Financial Aid

Student Financial Services

Our goal is to place higher education within the reach of as many qualified students as possible. The University believes that the primary responsibility for financing an education rests with the students and their families. Recognizing that not all families have the ability to meet educational costs in full, the University draws from federal, state and institutional programs, which include merit scholarships, grants, loans and on-campus jobs.

The Student Financial Services team is available year round to assist students and their families as they navigate the Financial Aid process. Appointments may be made for individual counseling sessions that will help you to plan your annual cost of education as well as plan for the full cost of the degree.

Apply online for financial assistance

You must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be considered for need-based grant assistance and federal loan funding opportunities at USJ. The online application is at www.fafsa.gov.

Annual FAFSA Priority Deadlines:

• Returning students: December 1

• Prospective students: March 1

Applications received by the priority deadlines will be given full consideration for all types of financial assistance for which you are eligible. Applications received after the priority deadlines will be given consideration on a funds-available basis.

Financial Aid counselors are available to help with FAFSA completion. Additionally the department hosts an annual free FAFSA completion workshop. Please contact our office at financialaid@usj.edu for further information about the event.

To complete the FAFSA you will need:

• The University of Saint Joseph School Code - 001409

• Copies of your Federal Tax Return and W-2 statements from two years prior

• Bank statements

• Business and investment information (stocks, bonds and other investment records)

• Student’s Social Security number

• Student’s driver’s license number

• If not a U.S. citizen, student’s Alien Registration number

• Records of untaxed income (Worker’s Compensation, foreign income, child support, etc.)
  
  If you meet FAFSA’s definition of a financial dependent, you will also need these items for your parents.

Who’s eligible?

To be considered for financial assistance, all students must meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Have applied and been formally accepted for admission as a matriculated student in the undergraduate program, graduate school or a second-degree program at the University of Saint Joseph
2. Enroll in at least six credit hours per semester. Undergraduates enrolled in three credit hours per semester may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, but no other form of financial assistance
3. Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To maintain SAP and be eligible for federal, state and institutional financial assistance at USJ, students must meet and maintain the following criteria:

a. A required minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.00 is necessary to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for purposes of financial aid consideration at the end of each semester

b. To remain eligible for financial aid, students must successfully complete the credits required for their degree or certificate within 150% of the standard length of their academic program. For example, full-time students must earn a minimum of 10 credit hours per semester.

c. Full- and part-time students must successfully complete a minimum of 67% of all credits attempted (that is, courses in which the student remains enrolled after the add/drop deadline)

Academic progress is evaluated at the end of fall and spring semesters. The first time that all the SAP criteria are not met, students will be notified that for the following semester they will be placed on Financial Aid probation. This will allow students one semester to meet the required standards. If students fall below the SAP standards again in any subsequent semesters, they will lose financial aid for the following semester. See the full policy for Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Undergraduate student financial aid

How is financial aid need determined?

We use the federal formula of need analysis known as Federal Methodology to determine a family’s ability to pay for university costs. The formula considers factors such as parent and student income and assets, household size and number of family members in college/university. This information is gathered from the data the family provides on the FAFSA application and the outcome result is known as an EFC (Expected Family Contribution). To calculate a student’s financial aid need, the EFC is subtracted from the student’s total Cost of Attendance (COA). The COA includes both direct and indirect costs. Direct costs include tuition, fees, room and board, while indirect costs include books, supplies, travel and personal expenses.

Student Financial Services awards financial assistance that will help the family to meet their financial aid need. As funding is limited, 100% of student financial need is unlikely to be met.

After we review your documents, you will be considered for all types of financial aid you are eligible for (excluding outside sources of aid). Depending on the academic program you choose, this may include grants, scholarships, student loans and on-campus employment. Undergraduates who have already earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for institutional or state funds, but may apply for the Federal Direct Loan program.

Scholarships and grants

Explore the scholarships and grants available to students at the University of Saint Joseph.

Merit scholarships

Merit scholarships are awarded to students at the time of admission and are renewable to a maximum of four years or eight semesters, provided students maintain full-time enrollment status and the required grade point average (GPA) associated with the scholarship.

We will review a student’s cumulative GPA at the end of the spring semester every academic year. If the student does not maintain the minimum GPA associated with the merit scholarship, it will be removed from the student’s financial aid award for the next academic year. The University does not guarantee that this amount will be supplemented with any other forms of institutional aid. If the minimum GPA requirement is met at the end of the following spring semester, the merit scholarship may be reinstated for the next academic year.

Endowed scholarships

Endowed scholarships are available to undergraduates. Students who apply for financial assistance are automatically considered for these awards upon review of their financial aid applications.

Cost of attendance

This example is for an incoming undergraduate student living on campus, based on 2018-2019 rates:

Graduate student financial aid

Graduate students who are accepted into a graduate degree program or approved graduate certificate program and who are enrolled in at least six credits per term are eligible to apply for financial assistance from the University. Most graduate students use funding from the Federal Direct Loan program to help meet their educational costs. The maximum annual amount a student may borrow from this program is $20,500. For additional information on Federal Direct Loan program please see www.studentloans.gov.

As of January 1, 2017, the only certificate program eligible for financial assistance is the Dietetic Internship program. Students seeking financial assistance for other certificate programs may use private loan funding. Additional information is available on our Alternative Loan page.

Pharmacy student financial aid

The Student Financial Services department, on the second floor of Mercy Hall on the main campus, helps students in the School of Pharmacy identify ways to help meet the cost of their degree.

Pharmacy students who are accepted and enrolled in at least six credits per term are eligible to apply for financial assistance from the University. Most Pharmacy students use funding from the Federal Direct Loan program to help meet their educational costs.

Based on a 12-month period, or one full academic year, Pharmacy students are eligible for a maximum of $49,500 in the Federal Direct Loan program. In their final P3 year, students are eligible for a maximum of $33,000.

Students may also use Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans or private loans up to their Cost of Attendance minus other assistance. For the current maximum, please contact Student Financial Services. For additional information on Federal Direct Loan program, please see the U.S. Department of Education website.  For information on private loans, please see our Alternative Loan page.

Veterans benefits: The Yellow Ribbon Program

Undergraduate and graduate

Veterans and students eligible for VA educational benefits must complete an application for admission. In addition, they must contact the VA coordinator in the registrar’s office at 860.231.5225, to apply for educational benefits.

The University of Saint Joseph, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, participates in the Yellow Ribbon program, a GI Education Enhancement program. The University and the VA will cover the cost of tuition expenses for student veterans.

Students receiving Veteran’s Benefits as payment on their tuition and fees are eligible for federal Title IV aid only. Students receiving this type of benefit will have their institutional financial aid awards reviewed and adjusted or canceled.

For complete details about the Yellow Ribbon Program, see the VA website: https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp

Veterans who are interested in learning more about educational opportunities available at USJ through the Yellow Ribbon Program can contact the VA school certifying official at 860.231.5225.

Award adjustment and disbursement

Policy for financial aid fund disbursement

Eligibility and the disbursement of financial aid funds are based on enrollment status. Student enrollment status is verified each semester by the registrar’s office at the end of the add/drop period. Funds are then adjusted and disbursed accordingly.

Award adjustment due to a required return of Title IV federal funds

The University of Saint Joseph is required to determine the earned and unearned Federal Student Aid a student has as of the date the student ceased attendance, based on the amount of time the student spent in attendance. The calculation of these funds earned by the student has no relationship to the student’s incurred institutional charges.

The University policy for students who borrow through the Federal Direct Loan program permits a refund of tuition and fees and a cancellation of some or all Title IV proceeds up to the 60% point of enrollment in each term, determined on a pro-rata schedule. After the 60% point, students have earned 100% of the Title IV funds they were scheduled to receive.

Refunds are processed within 45 days of the student’s withdrawal date or within 45 days of when the University determines the student to have withdrawn if the student does not notify the University of withdrawal.

Award terms and conditions

Students review and accept the financial aid award terms and conditions on an annual basis. These may vary by student and program. Below are a few examples of key award terms and conditions for students to ensure compliance with.

• The student must notify Student Financial Services when changing course load or housing status. If you reduce the number of academic credits you are taking after your initial need determination is made (full-time to part-time), your financial aid award or student loan may be reduced.
• The Federal Return of Title IV funds policy requires that students who withdraw during the first 60% of a semester not be permitted to keep all of their federal aid. Be aware that early withdrawal from school during a semester can cause the loss of grant or loan assistance.
• Students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress toward their degree or certificate to be eligible for financial aid at the University of Saint Joseph. See details of policy.
• You must report private scholarship, loans or tuition waivers to Student Financial Services in writing or by email so that, if necessary, any award adjustments may be made. This also applies to awards paid directly to the student.

Additional information

For additional details and the latest information on financial aid at USJ, call Student Financial Services at 860.231.5223 or email  financialaid@usj.edu.