The Student Enrollment Center, located in Zimbar-Liljenstein Hall, welcomes the opportunity to provide information and to assist students. The Financial Aid Office is located within this center.
Prospective graduate students should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss regulations and processes required in order to determine eligibility for loans and university student employment programs.
The Office of Financial Aid administers the federal educational loan programs available to graduate students. Applicants must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Recipients must be enrolled in at least six credits of graduate-level class work and must maintain satisfactory academic progress (i.e. 3.0 Grade Point Average, 67% Pass Rate, Acceptable Completion Timeframe).
Graduate students enrolled in graduate-level course work, may borrow up to a maximum of $20,500 per year in an unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan. Graduate students enrolled in undergraduate-level course work should contact the Student Enrollment Center to determine eligibility. Total borrowing amounts for the loan term, however, cannot exceed the cost of education less other financial assistance.
After your completed application is received and processed, information from the FAFSA will be electronically transmitted to ESU. The Financial Aid Office will determine your financial aid eligibility. Once eligibility is determined, your financial aid awards will appear on your online portal. If a Direct Loan has been offered, you will need to take action in order for a loan to be originated. Online you may accept the full amount, partial amount or choose to decline the loan. If you are a first-time borrower, you will be required to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and entrance counseling. These can be completed online at www.studentloans.gov.
Teacher Certification Students
Students enrolled in a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program may be eligible for Federal Direct Loans at the undergraduate level.
Students simultaneously enrolled in a master’s degree program and teacher certification should check with the Office of Student Financial Aid in the Student Enrollment Center regarding their eligibility for student loans.
Verification Requirements
Verification is the process of comparing the data provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with other requested documentation such as a tax return transcript. Some of the selection process is random. However, students may be selected because the information on the FAFSA is either inconsistent or likely to have been estimated.
If a FAFSA is selected for verification the student will be sent instructions to begin the process, which can be completed online. If you have any questions or concerns about the verification process you can contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Once the verification process is complete the student's federal financial aid can be processed. Failure to complete the verification process will result in the cancellation of all federal financial aid, and may result in an outstanding balance on the student's account. Verification may also result in a revision to any aid awarded prior to the completion of the verification process.
Payment of Financial Aid
Financial aid awards are credited directly to the student’s university account each semester. Refunds from financial aid will not become available until the student’s university account is satisfied. Students should plan to arrive on campus with enough personal money to purchase books and pay any off-campus housing expenses.
Effect of Incompletes, Withdrawals, Failures, and Repeats
All incompletes, withdrawals, failures, and repeats are included as attempted credits when determining SAP for financial aid. Remedial courses successfully completed will count toward satisfactory academic progress. They do not count toward graduation.
Definitions:
- Credits Attempted: Credits for which a grade of A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D, E, F, I, L, P, S, U, W, Y, Z, X has been received.
- Successfully Completed Credits: Credits for which a grade of A, A–, B+, B, B–, C+, C, C–, D, L, S, or P has been received. Grades of E, F, X, U, W, Y, Z and grades in repeated courses do not count as successfully completed credits.
Repeated classes will not count toward academic progress if the class was passed the first time the student was enrolled and received a passing grade. Only repeated classes that the student originally failed will be counted toward academic progress. Each time a class is repeated it will be included in the cumulative credits attempted.
Reentry to East Stroudsburg University
A period of non-enrollment does not reinstate financial aid eligibility. Students who are readmitted to ESU will have their financial aid progress reviewed and all previous coursework will be measured according to this policy upon reentry.
Financial Aid Appeals
A student who has been denied federal aid for failure to meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements may appeal that denial. By federal regulations, the grounds for an appeal are
- the death of a relative of the student
- an illness or injury of the student
- other extenuating circumstance which is beyond the student’s control.
The student must submit a written appeal indicating why he/she failed to make satisfactory academic progress and what may have changed in the student’s situation that will allow the student to demonstrate SAP at the next review. Supporting documentation (if applicable) must be included with the appeal such as medical documentation, a copy of a death certificate, etc.
The appeal must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid where the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Committee will review the request.
Submitting an appeal does not guarantee approval.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) to continue to receive federal Title IV financial aid. Federal financial aid includes Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Loans, and Graduate PLUS loans.
Federal standards of satisfactory academic progress (SAP) include maintaining a 3.00 Grade Point Average, completing 67% of all courses enrolled, and a maximum time frame measurement to ensure the graduate program is completed in a timely manner. If one of the measures is not being met, the student is not meeting the standards and will no longer be eligible for federal financial aid. All periods of enrollment are included whether or not the student received federal financial aid during that time.
SAP is measured at the end of each academic year, specifically the end of the Spring semester. Winter enrollment will be counted in your spring calculations. The option to submit a Financial Aid SAP Appeal is offered to students who experienced unforeseen and extenuating circumstances of which prevented them from being academically successful. This appeal submission requires documentation to support reason for appeal and must be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid by the required deadline.
Graduate Students
A student must meet all of the following requirements in order to be making satisfactory academic progress for Title IV aid.
Qualitative Standard (GPA):
- Graduate students (full or part-time) are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.00.
- In addition to cumulative GPA requirements, graduate students in selected programs will not meet SAP requirements if they do not meet specific departmental standards related to “C” grades earned and/or clinical performance. At the end of each payment period (as identified above) the office of Graduate & Extended Studies will notify the Office of Student Financial Aid of any student in this circumstance.
Quantitative (Pace) Standard:
- Graduate students must complete a minimum percentage of attempted credits, Pass Rate. Students must maintain a minimum completion rate of 66.67%.
- Pass Rate is calculated by dividing the cumulative credit hours earned by the cumulative credit hours attempted.
Maximum Time Frame:
- Graduate students must complete degree requirements without exceeding 150% of the credit hours required. For example, a student enrolled in a 30 credit hour program will no longer be able to use federal financial aid once he/she has attempted 45 credit hours. Retaking coursework or coursework not required for program completion will affect the total number of attempted credit hours.
Program Completion:
Once the student completes all the academic requirements for his/her program, the student is considered to have completed the degree program and is no longer eligible for further federal aid for that program.
Students who fail to meet the GPA and Pass Rate standard at the end of the academic year will lose federal aid eligibility unless they successfully appeal and are placed on financial aid probation, with an academic plan.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Categories
Financial Aid Appeal Process/ Financial Aid Probation:
- If, at the end of the academic year, a student is not meeting SAP requirements, the student may submit an appeal based on extenuating circumstances. Examples of extenuating circumstances are personal illness or injury, a death of a close relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must outline the reasons that satisfactory academic progress was not met, what has changed that will allow the minimum standards to be met at the next evaluation and how the student plans to improve their academic progress (i.e. academic plan). The reasons for being academically unsuccessful must be supported with documentation.
- If the appeal is approved by the financial aid office, the student will be placed on academic probation, with an academic plan, and will be eligible for federal financial aid during a financial aid probationary period. The student’s progress will be monitored to determine the student is meeting the requirements of the academic plan. If the student is meeting the requirements of the academic plan, the student will be eligible to receive federal aid as long as the student continues to meet the requirements and is reviewed according to the requirements specified in the plan.
- If the appeal is denied, the student will not be eligible for federal financial aid until s/he is meeting satisfactory academic progress standards (i.e. GPA, Pass Rate, Max Hours).
Students will be notified, in writing, by the East Stroudsburg University Office of Student Financial Aid if they have been approved for federal financial aid due to a successful SAP Appeal submission.
Academic Forgiveness
Graduate students do not qualify for Academic Forgiveness at this time.
Transfer Credits
Transfer credits accepted toward the student’s current program are counted as both attempted and completed credit hours. Grades earned in transfer credits are not included in cumulative GPA.
Simultaneous Enrollment in Undergraduate and Graduate Classes
ESU and the federal government use different rules and regulations to classify students as undergraduate or graduate.
If a graduate student enrolled in a graduate degree program takes six credit hours of undergraduate course work and only three credit hours of graduate course work, the student is considered an undergraduate student and is only eligible for the maximum amount of federal aid for undergraduate students.
There is a significant difference in the amount of federal loan aid available to an undergraduate student and a graduate student. Students who are classified as graduate students in fall and undergraduate students in spring may find that they are only eligible for a small fraction of the federal loan that they would be eligible for in spring if they were classified as graduate students.