Financial Aid

FINANCIAL AID GUIDELINES

We believe financial aid should provide assistance to those students who would not otherwise be able to attend college. Financial aid is also awarded to encourage the enrollment of students who have demonstrated high academic achievement, special talents, or a strong likelihood of success at Bethel. The following guidelines help us provide the best possible aid to those needing it:

The student’s family has primary responsibility for financing the education, and a student requesting financial aid is expected to contribute toward his or her own educational expenses. This self-help may be in the form of summer or school-year earnings or loans in any reasonable combination. Financial aid from the university and other sources will be viewed only as supplemental to support from the family.
Awards can consist of gift aid, loans, or employment. They are offered singly or in combination. Although the student is free to request a change in the award package, the final decision will be made by the university.
Students are encouraged to seek outside gift aid. (This includes church scholarships, matching grants, high school and community awards, national merit scholarships, etc.) When private scholarships are reported to the financial aid office, loan and/or work eligibility is reduced, if needed, to keep the student’s total aid package within federal need limits. Institutionally controlled grants and scholarships are reduced if total gift aid from all sources exceeds the tuition, room, and board fees paid to Bethel.
A student’s financial need is determined by an analysis of the information provided in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Consideration is given to elements that affect a family’s financial status, including current income, assets, number of dependents, other educational expenses, and retirement needs. A student’s financial aid will vary based on whether you choose to live in campus housing or off campus. We will provide the best need-based financial aid to students who live on campus.
All financial aid, excluding job earnings, is first credited to a student’s Bethel account. Only after all current Bethel charges are satisfied will surplus aid be disbursed to students for use in meeting other expenses.
Gift aid from federal, state, and Bethel programs is only available to undergraduate students who have not yet earned their first baccalaureate degree. Postbaccalaureate students taking undergraduate courses will not receive gift aid, but will be eligible for government loans if they are seeking licensure, certification, or a second type of bachelor’s degree (e.g., a student has a B.A. and is now seeking a B.S.).

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCEDURES

New students only: Complete the application process for admission to Bethel while you are applying for financial aid. A financial aid offer is made only after admission to Bethel has been granted. Students returning to Bethel after an absence of at least one full term must first be readmitted before financial aid is awarded.
Complete and submit the Bethel University Financial Aid Application form for the appropriate year. This application may be completed online at www.bethel.edu/finaid/application/.
Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal FAFSA. The FAFSA may be completed online at www.Fafsa.ed.gov. Bethel’s FAFSA code number is 002338.
After your FAFSA is processed (one week for web version; three to four weeks for paper version) you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the government. Review the data on the SAR for accuracy. If you need to make corrections, follow the instructions on the SAR or contact a counselor in the Office of University Financial Aid at Bethel.
Students who are applying for independent status must prove their status with supporting documentation.
Financial aid applicants who are selected for verification must complete a Verification Worksheet and submit a signed copy of their own and their parents’ most recent federal tax returns (with schedules and W-2s) to the Office of University Financial Aid at Bethel. Bethel will notify students of any additional information that is needed in the verification process. Independent students selected for verification must also submit a signed copy of their own (and their spouse’s) most-recent federal tax return (with schedules and W-2s).

Bethel’s priority deadline for financial aid applications is April 15 of each year. Students who have completed and mailed all the necessary forms by that date will receive first consideration. Bethel will continue awarding financial aid funds to students who complete their applications after the priority deadline, but such students may receive diminished financial aid awards.

Awards are made for the entire academic year on the assumption that the student will continue to meet the standards for the award and remain eligible for the spring semester. Should a student’s status change, the university will review and adjust the award.

Each year, a returning student must submit a new need analysis statement before a new award will be made.

FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY

Federal regulations require that all financial aid recipients progress at a reasonable rate (“make satisfactory progress”) toward achieving a certificate or degree. This requirement applies to all terms regardless of whether or not the student received financial aid. Progress is reviewed annually, after the spring semester. Progress is measured by the student’s cumulative grade point average, credits earned in relation to those attempted, and the maximum time frame allowed to complete the academic program.

Cumulative Grade Point Average: Students must have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average. This requirement is enforced at the end of spring term.
Cumulative credits earned: Each student must complete the minimum percentage of cumulative attempted credits as defined below:

Cumulative                   Required
Attempted                  Completion
Credits                       Percentage

Less than 60                  60%
60 to 89                      65%
90 and above                 67%
Maximum time frame: Students must complete their degree in a maximum of 183 attempted hours (bachelor’s degree) or 92 attempted hours (associate’s degree). Students are no longer eligible to receive financial aid after they have reached these maximums. For example: If a student has already attempted 175 credits, the student will only be aided for up to 8 credits in the next term.

Earned credits, for purposes of this policy, are those in which the student earns a grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, or S. (Maximum allowable credits graded under the S option are defined by the registrar.)

Notes

Incomplete classes:
Courses assigned an incomplete grade are included in the cumulative credits attempted. These cannot be used as credits earned until a satisfactory grade is assigned.

Withdrawals:
Courses from which the student withdraws after the 100 percent refund period are included in the cumulative credits attempted.

Repeated classes:
Repeated courses enable the student to achieve a higher cumulative grade point average. Credits attempted in repeated classes are included in the cumulative credits attempted. Credits earned in repeated classes are not included in the cumulative credits earned.

Transfer students:
All transfer credits accepted by Bethel will be used in determining when the “maximum time frame” requirement has been reached. The student may, however, appeal to have only the credits accepted toward his or her Bethel degree included in the maximum time frame calculation. Transfer credits are also used when calculating the required completion percentage.

Second undergraduate degree students:
Students who already have a first baccalaureate degree are eligible for loans (not grants) if they are pursuing teacher licensure or a second degree (e.g., a student has a B.A. and is now seeking a B.S.). These students have up to an additional 183 attempted hours before exceeding the maximum time frame.

Financial Aid Probation and Termination

Students who do not meet the above standards of satisfactory progress at the end of the academic year (spring term) will automatically be placed on financial aid probation for the following academic year. Financial aid may still be received during the probation period. At the end of the probation period, the student must again be making satisfactory academic progress as outlined above or financial aid will be terminated. Students will be removed from financial aid probation if they are again making satisfactory academic progress.

Appeals

Students who fail to meet satisfactory academic progress standards and lose financial aid eligibility can appeal this decision. The appeal must be made in writing and should be accompanied by appropriate supporting documentation. Appeals should be submitted to the Office of University Financial Aid and will be evaluated by a cross-departmental committee. Acceptable reasons for appeal include injury or illness of the student, illness or death of an immediate relative of the student, or other extenuating circumstances beyond the student’s control.

Reestablishing Financial Aid Eligibility

Students who have had their financial aid terminated due to lack of satisfactory academic progress may choose to enroll without benefit of financial aid. Such students may request a review of their academic record after any term in which they are enrolled without the receipt of financial aid to determine whether they have met the satisfactory academic progress standards. If the standards are met, financial aid eligibility is restored for subsequent terms of enrollment. Students should consult with a financial aid counselor in the Office of University Financial Aid if they have any questions about this policy, the appeal process, or reinstatement of financial aid eligibility.

FINANCIAL AID CRITERIA

Enrollment Level

Students are awarded financial aid on the assumption that they will maintain a full-time course load (unless otherwise indicated on the aid application). Those who take less than a full course load (or drop below full time during the semester) will have a diminished need and will receive less aid. Bethel scholarships and grants that are not based on need are awarded only to students who are full time.

Loan Exit Counseling

Any student borrower who graduates, withdraws, transfers to another school, or drops below half-time attendance must complete a loan exit session. During this session the borrower is informed of his or her rights and responsibilities, including repayment options for student loans. The university will not release transcripts until the loan exit session is completed.

Transfer Students

Transfer students will be considered for financial aid on the same basis as entering freshmen. Former students who have taken course work at another school and then return to Bethel will be considered for financial aid on the basis of their previous Bethel record.

Citizenship

Students who are not citizens or permanent residents of the United States will be considered for financial assistance on the basis of the Declaration of Finances form. In some cases a statement of financial status from the student’s pastor or pertinent information provided by a missionary will be necessary to help determine the possibility of coming to the United States. International students who do not qualify to apply for federal aid are eligible only for the International Student Grant and for Bethel-sponsored work. They are not eligible for federal or state-supported aid programs or for other grants from Bethel.

International Study Programs

Bethel has established a financial aid policy for students who study overseas or at another U.S. college or university as part of their Bethel programs. This policy may be obtained from the Office of Off-Campus Programs/International Studies, the Office of the Registrar, or the Office of University Financial Aid.

Changes in Financial Aid Programs

From time to time changes are made in the availability of scholarships, grants, loans, and departmental scholarships. We recommend that you go to www.bethel.edu/finaid or write directly to the Office of University Financial Aid for up-to-date information.