Current Students > Financial Aid

FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION PROCEDURES
GENERAL FINANCIAL AID POLICIES
AID PACKAGE
FINANCIAL AID POLICY FOR OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS

Investments made early in life, which may seem like a sacrifice at the time, are usually the ones that pay the greatest dividends. This is especially true when it comes to your education. Investing the time, money and effort that a quality education requires is the surest way to discover a bright future. At Thiel College, our mission is to provide our students the kind of educational experience that will offer a lifetime return.

We also understand that financing this investment in your future can seem like an insurmountable obstacle. The pages are designed to help you understand that a quality Thiel education is within your reach. We honestly believe that every student who is a good “match” for Thiel should have access to the educational experience that we offer.

Financial Aid Application Procedures
All programs of financial assistance at Thiel are designed to aid qualified students in obtaining a superior education that prepares them for a significant contribution to society. Thiel assumes that a recipient of a scholarship or grant will complete work leading to a degree at Thiel.

If an applicant requests financial assistance based on need, he or she must submit all federal and state applications and must verify need by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as the appropriate state grant forms. The deadline for state grant eligibility in Pennsylvania is May 1 of the previous academic year. Priority filing deadline for institutional aid is March 15. The applicant must keep the College informed about other scholarships or awards accepted or pending from other sources, such as business, foundations or state scholarship programs. The College works closely with these organizations in integrating all awards into a fair and comprehensive package for the student. Some agencies, such as the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA), specify an "Additional Award Budget" that must not be exceeded by other scholarships or awards if the applicant is to maintain eligibility for the total state grant.

The College estimates federal and state grant aid until official allocation is made by the appropriate governmental agency. Students must apply and provide all required documentation for all federal and state grant aid for which they are eligible. The College cannot replace the loss of estimated aid through the failure of the student to file the necessary application on a timely basis.

Financial aid requiring enrollment as a full-time status requires a minimum of 12 credit hours per term. Student housing status will affect eligibility for institutional and/or external aid. It is important to communicate any change in housing status to the financial aid office for review and redetermination.

General Financial Aid Policies
There are three categories of gift aid at Thiel College: Academic scholarships, financial need grants and no-need grants. Unless otherwise stated, students who are awarded multiple-year grants must be in good academic standing at the end of each academic year to remain eligible. Some academic scholarships require a specific cumulative GPA for renewal. Please check the individual awards for those requirements on the Institutional Scholarships page.

A student may be allocated aid not to exceed 124 credit hours or eight regular terms of undergraduate study.

A student may receive only one award from the categories listed below, that award being whichever is the largest:

1. Thiel Merit/Achievement Awards
2. Arthur J. Brosius Endowment
3. William B. Frank Minority Scholarship
4. Tuition Waiver Benefit

Any student receiving full-tuition benefits is not eligible for other institutional grant aid.

Neither the College nor the student benefits if scholarship funds from other sources are forfeited. The College is eager for all scholarship funds to be used for as many students as possible.

There are certainly limitations to funds available in all categories. Therefore, recipients are required to indicate their acceptance of the allocations within 15 days of notification.

All awards are reviewed annually since student circumstances, either financial or academic, may change from year to year. Assuming the circumstances remain the same, the College will attempt to help a student each year after initial assistance has been accepted, providing that the student has met all annual aplication deadline dates.

In the effort to create a total program for a student, it is understood that the amounts assigned in any category may vary from year to year, including scholarships, college grants, employment and loans. Appropriate levels of academic achievement are necessary to qualify a student initially and to maintain eligibility in any subsequent year for scholarships.

Aid Package
Financial aid given to students is referred to as an aid package. It may include scholarships, grants, loans and/or employment. Aid based on need and must be validated by an approved needs analysis system such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Scholarships are based on academic achievement which requires designated academic performance for continuation. All grants, including scholarships and those based on special circumstances, will be used to meet validated need. Loans administered through the College as well as Federal Stafford Student (bank) loans and any other outside loans may be used to meet validated need.

All Student Employment must be cleared through the Financial Aid office and will be first be used to assist those students demonstrating validated need.

Note: Need based aid cannot exceed validated need. A total aid package will never exceed total costs. Thiel College reserves the right to revise aid packages to meet current federal, state and College policy.

Financial Aid Policy for Off-Campus Students
Thiel provides programs designed to afford students unique opportunities for off-campus study and learning experiences. Cooperative programs are scheduled in conjunction with other institutions of higher learning. Each cooperative program has a stated coordinator and students must have the formal approval of the coordinator in enroll in any cooperative program. Grades received in courses taken in approved cooperative programs count toward departmental, Dean's list and graduation honors.

Students in cooperative programs will be maintained on the student roster so that they receive all appropriate communication from Thiel while at the cooperating institution. In all cases, students are subject to the usual eligibility requirements in determining financial aid. Students in this situation should discuss their unique financial circumstances with the financial aid office so that the maximum allowable assistance may be provided. There will be no fee for processing federal or state aid. Students participating in a cooperative program at another approved U.S. institution must apply for aid through the home institution.

For more information regarding financial aid at Thiel, please contact:

Cynthia Farrell
Executive Director of Student Financial Services & Accounts
Phone: 724-589-2178
Fax: 724-589-2790
Email: cfarrell@thiel.edu