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FINANCIAL AID

Located in Room 224 of Lambdin Hall, the Financial Aid Office facilitates the process of identifying, applying for, and securing various forms of financial assistance for students. To contact the Financial Aid Office, call (678) 359-5990 or write:

Students may apply for a variety of grants and loans through the Financial Aid Office. Some of the more common forms of financial assistance are briefly described below. Please contact the Financial Aid Office for more information on the aid programs available to students.

The HOPE Scholarship

• Due to frequent changes to the HOPE Scholarship program, students are encouraged to visit the following website to obtain the most current information on HOPE policies and procedures:
  
  www.gacollege411.org

Satisfactory Academic Progress

A student must maintain satisfactory academic progress in a course of study in accordance with the standards and practices used for federal Title IV programs by the postsecondary institution at which the student is enrolled. To determine student eligibility, the institution must apply the same satisfactory progress policy as used for federal Title IV programs.

Selective Service Registration

A student must meet federal Selective Service registration requirements prior to the application deadline.

Default and Refund

A student must not be in default on a federal Title IV or State of Georgia educational loan, nor owe a refund on a Title IV or State of Georgia student financial aid program, nor in any other way be in violation of the federal Title IV or State of Georgia Student Aid Regulations. If the student has repaid the defaulted loan or refund in full, he or she is eligible to receive HOPE assistance beginning with the term in which repayment was made in full, but not for previous terms.

Drug-Free Act

A student is ineligible if, in accordance with the Drug-Free Postsecondary Education Act of 1990, he or she has been convicted for committing certain felony offenses involving marijuana, controlled substances, or dangerous drugs. A student is ineligible to receive a HOPE Scholarship from the date of conviction to the completion of the next academic term. Institutions are not required to obtain criminal justice records of HOPE applicants.

GED Voucher

• Georgia residents who have received a GED after June 30, 1993, may receive a $500 one-time voucher through the HOPE program. This voucher can be used for educational expenses at Gordon College.

Other Scholarships

• Many companies, foundations, religious organizations, and clubs offer scholarships to qualified students. Information on these scholarships can be obtained from these organizations as well as the Internet and most large bookstores.

Gordon College Foundation Scholarships

• A limited number of scholarships are awarded yearly by the Gordon College Foundation. Applications are available in the Admissions Office and the Office of the Vice President for Advancement.

Federal Pell Grant

• The Federal Pell Grant is available to undergraduate U.S. citizens (or eligible non-citizens) who demonstrate financial need as determined by a Congressional formula. The total amount of the grant is determined by the cost of attendance, expected family contribution, and enrollment status.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant

• The Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is available to undergraduate students who show exceptional financial need. Federal funding for this grant is limited.

Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan

• The Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan is a long-term, low interest loan that is available to undergraduate and graduate students. For new borrowers the loan is guaranteed at a fixed interest rate. The rates are fixed on July 1st of each year and are valid for loans disbursed between July 1st and June 30th of that calendar year. Eligibility for this loan is based on financial need, academic level, and prior indebtedness as determined by a Gordon College Financial Aid Counselor. The federal government subsidizes the interest before the loan repayment period.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan

• The Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan is not based on financial need. For new borrowers the loan is guaranteed at a fixed interest rate. The rates are fixed on July 1st of each year and are valid for loans disbursed between July 1st and June 30th of that calendar year. The borrower is responsible for the interest for the life of the loan, as the federal government does not subsidize it.

Service Cancelable Loan

• Nursing students may apply for a service cancelable loan. To apply, a student must (1) be a Georgia resident, (2) be enrolled in an applicable Nursing Program and (3) have an acceptable grade point average. A student who has received one (or more) of these loans may cancel the loan obligation by working as a full-time Registered Nurse for one year for each year funds were borrowed. Employment must be with a qualifying agency in the state of Georgia. Funding for this loan is limited.

Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students

• The federal government sponsors Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (FPLUS) for families needing additional loan assistance. FPLUS funding is limited to the parents of dependent students. Financial need is not required.

Federal Work Study

• The Federal Work Study program is designed to provide employment opportunities for students with financial need. Employment opportunities are available both on-campus and off-campus with the pay not less than the federal minimum hourly wage. Students’ work schedules are coordinated by the student and supervisor to accommodate the student’s class schedule. The total amount of Federal Work Study awarded is based on the federal funding for the program, the student's financial need, and the amount of aid the student receives from other programs.

*Please Note* - for information on other types of financial aid, please visit the financial aid web page on the Gordon College website. 

Financial Aid Application Procedure

To apply for grants, loans, or part-time employment opportunities, students must complete the appropriate Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students wishing to receive only a HOPE scholarship may apply for this by completing the GSFAPPS application. Both the FAFSA and GSFAPPS application may be completed on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov (FAFSA) or www.gacollege411.org (GSFAPPS). If you fill out the FAFSA, you are not required to complete a separate HOPE application, as the FAFSA will fulfill this requirement. Students must also complete other forms or applications as required by the Gordon College Financial Aid Office.

Financial Aid Application Deadlines

You may apply for financial aid for the following fall semester beginning in January of each year. It is extremely important that you begin the application process as early as possible to ensure that you meet applicable deadlines as established by the Financial Aid Office. In order to be guaranteed that a student’s financial aid is in place at the beginning of the appropriate semester, the Financial Aid Office must have a complete and accurate file on record by the following deadlines:

Fall Semester - May 1

Spring Semester - October 1

Summer Semester - April 1

Nursing and Teacher Education students will be notified of applicable deadlines concerning the service-cancelable loan program.

Financial Aid Policy

• For financial aid purposes, students enrolled in 12 or more semester hours are classified as enrolled full-time; students enrolled in 9-11 semester hours are classified as enrolled three-quarter time; students enrolled in 6-8 semester hours are classified as enrolled half-time; students enrolled in 1-5 semester hours are classified as enrolled less than half time. Some grant programs and all loans require a minimum of half-time enrollment.
• Financial aid is limited to course work required for the declared major as stated in this catalog. Financial aid is not available for audit courses.
• Only the first 30 semester hours of Learning Support course work attempted will be considered in determining aid eligibility.
• Students cannot use one-credit applied music courses to meet full-time (12-hour) status to receive full financial aid.
• Provisionally admitted students are not eligible for financial assistance.  Transient students should contact their home institution to coordinate their financial aid with Gordon College.  A student cannot receive federal financial aid at more than one school during the same enrollment period. Gordon College does not accept or issue consortium agreements for federal financial aid.
• Any financial assistance a student expects to receive from any outside source must be reported to the Financial Aid Office.  This includes scholarships, grants, loans, and veteran’s benefits. The receipt of additional aid may result in the reduction or cancellation of existing financial aid awards.
• The Financial Aid Office uses the student's permanent home address that is on record with the Registrar's Office for all correspondence.
• Students who pre-register for classes should note the payment deadline provided with their registration materials.
• To receive financial aid, a student must: (1) be enrolled at the College, (2) maintain satisfactory academic progress according to the standards of the College; (3) not owe a refund on any grant or be in default on any educational loan; (4) not have borrowed in excess of the loan limits under the Title IV programs at any institution.
• Students receiving financial aid who find it necessary to withdraw from the College or drop below 6 hours must notify the Financial Aid Office of this action. Refund and repayment policies for financial aid recipients established by the U.S. Department of Education, Georgia Student Finance Commission and Gordon College will apply.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Gordon College Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is available on the Financial Aid web page at the following link:  http://www.gdn.edu/FinancialAid/policies.asp.

Policy For Reestablishing Financial Aid Eligibility

In order to regain eligibility for financial aid, a student must meet one of the following criteria:

1. A student may regain eligibility by attending school at his or her own expense until he or she meets the criteria as outlined in the Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress for students receiving financial aid. The standards are reviewed at the end of each summer semester. A student cannot reestablish eligibility simply by being out of school for a set amount of time or by paying for a set number of classes out-out-pocket, as outlined in the Federal Student Aid Handbook. This also applies to students who have been suspended from Gordon College, and are applying for readmission to the college.
2. A student may appeal his or her SAP status by completing the appropriate financial aid appeal form, and submitting the completed form along with the appropriate documentation to the Gordon College Financial Aid Office. In order to submit an appeal, a student must have circumstances that fall into the following categories:
   1. Death in the family
   2. Family or personal illness that resulted in the student having to withdraw from school.
   3. Loss of employment that resulted in the student having to withdraw from school.
   4. Loss of transportation that resulted in student having to withdraw from school.
   5. Other extenuating circumstances that can be documented. These appeals will be accepted at the discretion of the Financial Aid Appeals Committee.
   Appeals submitted without documentation will not be reviewed by the Financial Aid Appeals Committee. Such appeals will be returned to the student.

Federal Refund Policy

*Please Note:  This information is subject to change due to pending federal regulations.

All students receiving financial assistance who formally withdraw or who stop attending classes and receive grades of W and/or WF are subject to regulations regarding the return of funds to the aid program.

The refund date is determined by the withdrawal date.

Federal refunds are made in the following order:

1. Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Stafford Loan
3. Parent Plus Loan
4. Pell Grant
5. Academic Competitiveness Grant
6. Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
7. Other Title IV Programs

Note: Refunds for students receiving the HOPE scholarship with no federal aid are distributed to the HOPE scholarship program. Students receiving both the HOPE scholarship and federal aid may owe a refund of federal funds and HOPE scholarship funds.

The student must return unearned aid for which he/she is responsible by repaying funds to the applicable aid program (s).

The federal Return of Funds policy uses the following steps:

Refund Example: The following example of a refund calculation is based on a commuting student paying $756 in tuition and fees.

The student received $887 in a Pell Grant (Title IV) for the term. The student received no other aid. The student withdrew on the 8th day of a 111-day term.

Step 1 - Amount of Student’s Title IV Aid for the term=$887.00

Step 2 - Percentage of Title IV Aid Earned/Unearned:

Step 3 - Amount of Title IV Aid Earned by the Student:

Step 4 - Title IV Aid to be returned:

Step 5 - Return of Funds by the School:

Step 6 - Return of Unearned Title IV Aid from the Student:

Other Financial Aid Information is available on the Gordon College web site at www.gdn.edu.

Veterans' Benefits

The Registrar’s Office will assist veterans who are eligible for federal educational benefits by facilitating the process of applying for the federal educational benefits and by maintaining proper liaison with the Veterans Administration (VA).

Students who are eligible for Veteran Benefits are responsible for paying fees directly to the College and meeting payment deadlines applicable to all students. Payment of Veteran Benefits normally begins 30 to 45 days after the College certifies the student’s enrollment for the semester. Attendance is strictly enforced for students receiving Veterans Benefits. Upon being absent from a class three consecutive weeks in a fall or spring semester, two consecutive weeks in a full session summer semester, or one week in a half session summer semester, the College is responsible for reporting the student to the VA. Failure to attend classes on a regular basis will result in reduction or loss of benefits for the semester.

Students receiving Veteran Benefits who withdraw from the College or reduce academic course loads are required by the Veterans Administration to report such action promptly to the Certifying Official in the Registrar’s Office.

All questions and concerns involving Veteran Benefits should be directed to the VA Certifying Official in the Registrar’s Office.

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