Financial Assistance
Office of Student Financial Assistance
The office administers federal Title IV programs according to U.S. Department of Education guidelines. All Title IV aid is awarded based on financial need determined by family and student analysis. Title IV programs include Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grants, Federal College Work Study, and Federal Perkins Loans Program.
Major loan programs include the subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Parent Loans (PLUS). In addition, the office administers Institutional Work Programs, the State of Kansas Work Program, institutional scholarships, and Veterans Administration benefits. Students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon after January 1 as possible.
A copy of the FAFSA may be obtained at high school counseling offices or FHSU’s Office of Student Financial Assistance in late November or early December. The interactive online version of the FAFSA can be accessed at http://www.fafsa.gov/.
It is imperative that the application be completed before March 15 of every year. Nearly 73 percent of FHSU students receive some form of assistance through grants, loans, or scholarships.
More information regarding all types of aid can be found by visiting the FHSU Financial Assistance Web site at http://www.fhsu.edu/finaid/.
General Provisions (Part A)
Section 668.16(e) of the student general provisions requires that financial aid recipients maintain satisfactory progress for continued eligibility for Title IV funding. Funding under this title includes the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal College Work Study, Federal Perkins Loan, and the Federal Stafford Loan Programs (subsidized and unsubsidized loans). This policy includes all funding from the State of Kansas for the Kansas Comprehensive Grant Program, various scholarship programs administered by the State of Kansas and all university scholarships.
The Financial Assistance Office will determine the satisfactory progress of each student receiving assistance at the completion of the fall, spring and summer semester/terms. Intersession courses will be considered part of the following spring registration. Eligibility relative to this policy may also be reviewed as students apply for aid at FHSU. After grades are posted each semester, the Office of Financial Assistance will notify students who do not meet the standards by email. All credits accepted by the university from other institutions will be used to calculate eligibility.
Financial Aid Warning: Students who do not meet one or more of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy standards (see Parts B and C) will be placed on warning as a notice that their academic work is below the standard. While on Financial Aid Warning a student must receive a 2.0 GPA for the semester/term (3.0 GPA for graduate students) as well as meet the requirements of the pace and the time frame standards. If a student corrects the deficiency by grade changes or meeting the standards by work on his/her own, he/she will be removed from warning. Warning status cannot be appealed.
Financial Aid Suspension: Students who do not meet the terms of their warning will be suspended and prohibited from receiving future aid until all standards are met. In addition, any financial aid recipient who receives all unsatisfactory grades (U), all incomplete grades (I), or totally withdraws from classes will automatically be suspended (i.e. no warning period will be granted). A student on Financial Aid Suspension is not eligible to receive financial aid. Returning all financial aid funds that were disbursed does not exempt a student from Financial Aid Suspension.
Students may appeal financial aid suspensions to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Reasons for an appeal may include, but are not limited to; death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstances. An appeal will not be heard if:
- The student has been dismissed from the university.
- The student has not been academically reinstated by the Academic Advising Office.
- The student owes any fees to the University.
- The appeal request is for the current semester and is received after the semester’s mid-term.
All appeal decisions addressed by the committee are final and not subject to further review. Appeals will not be considered for prior semesters. Reinstatement of any aid originally awarded to a suspended student is at the committee’s discretion. Should an appeal be granted the student must meet the terms of the appeal and the policy to be placed back on normal progress and be removed from the plan agreement set in the appeal. Simply meeting the appeal agreement alone does not guarantee continuation of future financial aid.
Undergraduate Student Standards (Part B)
The maximum time frame for undergraduate aid eligibility is 186 credit hours attempted at FHSU and any other institution. The time frame considers all hours attempted regardless of whether or not the student has ever received financial assistance or has completed a prior degree.
Grade Point Average: Undergraduate students must maintain a cumulative GPA according to the following schedule:
| Cumulative Credit Hours | Cumulative GPA Requirement |
|---|---|
| 0-29 | 1.6 |
| 31-59 | 1.7 |
| 60-89 | 1.8 |
| 90 or more | 1.9 |
Attempted Hours/Credit Hour Completion Standard: Attempted hours are any credits a student is enrolled in at the time aid is disbursed. Financial aid recipients who receive all failing grades at the end of any term will automatically be placed on suspension. The following table indicates how many hours must be completed in relation to a student's attempted hours per semester/term, and which grades will be counted as completed and non-completed at the end of the semester/term:
| Hours Attempted per Semester/term | Hours Completed per Semester/term | Completed Credits | Non-Completed Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12+ | 9 | A - Superior Achievement | U - Unsatisfactory |
| 9-11 | 6 | B - Good Achievement | I - Incomplete |
| 6-8 | 3 | C - Average Achievement | W - Withdrawal |
| 1-5 | 1 | D - Minimum Passing Achievement | WC - Cancellation |
| ----- | ----- | P - Pass | WP - Withdraw Passing |
| ----- | ----- | CR - Credit | WF - Withdraw Failing (not calculated in GPA) |
Scholarship Services
The Office of Student Financial Assistance administers the scholarship program offered through many sources. The primary goal of this office is to assist students in locating and pursuing scholarship opportunities. The online Scholarship Application (available after October 1) lists all university scholarship funding sources. The final deadline for all scholarship applications is generally February 15 but can vary from year-to-year. Please call or visit online the Office of Student Financial Assistance for advice on applying for aid or scholarships.
Veterans, Reservists, Service Persons
The university welcomes veterans, reservists, service persons, or other eligible persons. The Office of Student Financial Assistance provides information, guidance, and counseling to those who are eligible for educational benefits under the Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1967, the Dependents Education Assistance Act, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act, and the Post-Vietnam Era Veteran Educational Assistance Act of 1976.
To be eligible for benefits through the Department of Veterans Affairs, the veteran must have served continuously on active duty for a period of 181 days. All or part of the continuous service must have occurred after January 21, 1955. The conditions of discharge or release from service must be other than dishonorable.
Veterans planning to train under the Readjustment Assistance Act are required to pay cash for fees, books, and supplies. The veterans, in turn, receive an allowance during each month of schooling, based on credit hours of enrollment and the number of dependents.
Similar educational benefits are provided under the Dependents Education Assistance Act for children, wives, and widows of veterans whose death or permanent disability was service-related.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act provides benefits for disabled veterans covering fees, books, and supplies as well as a subsistence stipend.
The Veterans Educational Assistance Program provides benefits for the post-Vietnam era veterans who entered service on or after January 1, 1977, and made contributions for at least three months. The total amount of benefits is contingent on the amount and number of months one contributed with a maximum of 36 months of entitlement.
Inquiries concerning eligibility should be directed to the Department of Veterans Benefits Section of the Veterans Administration regional office. Application forms are available in the Office of Student Financial Assistance as well as other Veterans information. Veterans planning to study under these laws are advised to secure approval for training and to contact the Office of Student Financial Assistance well in advance of enrollment.
Student Employment
The Student Employment Office administers the various FHSU job programs, including Federal College Work-study, Kansas Career Work-study, and University department-funded employment. Students must complete the FAFSA to be considered for Federal College Work-study and Kansas Career Work-study eligibility. Department-funded employment is open to all students regardless of financial aid status.
The Student Employment Office coordinates with hiring departments to list a variety of available student jobs. Students seeking employment are referred to the hiring departments to arrange interviews.