Financial Aid

Click on any of the following links for information:

• Application Process
• Financial Aid and Academic Progress
• College Funds
• Federal and State Programs
• Scholarships

The financial aid program at Saint Joseph’s College is designed to assist those students who, without such assistance, would be unable to pursue a program of study at the College. In selecting aid recipients, the College places primary emphasis on demonstrated financial need. Consideration is also given to academic performance.

Saint Joseph’s offers both merit and need-based financial aid to full-time students enrolled in our traditional baccalaureate degree programs. New students are considered for the College’s merit scholarship programs through the admission process.

The College offers eligible students financial aid packages which may include scholarship, grant, loan, and/or work-study funds. These programs may be awarded singly, but are most often awarded in various combinations called financial aid offers.

Saint Joseph’s College considers the primary financial responsibility for the education of students to rest with the students and their families. The College makes every effort to address the needs of an accepted and enrolled student, but it views its efforts as supplemental to the efforts of the student, the student’s family and other agencies.

In addition to making application for assistance through the College, students of Saint Joseph’s are expected to pursue vigorously all avenues of support from private organizations. In general, the College awards assistance within the limits of demonstrated need. Need is defined as the difference between the cost of attendance and what the family is able to contribute as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)..

Priorities and entitlements under federal and state programs are recognized and honored, as are institutional programs which carry commitments to identified students. Students not entitled to special consideration compete for available funds within the limits of their demonstrated financial need. Where students rank academically within the applicant group may well have a bearing on the student’s selection, the percentage of need met, and the composition of their financial aid package.

To be considered for the assistance programs available at Saint Joseph’s, students must submit the following documents as soon as possible after October 1 and before the priority date announced annually:

• Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• IRS Tax information from parent(s) and student via IRS’ Data Retrieval on the FAFSA or IRS Tax Return (upon request);
• Institutional Verification Worksheet (upon request).

On-time submission of the above ensures that students will be considered for all of the programs administered by the College. Additional documentation may be requested during the review process and throughout the enrollment period due to federal and institutional verification policies. Students are required to comply with these requests in a timely manner.  Federal verification items are requested within 60 days of notification. Failure to provide documentation may result in cancellation of aid.

To be eligible for financial aid you must earn at least 67% of the credits you attempt (quantitative progress) and you must meet the cumulative grade point average for the number of credits you have earned (qualitative progress). See the chart below.

• You must have at least a 2.00 cumulative grade point average at the end of two years of study regardless of your enrollment status.
• Your progress is reviewed after the end of each semester.
• If you have not met the required quantitative and/or qualitative standards you may be provided a warning period.  A warning period may be provided to a student who has not met, but is very close to the required standards and we anticipate that she or he will meet the progress standards required at the conclusion of the next semester.  If you are granted a warning period, you will receive a letter from our office.
• If we determine that you are not eligible for aid based on your progress, you may appeal our decision. If your appeal is successful you will be granted one semester of probation. The appeal process follows federal rules and you will be asked to:
  • explain and document the mitigating circumstances (e.g., major illness, death in the family, other special circumstance) that prevented you from meeting the required standards
  • explain what has changed or will change for you so that you will be able to earn the required cumulative grade point average and meet the 67% credits earned threshold by the end of the probation period, and
  • detail how your degree will be earned within a maximum time frame of 150% which is equivalent to 12 semesters if you are attending a full-time basis or 180 credits (including transfer credits). Please note that most financial aid programs are not available for this length of time.
• During a semester of probation you may receive aid. At the end of your period of probation you must meet the benchmarks (including earned credits and cumulative grade point average) we establish for you before you will receive aid again.

NOTES:

• All attempted credits, including transfer credits, are included in our calculations unless there is a “W” assigned.
• Some students need to enroll in our May term or in summer school.  Be sure to have courses pre-approved at the Registar’s Office.

The College offers many scholarship and grant funds.  Full-time, baccalaureate degree seeking students in our campus programs are considered for merit scholarship funds during the admission process. These scholarships are renewable for up to 8 consecutive semesters as long as the student makes satisfactory academic progress and maintains full-time enrollment. Students may make application for need-based funds each year.

New students to the College are considered by the Admission Committee for the following scholarship programs.

• Presidential Scholarship
• McAuley Scholarship
• Mercy Scholarship
• Xavier Scholarship
• Monk Scholarship

All full-time baccalaureate degree students may apply for need-based grants annually by completing the required financial aid paperwork on time. Our grant funds include:

• Saint Joseph’s Grant
• Family Tuition Reduction Grant (for a family who has two or more immediate family members enrolled full-time concurrently in our on campus program) 

Students who apply for financial aid at Saint Joseph’s are also considered for all federal programs available at the time of application. Students are considered for the following funds:

• Federal Pell Grant
  The Federal Pell Grant is an entitlement program available to students who meet a family contribution requirement as specified by the U. S. Department of Education. The maximum award is $7,396 for the 2025 - 2026 academic year.  Eligibility is restricted to the first undergraduate degree.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
  This federal program is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need. Preference is given to Federal Pell Grant recipients. Award amounts are based on funding levels for the given academic year and are distributed on the basis of family contribution and other funding eligibility. The minimum award per statute is $100 and funding constraints generally do not allow the award to exceed $500.
• Federal Work-Study
  This program provides funds for selected students who demonstrate need according to the federal formula. Students who have participated in the prior year and who apply on time are given preference for available funding. Employment is offered both on and off campus with the latter restricted to selected community service programs. Awards usually allow a student to work six to ten hours per week.
• Nursing Student Loan
  This need-based loan program is available to eligible Nursing students. It carries a 5% interest rate and a 9-month grace period for new borrowers. Awards range from $500 to $3,300 and are usually made to first-year and some sophomore students.
• Federal Direct Loan
  The Subsidized Federal Direct Loan allows eligible students to borrow funds for educational expenses. It may be subsidized (need-based) or unsubsidized (not need-based, accrues interest). The student must maintain at least half-time enrollment in order to defer payment of this loan. This loan carries a ten year repayment term. It also offers options for forbearance, cancellation, deferment, and consolidation. Students are notified via the award letter if they are eligible for this program. See the chart below for annual and lifetime limits:

Maximum Annual Direct Loan Amounts

Dependent Students

Independent Students

Total maximum outstanding debt allowable:
$31,000 for dependent undergraduates
$57,500 for independent undergraduates

A dependent student whose parent is denied a Federal Parent Loan may borrow the additional Unsubsidized Stafford Loan up to $4,000 for first and second years and $5,000 for third and fourth years.

• State Grants
  Some states offer grants to their residents for study at Saint Joseph’s College. It is expected that students apply for such funds, and this is generally accomplished through the completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Some states may require additional application materials. Students should contact their state’s scholarship agency for more information.

There are also many restricted and endowed scholarship programs available for the 4 Year College students through the aid process. These programs, in general, require full-time enrollment in a baccalaureate degree program, high academic achievement, demonstrated financial need, and selection by committee. The availability and amount of the award are typically dependent on the earnings of the endowment or an annual gift. Selection is made by the Financial Aid Committee in conjunction with other appropriate members of the College community. No separate application is required unless noted otherwise. These programs help underwrite the generous merit and need-based programs offered by the College.