Navigating your Financial Aid

At Emmanuel, we are proud to offer robust support through our Office of Student Financial Services. There is no “one-size fits all” solution for each and every student, but our dedicated team of counselors are here to help you navigate this process with confidence and ensure you understand your eligibility for financial aid.

Financial aid is available from not just one, but several sources. Financial aid sources may include merit scholarships, institutional grants, need-based financial aid, and self-help opportunities such as federal loans and work-study, outside scholarships, and more. 

These opportunities will help bridge the gap between your and your family’s resources and the cost of attending to make the goal of an Emmanuel College education a reality. Please refer to our comprehensive 2024-2025 Guide to Financing and Financial Aid as you begin to explore the variety of options that may be available to you.

Merit-based scholarships are awarded for a maximum of eight semester. To renew merit-based scholarships, recipients must remain enrolled full-time and meet the following cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirements:

Cumulative Grade Point Average Requirements

FundCumulative GPA
Presidential Scholarship3.3
Dean's Scholarship3.0
Academic Achievement Scholarship2.7
Federal TEACH Grant3.25

 

To renew merit-based scholarships, students must achieve the cumulative grade point average (GPA) listed above at the completion of their third academic semester. Students who do not achieve the cumulative GPA by the end of their second semester, will receive notification that they are at risk of not meeting the GPA requirement.

If at the conclusion of the third semester the student becomes ineligible for their merit scholarship, there are alternative payment and financial resources available. The Office of Student Financial Services is available to help students determine what options may be best for them. Additionally, the merit scholarship can be reinstated once the student notifies our office that they have achieved the required cumulative GPA.

We encourage students to take advantage of the many resources available to help them succeed at Emmanuel, such as Academic Advising and the Academic Resource Center (ARC). The ARC offers peer tutoring, study groups, writing, math and science assistance, disability support services, amongst other resources.

If you have questions regarding your merit scholarship eligibility, please contact your counselor.
 

Eligibility for need-based financial aid is determined by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The 2024-2025 FAFSA is now open and all students seeking need-based financial assistance are encouraged to complete the FAFSA online. Emmanuel College has extended its priority filing date for the FAFSA until April 1st but we still encourage students to submit their FAFSA as soon as possible.

You may have heard that there were changes to the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The new FAFSA has a more streamlined application process with fewer questions (less than half of the questions for most students) and an easier way to transfer tax information directly from IRS. Please view this video for more information regarding the changes. 

Key 2024 FAFSA Changes

  • More streamlined application process with fewer questions and an easier way to transfer the tax information directly from IRS.
  • Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the term Expected Family Contribution (EFC). 
  • For students whose parents are divorced or separated, the custodial parent on their FAFSA will be the parent who provides the most financial support and will no longer be the parent with whom they lived with the most over the past 12 months. Students will be able to use the "Who is my Parent" tool to determine who should be listed as a contributor on the FAFSA.
  • Household size can only include the student, the student’s parents (step-parents) or student’s spouse, and dependents as reported on the federal income tax return.
  • The Student Aid Index (SAI) is not affected by the number of children a family has attending college.
  • Each contributor to the FAFSA (student, student spouse, parent(s) and/or stepparent) will have to provide consent for the FAFSA to access their IRS tax information. 
    • If any contributor does not provide their consent, the Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated and we will not be able to determine eligibility for need-based financial aid.
  • Students can list up to 20 schools on their FAFSA.
  • Parents without a Social Security Number will be able to apply for an FSA ID. This will speed up FAFSA processing time as they will be able to submit the form online, rather than having to print, sign and mail their application.
  • A direct data share with the IRS (FTI) will replace what is currently known as the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). 
  • Resources for completing the FAFSA form will be expanded to the 11 most common languages spoken in the United States.
  • Male students under the age of 26 are no longer required to register with the Selective Service System to receive federal financial aid.
  • Drug-related convictions will no longer disqualify applicants.

 

Important Things to Note

  • If this is your first FAFSA, you should create your FSA ID now. Watch this helpful video on how to create an account.
  • Invite your contributor(s) to complete their portion of the FAFSA by collecting their name, date of birth, Social Security Number (if applicable) and email address. All contributors will also need an FSA ID. If you need help to determine your contributor(s), watch this short video.
  • To help make sure the process go smoothly, we encourage you to watch this video for additional guidance on the documents you may need while completing your FAFSA.
  • Emmanuel’s FAFSA code is 002147.
  • If you or your family have had significant financial changes since 2022, complete the FAFSA as instructed (by providing 2022 income information) and contact our office to discuss the changes in more detail.

Emmanuel does not require the CSS/Financial Aid Profile. Should additional information be required to determine a student's financial aid eligibility, the student will be notified by the Office of Student Financial Services.

 

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy:

All students who receive federal and state financial aid must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to remain eligible each year. Most financial aid is renewable each year based on the following requirements.

 

Requirements

Federal regulations require that SAP measures students’ academic progress using both quantitative and qualitative measures. SAP is reviewed annually. Qualitatively, students must be maintaining a 2.0 (C) semester grade point average. If a student’s cumulative grade point average drops below 2.0 (C) any time after the end of the second academic year, they will be ineligible for financial aid.

Quantitatively, full-time students must successfully complete 67% of their attempted credits during each academic year. Students attending full-time have six years in which to complete a four-year program. To maintain SAP, a full-time student is expected to complete the following minimum number of credits each year:

Year Full-time Credits

  • 1st year: 21
  • 2nd year: 43
  • 3rd year: 64
  • 4th year: 85
  • 5th year: 107
  • 6th year: 128

Grades of failure, withdrawal, unofficial withdrawal, repeated classes, and incomplete do not count toward completed credits.

Transfer credits count toward the completion of a student’s program as both credits attempted and credits completed.


Part-Time Students

Part-time students must successfully complete 67% of the number of attempted credits for each part-time semester, and maintain a 2.0 (C) cumulative grade point average after their second academic year.


Procedure

At the end of each academic year, student records are reviewed by Student Financial Services (SFS) to ensure students are maintaining SAP. Students who are not maintaining SAP are notified by mail and e-mail. If the student improves their academic standing by completing coursework or summer courses, and would like to be considered for financial aid, they must contact SFS to make this request.

Students are solely responsible for maintaining their academic progress; those who have not done so will be notified of their ineligibility for financial aid during the awarding process or when their academic progress drops below the required minimum.


Appeal Process

Students who are ineligible for financial aid due to not meeting SAP requirements may submit an appeal form and any supporting documentation to SFS if they had special circumstances that prevented them from achieving SAP requirements. The appeal letter must include why the student failed to achieve SAP and what has changed that will allow the student to achieve SAP.

If the SAP appeal is approved, the student will be placed on SAP financial aid probation. Students on SAP financial aid probation have one semester (or as specified under the academic plan) to reach the SAP requirements in order to remain eligible for financial aid. Students on SAP financial aid probation must work with their academic advisor to create an academic plan that details how the student will achieve SAP. Students who fail to adhere to the terms of their SAP financial aid probation are not eligible for aid. A letter is sent to all students who fail to comply with the terms of their probation.


Special Circumstances

Special consideration may be given to students admitted, or later identified, as physically handicapped or learning disabled.

Students returning to Emmanuel College with less than a 2.0 (C) cumulative grade point average after a suspension, dismissal, or required leave of absence are placed on probation. It is the responsibility of the student to officially notify SFS of any changes to their academic standing. For example, credits transferred in from another institution need to be brought to the attention of SFS. Financial aid cannot be awarded until this official notification is received. Students who have been denied financial aid because they were not making SAP may again receive financial aid the semester after attaining SAP.

There may be limited funds available to help students pay for summer courses. If you are interested in a class, but have concerns about cost, please complete our Summer Aid Application.

The Office of Student Financial Services is here to work with you and help determine a plan to pay. Please contact us at 617-735-9938 or financialservices [at] emmanuel.edu and we would be happy to assist you.

Emmanuel College Endowed and Restricted Scholarships are funded through the generosity of alumni and friends of the College; many were established to provide additional financial support to currently enrolled students.

Each scholarship is awarded according to criteria established by the individual donor, including but not limited to academic performance, service and/or leadership accomplishments, community affiliation, and financial need. Scholarships are renewable, assuming full-time enrollment and satisfactory academic progress, unless otherwise specified in the individual description.

Please click here to complete the 2024-2025 Endowed and Restricted Scholarship Application. The priority deadline for this application is February 15th, funds are limited.

Outside scholarships offered by your community or other organizations are a great way to help pay for college expenses. Many private scholarships have early application deadlines for the upcoming academic year.

For more information and tips, click here.

Students selected as Resident Assistants receive a 75% reduction in room and board charges in their first year as an RA and 100% waiver of room and board charges for subsequent years of service as an RA. Rising sophomores, juniors and seniors may apply for RA positions through Residence Life.

For more information, click here.

The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant is a federal grant of $4,000 maximum awarded annually to students intending to teach full time for at least four years in a TEACH-approved field. For a list of service requirements and for more information, please visit studentaid.gov. If interested in receiving this grant, please contact our office.

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