Graduate Financial Aid

www.ashland.edu/financial-aid

Financial Aid

Ashland University provides financial assistance to qualified, eligible Graduate and Bachelor’s Plus students who have been accepted for admission to the University, are not on disciplinary probation, and meet the standards of the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduate & Bachelor’s Plus Students provided in this section of the catalog. Students must apply for financial aid each year and meet the necessary criteria required for renewal.

Federal regulations require that institutions receiving Title IV funding provide specific consumer information about the school to students. Visit ashland.edu/consumer-information for more details and web links.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Applications for financial aid are processed on a first-come, first-served basis with priority given to those applications submitted by March 15. Students should complete the following steps to apply for financial aid:

1. Apply for admission to Ashland University.
   

2. Create an FSA ID (username and password) at studentaid.gov/fsa-id if you plan to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you are married, your spouse may need to create their own FSA ID if they filed taxes separately from you. If you are a dependent Bachelor’s Plus student, both you and your parent(s) must create FSA IDs to sign and provide consent and approval to have federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into your FAFSA® Form. Refer to the "Who Is My Parent When I Fill Out the FAFSA® Form? at studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/fafsa-parent.pdf for additional assistance.
   

3. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov/fafsa.
   

4. Register for classes. The Financial Aid Office will not package financial aid for graduate or bachelor’s plus students until they are officially registered for classes.
   

5. Review your Ashland University financial aid offer. An email will be sent to you when your offer is available on Self-Service Financial Aid. The email will be sent to either your ashland.edu email address or the preferred email provided on your admissions application.

6. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) and Self-Service Financial Aid portal to confirm if there are any outstanding requirements that need completed.

7. Accept, reduce or decline any Federal Direct student loans offered to you on the "Award Overview" screen in your Self-Service Financial Aid portal. Federal loans must be originated by the Financial Aid Office no later than the last day of the loan period. Therefore, a single-term loan must be completed by the last day of the semester and a two-term loan by the last day of the second semester. We advise you to accept, reduce or decline as soon as possible, but definitely before the last day of the semester.

8. All first-time federal loan borrowers must complete loan entrance counseling and a master promissory note at studentaid.gov prior to the disbursement of federal loan funds.

Consortium Agreements

Occasionally, students may enroll simultaneously at Ashland University and another college/university with enrollment combined for financial aid purposes. There are also times when students need to enroll at another college/university only (not at AU) for a particular semester. In both situations, a consortium agreement may be necessary. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Types of Financial Aid

It is the responsibility of the student to secure the funds necessary to pay for all direct and indirect expenses incurred at Ashland University. Financial assistance such as scholarships, federal or private loans may be available to those who qualify.

• Grants and scholarships are considered gift aid that does not re­quire repayment.

• Federal Direct Loans - Students must submit a FAFSA to be considered for Federal Direct Loans. The maximum amount a graduate student may borrow each semester is up to $10,250, depending on their cost of attendance. The maximum amount a bachelor’s plus student may borrow ranges from $3,750 to $6,250 per semester, depending on their dependency status and cost of attendance. Students must be enrolled at least half time to borrow federal loans. Direct loan interest rates can be found at studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/interest-rates.

• Federal Graduate PLUS Loan - More information and the link to apply for this loan are available at studentaid.gov/plus-app/grad/landing.

• Private Loans - Students can apply for a loan through a private lender. Funding may be secured up to the cost of attendance minus all other financial assistance received by the student. Interest rates, loan terms and conditions vary. Students may start their search for a private educational loan lender by visiting ashland.edu/loans. The loan comparison lists on our website do not reflect a full list of possible lenders, but is a great place to start your private loan search.

Ashland Graduate Scholarships

Ashland University scholarships are reviewed annu­ally, and criteria is subject to change in future years.

• Ashland Theological Seminary provides annual need-based and academic scholarships to full-time graduate students. Visit https://seminary.ashland.edu/financial-aid-scholarships/ for more information.

• The AU Alumni scholarship is a tuition discount for those who already earned a bachelor's or graduate degree from AU and wish to continue their education in one of our graduate or certificate programs. Full-time students receive a 15% discount and part-time students a 10% discount.

• The College of Business and Economics awards Dean's scholarships to select students. Visit https://www.ashland.edu/ashland-university-scholarships-grants for more information.

Financial Aid Refund Repayment Policy

Refer to the refund policy in the Graduate Finance & Administration section of this catalog. Financial aid questions related to the policy may be directed to the Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Graduate and Bachelor's Plus Students

Federal regulations require that an institution develop and enforce a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy for all Ashland University students. This policy is administered by the Financial Aid Office and pertains to all graduate students (including Pre-Doctor of Ministry and bachelor exempt) and Bachelor’s Plus students enrolled at Ashland University.

This is a separate policy and appeal process from the academic policy administered by the Academic Standards and Graduation Committee. Therefore, students may be permitted to enroll at Ashland University, but may not be financial aid eligible due to not meeting the standards in the SAP policy.

STANDARDS OF MEASUREMENT

Ashland University is required to monitor academic progress based upon the qualitative and quantitative standards in this SAP policy. It is the recipient's responsibility to ensure they are meeting these standards to maintain financial aid eligibility. Annual reviews take place at the conclusion of the spring semester. Reviews include all periods of enrollment, including those for which the student did not receive Title IV aid.

Qualitative Standards

Grade Point Average (GPA) – Students must achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA). Students who do not meet GPA standards will immediately lose financial aid eligibility.

*ATS = Ashland Theological Seminary

Students in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program must demonstrate reasonable progress towards annual completion of credit hours of relevant coursework as determined by the Financial Aid Office and the MFA department. A grade of “S” is assigned a 3.00 grade value in order to generate a cumulative GPA for satisfactory academic progress review purposes. Students who receive a “U” are required to retake the course and cannot proceed to the next course until they pass. Students academically dismissed from the MFA program are ineligible for aid at Ashland University.

Quantitative Standards

Pace of Completion – Students must successfully complete at least 66.67% of their cumulative attempted credits. Attempted credits are determined by the number of credits a student is registered for at the end of the drop date for any registered course. This percentage will be calculated by taking the number of completed credits divided by the number of attempted credits. Students who do not meet this standard at the time of review will immediately be ineligible for financial aid. Reinstatement of aid may occur through the appeal process or once the student attains the required percentage of completed credits at Ashland University, provided the student meets all other policy standards.

Maximum Time Frame – The maximum time frame for Graduate and Bachelor Plus students to complete their program of study is 150% of the minimum degree/licensure requirements rounded up to the nearest full credit hour. After exceeding the 150% maximum time frame restriction, the student is no longer eligible for financial aid. Classes withdrawn after the drop deadline for that semester will be considered attempted credits for maximum time frame purposes. A chart showing the maximum time frame hours for all AU Graduate and Bachelor Plus programs is available on our website at http://www.ashland.edu/sap-max-credits.

Additionally, a student who cannot mathematically complete a degree within the allotted maximum credits is also ineligible for aid. Affected students who have reached or exceeded the credit hours allowed due to academic program changes, changes in major, transfer hours accepted from other schools, or pursuit of a second degree (e.g., a second Master of Education degree) can have their status reviewed by submitting an appeal.

ADDITIONAL FACTORS IMPACTING SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS 

Repeated Coursework – A student who repeats a failed course will receive financial aid for the repeated course each time it is attempted. A student who repeats a previously passed course in order to receive a higher grade can only receive financial aid for the repeated course one time. Repeat coursework will count towards the number of attempted hours for pace of completion and maximum time frame purposes; however, only the highest grade will be used in the calculation of the student’s grade point average.

Transfer Credits – Transfer credits do not impact a student’s Ashland University GPA, and thus are not included when evaluating the grade point average (GPA) standard in this policy. In addition, the number of semesters attended at another school will not be considered when determining the minimum cumulative GPA required. Transfer credits will impact a student’s pace of completion and maximum time frame calculation, regardless if courses are relevant or not to the student’s current major or program.

Incomplete Grades or Approved Extensions – A course assigned a grade of “I” or “E” is considered an “F” until the course is completed. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office once the course has been assigned another grade.

S, P, and U Grades – A course assigned a grade of “S” (satisfactory) or “P” (passing) is assigned a 3.00 grade value and is factored into the cumulative GPA for satisfactory academic progress purposes only. A grade of “U” (unsatisfactory) is not assigned a grade value and is not factored into the cumulative GPA.

Course Withdrawals – Financial aid eligibility may be affected if a student elects to remove a class from their schedule after the semester drop date and a “W” grade is assigned on their transcript. These courses will be considered attempted courses for pace of completion and maximum time frame purposes.

Audited Courses – Audited courses refer to any credit course which a student attends as a listener only with a prior understanding between school officials and the student that such attendance will not result in credit being granted toward graduation. Audited courses will not be factored into SAP calculations.

SAP APPEAL

Students not meeting the minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress are ineligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid (e.g. grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans). Students will be notified of their Title IV aid ineligibility via email and Self-Service if they are not meeting the minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress. However, students may request reinstatement of their financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal to the Financial Aid Office. The appeal must explain the unusual or extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from meeting satisfactory academic progress standards and what has changed that will allow them to meet satisfactory academic progress standards during the next evaluation. Unusual or extenuating circumstances may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Death of a relative.

• Family difficulties, such as divorce or illness.

• Injury or illness of the student.

• Severe mental or emotional stress.

• Physical or mental hardship.

The following circumstances are not considered unusual or extenuating and beyond the student’s control:

• Not knowing the SAP deadline, policy or procedure.

• Work conflicts.

• Voluntary overtime.

• Circumstances not date-aligned with SAP issue.

All three elements of the SAP policy (GPA, pace and maximum timeframe) are appealable; however, each element may warrant its own reasoning for failure to abide by SAP standards.

A SAP appeal must be submitted and approved for a student to be placed on financial aid probation and financial aid reinstated. Students may be placed on financial aid probation for only one payment period, at the end of which the student is expected to meet SAP standards. If the student fails to make SAP by the end of the payment period on which he or she was on financial aid probation, the student will become ineligible for financial aid for the payment period following that in which the student failed to meet financial aid SAP standards. Students can submit another financial aid appeal explaining why they were unable to meet appeal conditions. New documentation supporting the extenuating circumstance must accompany subsequent appeal requests.

SAP APPEAL PROCESS

Students may request reinstatement of their financial aid eligibility by submitting an appeal via Etrieve, found under Financial Aid Forms, to the Financial Aid Office. The signed appeal must explain and provide supporting documentation for the unusual or extenuating circumstances that prevented the student from meeting satisfactory academic progress standards and what has changed that will allow them to meet satisfactory academic progress standards during the next evaluation. Upon submission of the Etrieve form, the from will be forwarded to the Financial Aid Office workflow for review.

 SAP appeals will be accepted throughout the academic year. SAP appeals requesting reinstatement of financial aid for the current academic term must be submitted two weeks prior to the end of the academic term. There is no limit to the number of SAP appeals a student may submit. If a student wishes to contest a denied SAP appeal, they must contact financialaid@ashland.edu.

Note: Per federal regulations, students paying for classes on their own or sitting out for an enrollment period is not sufficient to re-establish eligibility for Title IV aid.

 SAP APPEAL DOCUMENTATION

Attached to and accompanying your SAP appeal should be date-specific supporting documentation. Failure to submit supporting documentation may result in the denial of your SAP appeal and continuing ineligibility of Title IV and institutional aid. Examples of acceptable documentation include, but is not limited to:

• Letter from a physician or counselor on letterhead.

• Third-party documentation of death such as an obituary, funeral notice, or death certificate.

• Accident reports, police records, court records, etc.

• Documentation to support attempting more than the maximum number of units allowed for your program (Maximum Time Limit appeals only).

Note: You will not have an opportunity to meet with the SAP committee, so it is important that your appeal includes all necessary information at the time of submission.

ACADEMIC PLANS

For GPA and pace appeals, if it is not mathematically possible for a student to regain Satisfactory status with one additional semester under Financial Aid Probation, an appeal may be approved for a longer period of time under an Academic Plan. Academic Plans are developed to bring the student back into compliance with SAP standards by a specific point in time provided the student follows the plan. All maximum timeframe appeals require, and are incorporated with, an academic plan as it is not mathematically possible to complete the academic program within 150% of the minimum degree/licensure requirements.

Academic Plans must be completed in consultation with your academic advisor and reviewed by the Financial Aid Office prior to approval. The student's academic progress will be reevaluated by the Financial Aid Office each semester to determine if appeal conditions were met. Students who meet all appeal conditions for the semester will be approved to receive aid for the next semester. If the student on an academic plan fails to adhere to the requirements in the plan and is not making satisfactory academic progress, the student will become ineligible for financial aid for the payment period following that in which the student failed to adhere to the Academic Plan. Students can submit another financial aid appeal explaining why they were unable to meet appeal conditions. New documentation supporting the extenuating circumstance must accompany subsequent appeal requests.

COMMUNICATION WITH STUDENTS

There is no requirement for a student to contact the Financial Aid Office before submitting an appeal. If there are any questions regarding the SAP appeal process, students can submit any inquiries to financialaid@ashland.edu.

 Students will be notified via email of the committee’s decision regarding their SAP appeal. Additionally, the decision will be notated in the student’s file. The Financial Aid Office will reach out to the student if any additional documentation is required.

INTERPRETATION AND ENFORCEMENT

The Executive Director of Financial Aid will have primary responsibility for the interpretation and enforcement of this policy. Unusual issues related to this policy may be directed to the Financial Aid Office.

CONSUMER INFORMATION

Information published regarding SAP appeals and policy can be found on our Consumer Information webpage linked at ashland.edu/consumer-information. Any revisions to appeal policies will take effect immediately upon publication to our webpage linked at ashland.edu/policies-terms. However, currently approved academic plans will not be affected by any published revisions.

APPENDIX (Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy)

The following definitions apply to this financial aid SAP policy only. Please refer to other aspects of this academic catalog for the specific academic requirements for the University or your program of study.

1. Academic Plan: A guided plan of action assigned to students who are mathematically unable to meet SAP standards after one semester.
   

2. Enrollment Status: Based on the number of credits enrolled during a regular semester:

*Eligibility for financial aid is limited to one year for Pre-Doctor of Ministry students.
**Also applicable to Doctorate of Education and Doctorate of Nurse Practitioner students.

3. Financial Aid: Title IV federal, state, and/or institutional aid. Institutional aid includes any grant, scholarship, or discount including tuition waiver or tuition exchange.
   

4. Grade Point Average (GPA): A measure of a student’s academic achievement at an institution, calculated by dividing the total number of grade points earned by the total number of credit hours completed.
   

5. Grade of Incomplete (I) or Extension (E): A grade assigned by a professor allowing the student more time to complete course requirements.
   

6. Graduate Student: A student attending Ashland University or Ashland Theological Seminary (ATS) who has earned a Bachelor’s degree and is pursuing additional education in a specific field. Students designated as bachelor’s exempt may be considered undergraduate students for financial aid purposes until specific criteria are met. Pre-Doctor of Ministry and Bachelor Plus students are not considered graduate students, but must meet the academic standards included in the Graduate and Bachelor’s Plus SAP policy.
   

7. Maximum Time Frame: An institution must establish a maximum time frame in which a student is expected to complete degree requirements for each program of study. The maximum time frame is 150% of the minimum degree/licensure requirements rounded up to the nearest full credit hour.
   

8. Preparatory Coursework: A student not enrolled in a degree program is eligible for Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans for up to one consecutive 12-month period beginning on the first day of the loan period if the coursework taken is necessary for enrollment in an eligible program. The courses must be part of an eligible program otherwise offered by the school, though the student does not have to be in that program.
   

9. Repeated Course: Any courses a student has completed and is now enrolling in again either due to failure to meet program requirements or to obtain a better grade.
   

10. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): There are minimum standards for GPA, pace of completion, and maximum time frame that a student must meet in order to be eligible for financial aid as outlined in this SAP policy.
    

11. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Statuses

• Satisfactory – student is eligible to receive financial aid.

• Unsatisfactory – student is not eligible for financial aid since SAP standards are not met.

• Maximum Time Frame Exceeded – student is not eligible for financial aid since the 150% maximum time frame restriction has been reached.

12. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Statuses: a student not meeting satisfactory academic progress standards can request the reinstatement of financial aid through an appeal process. Possible appeal results may include:

• Approved under a one-semester probation – the student has been granted one additional semester of financial aid eligibility to reach SAP standards.

• Approved under an academic plan – the student has been granted one or more semesters of financial aid eligibility to reach the standards outlined in this policy.

• Approved maximum time frame extension – the student can receive financial aid to complete their degree up to the number of semesters specified in their approved appeal.

• Denied – the student cannot receive financial aid based on the appeal submitted.

• Denied Forever – the student cannot receive financial aid and is not eligible to re-appeal.

13. Transfer Credits: Courses taken at another institution that are accepted by Ashland University. Transfer credits count toward the student’s pace of completion and maximum time frame calculation.