Financial Aid Consumer Information
Contact Information | How to Apply for Financial Aid | Financial Need | Need-Based Aid | Loans | Non-Need Based Aid | Disbursement of Financial Aid & Billing | Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Undergraduate & Graduate | Refund Policy | LEAD Student & Financial Aid | Student Rights & Responsibilities | Costs | Study Abroad & FAQs
Contact Information
Ohio Dominican University
1216 Sunbury RD
Columbus OH 43219
Phone: (614) 251-4778
Fax: (614) 253-3499
E-mail: finaid@ohiodominican.edu |
Monday - Friday
8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Erskine Hall Room 147
Telephone: (614) 251-4778 |
Monday - Thursday
8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Friday -
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
LEAD Easton – 4449 Easton Way
Telephone: (614) 337-8370 Ext 22 or 23 |
Director of Financial Aid - Cindy Hahn
Associate Director of Financial Aid - Laura Meek
Assistant Director of Financial Aid - Tara Schneider
Financial Aid Counselor - Kelly Simms
Assistant Director Financial Aid - LEAD Program - Carrie Guisinger
Financial Aid Counselor - LEAD Program - Jenna Shriner
Financial Aid Associate - Rhea Mathias
How to Apply for Financial Aid
Students are required to file the FAFSA each year they would like to receive financial aid. The FAFSA is the only form required for all federal, state and institutional financial aid at Ohio Dominican University.
For the 2008-2009 school year families can submit their FAFSA’s as early as January 1, 2008. The priority filing date for Ohio Dominican is April 1st.
The student and the parent must apply for individual PIN numbers in order to file the FAFSA electronically.
Completion of the “FAFSA on the Web’ worksheet is recommended to simplify the completion of the FAFSA on line.
Financial Need
Aid from most sources is based on financial need. When you apply for student aid, the information you report on the FAFSA is used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The formula used to calculate your EFC is established by law and issued to measure your family’s financial strength based on their income and assets. The EFC is used in the following equation to determine your financial need:
Cost of Attendance
- Expected Family Contribution
= Financial Need
Cost of Attendance (COA) is based on a yearly figure. The COA includes tuition and fees, on-campus room and board (or a housing and food allowance for off-campus students), and allowances for books, supplies, transportation, loan fees and miscellaneous expenses.
Most financial aid is awarded first come, first served so filing the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st is to your advantage. Upon receipt of your FAFSA results, the Financial Aid Office will put together your financial aid package. The package will consist of all aid programs and dollar amounts – federal, state and institutional – that you are eligible to receive for the academic year.
Need Based Financial Aid
Eligibility is determined by the federal government and does not have to be repaid. The federal government uses a standard formula to evaluate the information provided on the FAFSA which produces an EFC or Expected Family Contribution. The EFC is then used to determine if you are eligible for a Pell Grant and for how much. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree and are awarded to full, half and less than half time students. Pell Grants are the foundation of financial aid, to which aid from other federal and nonfederal sources might be added.
An FSEOG is for undergraduates with exceptional financial need – that is, students with the lowest EFC – and gives priority to students who receive Federal Pell Grants. FSEOG does not have to be paid back. There is no guarantee every eligible student will be able to receive an FSEOG. Students will be awarded these funds based on availability.
This is a Federal grant that is awarded to first and second year full-time undergraduate students who are also receiving the Federal Pell Grant. Students must have completed a rigorous secondary school program of study and second year students must have at least a 3.0 GPA. The amount awarded is $750 for first year undergraduate students and $1300 for second year undergraduate students.
This is a Federal grant that is awarded to third and fourth year full-time undergraduate students who are also receiving the Federal Pell Grant. Students must be majoring in physical, life, or computer sciences, mathematics, technology, engineering, or certain designated foreign languages and have at least a 3.0 GPA. The amount awarded is $4000.
ODU Grants are awarded to many full-time, undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need. ODU Grants commonly range from $400 to $6,000 per academic year.
Eligibility for this state grant is determined by completing the FAFSA. You must be an Ohio resident, a first time undergraduate, and enrolled as a full-time student with a family income of $39,000 or less. Amounts range from $444 to $5,466.
Eligibility for this state grant is determined by the EFC obtained by completing the FAFSA. Both full-time and part-time students may be eligible and you must be an Ohio resident. Amounts range from $150 to $4992.
Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides jobs for students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. Students earn at least the current federal minimum wage and are paid bi-weekly. FWS is not credited to the student’s account. Income earned through the FWS Program is not exempt from federal or state taxes; therefore, each student must complete the appropriate documentation in the Student Employment Office prior to working on campus.
Loans
Educational loans must be repaid. Students must complete a promissory note(s) for all the different loan programs they participate in. Additional information on the terms of your loan(s) and repayment schedules can be found at Repaying Your Student Loans.
A Federal Perkins Loan is a low-interest loan (5%) for students with financial need. All Federal Perkins borrowers are required to complete an entrance interview and Master Promissory Note which provides the details about your obligations and your rights and responsibilities. Repayment begins nine months after you leave school and is repaid to Ohio Dominican University. Before you leave ODU, you are required to complete an exit interview. Failure to complete your degree is not a reason to default on your loan.
There are two types of Federal Stafford Loans, subsidized and unsubsidized. Interest on the subsidized loan begins six months after you leave school. Interest on the unsubsidized loan starts as soon as the funds are disbursed. Repayment begins when your grace period end, six months after your departure from school. Prior to receiving any Stafford loan funds, all first time borrowers are required to complete an entrance interview and Master Promissory Note.
The Federal PLUS Loan is a loan your parents can take out for your educational expenses if you are a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half-time. Parents must pass a credit check in order to borrow under the PLUS Loan program. Yearly limits on the PLUS Loan are equal to the Cost of Attendance minus all other financial aid.
Additional information on all federal need based financial aid can be found in ‘The Student Guide’.
Non-Need Based Financial Aid
These awards and scholarships are awarded to potential new students based on their self reported high school GPA and ACT/ SAT test scores. The award is contingent upon your application and acceptance to Ohio Dominican. Filing the FAFSA is not required but you are encouraged to do so to determine your eligibility for additional need based financial aid. Scholarships and Awards range from $1,000 to $13,000 and are renewable each year.
All students who are Ohio residents and enroll as a first-time, full-time student will automatically be awarded an Ohio Student Choice Grant if they were never enrolled full-time prior to 1984 and are enrolled in a 1st Bachelor’s degree program. The amount of the Choice Grant can vary based on State funding and is currently at $660 per academic year.
Athletic Grants are awarded to student athletes based on audition and coach’s recommendation. Amounts vary. Additional information is available from the Athletic Department or coaches.
Scholarships from local high schools, fraternal organizations, parents place of employment, etc. Do not pay someone to help you find scholarships. Scholarship searches are free and accessible to everyone. The Scholarship Search is just one of many searches available and a good place to start.
Disbursement of Financial Aid and Billing
Prior to each semester, the Business Office will send out a billing statement. The statement will contain all of your charges (tuition, fees, room/board if a resident student) for that semester only. The total financial aid you received in your financial aid package for that semester, excluding College Work Study, will be credited to your account. The difference between the charges listed on the statement and the financial aid is the balance due for the semester.
The balance due date is stated on the billing statement and can be paid in full or monthly through the University’s payment plan. Students who are eligible for a credit refund will be able to receive their refund after the start of classes.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress ( SAP) - Undergraduate
Federal regulations require Ohio Dominican University to establish satisfactory academic progress ( SAP) standards for student financial aid recipients. Ohio Dominican University’s SAP policy measures a student’s performance in the following three areas: completion rate, cumulative grade point average (GPA), and maximum time frame. The Financial Aid Office is responsible for ensuring that all students who receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid are meeting these standards. The Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress apply for all financial assistance programs including but not limited to: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), Federal SMART Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Family Education Loans (Stafford and Parent PLUS Loan), as well as financial aid from the state of Ohio and Ohio Dominican University.
Each semester, students’ academic progress will be measured by comparing the number of attempted credit hours with the total number of credit hours completed. This includes any courses for which the student remained enrolled past the Add/Drop period.
Total Credit Hours Attempted |
Required Completion Rate |
1-17 |
50% |
18-34 |
60% |
35-62 |
70% |
63-186 |
70% |
The following conditions are considered when evaluating students’ satisfactory academic progress:
- Withdrawals, withdrawal with passing grade, withdrawal with failing grade are considered attempted but not earned hours and not included in GPA
- Passing credits received for pass/fail courses are considered attempted and earned credits but not included in GPA
- Failures are considered attempted credit hours but not earned hours and included in GPA
- Repeated courses are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours. A student is allowed to repeat a course only once.
- Audited courses are not considered credits attempted or credits earned
- Transfer credits, including those received during consortium study and College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) courses do not count in the calculation of the GPA, but are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned hours.
- Developmental courses are included in the calculation of both attempted and earned credit hours.
To retain financial aid eligibility, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of:
- 1.75 for 1-17 hours completed
- 1.85 for 18-34 hours completed
- 2.0 for 35+ hours completed
To retain financial aid eligibility, a student must complete their degree within 150% of the published length of the program as measured by credit hours attempted. At Ohio Dominican University, this means in programs requiring 124 hours for graduation, a student is eligible for financial aid through 186 attempted hours. All attempted hours are counted whether or not financial aid was received or the course work was successfully completed. Once a student reaches 186 attempted credits (150% time frame), eligibility for financial aid will terminated indefinitely.
Academic progress is reviewed at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Students not meeting the completion rate or GPA requirement at the end of each semester will be placed on a probation period for one academic year and will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office.
A student may continue to receive financial aid during the one academic year probation period. If after the following semester, the student succeeds and meets both the completion rate and GPA requirements, they will be removed from probation and are considered meeting satisfactory academic progress.
If after one academic year, the student fails to meet minimum SAP standards, their financial aid will be suspended and will receive a letter of aid suspension from the Financial Aid Office. Students may continue to take classes, using their own funds or private loans (with no SAP restrictions) until they have successfully met the minimum SAP standards, at which time, aid eligibility may be restored.
Suspended students may appeal to the Financial Aid Office if they have mitigating circumstances (e.g. emergency, health, family circumstances, etc.). A student must appeal in writing to the Financial Aid Office within two weeks of their suspension letter. Additional documentation or letters of support may be requested. The Financial Aid Committee will review the appeal and notify the student of a decision within two weeks.
Revised 05/2007
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - Graduate
Federal regulations require Ohio Dominican University to establish satisfactory academic progress ( SAP) standards for student financial aid recipients. Ohio Dominican University’s primary measure for graduate programs is a student’s grade point average (GPA). The Financial Aid Office is responsible for ensuring that all students who receive federal financial aid are meeting the GPA standard. The Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress apply for all federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs including Federal Family Education Loans (Federal Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans).
To retain financial aid eligibility, a student must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.0. This is the minimum standard for all Ohio Dominican University graduate programs.
Academic progress is reviewed at the end of the fall and spring semesters. Students not meeting the requirements above at the end of each semester will be placed on a probation period for one academic year and will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office.
A student may continue to receive financial aid during the one academic year probation period. If after the following semester, the student succeeds and meets both the completion rate and GPA requirements, they will be removed from probation and are considered meeting satisfactory academic progress.
If after one academic year, the student fails to meet minimum SAP standards, their financial aid will be suspended and will receive a letter of aid suspension from the Financial Aid Office. Students may continue to take classes, using their own funds or private loans (with no SAP restrictions) until they have successfully met the minimum SAP standards, at which time, aid eligibility may be restored.
Suspended students may appeal to the Financial Aid Office if they have mitigating circumstances (e.g. emergency, health, family circumstances, etc.). A student must appeal in writing to the Financial Aid Office within two weeks of their suspension letter. Additional documentation or letters of support may be requested. The Financial Aid Committee will review the appeal and notify the student of a decision within two weeks.
Revised 05/2007
Refund Policy
Any student who withdraws* from Ohio Dominican University prior to completing 60% of the enrollment period or semester will have their financial aid eligibility recalculated based on the percentage of the period they were enrolled. Once a student has completed 60% of the period or semester, all financial aid assistance is considered to be 100% earned. This policy meets federal requirements in which students “earn” financial aid based on the percent of the term completed. Ohio Dominican University maintains one refund policy for all federal, state and institutional aid funds based on 34 CFR, Section 668.22 of the Title IV Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended.
The Financial Aid Office is responsible for calculating the percentage of “earned aid” for the semester and for returning the “unearned aid” portion to federal, state and institutional aid programs. The Financial Aid Office will perform this calculation within 45 days of the student’s withdraw date*. This calculation is measured by dividing the number of days the student attended by the total number of days in the period or semester. The length of the period or semester is based on Ohio Dominican’s published academic calendar, including weekends and excluding scheduled breaks of 5 days or more. The first day begins on the first day of classes and ends on the last day of final exams.
Example: If there are 114 days in the semester and a student withdraws on day 20, the charges and financial aid will be pro-rated as they attended 17.5% of the semester (20/114).
If a student is a recipient of Federal Title IV aid, those funds returned to those programs are required by federal law to be returned first, in the following order: Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Subsidized Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal PLUS (Parent) Loan, Federal Pell Grant, Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant, National SMART Grant and Federal SEOG Grant.
In some cases, after the recalculation is complete, a student may be required to repay some of the Title IV aid they received. Or, in some cases, a student may be eligible for a late disbursement of awarded aid if the amount of aid received is less than the amount of aid earned. In these cases, the student will be notified by the Financial Aid Office.
If after these calculations are completed, the student is entitled to a refund, the Business Office will refund that amount to the student. If the student owes a balance, the Business Office will bill the student directly.
*To officially withdraw, a students must contact the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar’s Office determines the official date of withdraw.
**Note: Provisions explained in this policy are subject to final interpretation of the Return of Title IV Funds regulations governing Federal financial aid. Questions on this Refund Policy should be directed to the Financial Aid Office, Erskine Hall 147, or by calling (614) 251-4778.
Financial Aid and the LEAD Student
The LEAD program is an accelerated degree program where students complete one class at a time within a six-week period. For financial aid purposes, this type of program is referred to as a non-term program and therefore varies on how aid is awarded. All LEAD students are considered full-time for financial aid purposes. Each student’s academic year length varies based on meeting the minimum requirements of both 30 weeks in length and 24 credit hours of actual attendance.
Additional information on financial aid for the LEAD program can be obtained in the LEAD Financial Aid Office, LEAD Easton – 4449 Easton Way.
Student Rights and Responsibilities
- All financial aid is awarded subject to acceptance or readmission to the University.
- The Financial Aid Office reserves the right to review and cancel an award at anytime because of changes in the student’s financial or academic status.
- Financial aid recipients are to notify the Financial Aid Office of any other scholarships extended to them from sources outside the University. An adjustment in the total Financial Aid Package will be made, if necessary.
- Students awarded Federal Work Study are responsible for securing a job on campus. It is important to understand that the amount shown is the amount of money you are eligible to earn during the academic year as a result of work performed. You must complete tax forms, etc with Human Resources before you can begin working. Call Human Resources at 253-3560 to schedule an appointment.
- Students receiving most types of financial aid are expected to enroll full-time. Twelve credit hours or more per semester is considered full-time. If you drop below full-time during any part of the academic year, an adjustment to your financial aid may be necessary.
- Financial need and the amount of assistance offered will be re-evaluated each year and appropriate increases or decreases will be made as needed. For the purpose of this re-evaluation, the filing of the FAFSA is required every year. Priority filing date of the FAFSA is April 1st.
Costs
Our goal in establishing tuition, room and board rates is to ensure our ability to provide the quality and scope of programs and services expected by our students. The following rates are for the 2007-2008 academic year:
Full-Time Undergraduate Tuition =
$10,860 per semester
Room & Board Rates (based on room type and basic meal plan)=
Suite: $3,900/semester
Single Room: $3,900/semester
Double Room: $3,600/semester
Triple Room: $3,600/semester
Shown below are the three most common student budget types for Ohio Dominican. Resident students have a specific budget regardless if they are dependent or independent. Dependent commuters have their own budget as well as independent commuters. Cost of Education budgets will be determined whether your tuition/fee charges are for full or part-time enrollment. These budgets are for the 2007-2008 academic year. These budgets are based on full-time enrollment.
Resident |
Dependent Commuter |
Independent Commuter |
Tuition & Fees |
$21,700 |
Tuition & Fees |
$21,700 |
Tuition & Fees |
$21,700 |
Room & Board |
$7000 |
Room & Board |
$3900 |
Room & Board |
$5200 |
Books & Supplies |
$950 |
Books & Supplies |
$950 |
Books & Supplies |
$950 |
Transportation |
$500 |
Transportation |
$1600 |
Transportation |
$2100 |
Personal |
$1500 |
Personal |
$1500 |
Personal |
$1500 |
Loan Origination Fees |
$150 |
Loan Origination Fees |
$150 |
Loan Origination Fees |
$150 |
Total |
$31,800 |
Total |
$29,800 |
Total |
$31,600 |
Study Abroad
Financial aid from Federal, State and Institutional resources may be considered for Study Aboard programs. Students enrolled in an academic program which includes a formal study abroad program may be considered for aid to cover “reasonable costs” associated with the program.
Reasonable costs are define as tuition, housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, air fare, passport fees, program fees, and any other miscellaneous expenses. Documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office on the above reasonable costs to determine your eligibility for financial aid.
Students are required to complete the financial aid process just as if they were attending Ohio Dominican University (i.e. filing the FAFSA, etc).
Can I use my financial aid to study abroad?
For semester-long study abroad trips, students may apply most of their financial aid to an approved study abroad program. All federal and state aid may be used for any program-related costs in which the university awards college level credit. Students may also use up to $2,000 for one semester of institutional aid (i.e. ODU Scholarship/Award, ODU Grants, and ODU endowed scholarships) for their study abroad experience.
For short-term trips (such as summer programs or faculty-led trips), you should consult with the Financial Aid Office to research your options before the trip. It may be possible to borrow loan programs if you are earning 6 or more credits for the short-term trip.
What requirements must be met for me to use my financial aid for the study abroad semester?
You must apply and be accepted by the International Office at ODU into an approved study abroad program.
You must enroll and maintain a minimum of 12 semester credit hours while overseas to maintain your full-time student status and financial aid eligibility. Students are normally enrolled in ODU course LNG-188 to signify full-time study abroad for the semester.
You must meet with the Financial Aid Office to discuss program costs and your financial aid package prior to leaving for your study abroad program.
What other study abroad policies do I need to know?
Study abroad students are charged full-time ODU tuition for the semester. ODU is then billed directly by the study abroad agency the tuition portion of your program fee. Housing costs are usually paid separately by you the student, with any remaining financial aid funds or loans.
Students are responsible for all other program fees such as deposits, insurance, visa and passport costs, airfare, and extra travel excursions. It is the student’s responsibility to make financial arrangements regarding any of these fees with the study abroad agency prior to departure.
If you leave the ODU campus before financial aid is disbursed for the term you are studying abroad, you must make arrangements with your financial representative to handle your financial aid and/or scholarship checks coming through the ODU Business Office. You may wish to grant a power-of-attorney to someone you trust to handle financial arrangements for you.
Payments plans may not be used for semesters studying abroad.
Do the same financial aid guidelines apply for the ODU Roma Program?
No. Because the ODU Roma Program is a university-sponsored program, each ODU student participant is treated as if they were here on campus. All financial aid applies (federal, state and university sponsored). Students are billed regular ODU tuition and housing fees.
Study abroad agencies set their own payment and withdraw deadlines. Pay attention to deadline dates. If you withdraw from the program by the agency withdraw date, more than likely you will only forfeit the non-refundable application fee and enrollment deposits.
After the withdraw date, you may be subject to all incurred fees from that agency. If you are using any federal, state or institutional financial aid to study abroad, your aid is subject to pro-ration if you withdraw prior to the 60% point of the semester. Withdrawing from your study abroad program after the withdraw deadline date or your arrival overseas could be very costly as you will more than likely have incurred all fees and your financial aid must be pro-rated as mandated by federal regulation. Please check with the International Office prior to withdrawing.
For questions regarding how financial aid applies to study abroad, please contact:
Laura Meek
Associate Director of Financial Aid
Erskine Hall 147
(614) 251-4641 | meekl@ohiodominican.edu
Ohio Dominican University
1216 Sunbury RD
Columbus OH 43219
(614) 251-4778
Fax: (614) 253-3499
finaid@ohiodominican.edu
