Department Information

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Things to Know

Things you need to Know that impacts your eligibility for federal financial aid funds.

  • About Your Award
  • Cost of Attendance
  • Dependency Overrides
  • Repeat Classes
  • Special Circumstance
  • Student Loan Code of Conduct
  • Subsidy Limit
  • Verification
  • Withdraw and Financial Aid Funds

About Your Award

  • Any requested documentation MUST be submitted before funds can be disbursed.
  • Federal regulations require that, when including federal, state and institutional aid, your financial aid award does not exceed your Cost of Attendance (COA) budget. Your COA is available on the award page in My Stillman Self-Service. Any awards over this will be adjusted.
  • If you have pre-registered and plan not to attend the semester, you must have your classes removed prior to the beginning of the semester. If you attend classes, you are responsible for the amount of your bill that is not covered by financial aid funding.
  • You must attend class on the first day of the semester. Your enrollment must be verified before funds can be disbursed. If you do not attend on the first day of classes for the semester you plan to attend, you may lose your awards.
  • Your award is based on attending the Fall and Spring semesters. Summer awards are added at a later date. If awarded and you do not plan to attend, or plan only to attend one semester, please send an email with your name and ID to finaid@stillman.edu.
  • You must only take classes that are in your program of study. Federal Financial Aid funds will not pay for classes outside your program of study. In addition, for federal funds, you may only repeat a “pass” course once.
  • Funds disbursed based on attending hours and attendance verified. Hours from mini sessions are not counted until the mini semester starts.
  • All awards are awarded based on 12 or more credit hours per semester. However, the following awards disbursed based on a percentage of the award:
Attending Hours 12 or more hours 9 to 11.99 hours 6 to 8.99 hours 5.99 to 3 hours 2.99 and less
Federal Pell Grant
100%
75%
50%
25%
25%
Federal Student Loans
100%
100%
100%
0%
0%
  • If eligible, a student may receive the Federal Pell Grant for no more than 12 semesters of a full time enrollment (roughly six years).
  • Students awarded Federal Work-study must work first before receiving payment or funds being applied to student account.
  • If awarded the Alabama Student Grant, the award will disburse after funds are received from the State of Alabama. Funds usually arrive after the semester ends.  For students taking 6 to 11 credit hours, the grant pays $300 a semester.  For students taking 12 or more hours, the grant pays $1200 a semester.  The Alabama Student Grant application must be completed once, unless there is a break in enrollment during the fall and spring semesters.
  • Institutional Scholarships required students to be attending at least 15 hours and only used towards tuition and on-campus housing cost, unless otherwise stated on the scholarship agreement form.
  • Federal Student Loans must be accepted in My Stillman Self-Service.  In addition, first time students will need to complete the master promissory note and entrance counseling at studentaid.gov before funds can disburse.
  • Special admit, transient, and high school joint enrolled students are not eligible for federal and institutional funds. Transient students receive their federal award from their home institution.
  • Any refunds due as a result of federal funds (Pell, SEOG, federal student and parent loans) credited to your Stillman student account will be disbursed to you within 14 days of the date the funds were credited to your Stillman student account. Contact the Cashier’s Office if you have questions about your refund.
  • Refer to the Loan Disclosure Statement for the U. S. Department of Education and Self-Service for the expected student loan disbursement date. Disbursement notifications are sent by email to your Stillman campus email address after each loan disbursement.
  • If you withdraw before the 60% mark of the semester, federal funds will be adjusted based on the federal funds awarded for the semester times the percent attended for the semester. In some cases, state funds will be removed.
  • All students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) each semester to remain eligible for federal, state and institutional funds. That is:
    • Earn 67% of the cumulative hours attempted.
    • Maintain a cumulative GPA (1-29 earn hours, 1.7; 30-59 earn hours, 1.85; 60 or more, 2.0).
    • Do not exceed 150% of the hours to complete the program of study.
  • Awards are based on the current SAP calculation. SAP is calculated at the end of each semester. If suspended, aid may appear on My Stillman Self-Service. However, aid will not disburse until your SAP appeal is approved.
  • Parents of dependent students can apply for the Federal Direct Parent Plus Loan to help cover the cost.  Parents can apply at studentaid.gov.
  • Please check My Stillman Self-Service for changes to your award. An email will be sent when an adjustment is made.
  • You must complete a new FAFSA for the next academic year, starting October 1.

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the average cost to attend college for one academic year. The COA is different from school to school.  The COA includes direct cost and indirect cost.  Direct cost would be best known as cost expected to be paid to attend.  Direct cost includes tuition, fees, and room and board cost (if living in college housing).  Indirect cost would be expected unknown educational expenses not paid to the school that must be considered to calculate an award. Indirect cost includes estimated book, supplies, transportation, personal expenses, and room and board cost (if living off campus).

When determining the amount needed to pay out of pocket, subtract the expected financial aid award from the direct cost.  This will give you an estimated amount needed until actual numbers are provided.

Stillman College Financial Aid Expected Cost of Attendance* 2022-23

Per Semester

Per Academic Year

Tuition
$4,774
$9,548
Fees
$922
$ 1,844
Expected Room and BoardFull Meal Plan:
$4,791
$9,582
Expected Transportation
$900
$ 1,800
Expected Books and Supplies
$500
$1,000
Expected Personal Expenses
$750
$1,500

TOTAL

$25,274

$25,274

Students can view their individual cost of attendance on their My Stillman Self-Service portal. Please note the Cost of Attendance is an estimate of the cost to attend Stillman College. Students will have some variances based on their individual situation.

Dependency Overrides

The law governing Federal Student Aid (Title IV) categorizes students as “dependent” or “independent” based on the premise the student and parents have the primary responsibility for meeting the student’s educational costs. This premise applies even when the parents are not actually supporting the student.

The institution’s financial aid administrator is given the statutory authority to exercise “professional judgment” and declare a dependent student independent if he or she determines this action would be reasonable in light of documented unusual or unique circumstances.

NOTE: Parents refusal to contribute financially or unwillingness to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or the student not being claimed on the parent(s)’ Federal Tax Return, or the student showing self-sufficiency are not reasons to declare a student independent for Federal Student Financial Aid.

However, some unusual circumstances which qualify as reasons to declare a student independent may include, but are not limited to: parental abandonment of the student, leaving an abusive family environment which threatens the student’s physical/emotional health or safety, or a student’s inability to locate parents for a long-term and on-going basis.  

Students may complete the Special Circumstance form. 

All requests must be submitted by May 1st for the current academic year, for example, for the 2022-2023 academic year requests must be processed by May 1, 2023.  Requests are not processed during the registration period (the month of August and December 20th – January 20th).

Special Circumstance

Families facing severe financial problems due to job loss, medical expenses, foreclosure or business decline can request a review of their aid eligibility. This is called a Family Contribution Appeal and to request the appeal, complete the Special Circumstance form.

Circumstances that will be considered include:
 – Loss of income because of recent unemployment
 – High unreimbursed medical and/or dental expenses
 – Separation or divorce
 – Death of a parent or spouse
 – Loss of benefits

Evaluation of financial aid applications are handled through a review process using professional judgment by financial aid professionals in the Office of Financial Aid.  Any request to our office is considered using best professional practices and making such a request does not guarantee approval.  Financial aid regulations are subject to change through legislation or policy changes by the U.S. Department of Education.

All requests will be reviewed as they are received.  You should allow a minimum of three weeks for your request to be reviewed.

All requests must be submitted by May 1st for the current academic year, for example, for the 2022-2023 academic year requests must be processed by May 1, 2023.  Request are not processed during the registration period (the month of August and December 20th – January 20th).

Student Loan Code of Conduct

Stillman College participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program. This program includes the Direct Subsidized and Direct Unsubsidized Students Loans, and the Direct Parent PLUS Loan. Upon request from students and parents, private loans are also certified and processed for students. To comply with the 2008 Higher Education Opportunity Act, Stillman College has instituted a Student Loan Code of Conduct to ensure the integrity of the administration of all student loan programs. Stillman is committed to a fair and equitable process that is committed to the highest standards. To this end, Stillman adheres to the following principles:

  1. Prohibition on Revenue Sharing
    • Stillman College has instituted a ban on “revenue-sharing arrangements.” The Higher Education Opportunity Act defines a “revenue-sharing arrangement” as any arrangement between an institution and a lender under which the lender (1) makes loans to students attending the institution (or to the families of those students), (2) the institution recommends the lender or the loan products of the lender and, (3) in exchange, the lender pays a fee or provides other material benefits, including revenue or profit-sharing, to the institution, to its officers, employees, or agents.
    • No officer, trustee or employee of the College shall accept anything of value from any lending institution, guarantor, or servicer in exchange for any advantage or consideration sought by the lending institution, guarantor or servicer.

  1. Prohibition on Contracting Arrangements
    • No officer, trustee, or employee of the College will accept from any lender, guarantor or servicer any fee, payment or other financial benefit as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to or on behalf of a lender, guarantor or servicer.

  1. Prohibition on Offers of Funds for Private Loans
    • No officer, trustee, or employee of the College will request or accept from any lender, guarantor or servicer any offer of funds to be used for private educational loans, including funds for an “opportunity pool loan”, to students in exchange for the College providing concessions or promises to the lender, guarantor or servicer for a specific number of Title IV loans made, insured, or guaranteed, a specified loan volume, or a preferred lender arrangement. Prohibited financial benefits include (but are not limited to) revenue-sharing, fees, payments, printing costs or below-cost computer hardware or software, cash, gifts, stocks, expense-paid trips, entertainment, lodging, meals or travel costs.
    • An “opportunity pool loan” is defined as a private education loan made by a lender to a student or parent that involves a payment by the institution to the lender for extending credit to the student.

  1. Gift Restrictions
    • Officers, trustees and employees of the College are prohibited from soliciting or accepting any gift from a lender, guarantor, or servicer of educational loans. Gifts include (but are not limited to) any cash, gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, stocks, printing costs, below cost computer hardware or software, expense-paid trips or reimbursement for lodging, meals or travel to conferences or training seminars. Training materials are not considered gifts.

  1. Preferred Lender Lists
    • Stillman College participates in the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program which provides student and parent loans through the US Department of Education.
    • Stillman College currently does not utilize a preferred lender list for private educational loans. No lender is given a preferred status or is given any advantage in securing potential borrowers. Students and parents are free to select the lending institution of their choice.
    • Stillman College will not recommend, select, assign or refer a student to a particular lender or refuse to certify, or delay certification of, any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a particular lender. If in the future, Stillman College institutes a preferred lender list, this code of conduct will be revised to reflect the change.

  1. Advisory Board Compensation Rules
    • No Stillman College employee in the Office of Financial Aid, or an employee who otherwise has responsibilities with respect to educational loans, and who serves on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender, guarantor or servicer shall receive anything of value for such service.

  1. Staff Assistance
    • Stillman College shall not request or accept any staff assistance from any lender, guarantor or servicer in the entire Student Administrative Services Area including the Office of Financial Aid and the Call Center.

Verification

The U.S. Department of Education mandates schools to use the verification process to check the accuracy and completeness of data provided on the selected applicant’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The verification process is meant to ensure that federal student financial aid is disbursed equitably and according to Federal law and program regulation. The U.S. Department of Education or the school selects applications for verification.

It is the student’s responsibility to provide requested information so that the verification process can be completed.  Documents must be submitted by the end of the term or academic year for which the student is enrolled, whichever is sooner. The school is unable to disburse federal student financial aid until the verification process is complete.

Failure to complete the verification process may result in a student not being eligible for federal aid and will need other means to resolve institutional charges incurred. Failure to demonstrate the ability to pay by published deadlines may result in the student being dropped from registered classes and/or a late penalty fee assessed.

Verification may include (but is not limited to) a review of the following data for a student, a student’s spouse, or parents of a dependent student:

  • Adjusted Gross Income
  • Taxes Paid
  • Tax Filing Status
  • Income Earned from Work
  • Untaxed Income and Benefits
  • Household Size
  • Number in College
  • Receipt of SNAP (food stamps) Benefit
  • Child Support Paid and Received
  • Citizenship or Eligible Non-Citizenship Status, Veteran Status, and Social Security Number
  • High School Diploma / GED
  • Selective Service Registration
  • Default Loan / Bankruptcy Documentation
  • In addition, the verification process is used to resolve inconsistent or conflicting information.

The failure to provide the completed requested documents prior to the established deadline date may result in the following:

  • Delays in award package
  • Ineligibility of Title IV aid (Pell Grant, SEOG Grant and Federal Direct Loans)
  • Delay in the disbursement of Title IV aid

Important Note: If an applicant uses the FAFSA IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer federal income tax return data to the FAFSA without changing the transferred data, the applicant is generally not required to verify tax information.

In most instances, the Office of Financial Aid submits FAFSA corrections that it has determined to be inaccurate or incomplete, to the Central Processor (CPS). Occasionally the student will be asked to correct the FAFSA data by going to the StudentAid.gov. If changes made to the FAFSA impact the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), the new Student Aid Report sent by the CPS as a result of those changes will reflect the new EFC.

The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for checking all other eligibility criteria before packaging financial aid for the student. The Office of Financial Aid is also responsible for notifying the student of any changes made to an existing financial aid award package as a result of verification.

Stillman College is required to notify the U.S. Office of Inspector General if it suspects that a student, employee or another individual has misreported information or altered documentation submitted in order for a student to fraudulently obtain federal funds.

The verification process takes 5 days during non-peak time, 15 days during peak time, to process once all documents are received. In cases where a correction had to be made, the timing of the process starts over when the correction results return. Therefore it is important that all documents are received early.

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