Types of LEAD Financial Aid
Federal Pell Grant
A Federal Pell Grant is an award to help high need undergraduate students pay for their education. Eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant is determined by the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). An EFC must be 4995 or lower for a student to be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant.
Ohio College Opportunity Grant
An Ohio College Opportunity Grant is a state grant awarded by the Ohio Board of Regents to high need undergraduate students. To be eligible for the grant, a student must be an Ohio resident, be Pell eligible with an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) of 2190 or below, have a total household income of $75,000 or less, and be enrolled as a full-time student. The Ohio College Opportunity Grant is awarded to qualified students in the summer, fall and spring as long as they meet the required university enrollment criteria. This grant may only be applied to tuition and general fees.
Direct Loans
Direct Loans are guaranteed low-interest loans for both undergraduate and graduate students attending school at least half time. Subsidized loans are available to students who qualify based on need. Unsubsidized loans are not based on need or income. Therefore, students and families of all income levels have access to federally guaranteed funds for college. Eligibility is determined both by need and the number of transfer credit hours a student transfers into the program or number of credit hours earned.
Grade Level
|
Credit Hours
|
Subsidized
|
Unsubsidized
|
Total
|
| Freshman |
0-23 |
$3,500 |
$6,000 |
$9,500 |
| Sophomore |
24-55 |
$4,500 |
$6,000 |
$10,500 |
| Junior |
56-87 |
$5,500 |
$7,000 |
$12,500 |
| Senior |
88-124 |
$5,500 |
$7,000 |
$12,500 |
| Graduate |
125+ |
- |
$20,500 |
$20,500 |
**Dependent students are only eligible for subsidized loan amounts and partial unsubsidized loan amounts.
***Graduate students are only eligible for Direct Unsubsidized Loans.
Alternative Loans
Important information for students planning to borrow a private education loan: Because of new Federal regulations, the time that it takes to process a private education loan has increased. Lenders are now required to collect more paperwork from you. In order for your private loan to be processed on time, you must begin the application process sooner than in the past.
For information on private education loans (alternative loans), please see the FastChoice Website .
The lenders and loan options presented were selected for the excellent terms and benefits they provide to borrowers. Our institution has worked with these lenders in the past, and previous borrowers had positive experiences working with them.
To determine which lenders and loan options to present, we use strict criteria based on your interests and not those of our institution. We recognize only those lenders who provide you with exceptional customer service, excellent incentives (e.g., low interest rates, no origination fees, and loan principal reductions), timely processing, and electronic funds transfer capabilities when possible.
All of the information provided on the Loan Options page is reviewed annually to ensure that the benefits that lenders offer continue to adhere to our criteria. Any loan options that no longer adhere to our criteria are removed, and new loan options that meet our criteria are added. At least three lenders will be presented to you at all times.
You are free to select any lender and loan option, including those not presented. If you choose a loan option that is not presented, please follow the provided instructions to complete the application process. Application processing will not be delayed unnecessarily if you choose a loan option not presented.
We maintain professional relationships with all lenders. Our officials are prohibited from accepting financial or other benefits in exchange for displaying lenders and loan options in FASTChoice. These include: receiving compensation to serve on any lender board of directors or advisory boards; accepting gifts including trips, meals, and entertainment; allowing lenders to staff our institution's financial aid office; allowing lenders to place our institution's name or logo on any of their products; and owning lenders' stock (for those college officials who make loan decisions for our institution).
Alternative Resources
Students are welcome and encouraged to search for scholarships and grants. A good search to use is www.fastweb.com. Other outside scholarship information can be found here.
Financial Aid Office Code of Conduct
To review the our Code of Conduct, please see the Financial Aid Office Code of Conduct.