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A guide to your financial aid offer

If you’re like many students and their families, the world of financial aid feels a little bit like flying a plane through a strange and complicated landscape. You think you know where you want to land, but you’re not completely sure what route will take you to your destination — or even if you have the right qualifications as a pilot.

Fear not: You’ll get all of the navigation assistance you need from the staff in St. Norbert College’s office of financial aid. Think of us as your co-pilots. Your destination? College graduation (right here at SNC, we hope) with as little debt as possible.

Our four-year commitment to you

SNC will do all we can to help you complete your education in four years. In fact, we offer a four-year graduation guarantee that provides you with an extra degree of financial protection should it take you longer.

Make it a point to bookmark and return to this page every year when it’s time to think about reapplying for next year’s financial aid. In the meantime, let’s explore your SNC financial aid offer.

Ensure fair expectations

While financial aid can come in handy, you and your family are primarily responsible for paying for your college education. If your resources aren’t sufficient to cover the costs, then you could be eligible for a variety of financial aid programs to bridge the gap. Most students pay for their college education from a range of sources: family support, personal savings, scholarships, grants, loans and money they earn at a part-time job.

Account for all college expenses

Your financial aid offer is based on the upcoming academic year’s total billed expenses from SNC: tuition, housing, food and required fees. (Personal expenses, books, course materials, supplies and equipment, and transportation to and from home are expenses that students incur, but these costs are not billed to them by SNC.) If you’re curious about the details, review the complete breakdown of costs for each academic year, as provided by our student account services office.

Explore your fair financial aid offer

Every student’s financial situation is unique. This means that SNC’s financial aid staff created your financial aid offer just for you, based on the precise data from your financial aid application (FAFSA) and related documentation.

We use one set of rules to determine your eligibility for aid. While your SNC financial aid offer was tailored specifically for you, the details of your individual offer are based on a standard formula. SNC follows a uniform approach to evaluating each individual student’s financial need, so that we can be fair to every student who applies for aid.

Consider your sources of aid

Does your aid come in the form of grants, scholarships, work aid or loans? Our website’s affordability section contains a wealth of practical explanations about each of these financial aid programs. When you and your family review your SNC financial aid decision, take the time to read about the types of aid that you have been offered. The choice you make about paying for college has long-term consequences, so now is the time to make sure you understand them. Learn about the various sources of aid available to incoming and returning students.

Please note: St. Norbert College scholarships and grants are often funded by a St. Norbert endowed or annual scholarship. At a later date, you may learn the specific name of the endowed or annual scholarships and the name of the donor who helped make them possible.

Account for any outside assistance

Federal regulations [34 CFR 673.5(b)] require all colleges to take into account any resources they know about (or can anticipate a student receiving) when awarding and disbursing financial aid. This means that if you receive monetary awards from sources other than SNC, you are required to notify the office of financial aid of the details. SNC is required to adjust your financial aid offer to incorporate any outside sources of financial aid according to federal, state, and institutional policy.

 

Understand your financial aid schedule and availability of funds

  • Scholarship, grant and loan funds are usually divided equally between the fall and spring semesters, with the exception of wages you may earn from working on campus. Scholarship and grant funds awarded by private sources aren’t applied to your account until the money is received by SNC. Once SNC receives these funds, we apply them to your bill for the term indicated on the information attached to the funds we received.
  • Federal loans won’t be applied to your account unless you’ve previously completed entrance counseling and master promissory note requirements.
  • Title IV recipients must have a way to purchase or obtain books and supplies no later than the seventh day of a payment period if a) The institution could disburse the Title IV, HEA program funds for which the student is eligible; and b) Presuming the funds were disbursed, the student would have a credit balance under 34 CFR 668.164(h). The college ensures this by allowing all students to charge books and supplies from the SNC bookstore to their student account. Note: Students may purchase or rent books from the SNC bookstore; however, they are not required to do so.
  • Some financial aid that is funded by federal and/or state grants is dependent on available funds. Rest assured, SNC will include all available sources of federal and state financial aid in your decision letter. 
Graduate on time

All grant and scholarship aid you receive from SNC is disbursed (or paid out) equally each semester, for a maximum of eight semesters. Most SNC students graduate after completing their eighth semester. If you enroll for a ninth or 10th semester outside of our four-year graduation guarantee, you won’t be eligible for St. Norbert grant or scholarship programs.

Consider payment plans and other financing

Many families take advantage of college payment plans. SNC offers payment plans that allow you to make partial payments over a period of time, rather than making one large payment. Learn about SNC payment plans.

There are other financing options available to students and their families. Learn more about other financing options.

Check your eligibility for the Yellow Ribbon Program

SNC proudly participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program, a veteran benefits program. If your financial aid offer includes Yellow Ribbon Program funds, your other sources of aid will be adjusted according to all applicable policies and requirements. Please note: All SNC funds offered in advance of veteran benefits meet Yellow Ribbon Program matching requirements.

Renew your financial aid each year

We want to be sure that the financial aid you receive each year is based on updated information about your financial need — as well as available sources of grants, scholarships and loans. SNC students need to apply for financial aid each academic year of their enrollment.

Being late could mean less money

If you would like to be considered for financial aid, you are responsible for completing your application on a timely basis. Make a note in your calendar: the priority filing date for submitting the FAFSA is Feb. 1; if you submit your application after that date, SNC will consider your application on a funds-available basis.

Maintain your merit scholarship

If you received merit-based scholarships in your offer, the renewal criteria are outlined in the original scholarship award notice, not your financial aid letter; be sure to confirm all the details. You could lose your merit scholarship if you fail to maintain the requirements stipulated by your scholarship award.

SNC provides grant and scholarship assistance to undergraduate students for a maximum of eight semesters. We’ll renew your need-based aid as long as you provide evidence of similar financial need, as our institutional resources permit. SNC students and families feel reassured knowing that our financial aid offers tend to remain relatively consistent from year to year, if there have been no significant changes in your family situation. Changes that could impact your aid include: parent or personal income or assets increased or decreased, the size of your household change.

What are other reasons your financial aid amount may change at some point in the future? Be sure to review these topics below very carefully.

Our team of financial aid professionals will reach out to you if we are in need of documentation to complete or disburse your financial aid offer. Requests for documentation will be sent to you via email and are also viewable in KnightLine.

Failure to submit documentation

Students will receive no federal, state or institutional need-based aid disbursements until all required documents requested have been received. Failure to submit documentation by the established deadline/timeframes may result in forfeiture of aid. If you don’t apply for these types of aid, you will not receive them.

Incomplete financial aid application

You must submit all required documents before your aid offer can be determined. Your offer may change if your FAFSA data was estimated, and the actual data confirmed later reflects a different financial situation. SNC will confirm your offer of aid only after all information in your application file is complete, accurate, and confirmed.

Missed deadlines

Students must provide documentation within 30 days of notification and no later than 7 days prior to the end of a student’s enrollment in a term for federal, state and institutional need-based aid. At the discretion of the office of financial aid, you may still be provided aid after these deadlines. For the purposes of Pell Grant disbursement only, verification documentation will be accepted up to 120 days after the last day of the student’s enrollment.

Your financial situation may change from year to year. For example, your parent(s) may get a raise — or lose their job. There are many reasons why changes in your family’s circumstances could change the amount of aid you receive in the future. It is important that you communicate with the SNC office of financial aid as soon as you know about any substantial variations in your household income or family size. Your financial aid offer could be adjusted based on this information. You may be required to provide verification of college enrollment for your siblings during the fall or spring. You’re expected to apply for all available financial aid, including federal student loans, before being considered for special circumstances. Any possible increase in SNC aid will be related to the availability of college resources.

Definition of full-time enrollment

Part or all of your financial aid offer is based on your full-time enrollment at SNC, so make sure you are clear on the definition of a full-time student. A full-time SNC undergraduate enrollment is defined as 12 or more credits per semester.

Changes to your enrollment status

If, at any time during a term, you consider taking fewer than 12 credits eligible for your program of study (or dropping a course), please contact the office of financial aid to determine the changes that might be made to your financial aid offer as a result. Unless otherwise noted, your financial aid offer is based on full-time enrollment (with all classes being required for your program of study) for a full academic year. If your SNC enrollment of courses required for your program of study is less than full-time, or for less than a full academic year, your financial aid offer will be adjusted accordingly. Only full-time students are eligible for SNC grants and scholarships. Some other forms of financial assistance require you to be enrolled at least half-time.

Repeat coursework

Based on federal regulations, you cannot receive financial aid to pay for courses that have been passed and repeated more than one time. This means that a student can only receive financial aid for one repetition of a previously passed course.

Withdrawal

If you withdraw or are suspended at any point during a semester, your financial aid will be adjusted according to federal and institutional refund policies. Be sure to review these policies in detail. If you withdraw from all courses eligible for your program of study it is considered a withdrawal for the term, even if you remain enrolled in courses not eligible for your program, and your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly.

Course Program of Study

Course Program of Study, often referred to as CPOS, is a requirement of the U.S. Department of Education that mandates that only the courses in a student’s declared major or minor program will determine that student’s eligibility for federal financial aid. To maintain eligibility for full-time federal financial aid, undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credit hours within their degree program. If an undergraduate student falls below the 12-credit hour threshold, their federal financial aid will be adjusted proportionally based on the total number of qualifying hours. Full-time enrollment for graduate students is 6 credits (3 credits is part-time).

If your housing status changes, your financial aid offer will be adjusted accordingly. If you’re considering a change in your housing status, we encourage you to contact the office of financial aid to determine how that may impact your financial aid offer.

Your enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by St. Norbert College may be considered enrollment at St. Norbert College for the purpose of applying for financial aid assistance under the title IV, HEA programs.
This does not apply to programs where you are considered enrolled solely through the other institution, typically offered during j-term and summer.

Additional information on financial aid and costs for study abroad programs can be found on the Study Abroad website.

All students who receive college financial aid must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, as required by federal regulations. These standards are based on criteria such as completion rate, cumulative grade point average (GPA) and maximum time frame. SNC reviews academic records at the end of the spring semester to identify students whose financial aid may be at risk due to poor academic performance. If you’re not meeting the federal standards, you may lose eligibility for federal, state and college financial aid funds. In short, slipping grades could jeopardize your college plans — so stay on track!

Students are responsible for:

  • Providing valid information on the financial aid application.
  • Keeping the financial aid office informed of changes in family circumstances.
  • Notifying the financial aid office of any assistance received from outside sources.
  • Notifying the financial aid office of any assistance received from veterans education benefits.
  • Meeting all deadlines.
  • Accepting or rejecting a financial aid award.
  • Complying with all terms and conditions governing the financial aid award.
  • Using all financial aid funds for educational-related expenses.
  • Complying with the requirements for loan entrance and exit counseling.
  • Notifying the financial aid office of any changes in housing status.
  • Notifying the financial aid office of any changes in enrollment status.

College Scorecard: This is a planning tool and resource to assist prospective students and their families as they evaluate options in selecting a school.

College Navigator: This is a consumer tool that provides school information to include tuition and fees, retention and graduation rates, use of financial aid, student loan default rates and features a cost calculator and school comparison tool.

Financial Aid College Financing Plan: This is a model aid offer letter designed to simplify the information that prospective students receive about costs and financial aid so they can easily compare institutions and make an informed decision about where to attend school. The College Financing Plan can be accessed online through your student KnightLine account.

Paying for College: This web page can be used by prospective students to enter the names of up to three schools and receive detailed financial information on each one and to enter actual financial aid information.

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Contact the St. Norbert financial aid office

Campus location

Todd Wehr Hall 136
310 Third St.
De Pere, WI 54115

Hours of operation

Monday-Friday
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Mailing address

Financial Aid Office
St. Norbert College
Todd Wehr Hall, 136
310 Third St.
De Pere, WI 54115

Campus