Financial Aid

The purpose of Student Financial Services is to provide assistance to qualified students who would find it difficult or impossible to attend Wilberforce University without financial assistance.

We encourage all students to complete an application for financial aid. Nearly 95% of Wilberforce University students receive some type of financial assistance in the form of grants, loans, work aid, or scholarships.

The student and his/her family have the primary responsibility for financing a college education. However, students may receive assistance through federally funded programs and institutional scholarships. “Financial need” is defined as the difference between the cost of attending Wilberforce University and the calculated family contribution toward this cost. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the document in which the Expected Family Contribution is calculated.

How Financial Need is Determined

In determining financial need or the aid students may be eligible to receive, the Office of Student Financial Services considers the cost of attending Wilberforce University and the families’ ability to pay based on the information students provide on the FAFSA.

The cost of attending Wilberforce University includes actual charges or direct cost (tuition and fees, room and board) and indirect variable costs (books and supplies, transportation, personal miscellaneous expenses).

For eligible students who apply in a timely manner, financial aid awards or packages may consist of several funding sources. Once the information is reviewed and eligibility determined, a financial aid award notification with detailed amounts and types of financial aid a student is eligible to receive will be forwarded to the student/parents. Financial Aid Packages may consist of grants, scholarships, work aid, and loans.

Who Can Be Considered For Federal Financial Aid?

More than 85% of the financial aid awarded at Wilberforce University is based on need. Since the Federal Government provides the majority of the funds in our need-based student financial aid programs, students must meet the following requirements:

1. Be U.S. citizens or nationals, permanent residents of the U.S., citizens of the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, or eligible non-citizens as documented by the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)
2. Have been admitted to enroll or are enrolled in a degree program at Wilberforce University.
3. Meet satisfactory academic progress standards
4. Demonstrate an ability to benefit from their intended course of study
5. Have a valid Social Security Number
6. Not be in default on a Federal loan; owe a repayment on a Federal Grant; or have property subject to a judgment lien for a debt owed to the United States.
7. Register with the Selective Service, if male & under 26 years of age (www.sss.gov)
8. Not be convicted under federal or state law of sale or possession of illegal drugs

Financial Aid for International Students

It should be noted that the vast majority of financial resources described herein come from the federal government and are primarily directed toward American students.

Wilberforce University does offer specialized scholarships to International students; however, the University expects that international students will be capable of financing their entire educational expenses during their undergraduate matriculation.

To avoid undue stress, a deposit of direct educational expenses (tuition, fees, room and board) for the initial year is required prior to registration.

Tips for completing the FAFSA:

• Before completing the FAFSA over the Internet, parents and students should create a FSA ID. The federal processor will not process the FAFSA application unless it is signed electronically using the FSA ID.
• Follow the FAFSA application instructions carefully.
• Gather all of your financial information before starting the FAFSA.
• Enter the School Code 003141 in the school section of the FAFSA so that Wilberforce University can receive your information.
• Although we recommend submitting the FAFSA electronically, the completed paper FAFSA can be mailed to the processing center. It generally takes four to six weeks by conventional mail. The Federal Processing Center will send a Student Aid Report (SAR) to the student after processing your FAFSA.

Just as every student is different, so is every financial aid package. Once you have complete your financial aid application, we’ll consider all the factors affecting your finances–your family’s income, how much you’ve saved, how many siblings are also going to college, and more–and determine how much your family is expected to contribute toward your education.

The amount you’ll receive can come from several different sources, including:

• Wilberforce grants and scholarships
• Federal and state grants
• Work-study jobs
• Federal Direct and Perkins Loans

More than 95% of incoming freshmen received some form of financial aid to help defray the cost of attending Wilberforce. Our staff are ready to assist you with planning as well as help you to get a better feel for how you’ll cover not just your first year, but your entire college career.

Wilberforce University protects students with established loan policies. The University also strictly follows federal regulations that govern student loan requirements.

The Student Loan Code of Conduct creates and maintains uniform loan practices that focus on the best interest of the student borrowers. It also manages relationships between school employees, institutions, lender advisory board members, and student loan organizations.

Wilberforce University encourages students to review the Student Loan Code of Conduct to learn more about loan regulations.

Definitions

1. “Employee” or “School employee” means any employee, agent, student financial aid contractor, director, officer or trustee of the school. For purposes of the Code of Provisions relating to gifts and stock ownership, this term includes family members of the Employee. For purposes of Paragraph 2 of this Code, this term includes family members living in the same household as the Employee.
2. “School” means all colleges, campuses, departments or other components of the higher education institution adopting this Code of Conduct.
3. “Student loan lender” or “lender” means any entity involved in making, holding, consolidating, originating, servicing or guaranteeing any loan to students or parents to finance higher education expenses. This includes lenders who provide private educational loans, as well as, lenders who provide loans that are made, insured, or guaranteed by the U.S. Department of Education, except loans under the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program.

Employee Compensation Prohibition

No Employee of the school or “school-affiliated organization” (as defined in 34 C.F.R. 682.200(b)(5)(i)(A)(8)) shall accept or solicit anything of other than nominal value from a student loan lender. “Nominal value” means a total retail value of not more than ten dollars ($10.00) as calculated over a 12 month period, or as defined by a School policy consistent with applicable federal and state law. This paragraph shall not prohibit School employees from conducting non-student lending business with any lender or accepting or soliciting anything of other than nominal value in any activity unrelated to student loans.

Lender Advisory Board Restrictions

A school employee shall not accept any remuneration or reimbursement of expenses for serving as a member of or otherwise participating on a student loan lender’s advisory board or committee, consistent with applicable federal student loan requirements.

Financial Relationship Prohibition

A school employee shall not accept from any lender or affiliate of any lender any fee, payment, or other financial benefit (including the opportunity to purchase stock) as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or other contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.

In addition, a person employed in the financial aid office of the school, or who otherwise has direct responsibilities with respect to educational loans or other financial aid, shall:

1. Avoid any equity or other interest in any student loan lender other than remote interest;
2. Avoid consulting or similar financial relationships with student loan lenders and comply with the School’s Conflict of Interest Policies and Procedures.

Institutional Compensation Prohibition

1. The School will not accept anything of value from a student loan lender in exchange for any advantage or consideration provided to the lender related to its education loan activity. This prohibition shall include, but not be limited to:
   1. the School’s receipt from any lender of any computer hardware for which the School pays below market prices,
   2. Preferential rates for or access to a lender’s other financial products and
   3. printing costs or services. Notwithstanding anything else in this paragraph, the School may accept assistance as contemplated by 34 C.F.R. 682.200 (b)
2. The School shall not engage in revenue sharing with a student loan lender. Revenue sharing means any arrangement under which a student loan lender pays a higher education institution or an affiliated entity or organization a certain sum, fee, percentage or other material benefit calculated in relationship to the volume of loans received by the lender from students of the institution.

Preferred Lender List Requirements

1. Best Interests of Student Paramount. If the School decides to develop and/or publish any list of suggested, recommended or preferred student loan lenders (“preferred lender list” or “lender list”), the School shall develop and maintain any lender list based solely on the best interests of student and parent borrowers.
2. Required Disclosures. The School shall prominently disclose on all publications of a preferred lender list:
   1. The process and criteria by which the list was assembled
   2. Comparative information regarding interest rates and other benefits offered by the lenders
   3. Borrowers have the right and ability to select lenders not included on the list.
3. Prompt Certification of Loans from ANY Lender. The School will timely certify any loan from any lender selected by the borrower that offers the loan, to the extent consistent with applicable federal student loans requirements. The School will not assign, through award packaging or other methods, the borrower’s loan to a particular lender, or refuse to certify or cause unnecessary certification delays for borrowers who use a lender that has not been recommended or suggested by the School.
4. Minimum Number of Lenders Required. The School shall ensure there are at least three (3) student loan lenders named on each preferred lender list which are not “affiliates” of each other, as described in 34 C.F.R. 682.212(h)(3).
5. Review and Update of Preferred Lender Lists. Preferred lender lists must be reviewed and updated at least once a year. When publishing preferred lender lists, the School shall either rotate or randomize the list of lenders or list them alphabetically.
6. Loan Resale. The School shall require that all lenders on a preferred lender list commit in writing to disclose to the borrower before a loan arrangement is signed whether there is an existing agreement to sell loans to another lender, if so, the contact information for the lender who will be purchasing the borrower’s loan. The School shall inform student and parent borrowers that lenders can, and do sell student loans as well as encourage borrowers to contact their lenders for more information. Further, the School may remove a lender from its preferred lender list if that lender sells loans without ensuring that the advertised loan terms and benefits are honored with the new lender.
7. Different Types of Loans. The School shall not include a student loan lender on a preferred lender list for one type of loan in exchange for benefits provided by the lender with respect to a different type of loan.

Promotion of Preferred Lenders Prohibited

The School shall not allow a lender included on a preferred lender list to use the name, emblem, mascot or logo of the school or other words, pictures, or symbols readily identified with the school in the marketing of private educational loans to the students attending the School that implies the School endorses the private educational loans offered by the lender.

Master Promissory Notes

The School shall inform borrowers of the procedure(s) for completing the Master Promissory Note or other loan agreement with the lender of the borrower’s choice, whether or not the lender appears in the School’s preferred lender list.

Lender Restriction Prohibition

The School shall not restrict borrowers to any particular type of lender (e.g., those that process loans electronically).

School as a Lender

If the School participates in the School as a Lender Program under 20 U.S.C. 1085(d)(1)(E) and has an agreement to sell student loans to another lender, it must (a) disclose the existence of the agreement to the borrower and provide contact information for the lender who will be purchasing the borrower’s loan (b) require that any lender to whom the loans are sold honors the loan terms and benefits the School advertised to borrowers.

Private Loans as a Last Resort

The School shall not certify student eligibility for a private educational loan without first informing the borrower that (a) federal financial assistance (including grants and loans under Title IV) may be available and (b) federal loans may provide more advantageous terms to the borrower than private loans.

Opportunity Loans

1. The School shall not enter into an opportunity loan agreement with a student loan lender under which the school provides concessions or promises to the lender that prejudice other borrowers. An “opportunity” loan means a student loan provided to borrowers with poor or no credit history, or who otherwise would not meet the student loan lender’s eligibility criteria. The School shall not request or accept from any lender any offer of funds to be used for private education loans, including funds for an opportunity loan, to students in exchange for the School providing concessions or promises regarding providing the lender with a specified number of loans made, insured, or guaranteed; a specified loan volume of such loans; or a specified lender arrangement for such loans.
2. The School shall not certify student eligibility for an opportunity loan made available pursuant to an agreement between the School and a lender unless (a) the agreement includes the option of short term or partial loans not to exceed one year and (b) the School informs the borrower of the short term or partial loan option, so the borrower can consider different or less expensive financing if the borrower’s financial condition improves.

Staffing Assistance from Lenders

The School shall not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center or financial aid office staffing, including in person school-required initial or exit counseling, except as permitted by applicable federal student loan requirements. The School shall ensure that any lender employees on campus are accurately represented as such and not misidentified as School agents or employees. While lenders may provide professional development training to financial aid administrators and participate in financial literacy outreach activities, lender employees must clearly disclose the name of the entity preparing any written materials and may not promote the lender’s products.

Implementation

a. The School agrees to publish the Student Loan Code of Conduct prominently on its website within ten business days (10) of its adoption of the School.
b. The School shall require all of its employees with direct responsibilities relating to student loans to obtain training concerning the Student Loan Code of Conduct, applicable federal, as well as, state student loan laws and regulations and related School policies and procedures within 90 days of the hire date the School adopts this Code or for new employees within 90 days of the date of hire. The School shall adopt procedures to ensure these employees maintain current knowledge of the Code and applicable regulations. In addition to the items above, as a member of the National Association of Student Financial Assistance Administrators (NASFAA), UIS also follows the standards established in NASFAA’s Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Institutional Financial Assistance Professionals. See Statement of Ethical Principles.

In order to receive Financial Aid for Summer Classes:

• You must be admitted into a degree-granting program at Wilberforce University. Wilberforce University students may receive financial aid only for coursework taken at the University and not credits from other colleges or universities.
• You must be maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP)
• A 2023–2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be filed before summer school registration ends and before June 30, 2023 with the federal government’s central processor. Your FAFSA may also be selected for verification, which would require the submission of the appropriate 2023–2024 verification worksheet and 2022 Federal Income Tax Transcripts.
• You must complete the Summer 2023 Wilberforce University Financial Aid Application before the last day to register for Summer 2023. Please keep in mind to submit your paperwork timely to allow at least 2-3 weeks processing time. Submitting forms after summer registration ends may cause you to lose the opportunity to receive limited free funds (i.e., FSEOG, Federal Work-Study, etc.)
• Students from other institutions who register for summer classes at Wilberforce University are not eligible to receive financial aid from Wilberforce. You should contact your primary institution for financial aid opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria for William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loans

• The minimum summer enrollment status required to receive Federal Direct Loan(s) is 6 credit hours for undergraduates and graduates. Direct Loan recipients must have an electronic Master Promissory Note (eMPN) on file and a completed Entrance Counseling with the U.S. Department of Education before funds are disbursed. The eMPN and entrance counseling can be completed online. Please be advised that you will need your Federal Student PIN in order to access the site.
• In order to initiate a credit check, Federal Direct PLUS Loan applicants must complete the online PLUS eMPN. After receiving a credit decision from the U.S. Department of Education and a completed Summer 2022 financial aid application, Wilberforce University will determine PLUS loan eligibility. If the PLUS Loan is approved, the parent must complete the PLUS eMPN online. If the PLUS Loan Credit is denied (dependent undergraduate students only), the student may have additional Unsubsidized Direct Loan eligibility.

Eligibility Criteria for the Federal Work-Study Program

• In order to apply for Federal Work-Study, you must secure a position with an employer before submitting the application to the Office of Student Financial Aid. If you will not be enrolled in classes this summer, you must have a 2022–2023 and 2023–2024 FAFSA on file and be registered for fall before your Federal Work-Study eligibility can be evaluated.

Procedures for Students

The following are procedures for currently enrolled students to apply for part-time, off-campus jobs through the Office of Student Financial Aid.

The Job Location and Development (JLD) program assists enrolled students to obtain part-time employment in Xenia, OH and surrounding areas. Job listings are e-mailed to students and posted on the bulletin board outside the Office of Student Financial Aid. Students may also find employment opportunities by searching the Bulldog Career Link located in the Office of Student Financial Aid website.

Students interested in obtaining a referral for a Job Listing are required to follow these steps:

1. Complete a JLD Student Registration Form with the JLD Coordinator in the Office of Student Financial Aid.
2. Have their resume critiqued by their career counselor in the Office of Cooperative Education.
3. Review the open positions on the announcement listing.
4. Upon completion of the registration process and selection of a job opening, the student will receive additional instructions regarding the employment application.

Contact Us

For more information, please contact Ms. Marye Oliver, Job Location and Development Coordinator, at moliver@wilberforce.edu, or (937) 708-5729.