Financial Aid Policies, Refunds and Forms

Note:  Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for financial aid purposes vary from the Saint Joseph’s University General Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress, as well as those standards set by individual academic programs.   Additionally, academic decisions/appeals approved by the BOSAR (Board on Student Academic Review) are independent of Title IV (Federal) SAP appeal decisions.   View the University's general standards for satisfactory academic progress here.

SAP guidelines for financial aid renewal vary depending upon the type of financial aid:

• SJU Grants & Scholarships:  Full-time undergraduates must complete at least 24 credit hours per academic year. Additionally, students must stay in general good academic standing to have their University merit scholarship renewed each year. Additional renewal requirements (i.e., maintaining full-time undergraduate enrollment status and the eight-semester limit) remain in place. The cumulative GPA is the calculation of all grades received while an undergraduate student at Saint Joseph’s University.  Should a student’s cumulative GPA fall below the requirement, the following adjustments are made to SJU merit scholarships awarded:
• 20% reduction for the next academic year

Should a student continue to fall below at the end of the next academic year:

• an additional 5% totaling 25% reduction for the next academic year, but never going lower than 75% of original amount.

Should a student obtain the required year-end cumulative GPA, the original scholarship will be reinstated for the next full academic year (i.e.-beginning with fall semester).   

• PA State Grants: Successful completion of 24 credits for every two semesters of full-time PA State Grant aid received (12 credits/year for part-time students).
• Title IV/Federal Financial Aid (Pell Grants, Federal Direct Student Loans, SEOG Grants, Federal Work Study and Federal Direct PLUS Loans).

Saint Joseph’s University is required, by federal guidelines, to monitor students’ satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of their degree.  Students cannot receive federal aid for a timeframe greater than 150% of the standard required time it typically takes to complete the degree (example:  Maximum of 12 semesters for a four-year bachelor’s degree student attending on a full-time basis.  See chart below).  The University has the authority to set its own SAP standards; however, the standards must include both qualitative and quantitative standards. Students must meet both standards.  SAP is measured at the end of each academic year, once spring grades are posted, in order for federal financial aid to be renewed the following semester/academic year.  Credits from the preceding summer may count toward SAP.  SJU does have the authority to evaluate and grant a reprieve, on a case-by-case basis, to students who are not meeting the standards.

The Saint Joseph’s University Title IV SAP Policy for Undergraduates is as follows:

Quantitative Standard

Successful completion of 70% of all attempted credits* for prior academic year.  See definition of Earned Credits and Attempted Credits below.

Example: If a student attempts 30 total credits in an academic year, he/she must minimally successfully pass (no F grades) 21 credits for that given academic year. 21/30=70%

Qualitative Standard

• Less than 61 credits completed toward degree: 1.8 cumulative GPA
• 61 or more cumulative credits completed toward degree:  2.0 cumulative GPA

Maximum Hours to Earn Degree: To quantify academic progress, a school must set a maximum time frame in which a student is expected to complete a program. For an undergraduate program, the maximum time frame cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program measured in credit hours attempted.

*Earned Credits:  Credits earned toward degree completion. This includes transfer credits, advanced standing and advanced placement credits and repeat courses. It does not include courses assigned a grade of: F, FA, I, W, X (audited) courses.

*Attempted Credits: Includes all transfer credits that apply toward one’s degree program, English as a Second Language (ESL) and SJU-registered credits, including Pass/No Penalty courses and courses from which a student enrolled but subsequently withdrew (courses for which a student is registered for at the conclusion of the formal drop/add period do count toward attempted credits). Does not include audited (non-credit) courses. Repeat courses count in attempted and earned credits.

Academic Progress measurement includes all semesters and is measured at the end of the spring semester. Students beginning their program in the spring semester will be evaluated based on their academic performance during their first spring semester and at the end of each subsequent spring semester. Also, the satisfactory progress standards are cumulative and will include all semesters of the student’s enrollment, even those for which the student did not receive financial aid.

Failures and withdrawals do count as “attempted credits”, not “earned credits”. Incompletes are not counted toward credits completed until after the coursework is successfully completed and a grade is posted by the Registrar’s Office. Repeat courses will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress.

Students who fail to meet either the quantitative or qualitative standard of the Title IV SAP policy will be notified via email by the Financial Aid Office after information on academic progress becomes available at the end of the academic year (late May/early June). Students who fail to meet either the quantitative or qualitative standard will not be eligible for Title IV (federal) financial aid until all requirements have been met. This academic progress determination will supersede any financial aid package for the upcoming year which may have been offered to the student at that point. Under no circumstances will financial aid be awarded retroactively to the semester(s) in which the SAP requirements were not met.

While credits completed in a preceding summer may count toward SAP, keep in mind, credits completed at another college/university are not counted toward one’s SJU GPA.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure official transcripts reflecting the grades and credits completed have been properly submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Also, if the courses are taken outside of Saint Joseph’s University, a Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere Form, must be submitted prior to enrolling in the course.

If a student has not met Title IV SAP standards and receives Title IV (federal) financial aid, the student must submit an Academic Recovery Plan which should be formulated with input from both the student and his/her academic advisor, staff from the Advising Center, PASS/Rebound mentor or Success Center Staff member.  Submit your Academic Recovery Plan online, via the Academic Recovery Plan Service Request.

The appropriate Associate Dean/Program Director will review the submitted form to determine if the Academic Recovery Plan has been approved.  If approved, those students receiving federal financial aid will be placed on federal financial aid “probation” and will be permitted to continue receiving federal financial aid for the upcoming academic year.  Students approved for “federal financial aid probation” will be notified by the Financial Aid Office via email.  Typically, no more than two Academic Recovery Plans are approved in a student’s SJU career, and, generally, subsequent, consecutive academic year appeals are not approved unless highly extenuating circumstances exist.  For a student’s Academic Recovery Plan to be considered, it must be submitted by the first day of classes of the traditional semester for which the student is requesting federal aid.

The Associate Dean or designee is responsible for collecting the documentation and approving the Academic Recovery Plan.  Approved appeals/plans, and all supporting documentation, must be sent by the Associate Dean and/or designee to the Financial Aid Office to be scanned into the student’s permanent record.

Please note: The mere passage of time will not automatically restore Title IV aid eligibility to a student who has lost eligibility for failure to make satisfactory progress.

Also, students who have been academically dismissed from the university but who are subsequently given permission to re-enroll are not automatically eligible to continue to receive Title IV aid. Re-admission decisions are completely separate from Title IV financial aid determinations.

Access the SAP Recovery Form

• As expressed in years: students are normally expected to complete an undergraduate degree by the end of 4 years of full-time study. Therefore, students will forfeit their eligibility to participate in Title IV (federal) financial aid programs after 6 years of full time enrollment (4 x 150% = 6).
• Credits successfully completed from the preceding summer can count toward the quantitative standard measurement.
• Withdrawals/Administrative Withdrawals: Grades of W and WA are counted as courses attempted and count toward the maximum time frame.
• Audited Courses: Students do not earn any academic credits for audited courses. They do not count in the calculation of "attempted credits."
• Pass/No Penalty Courses: These credits do count in the calculation of “attempted credits” and “earned credits.”
• Transfer credits accepted for the student's academic degree or certificate program are counted when measuring the maximum time frame to complete the degree or certificate. Transfer credits are not counted toward a student’s SJU cumulative GPA.
• Double Majors and/or Minors: Students who are pursuing a double major or minor will normally be expected to complete all degree requirements before reaching 180 attempted hours.
• Change in Majors: Students who change their majors will normally be expected to complete all degree requirements before reaching 180 attempted hours.
• Attempted credits are those hours for which students were still officially registered at the conclusion of each semester's Add/Drop period. Withdrawals are counted as “attempted credits” when reviewing student’s satisfactory academic progress.

Note:  Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards for financial aid purposes vary from the Saint Joseph’s University General Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress, as well as those standards set by individual academic programs. Additionally, academic decisions/appeals approved by the academic department, program director or Dean are independent of Title IV (Federal financial aid) SAP appeal decisions.  SAP is measured annually after the spring semester. Generally, this will consist of two semesters of academic credit (prior fall and spring semesters), but may include a preceding summer as well.  

Graduate SAP Guidelines for Financial Aid Renewal

SAP guidelines for financial aid renewal vary depending upon the type of financial aid.

• SJU Scholarships: Refer to specific GPA/enrollment guidelines outlined in scholarship notification letter for any merit scholarships offered.
• Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid: See Title IV SAP policy below for renewal requirements for federal financial aid (Federal Direct Stafford Loans, GradPLUS Loans).

SAP guidelines for financial aid renewal vary depending upon the type of financial aid.

• SJU Scholarships: Refer to specific GPA/enrollment guidelines outlined in scholarship notification letter for any merit scholarships offered.
• Title IV (Federal) Financial Aid: See Title IV SAP policy below for renewal requirements for federal financial aid (Federal Direct Stafford Loans, GradPLUS Loans).

Saint Joseph’s University is required, by federal guidelines, to monitor students’ satisfactory academic progress (SAP) toward completion of their degree.  Students cannot receive federal aid for a timeframe greater than 150% of the standard required time it typically takes to complete the degree (example:  Maximum of 9 semesters for a two-year master’s degree student attending on a fall/spring/summer basis).  The University has the authority to set its own SAP standards; however, the standards must include both qualitative and quantitative standards. Students receiving Title IV (federal) financial aid must meet both standards to continue to receive federal aid (Federal Direct Stafford Loans and Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans).  SAP is measured at the end of each academic year, once spring grades are posted, and must be reviewed in order for federal financial aid to be renewed the following semester/academic year.  Credits from the preceding summer may count toward SAP.  SJU does have the authority to evaluate and grant a reprieve, on a case-by-case basis, to students who are not meeting the standards.

The Saint Joseph’s University Title IV SAP Policy for Graduate Degree and Certificate Students is as follows:

Quantitative Standard

• Successful completion of 50% of all attempted credits* for prior academic year. See definition of Earned Credits and Attempted Credits below.

Example: If a student attempts 18 total credits in an academic year, he/she must minimally successfully pass (no F grades) 9 credits for that given academic year. 9/18=50%

Qualitative Standard

• 3.0 cumulative GPA

Maximum Hours to Earn Degree: To quantify academic progress, a school must set a maximum time frame in which a student is expected to complete a program. For a graduate student, the maximum time frame cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program measured in credit hours attempted.

*Earned Credits:  Credits earned toward degree completion. This includes transfer credits and repeat courses. It does not include courses assigned a grade of: F, FA, I, W, X (audited) courses.

*Attempted Credits: Includes all transfer credits that apply toward one’s degree program, English as a Second Language (ESL) and SJU-registered credits, including Pass/No Penalty courses and courses from which a student enrolled but subsequently withdrew (courses for which a student is registered for at the conclusion of the formal drop/add period do count toward attempted credits). Does not include audited (non-credit) courses. Repeat courses count in attempted and earned credits.

Academic Progress measurement includes all semesters and is measured at the end of the spring semester. Students beginning their program in the spring semester will be evaluated based on their academic performance during their first spring semester and at the end of each subsequent spring semester. Also, the satisfactory progress standards are cumulative and will include all semesters of the student’s enrollment, even those for which the student did not receive financial aid.

Failures and withdrawals do count as “attempted credits”, not “earned credits”. Incompletes are not counted toward credits completed until after the coursework is successfully completed and a grade is posted by the Registrar’s Office. Repeat courses will be evaluated for satisfactory academic progress.

Students who fail to meet either the quantitative or qualitative standard of the Title IV SAP policy will be notified via email by the Financial Aid Office after information on academic progress becomes available at the end of the academic year (typically late May/early June). Students who fail to meet either the quantitative or qualitative standard will not be eligible for Title IV (federal) financial aid until all requirements have been met. This academic progress determination will supersede any financial aid package for the upcoming year which may have been offered to the student at that point. Under no circumstances will financial aid be awarded retroactively to the semester(s) in which the SAP requirements were not met.

While credits completed in a preceding summer may count toward SAP, keep in mind, credits completed at another college/university are not counted toward one’s SJU GPA.  It is the student's responsibility to ensure official transcripts reflecting the grades and credits completed have been properly submitted to the Registrar’s Office. Also, if the courses are taken outside of Saint Joseph’s University, a Permission to Take Courses Elsewhere Form, must be submitted prior to enrolling in the course.

If a student has not met Title IV SAP standards and receives Title IV (federal) financial aid, the student must submit an Academic Recovery Plan which should be formulated with input from both the student and his/her academic advisor, Dean or program director.  To access the Academic Recovery Plan form, click here.

The Associate Dean for the respective program will review the submitted form to determine if the Academic Recovery Plan will be approved.  If approved, those students receiving federal financial aid will be placed on federal financial aid “probation” and will be permitted to continue receiving federal financial aid for the upcoming academic year.  Students approved for “federal financial aid probation” will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid via email.  Generally, no more than two Academic Recovery Plans are approved in a student’s SJU career, and, generally, subsequent, consecutive academic year appeals are not approved unless highly extenuating circumstances exist.  For a student’s Academic Recovery Plan to be considered, it must be submitted by the first day of classes of the semester for which the student is requesting federal aid.

The Associate Dean for the respective program will review the submitted form to determine if the Academic Recovery Plan will be approved.  Approved appeals/plans, and all supporting documentation, must be sent by the academic advisor, Dean or program director to the Financial Aid Office to be scanned into the student’s permanent record.

Please note: The mere passage of time will not automatically restore Title IV aid eligibility to a student who has lost eligibility for failure to make satisfactory progress.

Also, students who have been academically dismissed from the university but who are subsequently given permission to re-enroll are not automatically eligible to continue to receive Title IV aid. Re-admission decisions are completely separate from Title IV financial aid determinations.

• Credits successfully completed from the preceding or following summer can count toward the quantitative standard measurement.
• Withdrawals/Administrative Withdrawals: Grades of W and WA are counted as courses attempted and count toward the maximum timeframe.
• Audited Courses: Students do not earn any academic credits for audited courses. They do not count in the calculation of "attempted credits."
• Pass/No Penalty Courses: These credits do count in the calculation of “attempted credits” and “earned credits.”
• Transfer credits accepted for the student's academic degree or certificate program are counted when measuring the maximum timeframe to complete the degree or certificate. Transfer credits are not counted toward a student’s SJU cumulative GPA.
• Change in Majors: Students who change their majors will normally be expected to complete all degree requirements before reaching the 150% credit limit.
• Attempted credits are those hours for which students were still officially registered at the conclusion of each semester's Add/Drop period. Withdrawals are counted as “attempted credits” when reviewing student’s satisfactory academic progress.

1. Acceptance of certain types of aid requires compliance with the regulations governing that aid. These regulations are stated within the specific Program Descriptions. Non-compliance will result in cancellation of the aid.
2. Financial aid recipients (with the exception of the Alternative Loan program), must be enrolled on at least a half-time basis (i.e. minimum of 6 credits per semester) for the purpose of obtaining a Degree or Certificate.
3. Lack of academic progress, disciplinary probation or withdrawal from the University is cause of cancellation or reduction of aid. Satisfactory academic progress is defined in the University catalog.
4. Government-funded awards are made pending and subject to the receipt of government allocations. These awards are subject to revision due to mandated changes in Federal or State Regulation and/or allocation levels.
5. Recipients of Federal Aid must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen as defined by the U.S. Department of Education. Proof of eligible noncitizen status must be presented for verification to the Director of Financial Aid.
6. Most awards have been calculated for a full academic year. When all paper work is complete, the aid is credited by semester to the student’s account (Federal Work-Study earnings are NOT credited). One-half of the total award should be deducted from the bill for each semester. Parents and students are responsible for the amount of the bill in excess of the aid award. Most financial aid is awarded for one academic year (2 semesters)
7. Students should apply directly to the appropriate agency administering the state grant program. Financial aid package may not reflect the amounts expected from these sources until the Office of Financial Aid receives official notification from the state grant agency.
8. Financial aid received from outside sources and any changes in enrollment status MUST be reported to the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@sju.edu. This may require an adjustment in either the total amount and/or type of aid provided by the University.
9. The total amount of financial aid for students receiving Title IV funds cannot exceed the student’s financial need as determined by the needs analysis report from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Other forms of assistance are limited by the guidelines set by University policy and/or by the awarding agency.
10. All students receiving funds under the Federal Direct Loan Program for the first time must complete entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Loan recipients are also required to complete exit counseling interview online at studentaid.gov prior to graduation, withdrawal from all classes, or termination of study. It is the responsibility of each loan recipient to ensure that the appropriate exit counseling is completed before leaving campus.NOTE: If any funds are designated as grants or loans, they are need-based and students must REAPPLY for them each year. This publication is an informational brochure to help students understand their financial aid awards. Information in this brochure is subject to change and although every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information, the Office of Financial Aid is not liable for errors or omissions. Financial aid packages can be adjusted at any time according to changes in federal and institutional regulations.

IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO BORROW ANY FEDERAL LOANS, PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING SECTION BEFORE ACCEPTING YOUR AWARD

I understand the following information about my student loans:

• I must pay back my loans with accrued interest and deducted fees.
• I must repay my loans even if I don’t complete my education, if I am dissatisfied with my education, or if I am unable to get a job after I complete my program.
• I must repay my loans within 10 years, unless my loans are consolidated.
• I may prepay all or part of my loans without penalty.
• My minimum monthly payment for a loan is $50, but may be more depending on the amount borrowed.

In most cases, repayment will begin as follows:

• Federal Direct Loans- following a six-month grace period.
• Federal Plus Loans- within 60 days of the disbursement, unless a deferment option has been arranged.
• I must notify my school and lender within 10 days, if I:

° Change my name, address, telephone number, references, graduation date, social security number, transfer to another school, enroll less than half time.

• I will be notified in writing, if any of my loans are transferred to another holder. I must direct all future correspondence to that holder.
• If I qualify, I may apply for a deferment (a postponement of payments).
• If I do not qualify for a deferment and am unable to make payments on a loan, I may request forbearance from my lender. Forbearance is a special arrangement made for borrowers experiencing financial hardships.
• If I fail to repay a loan, I may be considered in default and the following may result:
  • My status may be reported to a national credit bureau and have a negative effect on my credit rating for seven years.
  • The entire unpaid amount of my loan, including interest, may become due and payable immediately.
  • I may lose repayment schedules and deferment possibilities.
  • My federal and state income tax refunds may be withheld.
  • My wages may be garnished.
  • I may be ineligible to receive any further federal or state financial aid funds

Verification is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Education and is the process of confirming information submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for various Federal Title IV Funds including the Federal Loan. Student applicants should be aware that this federal regulation requires them to submit tax data and other requested information to the Office of Financial Aid before processing of student loan applications and/or the awarding of funds. Students must submit the required information to complete the verification process no later than 45 days before the last day of the student’s enrollment.

Items to be verified include: adjusted gross income from the IRS form; U.S. income taxes paid; number of family members for whom parents provide more than half of their support; the number of children in post secondary schools who are enrolled at least half time; dependency status; untaxed income; eligible non-citizen status and any other item for which conflicting information has been submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Any change in eligibility as a result of verification will be noted in a revised award letter to the student.

Documents Required

• Student and parent’s or spouse prior year IRS Tax Transcript
• Verification Form
• Additional documentation may be requested. Please check The Nest

If the student or parent/stepparent/spouse did not file taxes, a signed non-tax filer statement and copies of all W-2 forms must be submitted. Non-taxable income verification may be requested.

To view your outstanding required documents for Federal Verification:

• Log into The Nest
• From the Home page, go to Administrative Services, Financial Aid, page
• Under Financial Aid Requirements select the appropriate Aid year.
  • Review document status: a Green circle with a check means your requirements have been satisfied.
• Please submit signed documents within 45 business days:
  • Securely upload documents through The Nest (click on the financial aid requirement and upload a .pdf or .doc version of the document).
  • Email to: finaid@sju.edu Fax at 610-660-1019
  • Hawk Hill campus: Drop off at the Financial Aid Office in Barbelin, Room 121.
  • University City location: Drop off at Griffith Hall, Room 100.

Verification form: This form is required for any student whose FAFSA was selected for Federal Income Verification. If selected, please complete the Verification Form and submit with required documentation. Verification documentation will differ based on a student’s verification type. Please confirm individual requirements listed on The Nest.

Students and families have the right and ability to select the education loan provider of their choice, are not required to use any of the lenders current students utilize, and will not be penalized for choosing another lender. Saint Joseph’s University will process a loan with any lender a borrower chooses. As a service to our students and families, Saint Joseph’s University can provide a historical list of lenders our students have successfully borrowed with over the past several years.

As the rationale for choosing a loan is complex, Saint Joseph’s urges families to use an educated approach to determine the best product for them. Criteria used for considering loan products:

• Loan terms including interest rates, loan fees, and approval rates
• Borrower benefit including guaranteed and earned benefits
• Loan Processing including electronic processing, ease of loan application, and loan approval times
• Customer service commitment to the borrower

Once a loan has been approved, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Financial Aid with the lender information.

Please feel free to contact The Office of Financial Aid if you have any questions.

In the administration of its student financial assistance programs Saint Joseph’s University (SJU) abides by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) Statement of Ethical Principles. In addition, Saint Joseph’s University has adopted a Code of Conduct for Financial Aid which can be found below.

Saint Joseph’s University abides by the following Code of Conduct, which is intended to comply and be interpreted in conformity with the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008:

Loan Award and Certification

• Saint Joseph’s University shall not assign any first-time borrower’s education loans, through award packaging or other methods, to a particular lender.
• Saint Joseph’s University shall not refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender or guaranty agency.

Ban on Receipt of Gifts

• No officer, employee or agent of Saint Joseph’s University shall solicit or accept any “gift” from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of education loans. “Gift” includes any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan or other item having monetary value of more than a de minimus amount.
• This prohibition also applies to gifts to family members of the above individuals when the gift was given with the knowledge and acquiescence of such individual and the individual has reason to believe the gift was given because of such individual’s official position.

Ban on Revenue-Sharing Arrangements

Saint Joseph’s University will not enter into any “revenue-sharing arrangement” with any lender. A “revenue sharing arrangement” is an arrangement whereby the University recommends a lender of educational loans, and then in exchange, the lender pays a fee or provides other material benefits, including revenue or profit-sharing, to the University, or an officer, employee or agent of the University.

Ban on Contracting Arrangements with Lenders

No officer or employee of Saint Joseph’s University who is employed in the Office of Financial Aid of the University or otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans, or an agent who has responsibilities with respect to education loans, shall accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.

Ban on Offers of Funds for Private Loans

Saint Joseph’s University shall not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans for students, including funds for an “opportunity pool loan,” in exchange for the institution providing concessions or promises to provide the lender with: (i) a specified number of loans made, insured or guaranteed; (ii) a specified loan volume; or (iii) a preferred lender arrangement.

An “opportunity pool loan” means a private education loan made by a lender to a student attending the University or a family member of the student, that involves a payment, directly or indirectly, by the University of points, premiums, additional interest, or financial support to the lender for the purpose of the lender extending credit to the student or the student’s family.

Ban on Staffing Assistance

Saint Joseph’s University shall not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center staffing or financial services office staffing. However, this prohibition does not preclude requesting or accepting assistance from a lender related to: (i) professional development training for financial aid administrators; (ii) providing educational counseling, financial literacy or debt management materials to borrowers that identify the lender who assisted in preparing or providing the materials; or (ii) staffing services on a short term, nonrecurring basis to assist the University with financial aid-related functions during emergencies.

Ban on Compensation for Service on Advisory Board

No employee who is employed in Saint Joseph’s University’s Office of Financial Aid, or who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to education loans or other student financial aid of the University, and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group of lenders or guarantors, shall be permitted to receive anything of value from the lender, guarantor, or group of lenders or guarantors, except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred in serving on such advisory board, commission, or group.

The Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), as part of the federal Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2021 (CRRSAA), provided money to colleges and universities to prevent, prepare and respond to COVID-19. For information on funding received and distributed by Saint Joseph’s University, visit sju.edu/heerf.

Log into The Nest

• Go to the Home page.
• Select: Administrative Services
• Select Financial Aid
• Select the appropriate aid year in the upper right hand corner
• Go to the Award Offer tab to accept/decline aid
• You will need to read each tab before you can accept award offer
  • Select “Resources/Additional Information” and complete the Cash Management Statement.
  • Select Terms and Conditions
    • Only if you are selected for verification will you need to accept the statement before you can accept your aid.

Please note that federal aid (Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Federal Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans), PA State Grant aid and alternative student loans will show as “pending” in The Nest until the funds disburse.  Federal aid does not disburse to student accounts until 1-2 days following the add/drop period each semester.  (i.e.-January 22 is the spring 2020 disbursement date). 

PA State Grant aid (PHEAA Grant) does not disburse to student accounts until typically a month into the semester, once the state has issued the funds to the University.

Refunding of credit balances from federal aid will begin after the add/drop period, which is approximately 2 weeks after each semester begins.  Please note: beginning fall 2019, for students enrolled for 0 credits in module 1 and 6 credits in module 2, loans will not disburse until after the drop/add period for the module 2 course.  Then, refunds will be processed within 10 business days.  Paper checks will be sent to the permanent home address unless direct deposit is set up through The Nest: How can I sign up for Direct Deposit for my Tuition Account Refund?

If you have direct deposit, you will receive an email notification once your refund is processed. If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, a paper check will be mailed to your permanent address on file the following week. We highly encourage all students to enroll in direct deposit through The Nest, as this will aid you in getting your refund faster. Please note that refunds on Parent Loans are issued directly to the parent borrower.

Please expect a minimum of 10 business days to process all tuition account refunds. Tuition credit balances resulting from an overpayment of a personal check will require 30 days wait period before the tuition account refund process begins.

Saint Joseph's University processes refunds to students for the following reasons:

• When a student's total payments (from federal aid, scholarships, out-of-pocket payments, etc.) exceed their total charges.
• When a student has paid their tuition account and withdrawals from courses during the refund period.

Refunds involving Military Tuition Assistance will be determined by a review completed by the University's School Certifying Official(SCO). Any unearned TA funds will be prorated and returned to the Dept. of Defense, or respective military branch, based on the percentage of tuition charged as determined by the last date of attendance. Students that have earned up to 60% of their funds, for the term period that the military had paid for, will not have their tuition assistance prorated.

Attention Undergrad Day Students: The above schedule only applies if you withdraw from ALL courses.