all satisfactory academic progress standards are met. It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office once they have fulfilled the necessary requirements.
The Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60 percent of a payment period or term. The federal Title IV financial aid programs must be recalculated in these situations.
Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula:
The number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term equals the percent of the payment period or term completed. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the term.) The percentage is also the percentage of earned aid.
Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid (100 percent minus the percentage of earned aid.)
If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the institution would be required to return a portion of the funds and the student may be required to return a portion of the funds. Keep in mind that when Title IV funds are returned, the student borrower may owe a debit balance to the institution.
If a student earned more aid than was disbursed to him/her, the institution will offer the student a post-withdrawal disbursement via a letter, which, if accepted, must be paid within 120 days of the student’s withdrawal. The student must accept or decline the post withdrawal disbursement within the time frame indicated in the letter.
Refunds are allocated in the following order:
Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
Federal Perkins Loans
Federal Graduate PLUS Loans
Federal Parent PLUS Loans
Federal Pell Grant
Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)
Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant
The Student Health Center is located in Scholler Hall. Call 215.951.2986. To obtain a health insurance brochure contact the Student Accounts Office at 215.951.2633/2944.
Health Services is available to all international graduate students. Other full-time graduate students may opt to utilize the services by paying the semester Student Health fee and submitting a Prematriculation Health Form. Arrangements to pay the fee can be made by visiting Student Health Services, located at the end of Scholler Hall adjacent to the Althouse Gym, or the Business Office.
The Student Health Center is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. A Self-Care Station is stocked with common over-the-counter medications and health education brochures that are available to all students during the hours of operation. The Center is staffed by nurse practitioners who can meet most healthcare needs. Please feel free to call 215.951.2986 for an appointment or visit during walk-in hours. Information about the Center’s hours can be found at www.PhilaU.edu/healthservices. Students who require more comprehensive treatment are referred to local physicians, hospitals and laboratories at the student’s expense.
All full-time students are encouraged to have health-insurance coverage through their family policy, an individual policy or through the University-sponsored health and accident plan. Full time graduate students may choose to be enrolled in the University-sponsored plan. Please note that enrollment in the University-sponsored plan requires students to also pay the semester Student Health fee. For information on the University-sponsored plan, please contact the Business Office.
In adherence with immigration laws, international graduate students are required to have health-insurance coverage.
Students will be billed in July for a University-sponsored health and accident plan. In order to have this charge removed, documentation of adequate health insurance must be provided to the Student Health Center by the second Friday in September for the fall semester and by the first Friday in February for the spring semester. If documentation of adequate health insurance is not provided, the charge will remain on the student’s account. Adequate health insurance must include coverage for the academic year and providers must be licensed to do business in the United States, have a U.S.-based office and a U.S. telephone number.
While there is no graduate housing on campus, the Office of Residence Life provides listings of off-campus housing including apartment complexes and local rentals, and offers a yearly off-campus housing fair. For further information, please contact the Office of Residential Life at 215.951.2741.
The University is prepared to offer graduate courses at an employer’s location. Please call the appropriate program director or director of Graduate Admissions for details.
All students must register their vehicles. Registration may be done at www.PhilaU.edu/security/parking. A valid state registration and current insurance card must be presented, together with a current, valid University I.D., to pick up your parking permit at either the Safety and Security Office on the Ravenhill Campus, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., or during the first two weeks of the fall and spring semester from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. in The Tuttleman Center lobby. For information, call the Safety and Security Office at 215.951.2620.
Fees:
|
Full-time Day Graduate Students |
$50/year |
|
Part-time Day Graduate Students (under 12 hours) |
$15/year |
|
Evening Graduate Students |
No fee |
Student photo-identification cards are available to graduate students. During the first two weeks of classes, the University has extended evening hours to process new student identification cards in The Kanbar Campus Center. Students will need identification cards to check out books and access buildings, such as the library and computer center.