Adult Degree Program Financial Aid Brochure

3 Virginia Complete the application for a Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG) •

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You are eligible for VTAG if you are a resident of Virginia and enroll full-time as an undergraduate or post-baccalaureate teacher licensure (PBTL) student.

Graduate students in some health care programs are eligible for TAG.

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The VTAG application can be obtained from the MBU Financial Aid Office in hard copy or at marybaldwin.edu/financial_aid by clicking on the forms button.

Submit completed form to the MBU Financial Aid Office. Application is due by July 31 of each year for the coming academic year. Late applications are accepted but may not be eligible for funding, depending on state appropriations.

4 Receive your award package from MBU

Once we receive your FAFSA, we will send you a financial aid package indicating what types and how much financial aid you are eligible to receive.

5 MBU Return all requested materials to the Financial Aid Office

To get your financial aid award, complete all paperwork requested as well as electronic processes indicated in the award package we send you.

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CONTACT US

Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant priority deadline is July 31. Applications received after that time may not receive funding, even if the student is eligible.

FINANCIAL AID BALDWIN ONLINE AND ADULT PROGRAMS

MBU Financial Aid Office

POST-BACCALAUREATE TEACHER LICENSURE

marybaldwin.edu/financial_aid 800-468-2262 540-887-7022 fax: 540-887-7229 finaid@marybaldwin.edu

GRADUATE PROGRAMS

FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING BILLING, payments, outside billing, employer reimbursement, refunds, or the installment payment plan, please contact Student Accounts.

Linda Fretwell, accounts receivable coordinator 540-887-7364 lfretwell@marybaldwin.edu

marybaldwin.edu/ilearn

STEPS IN THE FINANCIAL AID PROCESS 1 Obtain your information packet from MBU’s Financial Aid Office

It’s sent automatically to all applicants and will help you understand your options.

Sara Eggleston, Assistant Director of Financial Aid 540-887-7323 seggleston@marybaldwin.edu

When to Apply for Financial Aid It’s best to apply for aid as soon as you can, as you may be eligible for aid programs with limited funds.

The process starts with your FAFSA, so file early!

We recommend filing at least six weeks prior to the start of the semester to ensure timely delivery of funds. > File the 2016–17 FAFSA (for fall 2016, spring 2017, and summer 2017) by June 30, 2017. > File the 2017–18 FAFSA (for fall 2017, spring 2018, and summer 2018) October 1, 2016 through June 30, 2018.

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2 Federal File the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)

See possibility.

Your goals within reach.

For the 2017-18 academic year including summer 2018, you may file the FAFSA between October 1, 2016 and June 30, 2018.

FAFSA Code: 003723

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Create your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) at fsaid.ed.gov/npas. Be sure to keep a record of your FSA ID, as you will use it each year for the FAFSA and to identify yourself on some other federal websites later on.

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Download and complete the FAFSA worksheet, available in the sidebar at maryabaldwin.edu/financial_aid, which allows you to prepare your answers for the FAFSA electronic application and make sure you have the necessary information. If you have questions, contact the MBU Financial Aid Office for guidance.

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Complete and submit the FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to indicate that your application should be sent to MBU.

AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTION TO COLLEGE COSTS

Mary Baldwin University does not discriminate on the basis of sex (except that only women are admitted to Mary Baldwin College for Women), nor does the University discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color, age, disability, religion, veteran’s status, or sexual orientation in its educational programs, admissions, co-curricular or other activities, or employment practices. Inquiries may be directed to Director of Human Resources, SAC 311, 540-887-7367, Mary Baldwin University, Staunton, Virginia 24401.

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Work with the MBU financial aid team to make sure you’re maximizing your benefits.

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Work with your MBU advisor to make sure you’re taking (and paying for) only the classes you need and want.

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Apply for financial aid as soon as you can. The earlier you apply, the easier it will be to find solutions that work for you and fix glitches. You can complete your FAFSA beginning October 1 for the following fall.

If you (or your parents) filed taxes for 2015, use the IRS data retrieval process that is offered in the financial sections of the FASFA. See the YouTube videos about filing the FAFSA and the IRS data retreival process. www.marybaldwin.edu/financial_aid/tips •

FAFSA Code: 003723

PBTL students are undergraduates and should answer Question 30 “teaching credential.”

RESOURCES FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov FAFSA Code: 003723 Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) fsaid.ed.gov/npas

TYPES OF AID AVAILABLE GRANTS

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Pell Grant: This federal aid award is based on financial need and eligibility based on the FAFSA.

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Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (VTAG or TAG): This award is not need based; available to Virginia residents (including military and dependents stationed in Virginia) who are enrolled full time in an eligible program. The amount varies each year; estimated award in 2016-17 is $3,200 ($1,600 per semester).

Priority deadline is July 31 each year. Applications received after this date are not guaranteed funding even to eligible students.

Federal Student Aid Programs studentaid.ed.gov

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National Student Loan Data System nslds.ed.gov • Outside scholarships fastweb.com scholarships.com Phi Theta Kappa ptk.org

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TEACH Grant studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/grants-scholarships/teach marybaldwin.edu/financial-aid/teachgrant Tobacco Region Scholarship Program tobacco.swcenter.edu Veterans’ benefits benefits.va.gov/gibill/post911_gibill.asp For specific education-related questions, please contact Driector of Financial Aid Robin Dietrich at 540-887-7025.

Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant marybaldwin.edu/financial-aid/tag/ Yellow Ribbon Program www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/yellow_ribbon.asp

Money for your education that you do not have to repay

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VA Benefits and Yellow Ribbon Program: MBU participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, providing institutional funds to supplement your educational benefits provided through the Veterans Administration under the Post-9/11 GI Bill if you are eligible at 100% and the benefit does not fully cover your tuition cost for the year.

Two-year College Transfer Grant: This grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia is available for students who meet requirements including financial need and an associate’s degree with GPA of 3.0 or higher; full-time undergraduate enrollment; and completion of the FAFSA. Maximum base award is $1,000 annually; additional $1,000 bonus award for students in science, teaching, mathematics, or nursing.

TEACH Grant: This federal grant is for bachelor’s and master’s degree students (but not PBTL students) who will teach a high-need subject in a Title I school. There are conditions attached to this award; please read information carefully before applying.

Graduate students enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching and Master of Education programs may be eligible for a TEACH grant.

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MBU Grants for Online & Adult Students: A limited number of Online and Adult Merit Scholarships and Community Scholarships are awarded each year based on demonstrated excellence in undergraduate work at MBU. Tobacco Region Scholarship: A grant for students from Southwest and Southside Virginia.

This is not an MBU grant.

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PAYMENT METHODS LOANS Almost all MBU students are eligible for Federal Stafford Loans.

The only exceptions are if 1) you are currently in default on a previous student loan; or 2) you have already received $57,500 in Stafford Loans in your lifetime if you are an independent student (or $31,000 if you are a dependent student). There are two types of Stafford Loans: •

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Subsidized: Need-based loans, these accrue no interest until after you graduate. The maximum lifetime amount for subsidized loans is $23,000.

Only undergraduates are eligible for subsidized student loans.

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Unsubsidized: These begin to accrue interest while you are in school. You are not required to make payments while a student, but may make payments at any time.

Both undergraduates and graduate students are eligible for unsubsidized loans.

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Grad PLUS loans: If an unsubsidized loan does not cover a graduate student’s expenses, you may apply for a federal credit-based PLUS loan.

OUTSIDE SCHOLARSHIPS MBU does not offer institutionally financed scholarships for students in Baldwin Online & Adult Programs, Post Baccalaureate Teacher Licensure, or graduate programs other than the very limited number for Online & Adult students listed above, and participation in the Yellow Ribbon Program. You may wish to identify potential aid opportunities on your own: •

Use free scholarship search sites such as fastweb.com or scholarships.com. Never pay for a scholarship search; such sites give you the same information as the free ones.

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Check out Phi Theta Kappa Scholarships. The honor society for achievement in two-year college programs, PTK awards over 250 scholarships nationally each year, from $1,500 to $30,000 each. Application deadline is December 3 of the year before you intend to transfer.

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Check with your employer and any community or religious organization to which you belong to see if they offer tuition assistance.

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Watch your marybaldwin.edu email for financial aid announcements, which we send when we learn of scholarships that may be relevant for our students.

For the portion of your bill not covered by financial aid, Mary Baldwin University accepts check, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express. However, we do not recommend using your credit card unless you can pay off the balance within a month, as credit cards generally carry a higher interest rate and less attractive terms and conditions than student loans.

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MBU offers an interest-free 10-month payment plan. For more information, contact Student Accounts at 540-887-7364.

SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS To continue receiving financial aid after your first year, you must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP), including earning a minimum GPA and completing a minimum percentage of your courses. Complete SAP requirements are available in the MBU Academic Catalog (marybaldwin.edu/catalog), and a copy will be mailed to you with your financial aid award.

WITHDRAWAL AND RETURN OF TITLE IV FUNDS Federal regulations require Title IV financial aid funds (including Pell Grants, Stafford Loans, and other federal financial aid) to be awarded under the assumption that a student will attend the institution for the entire period (usually a semester) in which federal assistance was awarded.

When a student withdraws from all courses for any reason, including medical withdrawals, he/she may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that he/she was originally scheduled to receive, and the student must therefore return part of the aid received. Therefore, if you completely withdraw from a semester after the Add-Drop period and before the 60% point in the semester, a refund calculation will be done using federal regulations.