When a student's parents are divorced, separated or were never married, both are expected to provide financial aid information. Noncustodial parents must submit the Noncustodial PROFILE each year.
All noncustodial parents must submit a signed copy of the most recent U.S. federal tax return, both personal and business, all pages, schedules and W-2 Forms to the College Board Institutional Document Imaging Service (IDOC). The amount of a noncustodial parent's contribution is based on the College's determination of ability to contribute to the cost of education and not on willingness to do so. The College is not bound by family agreement or court agreement in the awarding of its own private funds. The custodial parent and step-parent, if any, must supply financial information on the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE. See "Forms Required to Apply for Financial Aid from the College."
Note: If the student only wishes to apply for Federal Direct Stafford Loans, the CSS PROFILE, CSS Noncustodial Profile and the CSS Noncustodial Parent's Statement are not required. Tax returns and, when applicable, Non-Tax-Filer Statements must be submitted directly to Student Financial Services.
Bryn Mawr determines the expected parent contribution through a need-analysis formula applied to the information submitted on the FAFSA, the CSS PROFILE, the Noncustodial PROFILE and the federal tax returns. The need-analysis system considers the family's income, assets, living costs based on the size of the family, number of children in college and other information specific to the family situation.
A standard allowance for living expenses, based on the size of the family, is used in determining financial aid eligibility. Since families maintain different standards of living, the use of a standard allowance ensures that aid is distributed equitably among applicants. Differences in family circumstances and unusual necessary expenses, such as very high uninsured medical bills, may be considered. Siblings in graduate school and parents in college are not considered.
The parent contribution measures a family's ability to absorb educational costs over time. Most families will use a combination of current income, savings, educational loans and a payment plan to meet the family contribution. Descriptions of these programs are available in this handbook, and in other materials mailed to admitted students.
Bryn Mawr students are expected to contribute to the cost of their education, and to apply for federal and state aid programs. The minimum expected contribution from summer savings is $2,400 for first-year students. Incremental increases for upperclass students may be expected annually. A student who chooses not to work, is unable to work or unable to save from summer earnings may be able to borrow to fill the gap or to work more during the academic year. The College will not offer additional grant assistance to replace the summer savings obligation, nor will the College replace state grant funds forfeited due to a late state grant application. Each student is expected to contribute at least one-fourth of any personal assets held in her name at the time of her initial application for each year that aid is received.
A student's eligibility for need-based aid is the difference between the total cost of education and the expected family contribution.
Cost of Education
- Expected Family Contribution
____________________________= Need
Bryn Mawr will meet eligibility through the following types of assistance: Federal Work-Study, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Bryn Mawr Grant, and in some cases, Federal Perkins Loan. Student Financial Services may estimate the student's eligibility for federal and state assistance. College policy requires that federal and state grants, tuition benefits and entitlements replace an equal amount of Bryn Mawr Grant and/or FSEOG Grant. The total amount of aid the student receives, including outside scholarships, cannot exceed the eligibility for aid or, in the case of non-need-based aid, the total cost of education.
Applicants may appeal a financial aid award by submitting a written request to Student Financial Services Appeal Committee. Appeals will be considered if the family submits additional information that was not originally considered, or if there is a documented change in family circumstances. Appeals that require an exception to College policy will be referred to a standing committee that consisting of members of the President's cabinet and chaired by Student Financial Services.
Awards may be revised or canceled if a student withdraws; enrolls less than full-time; changes housing status; has a change in family circumstances; provides information on the FAFSA that differs from other documents received; or receives outside assistance.
Students who enroll less than full-time must report all enrollment changes to Student Financial Services each term. Students who do not live on campus must notify Student Financial Services of their housing status and may be asked to provide their off-campus living expenses. If documented off-campus living expenses are lower than on-campus costs, the student's cost of attendance will be adjusted downward and her aid adjusted accordingly.
Students must report outside assistance, including employer tuition benefits, to Student Financial Services, so the additional assistance can be incorporated into their Bryn Mawr aid eligibility.
Grant Adjustments: Since Bryn Mawr meets full demonstrated need, any additional grant or scholarship aid the student receives will replace a portion of the Bryn Mawr award. The College applies the following formula to outside scholarships: All received outside scholarships are added together. $500 is subtracted from the total. The resulting total is divided in half. Half of the remainder replaces the same amount of Bryn Mawr Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) dollar for dollar. Example: two outside scholarships for $1,000 each will reduce Bryn Mawr Grant by $750. In the event that a student's full demonstrated need is met entirely by grant assistance, any additional outside scholarship assistance will replace Bryn Mawr College Grant and/or FSEOG funds dollar for dollar. College policy does not allow Student Financial Services to use outside grant assistance, including employer tuition benefits, to replace the parent or student expected family contribution.
Please note that College policy requires federal and state grants, tuition benefits and entitlements to replace an equal amount of Bryn Mawr Grant and/or FSEOG.
Self-Help Adjustments: Once a student's grant has been adjusted to allow room for additional outside assistance, her award will be further revised, if necessary, to lower federal loan and work study awards to prevent a federal over-award. Reductions will be made in this order: Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Subsidized Direct Loan, Federal Work Study.
A federal over-award occurs when a student is receiving more need-based aid than her demonstrated need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education from the information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If a federal over-award occurs, causing a student to lose eligibility for the Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program, Student Financial Services will advise her of any eligibility remaining under the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program. Students are encouraged to keep their borrowing to a minimum and to borrow less after receiving outside scholarships. However, they will be invited to make this choice.
A student who loses eligibility for Federal Work Study because of an outside scholarship may still have the option to work on campus, depending on the availability of jobs, scheduling, and current College Student Employment policy.
Many announcements about local community support are made after the College's initial financial aid award offer. Students receiving outside scholarships must inform Student Financial Services as soon as possible so they can make necessary adjustments and provide notification of award changes.
Outside scholarships are not credited to the student's billing account until the College receives funds from the donor.
Students must reapply for financial aid each year of enrollment by submitting the CSS PROFILE, the Renewal FAFSA, and the CSS Noncustodial PROFILE (if applicable). Signed copies of the student and parent federal tax returns, both business and personal, with all pages, schedules and W2 Forms must be submitted to the College Board Institutional Document Service (IDOC). Need-based awards are not automatically renewed. Eligibility for need-based financial aid (including federal loans) is assessed annually. The financial aid deadline for continuing students is April 15th. Only students who applied for financial aid from the College as freshmen will be considered for grant assistance from the College in subsequent years of enrollment.
The College cannot guarantee that a continuing student will receive 100 percent of her determined eligibility if her application is received after the April 15 deadline.
Continuing students must register at www.collegeboard.com and complete the CSS PROFILE on line. A student may call CSS at 1-305-829-9793 with filing questions. The Bryn Mawr CSS Code is #2049.
The quickest way to complete the Renewal FAFSA is online using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Alternatively, a continuing student may obtain a paper FAFSA by calling 1-800-433-3243. The Bryn Mawr Federal Code is #003237.
The CSS Noncustodial PROFILE is available online at NCPROFILE.collegeboard.com.
All applicants must apply on time to their state scholarship programs each year. Some states will send grant applications. Bryn Mawr College will not replace forfeited state grants.
Tuition and fee increases are customary, and are used in determining the renewal award amounts. The family contribution is reassessed each year on the basis of the new information supplied on the FAFSA, CSS PROFILE and supporting documents. The level of financial aid may change as a function of increased College costs and changes in family circumstances. The amounts and types of aid also depend on the amounts of federal and other funds that are made available to the College every year.
Financial aid will normally be offered to students for eight semesters only. A student may appeal for a ninth semester of aid if there is a mitigating reason, such as a medical leave of absence.
Only students who are approved to study abroad by the Foreign Studies Committee may receive financial aid funding for Junior Year Abroad (JYA) programs. To receive funds, students must demonstrate eligibility. Applications for financial aid must be completed and returned by April 1. Scholarships from sponsoring agencies awarded to students studying abroad will reduce the amount of the College's JYA grants.
For purposes of federal aid only, Bryn Mawr College will consider students independent who meet the federal criteria. To determine if the student meets the federal definition of independent status, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete the Dependency Status Worksheet.
For purposes of Bryn Mawr's institutional grant, if a student receives aid as a dependent of her parents in her first award year, she will be considered a dependent for all subsequent years at Bryn Mawr. For purposes of institutional support, this status will not change, regardless of family relationships or a change in family relationships once the student has entered college.
If a student believes she qualifies for aid as an independent student, she should write a letter addressed to the Director of Student Financial Services.
Awards will be credited to students' accounts when the College has received all of the following:
Verification is the process of confirming the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA. Federal regulations require the College to complete verification for students selected by the federal processor, and to resolve any information that appears to be conflicting on the application. To comply with these regulations, please refer to detail regarding federal verification here:
Until verification is complete, Bryn Mawr cannot credit a federal grant or loan to the student account; the student cannot be employed under the Federal Work Study Program; and Student Financial Services will not certify a Federal Direct Stafford Loan application.
Verification is complete when all requested documentation has been submitted and reviewed for accuracy. Verification requirements should be complete within 30 days of the initial request, but no later than 120 days after the last day of the student's enrollment.
If changes are made to the student's award during the verification process, Student Financial Services will send a revised award letter or notify the student by e-mail that changes have been made and can be viewed electronically through her virtual Bryn Mawr account. More detailed information may be found at http://www.brynmawr.edu/sfs/federal_verification.html
Undergraduate
Satisfactory Academic Progress for the continuation of federal and institutional financial aid is monitored per semester by the Committee on Academic Standing. Undergraduate students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards are notified by the Dean's Office. Undergraduate financial aid recipients who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards also receive notification from the Office of Student Financial Services. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for Undergraduates can be found on the Dean's webpage: http://www.brynmawr.edu/deans/special_arrangemts/acad_prob_req_wd.shtml
Students in the Graduate School of Social Work and Social Research
Satisfactory Academic Progress for the continuation of federal and institutional financial aid is monitored per semester by the Dean of the Graduate School of Social Work (GSSWSR). GSSWSR students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards are notified by the Dean's Office. GSSWSR financial aid recipients who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards also receive notification from the Office of Student Financial Services. The Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy for GSSWSR students can be found on the GSSWSR web page:
http://www.brynmawr.edu/socialwork/documents/GSSWSR_SAP_Policy_2011Dec20.pdf
Students in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences
Satisfactory Academic Progress for the continuation of federal aid is monitored by the Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. GSAS students who fail to meet the satisfactory academic progress standards are notified by the Dean's Office. GSAS financial aid recipients who fail to meet the minimum standard of academic progress also receive notification by the Office of Student Financial Services.
Students who are currently enrolled and are completing the FAFSA will encounter the question: "Have you been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid?"
Students who answer "Yes" will be asked an additional series of questions to determine if the conviction affects their eligibility for federal student aid.
Students convicted of a federal or state offense of selling or possessing illegal drugs that occurred while they were receiving federal student aid are advised to still complete and submit the FAFSA to determine if they will be eligible for any type of aid.
Students who leave question 23 blank cannot receive federal financial aid until they respond by making a correction to their FAFSA.
A student who has been convicted of possession or sale of illegal drugs loses Title IV eligibility for a period of time specified in law.
The period of ineligibility depends on whether the conviction was for possession or sale of (including conspiring to sell) illegal drugs.
For convictions involving possession, the periods of ineligibility are as follows:
For convictions involving sale, the periods of ineligibility are as follows:
Convictions only count if they were for an offense that occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving Title IV aid—they do not count if the offense was not during such a period. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside, or removed from the student’s record does not count, nor does one received when the student was a juvenile, unless the student was tried as an adult.
Regaining Eligibility
A student regains eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when the student successfully completes a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will make the student ineligible again. A student whose Title IV eligibility has been suspended indefinitely may regain eligibility only by successfully completing a drug rehabilitation program. A student who is under a one- or two-year penalty may regain eligibility before the expiration of the period of ineligibility by successfully completing a drug rehabilitation program. If the student successfully completes an approved drug rehabilitation program, eligibility is regained on the date the student successfully completes the program. It is the student’s responsibility to certify to the school that he/ she has successfully completed the rehabilitation program.
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To qualify the student for eligibility, the drug rehabilitation program must include at least two unannounced drug tests, and:
Students will be refunded 100% of their previously paid tuition, room and board, and college fee if the Registrar receives written notice that the student has withdrawn from the College or begun a leave of absence before the first day of classes.
Students withdrawing from the College or embarking on a medical or psychological leave of absence on or after the first day of classes, refunds of tuition, room and board occur according to a pro rata schedule up to 60% attendance. No refunds are processed for withdrawals after 60% of the semester. Fall and spring breaks are not included in the calculation of refund weeks. Note that Student Government Association dues are non-refundable.
The date the student began the withdrawal process by contacting the Dean's Office orally or in writing is considered the date of withdrawal for College refunds and for the return of Title IV funds. When a student continues to attend classes or other academically related activity after beginning the withdrawal process, the College may choose to use the student's last date of documented attendance at an academically related activity as the date of withdrawal. For a student who leaves the College without notifying the College of her intent to withdraw, the College normally uses the student's last date of documented attendance at an academically related activity as the date of withdrawal. If that date cannot be ascertained, the College will consider the midpoint of the enrollment period to be the date the student withdrew.
This policy applies to all students receiving Federal Pell Grants, Federal Stafford Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Iraq Afghanistan Service Grants, and in some cases, state grants.
When a recipient ot Title IV Federal grant or loan assistance withdraws or takes a leave of absence from the College during the semester, the College must determine per a federal formula, the amount of federal aid that the student may retain as of the withdrawal date. Any federal aid that the student is eligible to receive, but which has not been disbursed, will be offered to the student as a post-withdrawal disbursement. Any federal aid the student is not eligible to receive according to the federal refund policy will be returned to the federal goverment.
The student is entitled to retain federal aid based on the percentage of the semester she has completed. As prescribed by federal formula, the College calculates the percentage by dividing the total number of calendar days in the semester into the number of calendar days completed as of the withdrawal date. Fall and spring breaks are excluded as periods of nonattendance in the enrollment period. Once the student has completed more than 60% of the semester, she has earned all of the Title IV assistance scheduled for that period.
The amount of Title IV assistance not earned is calculated by determining the percentage of assistance earned and applying it to the total amount of grant and loan assistance that was disbursed. The amount the school must return is the lesser of:
The order of return of Title IV funds is:
If the College has issued a refund of Title IV funds in excess of the amount the student has earned prior to the withdrawal date, the student is responsible for repaying the funds. Any amount of loan funds that the student (or the parent for a PLUS Loan) has not earned must be repaid in accordance with the terms of the promissory note, that is, the student (or parent for a PLUS Loan) must make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time. Any amount of unearned grant funds is called an overpayment. The amount of a grant overpayment that the student must repay is half of the unearned amount. The student must make arrangements with the College or the Department of Education to return the unearned grant funds.
The calculation of Title IV Funds earned by the student has no relationshp to the student's incurred charges. Therefore, the student may still owe funds to the College to cover unpaid institutional charges.
A leave of absence is treated as a withdrawal and a return of Title IV funds may be calculated. A student may take a leave of absence from school for not more than a total of 180 days in any 12-month period.
The calculation of the TItle IV refund will be done by the Office of Student Financial Services.
The amount of the refund allocated to the Federal Stafford Loan and Federal PLUS Program will be returned by the College to the appropriate lender within 60 days after the student's withdrawal dates, as determined by the school.
The amount of the refund allocated to Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and Federal Perkins will be returned by the College to the appropriate federal program accounts within 45 days of the date the student offically withdrew or was expelled, or within 45 days of the date the College determined that the student had unofficially withdrawn.
The amount of the refund, if any, allocated to the student will be paid within 45 days of the student's withdrawal date or, if the student withdrew unofficially, the date that the Dean's Office determined that the student withdrew.
Eligibility for graduate grants at Bryn Mawr College is determined by
your graduate school (see Types of Financial Aid). To be eligible for federal
funds, you must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. national, or a U.S. permanent resident
with an I-551 or I-551-C Permanent Resident Card; meet satisfactory academic
progress standards; certify that you are not in default on a federal student
loan and do not owe a refund; comply with Selective Service registration. The
law suspends eligibility if you are convicted under federal or state law of
selling or possessing illegal drugs. Financial need is determined by subtracting
your expected family contribution (EFC) from your cost of attendance (COA). This
is the maximum amount of need-based financial aid you may receive. The EFC is
the amount you (and spouse) are expected to contribute toward educational
expenses. The EFC is determined by a U.S. Department of Education formula and is
calculated from the information you provide on your Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ Factors used in
determining the EFC include earned and unearned income, savings and assets,
family size, and number of family members attending college. The COA is an
estimate of your education expenses for one academic year. It includes tuition
and fees, books and supplies, and a living allowance. Other costs included when
appropriate.
COA is adjusted to reflect your enrollment status and if you attend for only
one semester.
For the 2010-11 school year, a regular graduate student’s estimated COA at 6
units for the year, was:
| Arts & Sciences | Social Work | |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Fees | $32,988 | $20,868 |
| Books & Supplies | $600 | $600 |
| Living Allowance | $18,240 | $18,240 |
Note: COA is subject to change
Financial Aid Award Notifications are sent to eligible students. This notification details the amounts and types of aid offered to you. Your enrollment is verified after the second week of classes. Enrollment that differs from the enrollment listed on the original award notification may require that financial aid awards be adjusted. Adjustments to awards may impact your bill. A revised award notification will be sent to you if adjustments are made to awards, verification results in corrections or if additional aid becomes available.
If you have accepted loan funds offered to you and have funds that exceed your tuition and fees, you will receive a refund check during the first week of classes. This refund may be used to pay for books and living expenses. If you change your enrollment status after the receipt of a refund check, you may be required to return all or a portion of the financial aid funds awarded (see the Withdrawal and Refund Policy). You will be notified if award adjustments have been made. If you do not have enough aid to cover your charges, you must pay the difference immediately to Student Financial Services or arrange a payment plan.
Withdrawing from a class or classes may affect the amount of fi nancial aid you are entitled to receive. Financial aid awards are based on the
number of units you are enrolled in per semesterand a change to your enrollment could chang your fi nancial aid award. If you intend to completely withdraw, you must submit written notice to your Dean.
Bryn Mawr’s refund policy will be applied if you receive institutional funds and withdraw completely from your courses. This policy requires Student Financial Services to determine if a portion of your institutional funds should be returned to the awarding program. Federal financial aid refund and repayment policies will be applied if you receive federal financial aid funds and withdraw completely from your classes. These federal policies require Student Financial Services to determine if a portion of your financial aid must be returned and/or repaid to the Title IV programs.
Per federal regulations, the Return of Title IV Funds Policy will be applied to all students who receive federal financial aid funds and completely withdraw from classes at or before the 60% point of the semester. Students must “earn” the financial aid that is received. The amount of aid earned is determined by the length of time you are enrolled. If you withdraw during the 60% period, you should expect that a portion of your financial aid funds will need to be returned. If you withdraw after the 60% point of the semester, you will have earned 100% of your financial aid funds. If a refund or repayment is required, federal funds will be returned to the programs in the following order: Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Direct Graduate PLUS, other Title IV programs.
Students have the right to know:
Students are responsible for:
Bryn Mawr College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, age or disability in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other College administered programs, or in its employment practices.
In conformity with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, it is also the policy of Bryn Mawr College not to discriminate on the basis of sex in its educational programs, activities or employment practices. The admission of only women in the
Undergraduate College is in conformity with a provision of the Act. Inquiries regarding compliance with this legislation and other policies regarding nondiscrimination may be directed to the Equal Opportunity Officer, who administers the College’s
procedures, at 610-526-5275.
Bryn Mawr College (the College) is committed to conducting its financial aid practices free from real or perceived conflicts of interest, and to providing students and their families information about financial aid so that they can make informed decisions about the financial aid choices best for them. Toward that end, and in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), which requires that higher education institutions participating in a federal student loan program develop, publish, administer and enforce a code of conduct with respect to financial aid and student loans, the College has adopted the following:
FSA Ombudsman
The Federal Student Aid Ombudsman was created by the Department of Education to help resolve disputes and solve other problems with federal student loans.
The Ombudsman's Service Line is
1-877-557-2575.
Fax number: 1-202-275-0549.
You may also write to:
U.S. Department of Education
FSA Ombudsman
830 First Street, NE
Fourth Floor
Washington, DC 20202-5144