Applying for Financial Aid
Financial aid consists of scholarships, grants, loans and work programs which provide funds for students to assist them in paying for educational expenses. At Doane College, funds are awarded to students based on their qualifications and/or financial need. Financial aid based on need must be applied for by completing the FAFSA on an annual basis.
A new student who wishes to apply for financial aid should:
- Complete the Doane College admission process.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Doane’s Title IV code is 002544.
Doane College encourages families to complete the FAFSA electronically (www.fafsa.gov). In order to file electronically, one parent and the student need to request a PIN (personal identification number) from the Department of Education. The PIN is the electronic signature when completing the FAFSA. The address to request a PIN is www.pin.ed.gov. The application is used to determine eligibility for all federal and Doane aid based upon financial need.
Doane College awards certain limited grants on a first come first serve basis. Therefore the Financial Aid Office encourages you to complete the FAFSA early.
A continuing student who wishes to apply for financial aid should:
- Complete the Renewal Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Doane’s Title IV code is 002544. This application must be completed annually. Commitments for financial aid based upon financial need are made annually.
- Preregister for the upcoming academic year.
Requirements for Financial Aid
All types of financial aid are normally awarded for an academic year and credited equally to fall and spring semester bills. Each semester, the Financial Aid Office examines the academic records of students to determine if they are fulfilling the satisfactory academic progress (SAP) requirements necessary for the federal and state aid dollars awarded to them. Doane College is not required to replace lost funds with other types of financial aid. Students with federal drug convictions who are considered ineligible for federal funds are ineligible for institutional funds.
For more information, please contact the Financial Aid Office or refer to the College website.
Notice of Federal Student Financial Aid Penalties for Drug Violations is located in the Student Handbook or online at www.doane.edu/federal-drug-conviction.
Academic Scholarships
Academic Scholarships are granted in the School of Arts and Sciences on the basis of high school academic records and performance to first-time full-time degree-seeking students only. Transfer students can receive academic scholarships based on their performance at their previous institution/s.
The student’s Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) is reviewed each spring after the grades are final. If the student is not meeting the CGPA requirements, his/her academic award is decreased accordingly for the next academic year. The student may regain his/her scholarship the following year, if he/she has regained the required CGPA after the following Spring semester. Scholarships can be reinstated up to the original award level, but not higher.
Senator Hugh Butler Academic Leadership Scholarships are available to full-time degree-seeking students in the School of Arts and Sciences. Eligible students must apply for this scholarship separately. Selection is based on a student interview, academic achievements, demonstrated group leadership, and expected involvement in the Doane College community. The minimum required cumulative GPA is 3.50.
Faculty Distinction Scholarships are available to juniors and seniors in the School of Arts and Sciences who excel at Doane College. A minimum of 60 Doane College credits is required to be eligible for this scholarship. The award is made to those students who have a 3.60 cumulative grade point average (CGPA) or higher and do not already have a full tuition scholarship. Full-time students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 3.50 to retain this scholarship once received.
Special Ability Scholarships may be awarded to first-time or transfer full-time students in the School of Arts and Sciences. Such students are expected to participate in the program for which the award was given. Failure to participate, remain eligible, or satisfactorily meet the area department’s requirements may result in the removal of the scholarship. Doane College is not obligated to replace lost funds.
Academic Scholarship Cumulative GPA Level Requirements
Cumulative GPA levels needed to maintain a scholarship are:
Senator Hugh Butler Academic Leadership: 3.50 or above
Board of Trustees: 3.20 or above
Dredla/Sanderson: 3.20 or above
Faculty Distinction: 3.50 or above
Perry or Merrill Transfer Scholarship: 3.00 or above
Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship: 3.00 or above
Presidential: 3.40 or above
Van Hoy: 3.00 or above
Student Employment
Student employment in the School of Arts and Sciences is awarded with the expectation of satisfactory performance. Job performance that is not satisfactory to the supervisor may result in the termination of such employment. The student is responsible for securing aid from other resources if unable to work the number of hours necessary to reach the employment award. The Doane College Student Employment Handbook is a guide and available to download online at www.doane.edu/workstudy
Availability of Financial Aid
- A student may receive institutional grant monies and/or scholarship aid for up to eight semesters or until the first baccalaureate degree is received, whichever comes first.
- Students may receive up to 10 semesters of employment.
- Transfer students may receive financial aid at a pro-rated amount based on the number of semesters necessary to complete 132 credit hours. Determination of this amount is made by the Financial Aid Office. However, aid may not exceed eight semesters for grants and scholarships and 10 semesters for employment.
- Award packages for part-time students may include the following, if the student is eligible: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Stafford Student Loan, Federal Parent Loan (PLUS), and other aid programs on a funds-available-only basis. There is no institutional scholarship program for less-than-full-time students.
- Students who already have a baccalaureate degree are not eligible for institutional scholarships and/or grants.
- Employee scholarships are available to employees, their spouse and their dependent children. For more information, please refer to the Doane College Employee Handbook .
More information of financial aid can be found online at www.doane.edu/financial-aid
Doane Semesters Abroad
Students pay Doane tuition, fees, room and board (if provided while abroad) and register through the college. If the study abroad experience is required by the catalog for a major, or if the student is in the Honors program the student is able to retain their institutional aid for one semester of study abroad. If the experience is not required by the catalog for a student’s major, the student does not receive his/her institutional aid for the semester abroad. Federal grants and loans are available; student employment funds are not. All students must attend approved programs from the Office of International Programs and complete all required paperwork. Students may use their Travel Scholarship for Study Abroad Programs.
Travel Scholarship for Off-Campus Interterms
Full-time students enrolled at Doane pay the additional student costs, if any, for off-campus interterms as indicated herein. All juniors and seniors are eligible for the $1000 Travel Scholarship for off-campus interterms. To qualify, the off-campus portion of the interterm must last 14 days or more. The Travel Scholarship can be applied to one or two eligible off-campus interterms, with no more than 75% of the expenses of any one trip paid for from the travel fund. Transfer student vouchers will be pro-rated by the number of semesters students will have attended Doane. Eligible students should consult with the off-campus interterm instructor for details about application procedures for the travel fund.
Satisfactory Academic Progress for Title IV Federal Financial Aid
Doane College is required by federal regulations to define and monitor standards of satisfactory academic progress for students who are receiving or wish to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid from one or more of the following programs:
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant)
- NOG (Nebraska Opportunity Grant)
- FWS (Federal Work-Study)
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Stafford Loan
- Federal PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students)
- Federal TEACH Grant
- Iraq & Afghanistan Service Grant
Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress consist of two measurements:
- Qualitative or Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) - ensures the student is able to meet the minimum academic grade point average (GPA) to complete a degree at Doane College
- Quantitative or Pace - measures the student’s progress toward a degree by completing 75% of attempted hours.
Each term the financial aid office reviews the transcript of all students to determine if a student is maintaining the required minimum cumulative grade point average to be eligible to receive Title IV Federal Financial Aid. Below is the minimum grade point average requirements based on the number of attempted credits:
| Credits Attempted: |
Cumulative GPA: |
|
| 12-35 |
1.70 |
|
| 36-59 |
1.85 |
|
| 60+ |
2.00 |
|
Note: Withdrawals are considered attempted credits.
Transfer credits are not factored into a student’s cumulative GPA but are considered in the number of attempted credits. For example if Doane College accepted 60 transfer credit hours from another institution, the student would be required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 to ensure he/she is meeting graduation requirements.
In addition to the minimum cumulative GPA standards, the financial aid office must also ensure the student is completing at least 75% of their attempted hours and is progressing through their program of study towards completion of a degree. Attempted credits are measured by the number of credits the student was enrolled in as of census day (last day for drop and add) each term. At the end of each term, the financial aid office will review all student records to determine if they have completed at least 75 percent of their total hours attempted. The measurement used is as follows:
| Total Credit Hours Completed |
= |
PACE |
| Total Credit Hours Attempted |
Only credit hours passed (grades A through D and P) are considered as credits earned. Transfer credits are considered in both the total credit hours completed and in the total credit hours attempted. Grades of I and /or IP are not counted as credits earned until they are replaced by a satisfactory letter grade. Grades of I, IP, W, and F are included as attempted credits in the calculation. A student should notify the financial aid office when I and IP’s grades are replaced with a satisfactory letter grade.
Maximum Time Frame
Students can receive financial aid for up to 198 attempted credits or until a bachelor’s degree is earned. If it is determined by the college the student is not able to complete his/her bachelor’s degree without surpassing the 198 attempted credits, the student would be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and would not be able to receive federal financial aid.
Financial Aid Warning
Students that are not meeting either the Qualitative and/or the Quantitative measurements at the end of a term, are placed on Financial Aid Warning the ensuing term of enrollment. Students are allowed to receive financial aid during the Financial Aid Warning period. A student receives only one Financial Aid Warning term while at Doane College. The student will be notified in writing of their Financial Aid Warning Status.
Financial Aid Suspension
Financial Aid Suspension occurs following the term of Warning or any subsequent term after the Warning term if the student fails to achieve the minimum CGPA and/or the 75 percent completion rate. Students are not eligible to receive Title IV Federal financial aid if on suspension and are notified in writing of his/her Financial Aid Suspension status. Students may be able to continue taking coursework, however they are not able to receive Title IV federal aid funds and will need to pay at their own expense.
Financial Aid Suspension can occur without an official warning term if it is not mathematically possible for the student to return to satisfactory progress the ensuing term.
Appeals
If the student has experienced extenuating circumstances which have impeded his/her ability to make satisfactory academic progress, the student may appeal his/her suspension. Examples of extenuating circumstances include; death of a relative, personal injury or illness of the student, family medical emergency, etc.
A student must submit their circumstances in writing by the date notated in their suspension letter. The appeal must include the following information:
- Explanation of the circumstance that prevented him/her from making satisfactory progress
- Explanation of what has changed or been resolved for him/her to make satisfactory progress in the ensuing term and going forward.
- Supporting documentation of the extenuating circumstance.
The appeal is considered incomplete if any of the three requirements are missing and it will not be sent to the Financial Aid Appeal Committee for review. If the financial aid appeal committee agrees to let the student continue to receive financial aid for an additional term due to extenuating circumstances, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation.
Financial Aid Probation
Students placed on Financial Aid Probation will be required to complete an academic plan and agree to the terms and the conditions of the plan in order to receive financial aid. The student’s progress will be monitored to ensure he/she is meeting the conditions of the academic plan. If the student completes the terms and conditions of the academic plan, but does not return to satisfactory status after the ensuing term, the student will continue to be monitored and held to the conditions of the academic plan. The student can continue to receive financial aid as long as he/she is meeting the conditions of the academic plan.
If after the term of Financial Aid Probation the student has not complied with the terms of the academic plan and has not returned to satisfactory status, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension and is not eligible to receive Title IV federal financial aid.
Reinstatement
Reinstatement of Title IV federal financial aid occurs at the end of any term in which the student reaches the 75% percent completion rate and has met the required minimum GPA requirement consistent with graduation requirements. At his/her own expense, a student may take courses to attempt to regain their Title IV federal financial aid eligibility. A student who has regained their eligibility may contact the financial aid office if they wish to begin receiving Title IV federal financial aid.
Repeat Coursework
A student may receive financial aid for a course taken previously. The student may only receive financial aid twice for the repeated coursework.
The exception to this rule is when a student receives college credits for his/her participation in Intercollegiate Athletics and/or membership in one of the major vocal/instrumental music ensembles.
In addition to the Title IV federal aid rules, a student is subject to Doane College’s institutional academic policies. A student not maintaining the minimum grade point average based on credits attempted (as referenced above) may be subject to Academic Probation and/or Academic Suspension at the end of any term if the student is not meeting the above referenced cumulative GPA requirements.
The Vice President for Academic Affairs may place a student on Academic probation or Academic suspension if a student is not making satisfactory progress or is in danger of not meeting all college graduation requirements. If a student is on Academic Suspension, he/she is not allowed to enroll in classes at Doane College. Specific conditions of Academic Probation and Academic Suspension are communicated in writing to the student by the Academic Affairs office.
Note: This policy is separate from the Federal Aid Satisfactory progress policy.
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