Financial Aid Programs and Policies

While the primary responsibility for financing a college education rests with the student and his or her family, Rockhurst University has designed a financial assistance program for students who would be unable to attend without such aid. Awards are also made in recognition of academic achievements and the particular talents or ability of the student applicant. The Director of Financial Aid is responsible for coordination of the total financial aid programs.

Financial assistance is awarded to supplement the family’s contribution when family funds are not sufficient to cover educational costs. The University attempts to meet a student’s established financial need through a combination of gift aid (scholarships and grants), and self-help (loans and employment). For new students, funding preference is given to full-time students who complete the application process by March 1 prior to the award year.

Determination of Need-Based Financial Aid Eligibility

Rockhurst University utilizes the need analysis information from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to establish financial need. All students applying for financial aid based on need must complete the FAFSA need analysis form each year and designate Rockhurst University to receive the processed application. Need is determined by subtracting the family (student and parent) contribution as calculated on the FAFSA from the cost of education. The cost of education includes tuition and fees, room and board and allowances for books, transportation, personal expenses and loan fees. The student’s need will be met with grants, scholarships, loans or employment, either singly or in combination.

Eligibility for University Scholarships & Grants

The following assumptions apply to Rockhurst University scholarships and grant awards:

1. Institutional aid awards are available to full-time students day only (enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester) who are in good academic standing. To qualify for federal aid, a student must be registered as at least a half-time student. Students must be degree seeking or certificate seeking. (Adjustments in aid resulting from enrollment changes will not be made past the first two weeks of school in conjunction with the university’s policy of charge adjustments.)
2. Students who have earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for institutional scholarships and grants.
3. Scholarship amounts are locked in at the time of enrollment, subject to renewability criteria.
4. Scholarship renewal is determined at the end of each academic year. Students enrolled in summer school have their renewal grade point average (GPA) commuted following the summer session. Scholarships can be renewed, but not lost
   because of summer school.
5. Students applying for renewal of need-based aid must reapply each year by filing the FAFSA. 
6. University funds are available for only four years or eight semesters, except nursing students who receive funding from Research College of Nursing during their junior and senior years, and students receiving athletic scholarships (maximum of 10 semesters). Transfer students will have aid eligibility determined by taking the eight semesters eligibility and subtracting the number of semester hours transferred from the prior school divided by 15. Transfer students will be advised individually regarding their remaining aid eligibility.
7. Students who have previously attended Rockhurst University, and who are readmitted or return following a leave of absence, will be classified as a transfer student for the purpose of scholarship eligibility if they have earned more than 12 hours since their last term of attendance at Rockhurst University. Students who have earned 12 or fewer hours since their last term of attendance re-enter under the criteria of any academic scholarship that they previously received, subject to available funding.
8. The maximum gift aid award will not exceed the total tuition (12-18 hours), room and board for students receiving need-based financial assistance, residing on campus. Federal, state and other rules (such as athletic conference) may also apply. For all other students, the maximum gift aid award will not exceed tuition and fees (12-18 hours). Any combination of college grants and scholarships will not exceed tuition. Refer to the Residence Life section in this catalog and “Room and Board Plans” on the Rockhurst University website, www.rockhurst.edu for additional information.
9. Federal Stafford loan eligibility is established by filing the FAFSA each year. Loan amounts are determined by class standing at the time of initial enrollment.

10. The Financial Aid Office is the only office at Rockhurst University authorized to offer financial aid to students. Only awards originating from this office will constitute a commitment on behalf of the university. Recommendations for scholarships can be made by faculty or staff, and these recommendations are considered before the award is sent.

Nursing Students

Freshman and sophomore nursing students apply to and receive financial assistance from Rockhurst University. Rockhurst scholarships do not renew for the junior and senior years. Junior, senior and Research College of Nursing students apply to and receive financial assistance from Research College of Nursing. More information is available in the Research College of Nursing Catalog.

Coordination of Financial Aid

Any financial aid awarded is subject to review in light of assistance received from outside organizations or agencies. Funds received from outside sources that exceed the limits of gift and need based aid will be coordinated to first reduce the loans and/or work funds and then college/grant scholarships. Each award will be evaluated and adjustments made within university and program guidelines. Students will not receive a refund based on gift-aid only unless specified by the outside agency granting the award that creates the refund.

Financial Aid for Study in Off-Campus Programs

A student eligible to receive aid from Rockhurst University may continue to receive aid, if eligible, for approved off-campus study, such as internship. The students must be enrolled for credit at Rockhurst University in order to receive assistance. In no case will aid be greater than aid awarded for equivalent on-campus course credit.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress to Maintain Financial Aid Eligibility

Financial aid from any source is provided for only one academic year at a time. Aid sources will provide aid to full-time students for only two semesters as a freshman, two semesters as a sophomore, two semesters as a junior and two semesters as a senior. Financial aid can be renewed each year provided the student remains in good academic standing, shows financial need on the FAFSA or demonstrates continued talent or academic achievement as stipulated in the original entering award.

A degree-seeking student at Rockhurst University is considered to be in good academic standing if he or she completes a reasonable number of credit hours toward a degree each academic year and maintains the minimum cumulative GPA for good standing as shown below. The minimum cumulative grade point averages required for good standing are as follows:

Note: Students must complete at least 30 hours per year in order to advance to the next student level and earn additional loan eligibility. In order to complete the 128 hours required for an undergraduate degree in four years, a student should take a minimum of 16 hours per regular semester, 32 hours annually.

A full-time eligible student is expected to complete a degree in four academic years. Full-time students (enrolled in 12 or more semester hours) must earn a minimum of 24 semester hours per academic year. Graduate and part-time students must complete 80% of all hours attempted.

Transfer students must comply with the Rockhurst standards for satisfactory academic progress in credit hours and GPA and then reviewed each semester thereafter. Transfer hours will be included in the number of hours completed. Students readmitted to Rockhurst University or returning from a leave of absence are subject to any academic progress requirements in force at the time of their last enrollment at the university. The following are not considered as credits successfully completed: “F” grades, “I” incompletes, “W” withdrawals and “AU” audits. In the case of repeated courses, the course will be counted only the last time attempted. However, all students are required to be in good standing and earn a minimum of 48 semester hours by the end of the second academic year to retain eligibility for financial aid. In no case will federal financial aid eligibility be extended to any student who is enrolled beyond 150% of the published length of the program study.

Each student’s progress will be reviewed at the end of each semester to determine satisfactory academic progress. Students not meeting the standard for a particular term will be placed on financial aid warning, receive a one-semester financial aid award, and be notified in writing by the Director of Financial Aid. Financial aid warning consists of the summer term and the semester following placement of warning. Students have a one-semester grace period to make up academic deficiencies. Students on financial aid warning who fail to meet the standard by the end of the next semester will be placed on financial aid suspension until all academic progress requirements are met. No institutional, state, or federal financial assistance eligibility can be certified until academic deficiencies are satisfied.

A student whose federal or college aid is terminated due to failure to comply with this policy may appeal the aid termination to the Financial Aid Committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing to the Director of Financial Aid explaining any mitigating circumstances that caused the student’s academic progress to be less than the requirements, supported with documentation. The Financial Aid Committee will inform the student of their decision concerning the appeal within 30 working days after receipt of the appeal. Decisions of the Financial Aid Office are final.

Once financial aid eligibility has been terminated due to lack of satisfactory academic progress, the student must make up all deficiencies in cumulative grades and/or credit hours earned for his or her academic level before financial aid eligibility will be reinstated. Only Rockhurst courses can be used to make up deficiencies in cumulative grades point average, but courses that are pre-approved for transfer credit can make up deficiences in hours.

Payment of Awards

In most cases, one-half of the aid award is applied to the student’s account for each semester. The billing statement from the university’s Business Office will reflect the student’s charges and financial aid. Earnings from campus employment are not credited toward that balance due, but are paid to the student as earned.

The university may terminate Federal Work Study employment at any time for failure to perform duties satisfactorily; the university is released from its obligation to find replacement employment. Work assignments terminated for this reason will not be replaced with any other form of financial aid funds. Termination of employment may jeopardize future campus employment opportunities, as the number of campus jobs available is limited.

Withdrawals and Refund

Students who withdraw prior to completion of a semester are subject to the University’s policy concerning withdrawals and refunds. See “Refund Policy ” in the Tuition and Fees section of this catalog. To secure a refund, students must complete the withdrawal process prescribed by the university. See “Changing Enrollment ” in the Enrollment Policies section of this catalog. For students receiving financial aid, the refund will first be repaid to the Title IV programs, state grants and institutional funds in accordance with existing federal regulations and institutional policy in effect on the date of withdrawal with respect to the various types of aid. If any additional refund is appropriate, the funds will be repaid to the student. Under no circumstances will a refund of institutional dollars be made. It is possible that students who withdraw will still have an outstanding balance due to the university that must be paid.

Return of Title IV Aid

The federal student financial aid refund and repayment requirements do not apply to a student who withdraws from some classes, but continues to be enrolled in other classes; they only apply when the student (1) fails to attend classes for the period of enrollment for which he or she was charged, or (2) withdraws, drops out, takes an unapproved leave of absence, fails to return from an approved leave of absence, is expelled, or otherwise fails to complete the period of enrollment for which he or she is charged. These rules do not apply to students who have not received federal student financial aid funds for the enrollment period in question.

Refund

Refund is defined as the unearned amount of institutional charges that must be returned to the federal student financial aid accounts, other sources of aid, and the student, for a student who has received federal student financial aid and who has ceased to attend school. The earned aid is the difference between the amount paid towards institutional charges and the amount Rockhurst can retain.

Repayment

Repayment is the unearned amount of a direct disbursement to a student, who has ceased attendance, which must be paid back.

Overaward

If Rockhurst determines that a student received a disbursement of financial aid in excess of the living expenses that could have been reasonably incurred while still enrolled, then a portion of the disbursement was not earned and must be repaid by the student to the student financial aid programs.

Federal Work Study funds are never included in the refund, repayment, or overaward determination process.

Refund and repayment amounts must be distributed according to the specific priority prescribed in the law and regulations:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Federal PLUS Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. Other Title IV Funds
8. Other federal, state, private, or institutional sources of aid.
9. The student

NOTE: If you owe a repayment, you will not be eligible to receive any federal financial aid at any school in the future until repayment has been made.

Repayments from student financial aid recipients must be distributed as follows:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan
3. Federal Perkins Loan
4. Federal PLUS Loan
5. Federal Pell Grant
6. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
7. Other Title IV Funds

Funds returned to any student financial aid program may not exceed those received from that program.

Renewal and Adjustment of Aid

Financial aid must be renewed each year. In addition to specific requirements of the federal financial aid programs, students must apply each year by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or by notifying the Financial Aid Department that they do not intend to file the FAFSA. The aid processor makes Renewal FAFSA information available to all prior year applicants each year. The FAFSA should be filed as soon as possible after January 1, preferably when completed tax information for the preceding calendar year is available. Students should apply online at www.fafsa.gov.

Priority awarding consideration is given to all aid applications completed no later than March 1 of the year prior to fall enrollment. Students may apply for financial assistance anytime during the academic year. A completed financial aid file consists of a valid FAFSA need analysis and all required verification documentation, if selected. In addition, the student must also be registered for classes.

Each student must be able to document the information submitted on the need analysis (FAFSA) with income tax forms and/or other data required by the university or federal government prior to the receipt of Federal Title IV financial aid (Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Work Study, Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Direct Stafford Loan). Documentation requested must be provided to the Financial Aid Office prior to the end of the semester for which it is requested; any additional deadlines established by the U.S. Department of Education shall also apply. Failure to complete verification will result in the withdrawal of all need-based aid funds. Students whose application information must be corrected will be notified by the Financial Aid Office as to the corrections required.

Award adjustments may occur at any time during the year and result from such reasons as: adjustments to the financial need calculations due to a change in the family’s financial condition, errors by the family or university, additional funds available for award or reduction in funds from outside sources.

The Financial Aid Office will review a student’s expected family contribution (EFC) if the student and/or family experience a significant change in their financial circumstances. An increase in need will not necessarily result in an increase in the financial aid award. Such adjustments depend upon funds available at the time the request for review is made. Therefore, notification of change in financial circumstances should be made as soon as they occur.

Right to Appeal

All students have the right to appeal or reject any aid awarded by the university and to appeal any award decisions to the Financial Aid Committee. Appeal of the financial aid award must be submitted in writing to the Director of Financial Aid. The Financial Aid Committee will inform the student of their decision concerning the appeal within a reasonable time following its receipt. Send appeals to:

Director of Financial Aid
Financial Aid Office
Rockhurst University
1100 Rockhurst Road
Kansas City, MO 64110-2561

Federal and State Aid Programs

Federal Programs 

• Federal Pell Grant: Awards may range up to $5,550 based on need and federal funding.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG): Awards are given to undergraduate students with exceptional financial need based on availability of federal funding. FAFSA must be received by March 1 of each year for consideration. Preference is given to full-time students.
• Federal Work Study: Campus employment opportunities are provided for many students who work approximately 8-10 hours per week and earn minimum wage: limited availability. FAFSA must be received by March 1 of each year for consideration.
• Federal Perkins Loan: Annual loans of up to $4,000 may be made based on need and availability of funding. Repayment begins 9 months after enrollment ceases at 5% interest. FAFSA must be received by March 1 of each year for consideration. Available to under graduate and graduate students. Funding is limited. Preference is given to full-time students.
• Federal Direct Stafford Loan (Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized): Low interest loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students. Students may qualify for either a subsidized Stafford Loan (interest does not accrue until after graduation) or an unsubsidized Stafford Loan (interest begins accruing immediately). The federal government, for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans, retains an origination fee, deducted proportionately from each disbursement. Interest rates on these loans are variable based on the 91-day Treasury bill, but not higher than 8.25%. Interest rates are set July 1 for the upcoming school year. Loan amounts vary dependent upon class standing, the level of demonstrated financial need and previous loan history. Freshman, 0–29 hours, $3,500; Sophomore, 30–59 hours, $4,500; Junior/Senior, 60+ hours, $5,500; Graduate $20,500. A minimum of half-time status is required for eligibility.
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan: These loans are available to parents with good credit histories for educational costs for undergraduate students not met by other financial aid and are not need-based. The federal government retains an origination fee deducted proportionately from each disbursement. Repayment begins 60 days after the final disbursement; the interest rate is variable, capped by 9.0%. Interest rates are set July 1 for the upcoming school year. A FAFSA needs to be filed each year for the loan to be disbursed.

State Programs

• Missouri Higher Education Academic Scholarship (Bright Flight): Annual award for Missouri undergraduate students scoring in the top 3% of Missouri high school students taking the ACT or SAT. Applications for Bright Flight are available from the high school guidance counselor. Scholarship renewable with full-time enrollment and cumulative GPA of 2.0. Application deadline is June 1.
• Missouri Teacher Education Scholarship: $1,000 for Missouri undergraduate students who rank in the top 15% of their high school class and plan to major in teacher education are eligible. Applications are available from the high school or state. Not renewable. Application deadline is March 1.
• Robert C. Byrd Honors: $1,500 for first-time freshmen who score in the 90th percentile on the ACT/SAT and rank in the top 10% of their high school graduating class. Applications available from the high school. Students must be enrolled full time. Not renewable. Application deadline varies by state.
• Missouri Marguerite-Ross Barnett Scholarship: Amount varies. Awarded to Missouri residents enrolled part-time who are employed and are compensated for a minimum of 20 hours per week. Applications are available from the Missouri Coordinating Board of Higher Education, (314) 751-6635.
• Access Missouri Grant: Amount varies. Awards are given to Missouri residents based on need. FAFSA must be received by April 1 of each year for awarding. Students must be enrolled full-time and maintain a 2.5 cumulative GPA.

University Aid Programs

• Academic Scholarships: Academic scholarships ranging in value from $6,500 to full tuition are awarded on the basis of GPA, test scores, class rank and in some cases the student’s demonstration of leadership or outstanding community service. Academic scholarships are renewable based on specific GPA requirements for each. See the Financial Aid Office for current scholarships and corresponding deadlines.
• Talent Scholarships: These are available in the areas of fine arts, forensics and athletics and awarded based on auditions, interviews and recommendations from the sponsoring talent area. Awards are renewable based on ability and participation as determined by the designated faculty in the College of Arts & Sciences and maintenance of a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at the end of each academic year.
• College Grants: Grants that vary in value are available based on need or other specific criteria. Available Endowed Scholarships are funded by the interest earned on the University’s endowment accounts. Restrictions apply on these scholarships as specified by the donors.
• College Employment: In addition to Federal Work Study, Rockhurst provides institutionally budgeted work opportunities on campus. Students in the campus employment program work approximately 8-10 hour per week and earn minimum wage; availability is limited.

Employment Opportunities

Career Services assists students and alumni in defining their talents and interests, identifying career goals and exploring career opportunities. Professional staff is available to meet one-on-one to refine the tools used during the application process and discuss students’ career search strategies.

Hiring for on-campus University Work-Study positions is coordinated by Career Services with eligibility for employment determined by the Financial Aid Office. Students who do not qualify for the University Work-Study Program can also seek local part-time positions through Career Services.

The Goppert Cooperative Education Program offers undergraduate students the opportunity to gain practical work experience within their field of study while getting paid and gaining academic credit. For more information, contact the Assistant Director of Career Services.

Important Information

The information contained in the Financial Aid section of the catalog is provided for information purposes only and is not a contract or an offer to contract. Rockhurst University reserves the right to change the information or conditions contained herein without prior notice.