Jana Parks

Director of Financial Aid

Constant Hall

785.594.4595

jana.parks@bakerU.edu

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Students who wish to be considered for financial aid are required to fill out two forms: the Baker University Application for Scholarship and Financial Aid and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Three types of aid are available to those who qualify: grants, scholarships, and loans. Grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid. Student loans are repaid after graduation.

Follow these steps:

Submit an Application for Admission and Financial Aid.
Complete the FAFSA.

Nursing student taking vitals of dental patient

Grants

Federal Pell Grants are based on FAFSA results. They are not available to students with a bachelor’s degree.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants are for students who are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant.

Kansas Comprehensive Grants are available to full-time Kansas residents and are based on need. You must be enrolled in 12 hours per semester and maintain a 2.0 grade point average. They are not available to students with a bachelor’s degree. FAFSA must be completed annually by April 1.

Scholarships

Kansas Nursing Scholarships, administered by the Kansas State Board of Regents, pay students $3,500 per year and are jointly funded by the state and a medical provider. The student must meet the criteria for the Kansas Nursing Scholarship and any criteria set forth by the medical provider. For each year the student receives the scholarship, he or she must provide one year of full-time employment to the medical provider that sponsors the scholarship. This is a particularly attractive scholarship for students who wish to work in Kansas following graduation. Eligible Baker University School of Nursing students starting the program in the fall semester may choose to take advantage of the Kansas Nursing Scholarship.

The Nancy Brower Hanni Scholarship recognizes a graduate’s dedication to the nursing profession. The recipient of the scholarship must be a senior student enrolled full time in the Baker University School of Nursing program, with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0. Preference will be given to students interested in careers in adult or pediatric critical care, adult medical, telemetry, or cardiology.

Murphy Trust Care of Elders Scholarship – Level III and Level IV students interested in caring for elders may apply for this unique opportunity. In addition to the scholarship award, recipients will be eligible to attend selected programs and conferences.

Outside Scholarships – Baker’s quarterly Outside Scholarship Newsletter lists many scholarship opportunities.

Heartland Works Tuition Assistance – In addition to applying for state, federal, and Stormont-Vail Foundation Scholarship aid, nursing students residing in Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Douglas, Franklin, Jackson, Jefferson, Nemaha, Osage, Pottawatomie, Riley, Shawnee or Wabaunseehave county have the opportunity to apply for tuition assistance through the Kansas Workforce Center Offices. We do not know when these federal grant funds will cease, so you are encouraged to apply early for the upcoming academic year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for this program. Assistance may vary from student to student, and funds are limited. It is possible to receive assistance for tuition and fees, NCLEX fee, and reimbursement for background check, fingerprinting, travel, and child care. Please contact Cherish Calovich at cherish.calovich@bakerU.edu for your local Kansas Workforce Center Information.

Loans

Federal Direct Stafford Loans fall into two categories: fall into two categories: subsidized and unsubsidized. Subsidized loans are based on need and the federal government pays the interest while you are in school. Unsubsidized loans are not based on need, and the federal government does not pay the interest while you’re in school. You have the option of paying the interest while you’re in school or having it added to the principle when you go into repayment. A FAFSA is required annually.

Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) are not based on need, but a FAFSA form must be filed. The maximum your parent may borrow is the cost of attendance minus any financial aid that you receive.

Alternative Loans – A variety of alternative private credit-based student loans are available. Information about these loans is available from Baker’s Financial Aid Office.

We recommend that you exhaust all federal student loan eligibility before applying for a private credit loan. Private credit loans can help bridge the gap between the actual cost of your education and the amount the government allows you to borrow. Private loans are credit based and lenders will review your history of borrowing money and paying it back; therefore, they can be denied.

Here is a list of lenders that Baker University has worked with: elmselect.com. Enter Baker University and choose undergraduate.

All freshmen must have a credit-worthy coborrower, and upperclassmen with weak credit history may be required to have a coborrower. Repayment begins six months after you graduate, leave school, or drop to less than half-time enrollment. The minimum monthly payment is typically $50, and flexible repayment options are available.

Payment Options

Baker offers interest-free payment plans for students who choose to extend payments. The total amount due for the year after scholarships, grants, and loans are deducted is divided into payments beginning as early as July preceding the fall semester. Contact Nelnet Campus Commerce for additional information.

Financial Aid Policies

Withdrawals and Refunds

Current federal regulations require the Return of Title IV Funds Policy to be used for all students who receive any type of federal aid when calculating the aid a student can retain after withdrawing. This policy relates to Federal Pell, SEOG, and TEACH Grants as well as all federal loans.

These regulations govern the return of aid disbursed for a student who completely withdraws from a term or payment period. During the first 60% of the payment period, a student “earns” aid in direct proportion to the length of time he or she remains enrolled. The percentage of time that the student remains enrolled determines the percentage of disbursable aid for that period. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 61% point of the payment period earns all aid for the period.

Students who plan to withdraw must submit written notification of withdrawal from a course or the program. Institutional charges and financial aid are adjusted once the withdrawal date is determined. For students receiving financial aid, the refund must first be repaid to the Title IV programs in accordance with existing regulations in effect on the date of withdrawal and with respect to various types of aid. It is possible that the student who withdraws may still have an outstanding balance due to the University. The withdrawal date is determined as follows:

Official withdrawals: the later date of when the student began the institution’s withdrawal process OR officially notified the institution of intent to withdraw.
Unofficial withdrawals: If the student has to leave without notification because of circumstances beyond the student’s control, the institution will use the documented last date of participation in an academic activity.

The percentage of the period that the student remained enrolled is calculated based on number of countable days the student was enrolled. This calculation is determined by dividing the number of days enrolled by the total days in the enrollment period. Calendar days are used, including weekends.

Distribution of Unearned Aid

If a student has not earned all of the federal aid received to date at the point of withdrawal, funds are repaid in the following order:

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Grad PLUS Loan
Federal Parent PLUS Loan
Federal PELL Grant
Federal SEOG Grant
Federal Teach Grant

Unearned aid must be returned as soon as possible but no later than 45 days after determining the student has withdrawn.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement

A student that is determined to have received less Title IV aid than earned will be offered a post-withdrawal disbursement for the amount of earned aid that was not received. Any post-withdrawal disbursement made must meet required conditions for late disbursement.

Disbursement of Title IV Grant Funds

Post-withdrawal grant disbursements will be credited to a student’s account for outstanding allowable current semester charges or refunded to the student if their balance is zero. The school is permitted to credit any Title IV grant funds to the student’s account without the student’s permission. The school will post any credit applying to current charges to the student’s account. If the student has no current allowable charges, the disbursement must be made no later than 45 days of the school’s determination the student withdrew.

Disbursement of Title IV Loan Funds

Post-withdrawal loan disbursements will be credited to a student’s account for outstanding allowable current semester charges or paid directly to the student or parent for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan. Prior to making any disbursement, the student/parent must be notified in writing within 30 days of the school’s determination the student withdrew. The letter must identify the type and amount of the funds. If loan funds are available, the school must explain the student/parent has the option to accept/decline all or part of the loan. The letter must also inform the student/parent a response must be received within 14 days of the date of notice. If the school does not receive a response, no further disbursement is made. If the request is denied due to a late response, the school will send the student/parent notification.

Credit Balance Due to Return of Funds Calculation

The school must determine the correct Title IV credit balance, considering the results from both the Return to Title IV calculation and the institutional refund calculation. If after the Return to Title IV funds and the institutional refund calculations are applied to the student’s account and a credit balance results, the credit balance will be disbursed as soon as possible but no later than 14 days after the date of the Return to Title IV calculation is performed.

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

This process is separate from the academic Satisfactory Academic Progress. Federal regulations require institutions to monitor both quantitative and qualitative progress towards a degree.

Quantitative – student must be able to complete the degree program within 150% of the reported program length. In addition, the student must successfully complete 67% of the attempted hours in each payment period.
- All transfer hours accepted by Baker University are considered when reviewing attempted hours.
- All hours earned when not receiving financial aid count.
- Undergraduate students who earn grades of F, I, W, WP, WF, NC, or AU will have the courses counted as attempted hours, but not completed hours.
- Graduate students who earn grades of D, F, I, W, WP, WF, NC, or AU will have the courses counted as attempted hours, but not completed hours.
- Repeating a course counts as attempted credit hours each time the course is repeated.
Qualitative – student must maintain the minimum cumulative GPA for their specific program.
- Minimum GPA for undergraduate students is 2.0.
- Minimum GPA for graduate students is determined by degree, see Graduation Requirements section.

Undergraduate student’s academic progress will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid annually in May. Graduate student’s academic progress will be reviewed by the Office of Financial Aid after each payment period.

Undergraduate Students: If the student is not maintaining SAP, the student loses Title IV eligibility and will be placed on Financial Aid Suspension. Students who are placed on Financial Aid Suspension will receive written notification from the Financial Aid Office of their status. Such students will be offered the opportunity to appeal to the Financial Aid Advisory Committee for reinstatement of Title IV aid.

- Appeals can be made in some circumstances, such as medical problems, illness, or death of a family member.
- Appeal must be in writing.
- Student must explain why he/she failed to make SAP and what has changed to allow the student to make SAP by the end of the next semester.
- Appeals will be reviewed by the Financial Aid Advisory Committee, and the student will be informed of the decision within one week. Decision notifications will be sent to the student’s Baker email.
- A student whose appeal is approved is placed on Financial Aid Probation. If the student is placed on Financial Aid Probation, the student can receive federal aid for an additional semester in order to meet satisfactory academic progress.
- If the student is not successful during the probation period, the student is placed back on Financial Aid Suspension at the end of this additional semester. The student can appeal the decision.
- If the second appeal is approved, the student will have one more semester of Title IV eligibility. If the student is not successful in meeting SAP standards at that point, the student will no longer be eligible for Title IV aid of any kind, including federal grants and loans.
- In order regain Title IV eligibility, the student must meet minimum SAP standards. The student may appeal for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility after completing a semester and meeting minimum GPA standards.

Students might be filing two petitions, one to the Office of Registrar and a separate one to Financial Aid. The two petitions will not be evaluated by the same committee. It is possible for a student to be on Financial Aid Suspension and still be allowed to enroll at the University at the student’s expense.

School of nursing professor helping student

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