Academic Policies

Financial Aid Policies and Procedures

• Undergraduate and Graduate
• Federal Refund Policy
• A.U. Refund Policy
• Definitions of Enrollment

Undergraduate and Graduate
You have the right to know the criteria used to determine your financial need and the aid you have been awarded. You also have the right to decline any or all of the aid awarded.

No aid will be awarded to a student who owes a refund or repayment on a Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) or who is in DEFAULT on a Federal Stafford Student Loan or Perkins Loan.

All need based financial aid received in excess of your need MUST BE REPAID.

YOU MUST RE-APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID EVERY YEAR. Financial aid at AU is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15, forstudents wishing to received aid for Fall Term. The priority dates established for students wishing to receive financial aid starting in the Winter Term is December 1st, and for Spring Term is March 1st. Students filing after these dates may receive Federal aid only and may experience some delays.

Financial aid recipients who have been selected for verification through the Federal process must submit certain documents to the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. Verification must be completed before any financial aid, including loans, is credited to their account.

You MUST be enrolled at least half-time and maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to receive Federal, State and institutional student aid. Please refer to the SAP information provided in the catalog and on AU's website.

Financial aid received in addition to that listed on your award offer, including tuition reimbursement, must be reported to a financial aid counselor.

If you and/or your family experience unexpected circumstances throughout the year, consult a financial aid counselor regarding a special circumstance request.

If you accept either a Federal Perkins Loan or an AU Student Loan (AUSL), you must sign a promissory note after the refund period each term with the Financial Aid Loan Coordinator. If you are borrowing a Federal Stafford Student Loan for the first time, you must complete an ENTRANCE interview. You must contact your lending institution if you do not attend school on at least a half-time basis, or if you change schools during the year. You must complete an EXIT interview for any of these loans prior to graduation or upon leaving the university. Your diploma and/or academic transcripts could be withheld if this EXIT interview is not conducted.

Gift assistance and AUSL loans will not exceed the cost of tuition and room & board (if a resident student).

The student is responsible for reporting to a financial aid counselor any change in status, this includes enrollment, living arrangements, and academic level. Any change in these items may require an adjustment to your financial aid.

The student must complete an Authorization form. This form gives the Student Accounts Office permission to pay allowable charges with Federal financial aid as well as authorizing excess funds, if applicable, to remain or not remain on the student's account. If any aid is still PENDING, monies to cover the aid will be withheld. If a student authorizes a refund of excess funds, the credit balance will be available within 14 days of the date the balance occurs. If the student receives a refund of credit and then has a reduction in other financial aid, the student is responsible for paying all outstanding charges. This also applies if additional charges are incurred.

Federal Refund Policy
Refunds for students attending AU, who receive Federal financial assistance and totally withdraw before completion of 60% of an enrollment period for which the student was charged, will be calculated as federally mandated. Further details regarding the federal refund calculations are available in the Office of Admission and Financial Aid.

A.U. Refund Policy

A 100% refund of tuition is provided through 20% of any scheduled course, with no refund thereafter. Refer to the Billing Information form, the Withdrawal and Refund Policies Section. The board charge is refunded on a pro-rated basis. All board plans are paid a week in advance and run Friday-Thursday. Withdrawing from courses may reduce or eliminate financial aid based on your final enrollment.

Definitions of Enrollment

Falsification of information will result in cancellation of aid and referral to the appropriate judicial body.

These Policies and Procedures are subject to change without prior notice.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Procedures for Financial Aid Recipients

A student is required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in the course of study that he/she is pursuing, according to the standards and practices outlined by the Federal government for the institution. These practices outlined by the Federal government include the standard that students eligible for financial aid must complete their degree program within 150% of the time for degree completion prior to expiration of Federal financial aid.

Schools are required to monitor the SAP of students at least once each academic year. The following guidelines are now in effect. Aurora University reserves the right to review and revise this policy annually.

1. Qualitative and Quantitative Regulations (Undergraduate)
   
   Undergraduate students must achieve a minimum total cumulative GPA of 2.0 by the end of the academic year to be eligible for financial aid the following year.
   
   To earn a bachelor's degree at Aurora University a student must complete a minimum of 120 semester hours. This can be achieved by averaging 30 semester hours per year. Some majors may require more than the minimum of 120 semester hours. A student must complete at least two-thirds (66.67%) of all courses attempted in an academic year too maintain quantitative eligibility for financial aid.
   • (Example) Student A was enrolled in 9 semester hours and completes 6 semester hours. Student completed 66.67% of the courses enrolled in and is maintaining SAP
   • (Example) Student B was enrolled in 10 semester hours but completes only 3 semester hours. Student completed 30% of the courses enrolled in and is not maintaining SAP.
2. Qualitative and Quantitative Regulations (Graduate)
   
   Graduate students must achieve a minimum total cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the academic year to be eligible for financial aid the following year.
   
   To earn a master's degree at Aurora University a student must complete a minimum of 36 semester hours. Some graduate programs may require more than the minimum of 36 semester hours. A student must complete at least two-thirds (.6667%) of all courses attempted in an academic year to maintain quantitative eligibility for financial aid.
3. Policy on Course Incompletes, Audits, Withdrawals, Repetitions
   
   Aurora University will not allow the following to be considered as credits successfully completed:
   

   "NCR" - No Credit Courses	"W" - Withdrawals
   "I" - Incomplete Courses	"AU" - Audits
   "F" - Failure	"X" - Deferred Grade

   Students who receive an Incomplete or Deferred Grade for a course while on SAP probation will be reviewed on an individual basis. Students are eligible to repeat courses but only the higher grade will be calculated in the GPA and credit towards graduation. Non-credit remedial courses are counted toward the minimum amount of courses required for financial aid eligibility.

4. Early Warning
   The Financial Aid Staff will monitor the student's academic progress throughout the academic year. Each term the student's total cumulative GPA falls below a 2.0 for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduates, the student will receive a letter from the Office of Admission and Financial Aid. This letter will notify the student that he/she is on Early Warning and may lose financial aid eligibility if the respective cumulative GPA is not maintained by the end of the academic year.
5. Appeal Process
   If a student does not meet the qualitative and/or quantitative requirements and loses financial aid, he/she may appeal in writing for the reinstatement of their funds. The appeal process takes into consideration special circumstances.
   
   The Dean of Student Financial Services and representatives from the University's faculty and staff will meet in an Appeals Committee to determine any mitigating circumstances and will be responsible for reinstating all, part, or if any of the financial aid funding for the next academic year. Students must appeal in writing by completing and submitting the provided form to the Committee within ten working days of their notification. The student will be notified in writing of the Committee's decision. All specifications for continued academic achievement will be included in the letter. THE DECISION OF THE COMMITTEE IS FINAL.
   
   If the student chooses to enroll in courses over the summer at Aurora University or at another school to improve their cumulative GPA or their completion percentage, he/she must notify the Dean of Student Financial Services in writing upon successful completion of the course work. To transfer course work from another institution, a Prior Approval Form must be completed, submitted and approved by the Registrar prior to enrolling in the course. The student must request a review of his/her financial aid before the Friday prior to the start of the next academic term.
6. Conditions for Scholarships
   
   Students who have received an Aurora Univesity scholarship must obtain the required minimum cumulative GPA by the end of the spring term to renew their scholarship for the next academic year. If the student falls below the required GPA at the end of their spring term of attendance, they will automatically lose their scholarship for the next academic year. The student can appeal, in writing, to the Dean of Student Financial Services for the possible reinstatement of their scholarship. If the student's scholarship appeal is denied or they choose not to appeal, they will receive reduced Aurora University monies and may receive Federal and/or State aid provided they apply for financial aid within the required deadlines. Refer to the Appeal Process in item five for further explanation.

Posted: 11 March 2002