U.S. Financial Aid

To be awarded financial assistance through the Office of Financial Aid, a student must complete an annual financial aid application and meet all eligibility requirements.

Students who are U.S. citizens, nationals, or permanent residents begin the financial aid process by completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa using Adler University’s school code (G20681). Financial aid applications are year-specific and must be renewed each academic year in order to continue funding. Undergraduate students who are considered dependent for the purposes of applying for federal student aid must include parental information on the FAFSA. Graduate students are automatically considered independent and do not need to include parental information on the FAFSA.

In certain instances, other aid application materials may be required. These additional items will be formally requested, via Adler student email, by the Office of Financial Aid if they are necessary to complete the aid application process.

Once students are admitted to an eligible program of study and have a valid FAFSA on file, aid eligibility can be evaluated. Students will be notified of their aid offer via their Adler student email. They will be directed to review, request aid revisions, accept awards, and electronically sign their award letter via Financial Aid Self-Service, accessed in the Quick Links area of Adler Connect. Students receive access to this site shortly after being officially accepted to Adler University.

Chicago and Online campus students who are Canadian citizens may be eligible to apply for student aid through your province or territory; more information can be found on the Canadian government website at https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/student-aid/grants-loans/province-apply.html. We encourage you to contact your province or territory’s student aid office with any questions about determining your eligibility for Canadian aid programs.

Full information related to Adler University’s financial assistance programs can be obtained online at adler.edu/disclosures.

Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements

The U.S. Department of Education requires specific criteria to be met to qualify for U.S. federal student aid. Those requirements, such as being enrolled in a degree or certificate program at Adler University, are available online at https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/requirements.

In addition, in order to continue receiving financial aid, including Adler University scholarships, students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress towards the completion of their degree/certificate. The requirements to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid purposes can be found later in this section of the Catalog.

Enrollment Status Considerations When Retaking Coursework

For the purposes of determining a student’s enrollment status, there are special considerations for students who are repeating coursework:

• A student who has failed a course (grade of F, or grade of NC in a credit/no credit course) can have the repeated failed course calculated in their enrollment status as many times as it is necessary to get a passing grade. See the next bullet for an exception.
• A student who is retaking a previously passed course to improve their grade in it may have exactly one repetition of that course included in their enrollment status. In the case when a student retakes the previously passed course to improve their grade and fails the second time, the student may not be paid for retaking the class a third time.

Types of Financial Aid

Aid is available from the U.S. federal government and from institutional and outside programs. Aid can come in the form of:

• Grants and Scholarships: Free money that does not need to be repaid. Most times, this assistance is based on financial need, academics, personal background, essay completion, or some combination of these categories.
• Loans: Money that must be repaid at some point in the future, with interest. Undergraduate student federal loans include both need and non-need based options. Need is defined as cost of attendance minus the EFC as calculated by your FAFSA minus other financial assistance. Graduate student federal loans are not need-based, but there may be a credit check required.

• Student Employment: Assistance that is earned by working for the institution or an outside organization with whom we are contracted to place students. This assistance is typically need-based and can be funded by either the U.S. federal government or Adler University.

• Veterans Education Benefits and Military Tuition Assistance: Assistance available to veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces and their dependents or those on active duty/reserve.

Grants and Scholarships

Adler University Scholarships

Adler University is committed to enrolling a diverse and outstanding student body. As such, we offer scholarships for both incoming and current students.

Adler University applicants and full-time students are eligible to apply for institutional scholarships. Descriptions of each scholarship and application information can be found on the Adler University website at https://www.adler.edu/admission-aid/.

Federal Undergraduate Grants

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) is available to undergraduate students who demonstrate high need based on the results of their FAFSA. The award amounts range from $100 to $4,000, based on student need and availability of funding.

Students who have previously earned a bachelor’s degree are not eligible for federal grant funding for additional bachelor’s degree programs.

Loans

Many Adler University students find it necessary to take out loans to finance all or a portion of their costs. The Office of Financial Aid strongly encourages those students who qualify to explore U.S. federal student loan options first. Federal student loans that a student took out prior to enrolling with Adler University are eligible for in-school deferment as long as the student maintains at least half-time enrollment.

Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) program is the basic component of a student’s financial aid award offer. A student must be enrolled at least half-time on a semester basis to be eligible for federal Direct loans.

Interest rates on these loans can vary from year to year but will be fixed at the rate at which they were borrowed. Interest begins to accrue on these loans as soon as money is disbursed to the student’s tuition account. There are several repayment plans available.

Direct Subsidized Loans are available to undergraduate students only and are need-based. The amount awarded for the year cannot exceed the student’s demonstrated financial need or the annual loan limit, whichever is lower.

Direct Unsubsidized Loans are not need-based and are available to degree and certificate students at all academic levels. The amount awarded for the year cannot exceed the annual loan limit and is based on the student’s academic level and/or program.

To qualify for Federal Direct Loan funding, a student must:

• Apply for student financial assistance with Adler University using the FAFSA
• Accept or reject any Federal Direct Loans offered and sign their Award Offer Letter through Financial Aid Self-Service
• Complete both a master promissory note and an entrance counseling session (new borrowers)

Maximum Annual and Aggregate Loan Amounts

The Federal Direct Loan Program has annual and aggregate (lifetime) loan limits for Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans. The annual amounts are based on a student’s dependency status, need, and academic level and/or program.

Lifetime Aggregate Loan Limit

• Dependent Undergraduate students: $31,000 with no more than $23,000 of this amount in subsidized loans
• Independent Undergraduate students: $57,500 with no more than $23,000 of this amount in subsidized loans
• Graduate students (except Chicago campus Psy.D. students): $138,500 (including all undergraduate subsidized/unsubsidized loan borrowing)
• Chicago Campus Psy.D. students: $224,000 (including all undergraduate subsidized/unsubsidized loan borrowing)

Interest Rates

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2023, and before July 1, 2024, have a fixed interest rate of 5.50% for undergraduate borrowers and 7.05% for graduate or professional borrowers.

Loan Fees

The federal government assesses a mandatory loan fee on all Federal Direct Loans before the funds arrive at Adler University. These fees are as follows:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans first disbursed on or after October 1, 2020, and before October 1, 2024, have a loan fee of 1.057 percent of the principal loan amount.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans

Graduate students may apply for a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan to assist with educational costs. Additionally, parents of federally-dependent undergraduate students may apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan to assist with their student’s educational expenses. Parents of federally-independent undergraduate students are not eligible to borrow a Parent PLUS Loan on behalf of their student. To be eligible for federal loans, a student must be enrolled at least half-time on a semester basis.

Interest rates on these loans can vary from year to year but will be fixed at the rate at which they were borrowed. Interest begins to accrue on these loans as soon as money is disbursed to the student’s tuition account. There are several repayment plans available.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans are not need-based and a credit check is required. The total amount awarded for the year cannot exceed the student’s cost of attendance minus all other forms of financial assistance received. There is no aggregate cap on this loan program.

To be offered a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan, graduate students must:

• Apply for student financial assistance with Adler University using the FAFSA
• Accept or reject each Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan offered and sign their award letter through Financial Aid Self-Service
• Complete both a master promissory note and entrance counseling session (new borrowers)
• Obtain credit approval for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. Credit approval is determined by the U.S. Department of Education when the loan is processed by the Office of Financial Aid.

To apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan (undergraduate students only):

• The student must apply for student financial assistance with Adler University using the FAFSA
• The parent must complete the PLUS Loan Application online at https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/parent/landing and select Adler University as the recipient. The parent may need to work with the student to complete some portions of the application. Credit approval is determined by the U.S. Department of Education when the PLUS Application is submitted.
• The parent must complete a master promissory note

If a graduate student or a parent is unable to obtain credit approval on their own, they can add a creditworthy co-borrower (endorser), or they may be able to appeal the credit decision due to extenuating circumstances. Additional steps will be necessary in either case. The student for whom the parent is borrowing the Parent PLUS Loan cannot serve as the endorser on the PLUS loan.

Interest Rates

• Federal Direct PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2023, and before July 1, 2024, have a fixed interest rate of 8.05%.

Loan Fees

The federal government assesses a mandatory loan fee on all Federal Direct PLUS Loans before the funds arrive at Adler. These fees are as follows:

• Federal Direct PLUS Loans first disbursed on or after October 1, 2020, and before October 1, 2024, will have a loan fee of 4.228 percent of the principal loan amount.

Federal Student Loan Repayment

For Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, repayment does not begin until the conclusion of a six-month grace period. This grace period begins after a student graduates, withdraws from school (including taking a leave of absence), or ceases to maintain at least half-time enrollment.

For Federal Direct PLUS Loans, repayment begins as soon as the loan is fully disbursed. Students have the option of deferring repayment while the student is enrolled at least half-time, and for a six-month grace period following graduation, or in the event the student withdraws (including taking a leave of absence) or ceases to maintain at least half-time enrollment.

Borrowers have the option of a standard 10-year repayment or other extended repayment options based on time to repayment or the borrower’s income. These loans also allow for specific deferments, or time periods when the lender will temporarily suspend collection activity on the loan. Borrowers requiring a temporary postponement or partial reduction in monthly payment may request a forbearance in the event deferment is not available. More information on repayment options can be found online at https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment.

Alternative Student Loans

Alternative student loans are private, credit-based loans the student or parent applies for directly with a financial institution. These loans cannot be combined with Federal Direct Loans into a Federal Consolidation Loan following graduation. Alternative loans may be available to international students who have a U.S. citizen or permanent resident co-borrower or to borrowers who are not able to file a FAFSA. Interest rates on alternative loans are variable or fixed and vary based on the lender and the borrower’s credit rating.

Students who are eligible for Federal Direct Loans are encouraged to explore federal loans first as there are many benefits that may be unavailable through an alternative loan program.

Student Employment

Students may be able to work part-time while attending Adler University and earn an income through the Student Employment Program. Program participants can be hired for a part-time job at Adler University or through a designated outside community partner. The majority of Student Employment Program participants are funded through the Federal Work-Study (FWS) program. FWS is a need-based employment program that is funded partially by the U.S. government and is factored into the student’s overall financial aid offer for the year.

To qualify for a Student Employment Program position, a student must:

• Complete the FAFSA if eligible and demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA
• Interview and be hired for a Student Employment position
• Complete all required paperwork and onboarding processes with the Office of Financial Aid and People & Culture

Student Employment Program participants are paid an hourly rate and, while time commitments vary by position, most positions are for 8-10 hours per week. Students may work up to 20 hours per week while classes are in session.

Student Employment positions are not guaranteed, and the number of available positions may be limited. The earliest a Student Employment Program participant may begin work is the first official day of class. Student Employment Program earnings are taxable and paid bi-weekly for all hours worked. View open jobs on the Financial Aid page of Adler Connect beginning in late summer for the following academic year.

Veterans Education Benefits and Military Assistance

U.S. military veterans or those who are on active duty/reserve may qualify for education benefits to help fund their Adler education. A student must be admitted prior to applying for veteran education or military benefits. Once admitted, the student can start the process of applying for benefits by following the steps below.

GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at benefits.va.gov/gibill.

Veterans Education Benefits

Veterans education benefits are approved by the Illinois State Approving Agency. These programs offer a variety of benefits for students based on their individual military enlistment history. Below are the different benefits that are approved by the Illinois State Approving Agency. Use the GI Bill® Comparison Tool (vets.gov/gi-bill-comparison-tool) to determine which benefit program is the right one for you. Payment rates for each type of benefit are also available on the VA website (benefits.va.gov).

The Post-9/11 GI Bill®

Ch. 33 provides the following benefits to, or on behalf of, the student:

• A scaled tuition and fee payment ranging between 40 percent to 100 percent of billed mandatory charges, which is dependent on length of active service. This payment is made directly to Adler.
• A monthly housing allowance (MHA) paid to the student and payable for the zip code of the campus where the student physically attends the majority of classes. This applies to the first enrollment in an educational program on or after August 1, 2018.

Note: Students in Adler’s Online Campus will be paid at one-half the BAH national average. Students on active duty, or who are enrolled half-time or less, are not eligible for the MHA.

• A books and supplies stipend paid to the student of up to $1,000 per year paid proportionally based on enrollment.
• Some veterans may be able to transfer their benefits to a spouse or dependent.
• Adler participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, which entitles veterans at the 100 percent tier level to receive full payment of their mandatory charges in excess of the annual cap. Active-duty service members and their spouses are not currently eligible for Yellow Ribbon consideration.

Other Veterans Education Benefit Programs

• The Montgomery GI Bill® Active Duty (MGIB-AD, Ch. 30) provides a monthly benefit paid directly to the student.
• The Montgomery GI Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR, Ch. 1606) provides a monthly benefit paid directly to the student.
• The Reserve Educational Assistance Program (REAP, Ch. 1607) provides a monthly benefit paid directly to the student.
• The Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP, Ch. 32) provides a monthly benefit paid directly to the student.
• The Survivors and Dependents Assistance Program (Ch. 35) provides a monthly benefit paid directly to the student who is a survivor or dependent of the veteran.
• Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E, Ch. 31, formerly known as Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment) benefits provide payments to Adler for mandatory tuition and fees.

Applying for Veterans Education Benefits

To begin using VA education benefits at Adler University, the student must either apply for their benefit with VA or update their place of training with VA to Adler University. This can all be done on the VA’s website at va.gov/education/how-to-apply/.

After applying for or transferring benefits, the Department of Veterans Affairs will determine the student’s eligibility and issue a Certificate of Eligibility (COE). The student must provide a copy of the COE to the Office of Financial Aid before benefits can be certified.

Students wishing to use Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) benefits can begin the application process on the VA’s website at https://www.va.gov/careers-employment/vocational-rehabilitation/how-to-apply/. If you have additional questions about using the benefits at Adler University, contact the Office of Financial Aid for specific information at 844.459.3710 or [email protected].

Pending Tuition and Fee Payments

Students utilizing Post 9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch. 33) or Veteran Readiness and Employment (Ch. 31) education benefits may have a tuition and fees payment sent directly to Adler University. While the tuition and fee payment is pending from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Adler will not take any of the following actions:

• Prevent enrollment.
• Assess a late payment fee.
• Require alternative or additional funding.
• Deny access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other Adler facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills.

This pending payment provision supersedes other policies listed elsewhere in the Course Catalog.

To qualify for this provision, Ch. 31 and 33 students may be required to:

• Provide a Certificate of Eligibility by the first day of class to the Office of Financial Aid.
• Submit a written request to be certified.
• Provide additional information needed in order for the Office of Financial Aid to properly certify enrollment to the VA.

Military Tuition Assistance

Each branch of the U.S. Military offers a Tuition Assistance (TA) program to Active and/or Reserve Military Service members. TA can cover up to $250 per credit hour, not to exceed the amount per Military Fiscal Year based on branch of service.

• Complete the correct enrollment form associated with your branch of the U.S. military for approval by your Military Education Officer.
• Submit the APPROVED Tuition Assistance (TA) form to Adler University’s Office of Student Accounts.

Note: Army TA users will need to complete the TA process through the Go Army Ed website.

You can find more information about U.S. Military tuition assistance programs, including information about the application process, on the Department of Defense website at https://www.militaryonesource.mil/education-employment/for-service-members/preparing-for-higher-education/how-to-use-the-military-tuition-assistance-program/.

More Information

If you have questions about using your veterans and/or military tuition benefits at Adler University, do not hesitate to reach out to Adler University staff.

- Veterans Education Benefits or Veteran Readiness and Employment (VR&E) Benefit Questions:

Adler’s Office of Financial Aid

844.459.3710

fi[email protected]

- Military Tuition Assistance Questions:

Adler’s Office of Student Accounts

312.662.4135

[email protected]

Financial Aid Verification Process

The federal government randomly selects certain federal student aid applicants for a process called verification. An aid applicant whose Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is selected for verification will be required to provide additional documentation to the Adler University Office of Financial Aid. These additional documents may require the Office of Financial Aid to make corrections to the student’s aid application with the federal government. In most cases, these corrections will be made by financial aid personnel directly. Otherwise, students will be notified via email if they are required to make a correction to their FAFSA.

Submission of these additional items is not optional for students who are selected for verification. The financial aid application cannot be processed until all required items are received.

Complete details regarding the financial aid verification process are available online by selecting Student Financial Assistance at adler.edu/disclosures.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal regulations require that the Adler University Office of Financial Aid monitor the academic progress of all financial aid recipients toward the completion of their degree or certificate. This process is called Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). This SAP policy is enforced in conjunction with all other institutional policies and procedures, including the academic status and satisfactory progress policies of the University, and applies to part-time and full-time students for all semesters of enrollment, including those terms for which no financial aid was granted. Institutional policies regarding academic status and satisfactory progress can be found in the Academic Policy sections for the campus in this catalog.

The Office of Financial Aid shall have primary responsibility in enforcing this policy. The Registrar’s Office and other University offices that maintain student information relevant to this policy shall provide such information, as requested, by the Office of Financial Aid. All updates from the Office of Financial Aid with regards to a student’s SAP standing (Warning, Suspension, Appeal Approved) will be sent to the student’s Adler email account. [34 CFR §668.34 (a)(11)].

SAP for Adler University students is monitored using three factors: maximum time frame measurement, cumulative progress toward completion of the degree or certificate, and cumulative GPA.

Maximum Time Frame Measurements

Credit Hours

Students may receive financial assistance for attempted credit hours up to 150 percent of the credits it normally takes to complete the academic program. The total allowable attempted hours are calculated by multiplying the hours required to complete the degree at Adler by 1.5 and rounding down to the nearest whole number. For example, for a program that requires 36 credit hours, a student may attempt up to 54 hours. Please note, non-degree certificate programs are approved by the U.S. Department of Education for financial assistance at a specific number of credit hours. Regardless of a student’s actual plan of study, maximum timeframe is calculated using the number of hours for which the program was approved by the U.S. Department of Education.

In the event that it becomes mathematically impossible for the student to complete their program according to the maximum timeframe requirements, the student will be immediately suspended from federal assistance without a warning period, but with the ability to appeal.

Years

Additionally, students must satisfactorily complete all degree or certificate requirements within 150 percent of the published length of their program, , from the date of first registration following admission to the program:

• 1 year program: 1.5 years
• 1.25 year program: 2 years
• 2 year program: 3 years
• 3 year program: 4.5 years
• 4 year program: 6 years
• 5 year program: 7.5 years

Periods of approved leave of absence do count against the above bulleted timeframes. Once a student meets these timeframes, they will be immediately suspended from federal assistance without a warning period and without the ability to appeal. However, an appeal can be submitted if the University approves additional time for the student to complete academic requirements for their program.

A student who completes all academic requirements for their program but does not yet have the degree or certificate is not eligible for further federal financial aid for that program.

Cumulative Progress Towards Degree or Certificate

Students must successfully complete at least 67.7 percent of the credit hours they attempt. This will be measured cumulatively over the course of the student’s program. For the purpose of this measurement, all of the following are applicable:

• Successful completion for Chicago and Vancouver Campuses non-PsyD students is defined as a grade of B- or better for a letter-grade course, or a grade of CR for a credit/no credit course. These credits are counted in both attempted and completed hour totals.
• Successful completion for Chicago and Vancouver Campuses PsyD students is defined as a grade of B or better for a letter-grade course, or a grade of CR for a credit/no credit course. These credits are counted in both attempted and completed hour totals.
• Successful completion for Online Campus undergraduate students is defined as a grade of C or better for a letter-grade course, or a grade of CR for a credit/no credit course. These credits are counted in both attempted and completed hour totals.
• Successful completion for Online Campus Masters and certificate level students is defined as a grade of C or better for a letter-grade course, or a grade of CR for a credit/no credit course.
• Successful completion for Online Campus Doctoral level students is a B- or better for a letter-grade course, or a grade of CR for a credit/no credit course. These credits are counted in both attempted and completed hour totals.
• All other grades (including missing, incomplete, and in-progress grades) are counted in the attempted hour total but not the completed hour total. If an incomplete or in progress grade is later converted to a grade that is considered to be a successfully completed grade, the cumulative progress percentage can be recalculated. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Financial Aid when an incomplete or in-progress grade has been converted.
• Students who drop courses will not have those dropped courses counted in the attempted hours total if they are dropped during the official add/drop period. Dropped courses after the add/drop period will be counted in the attempted hours total.
• Repeated courses are counted as attempted hours during all attempts.
• Transfer credits that count toward the student’s current academic program count as both attempted and completed hours.
• Students who change programs will only have hours that were previously attempted counted in their cumulative totals if they are applicable to the new academic program.
• Audited courses do not count in either the attempted or completed hour totals.

Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Graduate students on all campuses must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0.

Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress

Evaluation of Satisfactory Academic Progress is made at the end each semester by the Adler University Office of Financial Aid once final grades are published in the University system. This review is completed through a manual review of grades received, courses attempted, cumulative progress towards degree completion, and cumulative GPA. SAP progress will be evaluated up to three times per academic year.

In cases where a student has separated from Adler University and is later re-admitted, SAP will be re-evaluated upon admission.

Financial Aid Warning

Students who fail to meet the above SAP requirements will be placed on financial aid warning for one academic semester. Students will be allowed to continue receiving financial assistance during the warning period. Students placed on financial aid warning will be sent notification through their Adler email account. The notification will include SAP requirements, steps necessary to meet SAP in the upcoming term, and the consequences for failing to meet SAP requirements by the end of the warning period.

If a student does not enroll in the following semester after the SAP warning is issued, the warning period will move to the next semester of enrollment.

Students will be placed on financial aid suspension if they fail to meet the standards of this SAP policy in the subsequent period of enrollment following the financial aid warning period.

Suspension of Financial Aid Eligibility

Students will be placed on financial aid suspension if they do not meet the SAP requirements at the end of their Financial Aid Warning period. They will be notified of their suspension through their Adler email account.

Appealing Suspension of Financial Aid Eligibility

A student may appeal the suspension of their financial aid eligibility for extenuating circumstances. Appeals from other parties on behalf of the student will not be accepted. All appeals should be submitted to the Director of Financial Aid via an email from their Adler email account. Each appeal must include: (1) the reason(s) why the standards of this policy were not met; (2) what has changed in the student’s situation that will allow them to make satisfactory progress during the next evaluation; and (3) an academic plan for the remainder of the student’s studies. Documentation of any statements made in the appeal should be included, as appropriate, to strengthen the appeal (e.g. updated Degree Completion Plan, or Degree Completion Plan; third-party documentation; etc).

All appeals must be submitted within 10 business days of the send date of a suspension notice.

The Director of Financial Aid will review the appeal and will respond to the student within 10 business days from the receipt of the appeal. This response will be sent to the student’s Adler email account. If the student’s appeal is approved, the student will be placed on a financial aid probationary period for one semester or for the duration of an academic plan developed by the student’s advisor, as appropriate. The probationary period will be defined to include checkpoints that must be achieved in order for the student to remain eligible for financial assistance. Students failing to abide by the terms of their probation will be suspended from financial aid eligibility after their probationary period but will maintain the ability to submit a subsequent appeal if a remediation plan is developed with their academic advisor. This plan must be included with the subsequent appeal and the appeal is subject to the approval of the Director of Financial Aid.

Students on an academic plan who need to change the plan will need to submit an appeal to the Director of Financial Aid via an email from their Adler email account, with a copy of an updated DCP, as applicable. The appeal must outline why the change is necessary and how the student will continue to make academic progress.

The decision of the Director of Financial Aid is final, binding, and not subject to further appeal.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid Eligibility

A student’s eligibility for financial aid will be reinstated at such time as the student successfully meets the standards of the SAP policy. It is the student’s responsibility to present evidence to the Office of Financial Aid at the time the student meets the requirements for reinstatement. Once the Office of Financial Aid determines that a student is in compliance with SAP requirements, aid will be reinstated for the following academic semester.

Questions

Students with questions about the SAP policy should contact the Office of Financial Aid at 844.459.3710 or [email protected]. The Office of Financial Aid is open from 9am-5pm M-F (CST).

Withdrawing and Financial Aid

When a financial aid recipient withdraws from a term, federal regulations require a calculation to determine whether federal student loan funding must be returned. This calculation, called a Return of Title IV Aid (R2T4) calculation, is required for official withdrawals but also in the case of students who unofficially withdraw by ceasing attendance in all their classes.

For the purposes of this discussion, students taking a leave of absence are treated in an identical manner to those students who withdraw in good standing, who are administratively withdrawn, who are dismissed, or who unofficially withdraw from Adler University. The terms “leave of absence” and “withdrawal” are interchangeable throughout this policy.

If it is confirmed with the Registrar’s Office that a student never initiated attendance in a course that was used to determine Title IV eligibility, that course will be removed from the student’s Title IV eligibility and their aid will be adjusted as appropriate prior to the R2T4 calculation being performed.

Withdrawals versus Enrollment Changes

Some coursework at Adler University is considered to be modular in nature. Modules exist when courses do not span the entire academic term. The student’s enrollment for the semester in question impacts the R2T4 calculation differently under different scenarios.

If a student stops attending or fails to begin attending all semester coursework but meets any of the following conditions, the student will be considered to have made an enrollment change and will not be subject to the following R2T4 guidelines for the applicable semester:

• The student completed all requirements for graduation.
• The student successfully completed all coursework in the first session of the semester.
• If a graduate student, the student successfully completed at least 3 credits worth of coursework for the semester, or the student successfully completed a half-time and/or full-time exception course for the semester.
• If an undergraduate student, the student successfully completed at least 6 credits worth of coursework for the semester.
• The student initiated a leave of absence for the first session and confirmed on their leave of absence paperwork that they plan to return for the second session of the same semester.

If a student does not meet any of the above conditions and ceases attendance at any point prior to completing the payment period or period of enrollment, the student is considered to have withdrawn from the semester for Title IV aid purposes. If the student provides written confirmation that they will resume attendance and the student fails to return at that future date, the student is considered to have withdrawn for Title IV aid purposes as of the original date of withdrawal.

Withdrawing might impact future eligibility for federal and institutional financial aid. Please review the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements for more information.

Withdrawing from the University

Students wishing to withdraw in good standing from Adler University must follow the published policy designated by their campus. Please see the “Withdrawal in Good Standing” topic under Academic Policies and Procedures for your campus.

Tuition Refund Policy

The tuition refund policy can be found in the Adler University Course Catalog. Please note that students may be found liable for tuition and fee amounts charged for the term in which they are withdrawing, and may have limited eligibility for financial assistance to pay for those charges. Adler University’s tuition refund policy has no bearing on the federally-required R2T4 calculation.

Earned vs. Unearned Title IV Aid

Title IV funds are awarded to students under the assumption they will attend school for the entire period for which the aid is awarded. Upon withdrawing from Adler University, a student may no longer be eligible for the entire amount of Title IV aid they were awarded and/or received. For the purpose of this policy, the withdrawal date will be based on the last date of academic activity, as reported by the Registrar. Federal aid is earned for each day that progresses in the term prior to the withdrawal, so the Office of Financial Aid is required to calculate how much of the Title IV assistance the student earned using the following formula:

(Enrolled Days in Term/Total Days in Term) = Percent of Title IV Aid Earned

Adler University does not use a census date to lock in enrollment for R2T4 calculation purposes (i.e. an R2T4 Freeze Date). The “Total Days in Term” figure will include modules for which the student was enrolled at any point once the semester has begun, even if the student subsequently dropped that coursework and did not attend the applicable module.

Federal Title IV aid includes the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG, undergraduate only), Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans, and the Direct Graduate PLUS loan. Unearned Title IV aid is returned in the following order:

• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans
• Federal Direct Subsidized Loans (undergraduate only)
• Federal Direct PLUS Loans
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG, undergraduate only)

If the student withdraws after 60 percent of the term has passed, they are considered to have earned all of their Title IV aid for that period.

Repayment of Unearned Title IV Aid

If the amount of aid disbursed to the student is greater than the amount they have earned, this overage must be returned to the federal programs.

The student and/or Adler University may be responsible for returning the assistance. Adler University’s share is the lesser of:

• The total amount of unearned aid.
• The institutional charges for the term multiplied by the percentage of unearned aid.

Adler’s share is returned by removing the aid from the student’s tuition account. If a balance is subsequently created on the student’s tuition account, the student will be billed and is responsible for these charges. Students may also be required to return amounts that were given to them to use for living expenses for the term.

Any credit balance on the student account that is a result of the R2T4 calculation will be disbursed as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after the R2T4 calculation.

Funds are returned, where necessary, and students are notified via an email to their Adler email account no later than 30 days from the determination of withdrawal. In cases where the student may not have access to their Adler email account, a paper version of the notification email will be mailed to the address on file with the University. The notification will provide detailed information about Adler’s share of funds that was returned.

In general, the student is responsible for returning any amounts of unearned aid in excess of the amount calculated above. Any loan amounts that must be returned must be repaid in accordance with the terms of that loan’s promissory note (i.e. the student will make scheduled payments to the holder of the loan over a period of time).

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement

If the amount of Title IV aid disbursed is less than the amount the student is eligible to receive, the student may receive a post-withdrawal disbursement to their tuition account at Adler University. If this post-withdrawal disbursement contains federal grant funds, the Financial Aid Office will disburse the funds to the student account. If this post-withdrawal disbursement contains loan funds, the Financial Aid Office will alert the student of the availability of those loan funds via an email to their Adler email account no later than 30 days from the determination of withdrawal. This email will request confirmation from the student as to whether they approve disbursement of the funds, as funds will not be disbursed without student approval.

The student must also authorize Adler to use the post-withdrawal disbursement to cover all other charges other than tuition and fees on their account. If the student does not authorize the school to use these funds to cover other charges, the funds will be refunded to the student after covering outstanding tuition and fee charges and they will be responsible for any balance due.

There are some Title IV funds that the student may have been scheduled to receive that cannot be disbursed once the student has withdrawn because of other eligibility requirements. For example, a federal loan disbursement cannot be made if the student has not signed the appropriate promissory note for that program.

Failure to Earn a Passing Grade in All Courses

Any student who begins classes at Adler University, applies for financial aid, completes all of the requirements to obtain that aid, and then fails to receive at least one passing grade for the semester will be considered a withdrawal/unofficial withdrawal for the purpose of this policy and subject to the R2T4 calculation. Grades of “D”, “F”, “NC”, “W”, “WF”, “WNC”, “I”, and “IP” are considered to be non-passing grades for the purposes of this policy.

For students in this situation, attendance records and academically related activity for the student will be reviewed with the course instructors to determine the last date of attendance. The withdrawal date will be based on: (1) the last date of attendance, as reported by the instructor; or (2) the midpoint of the semester for those students for whom the instructor does not report, or cannot determine, a last date of attendance.

Students who are assigned a grade of “I” or “IP” and do not receive passing grades for other coursework in the same semester will not be considered a withdrawal for the semester in question if the “I” or “IP” grade converts to a passing grade within 30 days of the semester’s last date of attendance as verified by the Registrar’s Office.

Students who fail to receive at least one passing grade for coursework in the first session of a semester but who completed that coursework based on the last date of attendance will not be considered a withdrawal if they begin attendance in previously enrolled coursework in the second session of the same semester, unless the student subsequently fails to receive at least one passing grade for the second session of the same semester.

Institutional and Private Loan Regulations Regarding Withdrawals

All institutional scholarships awarded as a flat amount for the withdrawal term will be reduced if they exceed the student’s tuition charges for that term.

All institutional scholarships awarded as a percentage of tuition for the withdrawal term will be prorated to the applicable percentage of the student’s final tuition charge.

Students who have been awarded state grant funding should contact the Office of Financial Aid at 844.459.3710 to review the impact of a withdrawal on that funding.

If the student has taken out a private loan for the withdrawal term and the student has a credit on their account after all other aid has been returned according to the regulations listed above, Adler University will return private loan funds to the student’s lender. The amount returned will be the lesser of the credit amount on the student’s tuition account or the total amount of the private loan for the term. Any remaining credit will be sent to the student in the form of a check from Student Accounts.

Questions

Students with questions about this process should contact the Office of Financial Aid at 844.459.3710 or [email protected]. The Office of Financial Aid is open from 9am-5pm Monday through Friday (CST).

Federal loan borrowers who have questions may also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 4-FEDAID. The Federal Student Aid Information Center is open from 8am-Midnight (EST), 7 days per week. TTY users may call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800.730.8913. The Center has information online at studentaid.gov.

Financial Aid Disbursement Timeline

In order for students to receive their financial aid disbursements in a timely manner, we strongly recommend that financial aid recipients finalize their course registration at least two weeks prior to the start of a term. Students may add courses after their financial aid has disbursed but if a loan increase is required to cover additional tuition and/or fee expenses, students should request an increase via the Financial Aid Self-Service portal. Financial aid is offered based on a semester calendar, and loans can be disbursed up to ten days prior to the start of the semester, or ten days prior to the start date of courses contained within the semester, whichever is later.

Students who have financial aid in excess of their charges for the semester will be issued a refund. In general, refunds are issued by the Office of Student Accounts within 14 days of the credit being created on the student’s tuition account, or within 14 days of the first day of the term, whichever is later. The following refund schedule applies for funds released prior to/at the beginning of a term:

• For Chicago/Vancouver Campus students, up to $2,000 of this amount will be released to the student within the first seven days of the semester, or within the first seven days of the start of their first course within the semester, whichever is later, assuming the student has completed all requirements to have their aid released. Any refund amounts that exceed the initial $2,000 as described above will be issued to the student within 14 days of the start of the semester, or within the first 14 days of the start of their first course within the semester, whichever is later, assuming the student has completed all requirements to have their aid released.
• For Online Campus students, up to $500 of this amount will be released to the student within the first seven days of the semester, or within the first seven days of the start of their first course within the semester, whichever is later, assuming the student has completed all requirements to have their aid released. Any refund amounts that exceed the initial $500 as described above will be issued to the student within 14 days of the start of the semester, or within the first 14 days of the start of their first course within the semester, whichever is later, assuming the student has completed all requirements to have their aid released.

Living expenses in a student’s allowable cost of attendance are calculated only for periods of time during which the student is enrolled in coursework. Students are not eligible for student loans or federal grant funding for living expenses during periods of non-enrollment.

Loan Counseling

Federal regulations stipulate that all first-time borrowers of federal student loans complete loan entrance counseling prior to loan funding being disbursed. Entrance counseling can be completed online at https://studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling.

Additionally, a federal student loan borrower must complete exit counseling upon graduation, withdrawal from Adler University (including taking a leave of absence), or dropping below half-time enrollment. Students will receive an email to their Adler email account each time exit counseling is required. Exit counseling can be completed online at  https://studentaid.gov/exit-counseling/.

Chicago & Online Campus International Students

Chicago and Online Campus students who are Canadian citizens may be eligible to apply for student aid through your province or territory; more information can be found on the Canadian government website at https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/education/student-aid/grants-loans/province-apply.html. We encourage you to contact your province or territory’s student aid office with any questions about determining your eligibility for Canadian aid programs.

International students are eligible to apply for private alternative student loans. More information about private alternative student loan options can be found online at https://finaid.org/loans/privatestudentloans/.

Private alternative student loans are approved by the lender based on credit ratings and typically require a cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident. Adler University does not endorse any particular lender or product and will process a loan with any lender you have selected, as long as you are eligible for the loan.

International students should also contact their appropriate government and provincial or state agencies to find out about additional sources of aid that may be available to help cover expenses while completing your coursework.