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General Information
Award Packaging
The Financial Aid Office makes every reasonable attempt to see that at least 70% of undergraduate students' financial need in the form of grants/scholarships. This includes gift aid from outside of the university such as private scholarships and Vocational Rehabilitation (VR). Initial award offers/packages do not include Federal Stafford or PLUS Loans.
Students/Parents who wish to apply for a Federal Stafford or Plus loan must complete a loan request form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office. Because of the likelihood of VR/outside assistance, loans are not made until after these outside resources are known. The loan request form is needed to inform the Financial Aid Office of these outside resources, as well as desired loan types, amounts, and time periods.
Financial Aid Awards
Award offers are sent to eligible financial aid applicants as early as the spring or summer prior to the award year. The award offer must be accepted, signed, and returned to the Financial Aid Office within a designated period of time. Any award not accepted is subject to cancellation.
Students determined to be ineligible for financial aid are notified after the applications are received and reviewed.
Financial aid is credited to students' accounts after classes begin, but not before the add-drop period is completed. All aid is used first to cover students' University charges. Refunds of aid to students will be made only after the account balance has been paid in full.
Overawards
The Financial Aid Office is charged with the responsibility for compliance with federal aid program guidelines, which include ensuring that students do not receive more aid than that for which they are eligible (exceeding the "financial need" amount). In cases where a student has been awarded financial aid and other financial assistance received exceeds the financial need amount, the Financial Aid Office must reduce or cancel any aid it has awarded to avoid "overawards" of federal aid. More information about how your eligibility is determined.
It is essential that students notify the Financial Aid Office of any assistance expected from outside sources (private scholarships, VR); or from other University departments or offices (such as tuition scholarships/waivers, stipends, grants, or other assistance/scholarships) in order to determine what effect, if any, this assistance will have on aid awarded by the Financial Aid Office.
Appeals
Financial aid awards are based on the information provided by the student or parent on the FAFSA. If this information has changed for the following calendar year or there has been a change in domestic or financial circumstances, the student or parent may write a letter describing the changes and ask for a re-evaluation of aid eligibility. Documentation of these changes or expenses must be sent to the Financial Aid Office.
Registration and Fee Payment
The University will permit students to sign a "promissory note" for the amount of charges due at registration. See Tuition and fees information. All amounts not covered by financial aid must be paid in full by the student or parent by the end of each semester. In no case will students with outstanding balances for prior semesters be permitted to register. Financial aid cannot be used for prior years' debts.
Questions regarding outstanding balances or student charges should be directed to the Office of Student Accounts, (202) 651-5145 (tty/voice), (888) 651-5145 (tty/voice); or (202) 651-5711 (fax). Payments should be made directly to the Cashier's Office, Gallaudet University. Be sure to include the student's name on any checks.
Refunds of Financial Aid to Students
Financial aid funds that are posted in excess of student charges will be refunded to students during the third or fourth week of each semester (or after a credit balance appears on the account). Because Gallaudet does not require full payment before the semester begins and students are permitted to start classes without full payment, financial aid refunds are not available before classes begin, or before the add-drop period is completed (two weeks minimum). Students should be prepared to cover initial living expenses and books/supplies each semester. Financial aid does not release funds for this purpose. Once all charges have been assessed and financial aid has been disbursed, credit balance refunds will be prepared and mailed to students on campus.
Academic Progress Requirements
In order to retain eligibility for financial aid from year to year, students must meet the University's standards of academic progress. Generally, students must maintain minimum grade point average (GPA) levels established by the University; and must earn a minimum number of credits each semester in attendance. Failure to meet the minimum standards will result in termination of financial aid eligibility until such time as the standards are met. More information about Academic Standards for Financial Aid.
Return of Title IV-Federal Financial Aid Funds/Student Withdrawal or LOA
The Financial Aid Office is required by federal statute to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to completing 60% of a payment period or term. The federal Title IV financial aid programs must be recalculated in these situations.
If a student leaves the institution prior to completing 60% of the semester, the financial aid office recalculates eligibility for Title IV funds. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula:
Percentage of payment period or term completed = the number of days completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the payment period or term. (Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the days in the term.) This percentage is also the percentage of earned aid.
Funds are returned to the appropriate federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula:
Aid to be returned = (100% of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid) multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the payment period or term.
(For example: a student withdraws after 44 days. This number is divided by the total days in the semester: 44/110 = 40%. This student has "earned" 40% of his/her financial aid. If the student has received $6000 in grants and/or loans, 40%, or $2,400 is earned, and the remaining $3,600 must be returned.)
If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the institution would be required to return a portion of the funds and the student would be required to return a portion of the funds.
If a student earned more aid than was disbursed to him/her, the institution would owe the student a post-withdrawal disbursement which must be paid within 120 days of the student's withdrawal.
Keep in mind that when Title IV funds are returned, the student may owe a debit balance to the institution.
The institution must return the amount of Title IV funds for which it is responsible no later than 30 days after the date of the determination of the date of the student's withdrawal.
Refunds are allocated in the following order:
- Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans
- Subsidized Federal Stafford Loans
- Unsubsidized Direct Stafford Loans (other than PLUS loans)
- Subsidized Direct Stafford Loans
- Federal Perkins Loans
- Federal Parent (PLUS) Loans
- Direct PLUS Loans
- Federal Pell Grants for which a Return of funds is required
- Academic Competitiveness Grants (ACG)
- National Smart Grants
- Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants for which a Return of funds is required
- Other assistance under this Title for which a Return of funds is required (e.g., LEAP)
Students who cease attending classes and are considered as unofficial withdrawals will NOT BE ELIGIBLE for financial aid for the subsequent semester; and/or until future semester courses have been completed and satisfactory academic progress standards are met. More information about Academic standards for Financial Aid.
Independent Student Definition
The statutory definition of an independent student is one who is at least 24 years of age by December 31 of the award year, an orphan or ward of the court, a veteran of the Armed Forces, married, a graduate or professional student, or one who has legal dependents other than a spouse, in legal guardianship as determined by a court in their state of legal residence, determined by a high school or school district homeless liaison as an unaccompanied homeless youth, or, at any time on or after July 1, 2008 determined by the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to be an unaccompanied homeless youth. Students who do not meet one of the above criteria are considered to be dependent and must provide parents' financial information on the FAFSA.
On-line Study
Gallaudet University and Federal Financial Aid Programs (Federal Stafford, PLUS, Perkins, Work Study, PELL Grants and SEOG Grants) may be used to cover on-line (telecommunications) courses with certain restrictions.
Students taking on-line courses may receive financial aid funding (if otherwise eligible); however the cost of education used to determine financial aid eligibility for on-line class funding will include tuition, fees, and books only.* Transportation costs, personal expenses, room, and board are not included in determining the amount of financial aid funding, and are not considered to be relevant costs associated with on-line study.* Students may choose to live in University housing while taking on-line study; however the expenses related to dorm residence will not be included in financial aid calculations.
*Students enrolling for at least six credits per semester in their degree programs via resident (lecture) classes in combination with on-line classes will have their financial aid packaged with all applicable costs included (tuition, fees, books, room, board, transportation, and personal expenses).
Summer School
Some limited financial aid is available for summer school, which is considered to be the "last" semester of the award year for financial aid. Students who desire to apply for summer school aid must complete a Summer Application Supplement, available in the Financial Aid Office each April. Summer school aid will be awarded only to students who are enrolled for the previous fall and/or spring and who have completed the FAFSA and Gallaudet Institutional Financial Aid Application (IFAA).
Summer aid is awarded to eligible students for degree-credit coursework only. Non-degree credit Sign Language courses and credits offered through other University departments/colleges will not be supported by financial aid. Summer aid will not cover coursework which is repeated.
Summer financial aid is limited. Students taking summer courses should not depend on financial aid alone to cover summer charges.
Undergraduate students who plan to begin a Graduate Program in Summer, and who have been enrolled as undergraduate students in fall and/or spring, MUST COMPLETE A FAFSA FOR THE SAME AWARD YEAR AS A GRADUATE STUDENT. FAFSA results for undergradute students are invalid for awarding graduate level financial aid. Adjusted FAFSAs must be filed by the beginning of May for the prior Academic Year. For example, a student who is an undergraduate in 2009-2010 and who starts a graduate program in Summer of 2010 MUST correct their 2009-2010 FAFSA (before May if possible) to reflect graduate level status. It is essential that undergraduate students beginning a Graduate Program in Summer see Financial Aid about requirements and applications even before acceptance into a graduate program.
Visiting Students
Students who are attending other institutions and who are enrolling at Gallaudet for one or two semesters are considered to be visiting or special students and are not eligible for financial aid. In some cases, students' home institutions will agree to transfer any aid for which they are eligible to Gallaudet via a Consortium Agreement; however, all visiting students must apply for aid at their home institutions, not at Gallaudet. Visiting students should discuss their plans with the Financial Aid Office at their home schools (degree-granting institution) prior to attending Gallaudet.
International Students
Gallaudet has very limited aid for international students. Assistance through the University is intended only to supplement other resources in the event that documented support is unexpectedly reduced or withdrawn. International students are considered to be personally responsible for meeting their college expenses. First-year international students are not eligible for financial aid. Returning international students are required to complete the Gallaudet Institutional Financial Aid Application for International Student (IFAA). Additional financial assistance for international students from developing countries may be available from the Center for International Programs and Services. (CIPS). Applications for the Sasakawa Scholarship Funds may be obtained at the CIPS website: http://oips.gallaudet.edu/ .
Correspondence
Correspondence from the Financial Aid Office and Student Accounts Office are made directly with students. The University believes that students carry the major responsibility for providing the office with information and for communicating with their parents regarding required documents and outstanding balances. Parents should remind their child/student to send home copies of all financial aid notifications and student account billing statements.
Campus Communications
All students are issued, or may request, a campus PO Box and E-Mail account. Students are advised that all communications from the Financial Aid Office are sent to the campus PO Box or via campus e-mail once the semester has started. Students need to check their paper mail and e-mail frequently in order to get essential information from this Office. Financial aid will be delayed or terminated if students do not respond to requests for information or other required activities sent to the PO Box or through e-mail.
Gallaudet PO Boxes, addresses, and E-Mail accounts are maintained in Gallaudet's central data base, and this information determines where our communications are sent. Students must be sure that this information is current and accurate. Any changes to this information should be made through the Registrar's Office.
