Financial Aid Eligibility

Several eligibility requirements exist to ensure you make progress towards earning your degree in a timely manner. Review the requirements and your rights and responsibilities as you are responsible for the following information.

• Participation Requirements
• Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Verification
• Withdrawing From a Course 

To receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid, you will need to:

• Have a high school diploma or GED
• Be enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program
• Be registered with the Selective Service, if you are a male between the ages of 18-25
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Not be in default on a loan or owe a repayment on a grant at any institution
• Not have been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs while receiving Title IV aid
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

If you hold one of the following statuses, you are an eligible non-citizen and can complete the FAFSA:

• U.S. national
• Permanent resident
• Arrival-Departure Record indicating one of the following: refugee, asylum granted, Cuban-Haitian entrant (status pending), conditional entrant (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980), parolee
• Battered Immigrant Status
• T-visa or parent holds a T-1 visa
• Citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau

• Federal Pell Grant
  • Equivalent of six academic year seeking first Bachelor’s degree
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loan
  • $23,000 maximum
  • Cannot exceed more than 150% of your published program length
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
  • $31,000 (including Federal Direct Subsidized Loans) – dependent undergraduate
  • $57,500 (including Federal Direct Subsidized Loans) – independent undergraduate and dependent undergraduate students whose parent was denied a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
  • $138,500 (including Federal Direct Subsidized Loans) – graduate

Saint Joseph's - Lancaster provides information on the student's rights, responsibilities and reporting resources as a financial aid applicant, financial aid recipient and loan awards. 

Explore Your Right & Responsibilities  

Beginning of the semester

At the beginning of each semester, your instructor will be asked to confirm your attendance in the course. Federal regulations require us to confirm you are attending or participating (in the case of an online class) before we can apply your financial aid to your account.

If your instructor indicates that you are not attending/participating, your academic advisor will contact you to determine your plans for the semester.

End of the semester

If you were to receive all nonpassing grades (F, W, Z, or I), you may be required to prove participation in the course since your financial aid is paid to you with the assumption you will pass each of your courses.  If proof cannot be provided, a portion of your financial aid may need to be returned.  This is called an unofficial withdrawal.

The number of credit hours you register for can affect your aid. Making sure you enroll in enough credits is important to receiving all financial aid. Each financial aid program has different enrollment requirements. In order to qualify for financial aid, you generally need to be registered at least half time.

*The Federal Pell Grant has a sliding scale of the minimum enrollment in order to qualify. Use the Federal Pell Grant Calculator to determine your minimum enrollment level based upon your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

**Each lender has their own enrollment requirements. Generally lenders require at least half time enrollment. Check with your lender for your specific requirements.