Financial Aid Policies

Financial Aid Policy

The board of trustees has adopted the following policy with regard to awards of financial aid:

1. Financial aid programs funded by the institution itself are intended to supplement the various federal, state, and private donor financial aid programs administered by the institution.
2. Such institutional aid (to include athletic, academic, and leadership scholarships) will not be used to increase the total of financial aid available to the student from all sources, exclusive of any workstudy or loan arrangement, beyond
   1. in the case of a boarding on-campus student, the total cost of room, board, and tuition for the academic year, or
   2. in the case of an off-campus student, the cost of tuition/fees for the academic year.
3. Generally, students shall not be awarded financial aid in excess of their determined financial need. Exchange scholarship recipients through the Council for Christian Colleges & Universities or the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) shall not be eligible for any institutional scholarships beyond their exchange scholarship.
4. Any commitment of institutional financial aid shall be expressly conditioned upon the determination by the financial aid officer of the student’s prior eligibility for other federal, state, and private donor financial aid, exclusive of any workstudy or loan arrangement.
5. Federal regulation requires that a student must be making satisfactory academic progress regardless of whether he or she has previously received Title IV aid.

All students enrolled at John Brown University who receive financial aid through JBU or the federal Title IV Assistance Programs must meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements, as defined below, in order to be eligible for further aid:

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory academic progress is deemed to have been made by a student who meets both the quantitative and qualitative requirements indicated below.

Quantitative Requirements

There are two quantitative requirements that the student must meet in order to remain eligible to apply for financial assistance. First, the student must pass, at a minimum, 67% of the credits attempted while attending the university. Also, the student will remain eligible to apply for aid as long as the number of credits attempted is not more than 150% of the number of credits required for the student’s degree.

A transfer student may have earned credits at another school that will count toward his or her degree at JBU. Only transfer credits that apply to the student’s degree will count as part of the 150% maximum.

Qualitative Requirements

In order to pass the qualitative requirements, the student must achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least a 2.0 (“C” average) or must have an academic standing consistent with JBU’s requirements for graduation.

Appeal Process

The determination of each student’s meeting the quantitative requirements for satisfactory academic progress will be made annually following the conclusion of the spring semester. If a student fails to pass at least 67% of the credits attempted, has attempted more than 150% of the number of credits required for completion of his or her degree, or has fallen below a cumulative GPA of 2.0, then the student must appeal for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility. If the students appeal is approved, the probationary period only lasts one semester. The student’s satisfactory academic progress is checked upon completion of the probationary period.

If a student does not successfully meet the satisfactory academic progress policy guidelines, the Financial Aid Director will notify the student in writing of their financial aid suspension status. The student may submit a written appeal to the Director of Financial Aid within 30 days of the time that the student is notified of his or her financial aid suspension. Financial aid eligibility appeals will be reviewed by the Admissions/Financial Aid Committee on a case-by-case basis.

The financial aid eligibility appeal is a separate process from the registrar’s appeal process for academic suspension. A successful appeal to reinstate a student to the university after academic suspension by the Registrar’s Office does not necessarily reinstate a student to the financial aid programs.

Addendum to Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Appeal due to mitigating circumstances: This section of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy gives some examples where allowances may be made for mitigating circumstances. These examples are not all-inclusive. The committee may allow other mitigating circumstances on a case-by-case basis depending on the merit of the appeal:

1. Death in the family or death of a close friend.
2. Serious illness of a family member.
3. Medical complications or prolonged illness of the student.
4. Inability to attend classes because of unexpected lack of transportation.
5. Serious financial problems requiring excessive hours of employment.

How do the following affect Satisfactory Academic Progress determinations?

1. Withdrawal: a withdrawal (‘W’) is counted as an attempted class that was not successfully completed.
2. Incomplete: an incomplete (‘I’) is counted as an attempted class that was not successfully completed.
3. Repeated course: a repeated course is counted as attempted and successfully completed if a passing grade was earned.
4. Transfer course: transfer courses are counted as attempted and completed if the course work is applicable to the student’s JBU degree.
5. Non-credit remedial course work is not applicable at JBU.