Policy Library

Every returning student who wishes to be considered for need based financial assistance must complete the renewal application process by completing the FAFSA. Need based aid will not be disbursed on your account until the FAFSA is filed.

Deadlines and Award Notification:
To be considered for the maximum amount of aid, a student's file needs to be completed by the Gustavus priority date of June 15. Students will receive an e-mail notifying them that their aid award letters are completed. Awards can be viewed and printed on my.gustavus.edu. It is the student's responsibility to notify the parent(s) that an aid award has been received. Students can grant parents access on my.gustavus.edu to award letters.

Students completing the application process after the priority date will be awarded based on funds remaining.

Gustavus provides over $65 million annually in merit scholarships and need-based grants to students. We are able to provide this level of assistance because of the generous contributions made by our generous friends and alumni. If a student is selected to be a recipient of a named scholarship, the named  scholarship will be added as honorary on the student’s award. Students selected as recipients of a named scholarship may be asked by Mission Advancement to write a letter of appreciation or participate in other donor appreciation events.

Changes in family circumstances that may impact funding levels:
The expected parent contribution is based on a family's ability, not willingness, to pay. The federal financial aid formula assumes that the income and other information you provide on the FAFSA will be representative of your current income. Some families find that this is not the case due to one of the reasons listed below.

• Change in at least one parent's income. If estimated current year income will be at least 16% less than actual income reported on the FAFSA, you may submit a request for review. The Financial Aid Office will review this information to determine if an increase in aid is warranted.
• In the event of a divorce or separation, you (the student) may become eligible for increased state or federal aid. It is our philosophy that both parents are responsible for financing their son or daughter's education. We will require documentation of both parents' income before allowing an increase in Gustavus aid.
• Unusual/Special Expenses: Unreimbursed medical expenses (as documented on Schedule A of a parents' tax return), private elementary or secondary school tuition net any financial aid (to a maximum of $10,000), or repayment of back taxes may be considered when determining financial aid eligibility. Documentation from the family, including a signed copy of your Federal Tax Return, is required before any adjustment will be made.

Student Status:
Students who entered Gustavus as a dependent student will remain a dependent student for institutional aid purposes. Students may be granted independent status for federal and state aid based on the following criteria:

• You were born before January 1, 2002.
• You were a ward of the court after age 13, or both parents are deceased.
• You are a veteran of the United States Armed Services.
• You are married.
• You have children who receive more than half of their support from you.
• You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you.

Students who believe they have extenuating circumstances and should be considered independent should contact the Financial Aid Office to review the appeal process. Appeals must be documented by a third party, not affiliated with the College, and must be a non-family member (e.g. social worker, clergy, guidance counselor).

Enrollment Criteria for Financial Aid

Students must be enrolled full time in order to receive their full aid eligibility. Full time status for federal and institutional aid is 12 credits per semester. To receive full state grant assistance, a student must be enrolled for 15 credits per semester. All students must be making satisfactory academic progress in order to receive federal and state assistance. View the Gustavus Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards.

Other Criteria for Financial Aid

Financial Aid is designed to help fund the cost to attend college, therefore Gustavus will allow students to receive aid up to the Cost of Attendance. Students who receive aid from outside sources may see Gustavus funded aid reduced if the total aid is more than the cost of attendance.

Part time enrollment is allowed at Gustavus during your last semester of attendance. Your financial aid will be adjusted according to your enrollment status.

• 12.0 or more credits per semester = full financial aid (15 for full state grant eligibility)
• 9 to less than 12 = 3/4 proration of institutional aid; state and federal aid adjusted per state/federal regulations.
• 6 to less than 9 = 1/2 proration of institutional aid; state and federal aid adjusted per state/federal regulations.
• less than 6 is less than half time enrollment. No institutional  financial aid will be offered; state and federal aid adjusted per state/federal regulations

Renewal of merit scholarships will automatically be done by the Financial Aid Office according to the individual scholarship renewal criteria.

Guidelines for renewal for merit scholarships:
Students receiving Gustavus merit scholarships must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for renewal of your merit scholarship.

Other merit renewal requirements:

• Music and Arts Scholarships: must meet departmental requirement of private music lesson and ensemble participation
• Forensics: must meet departmental requirement of participation
• Tuition Exchange Programs:  Tuition Exchange, ELCA Tuition Exchange, CIC Tuition Exchange and Gustavus Tuition Scholarship Program - FAFSA is required

The following checklist should be followed if you are filing for need based aid or any of the tuition exchange programs (Tuition Exchange, ELCA Tuition Exchange, CIC Tuition Exchange and Gustavus Tuition Scholarship Program):

• File the Renewal FAFSA (available online at studentaid.gov). To make the Renewal FAFSA process easier, have your FSA ID ready when you file.

If your FAFSA is flagged for verification or requires further clarification, the file will not be considered complete until the family provides the additional documentation. See Section V for more information on the verification process.

If you have questions while you are preparing your Renewal FAFSA, please call the Financial Aid Office.

Student employment earnings from Gustavus are taxable and must be included on the student's tax return; a W-2 will be mailed to the students in January.

In January, students will also receive a 1098-T form that lists charges for tuition and total scholarship assistance awarded by Gustavus for the calendar year, which is required to assist students or parents with the preparation of their federal income tax return. The 1098-T includes Gustavus aid (including the matching portion for church matching awards), Minnesota State Grant, Federal Pell, TEACH and SEOG. It does not include outside scholarship assistance such as amounts received from churches and organizations such as Tozer, Dollars for Scholars, etc. The difference between tuition charged and scholarships applied (including the outside scholarships) are important for determining eligibility for a HOPE or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit on federal income tax returns. Please consult your tax advisor and/or IRS Publication 970 at www.irs.gov for more information.

A divorced/separated/widowed custodial parent who has remarried as of the date the Renewal FAFSA is filed must include the income and assets of the new spouse. Pre-nuptial agreements cannot override this provision of the federal FAFSA regulations.

Questions relating to household size, cash/savings/checking balances, net worth of investments, net worth of a business/farm, and number in college look ahead to the enrollment period for which aid is being applied.

Siblings enrolled in graduate school should not be included. A letter of special circumstance should be sent to Gustavus if your parents will be providing more than 50% of support to a sibling enrolled in medical or law school. Students who will be in graduate school must file their own FAFSA's as independent students. However, a graduate student may be counted as a number in household and a number in college for another undergraduate student's FAFSA within the same family if the parent will provide more than 50% of the graduate student 's total support including tuition charges.

Gustavus' policy is to consider the student as part of the household and/or number in college only if the expenses paid exceed $20,500 (which is the federal Stafford loan amount a graduate student is eligible to receive toward his/her graduate expenses).

An applicant will be required to verify, or validate by documentation, application information, if the application is selected for verification in the federal processing and edit systems, or if the Financial Aid Office has reason to believe that any application information critical to the calculation of the student's expected family contribution is inaccurate, or is in conflict with other information.

Required documents for federal or institutional verification: 

• Appropriate Family Size and other requested worksheets
• Parent Tax Transcript from IRS or use IRS data retrieval on a correction FAFSA
• Student Tax Transcript from IRS or use IRS data retrieval on a correction FAFSA
• If the student is a non filer, submit W-2 statement(s)

If an application is selected for verification, the Financial Aid Office will give notice via email, to the applicant’s Gustavus email address. The notice will specify what items of information must be verified and will detail what documents and procedures are required for verification. It will also specify the time period within which the applicant shall provide the required documentation, and will advise the applicant of the consequences of the applicant's failure to comply within the specified period.

The time period granted to the applicant for completion of required documentation may vary with the complexity of the requirements and with the time remaining in the school term for which funding is sought. 

Normally, the student is afforded 45 days from the request date to provide verification documents. Overall, the deadline for submission of verification documents must be at least 30 days prior to the end of the school term for which funding is sought and to allow for processing (and correction if needed) before the end of the term.

Should the applicant fail to provide required documentation within the specified time period, the application is considered invalid and the applicant will forfeit eligibility for assistance from the federal Title IV student aid programs for the program year for which the invalid application was filed.

If the verification documents provided within the specified time period confirm the accuracy of all application items requiring verification, the application is finalized and, if all other requirements have been met, an e-mail is sent to notify the applicant. If the verification documents reveal inaccuracies in the application the SAR/ISIR will be corrected and submitted electronically. If incomplete or inadequate verification documents are submitted, the applicant is notified of deficiencies and instructed on how to correct them.

Should the review of an application for Title IV student aid indicate that the applicant may have engaged in fraud or other criminal misconduct in connection with his/her application, the Financial Aid Office must refer the student for investigation on all relevant information to the Office of the Inspector General of the United States Department of Education. Examples of such information include (but not limited to) false claims of independent student status, false claims of citizenship, use of false identities, forgery of signatures or certificates and false statements of income.

To be considered full-time for Federal or Gustavus aid programs, a student must be enrolled for at least 12 credits per semester; however, the State of Minnesota has a higher standard for recipients of Minnesota State Grant (MSG) assistance. To maintain maximum grant eligibility, MSG recipients must be enrolled in at least 15 credits per semester. 

The State of Minnesota also limits a student's eligibility to 8 full-time semesters of Minnesota State grant usage. Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and advance placement credits do not count toward the semester total; however, summer (or full semester) enrollment/usage of state grant at another institution or a semester in which a student withdraws are counted.

Generally, students are eligible for 8 semesters of financial aid. However, more students are bringing post-secondary option credits and advanced placement credits with them as they enroll at Gustavus. Some of these students still plan to attend and graduate in four full years at Gustavus.

There are three components necessary to receive a Gustavus diploma:

• The student must have at least 136 total credits.
• The student must have completed all the general area requirements.
• The student must have completed one major course of study.

Some students complete all three components by the middle of their fourth year and enroll for the spring semester with the intention of completing a second major or a minor. Students who have a declared program of study that is not yet completed may be eligible for aid to complete their program of study.

Some students find it necessary to enroll for a ninth semester or a full fifth year of study, commonly due to student teaching or making up a term in which the student had to withdraw. Specific rules for financial aid apply in these situations.

Students should email the financial aid office the spring before their 9th semester to let us know of their intention to return for a 9th semester so their aid can be finalized.  

9th and 10th semester policy

The purpose of this policy is to outline a consistent and equitable approach to charging tuition and outlining financial aid eligibility for special populations that are enrolled beyond the 8th semester for specific reasons. This includes but may not be limited to Education majors completing Student-Teacher requirements; Public Accounting majors completing CPA or major requirements; students wanting to remain enrolled in undergraduate courses beyond degree completion; students wanting to enroll part-time beyond 8th semester; students ineligible for the Four-Year Graduation Guarantee program. 

Tuition & Financial Aid

Students enrolled in fall or spring semester of the 5th year (Gustavus semesters 9 and 10) for the purposes outlined above will be charged 40% of the approved annual tuition rate for full or part-time students. Students are responsible for all other mandatory fees, such as technology fee, student activity fee, course fees, etc. 

Students are not eligible for institutional aid, such as the Gustavus Tuition Grant and Music scholarships, beyond the 8th semester at Gustavus. Students who are eligible for Title IV financial aid and who have not completed degree requirements, remain eligible for financial aid such as Federal Pell Grant, Minnesota State Grant, or loans. Once a student completes degree requirements, the student is no longer eligible for Title IV or state financial aid.

Eligibility

• Education majors completing Student-Teacher requirements
• Public Accounting majors completing CPA or major requirements
• Students wanting to remain enrolled in undergraduate courses beyond degree completion
• Students wanting to enroll part-time beyond 8th semester
• Students ineligible for the Four-Year Graduation Guarantee program
• All Gustavus undergraduate students who fall into the special populations outlined above and is specific to tuition rates and financial aid eligibility beyond 8th semester of undergraduate education at Gustavus

Students must complete this form to confirm their eligibility for either option.

Many students elect to enroll in travel courses during May Term, or study off-campus (e.g. abroad, Washington Semester, HECUA domestic programs) for a semester or full year. This choice does not impact grant/scholarship aid. Additional aid, however, is only available through student or parent loan assistance, not additional Gustavus aid.

Semester and year-long off-campus study: If the program costs exceed the student's regular cost of attendance at Gustavus, the Financial Aid Office can add these costs to allow for additional loan eligibility. It is recommended that students and parents continue to use the same alternative loan program(s) they have used in the past (if any).

May Term travel courses: Costs of courses resulting in academic credit may be added to the student's regular cost of attendance to increase loan eligibility. It is recommended that students and parents continue to use the same alternative loan program(s) they have used in the past (if any).

If a student/parent is borrowing only to cover the costs of a May Term course, it is recommended that the student apply for the loan in September when the final costs of the course are closer to being locked in.

If the student/parent normally borrows for the regular Gustavus costs, it is recommended that the additional May Term costs be added to the regular loan request during the summer. The Financial Aid Office will, within the rules of each loan program, ask for up to three disbursements (one-half of the base loan for fall semester, the extra for May Term which is due by October 31, and the second half of the base loan for spring semester).

If the May Term travel course is canceled, or the student withdraws from the course for any reason, the Financial Aid Office will return any loan funds to the lender. Students withdrawing from a travel course after the program's stated deadline may still be responsible for the cost of the course, but may not be eligible for any loan assistance. Each student's case is different so plans should be discussed with the Financial Aid Office.

The College includes housing and meals in determining a student's need for financial aid even though the College is not billing the student for these expenses, meaning a student/parent can borrow additional funds for living expenses. After the direct charges to the College are paid each semester, any excess can be requested as a refund to assist with living expenses. For more details about the refund process, please contact the Student Accounts Office.

Campus Policy states that students living off campus will have a reduction of Gustavus Scholarship/Grant by $500 for the academic year.

Gustavus is committed to making an affordable education possible for its students. One way to accomplish this goal is to partner with church congregations who run their own scholarship programs. Gustavus acts as a partner to match approved congregations' scholarships for up to $1,000 per year. This is not limited to Lutheran congregations, and Gustavus will also match qualifying scholarships from synagogues or mosques. It should not be confused with the Gustavus Association of Congregations Scholarship, which is open only to students from the congregations comprising the Gustavus Association of Congregations.

To qualify a congregation must have an "established scholarship program" defined in writing that is funded from one or more of the following sources: earnings from an endowment, special collections from the entire congregation, or allocated funds from the annual unrestricted budget of the congregation. A committee, or officer of the congregation, must award the scholarships based on criteria applicable to all students in the congregation. It is not permissible for parents or other relatives to write checks to the congregation to be recycled as a scholarship.

Deadlines:
Participating congregations are responsible for notifying Gustavus of which students will be receiving scholarships for the following academic year, which begins in September. Payment from the congregation to Gustavus is requested by August 31 in order to apply the scholarship and matching funds to the fall semester fees due by that day. If a congregation stipulates that payment will not be made until after students provide first semester grades the scholarship and matching funds will be applied to spring semester fees due by January 31.

In almost all situations Gustavus communicates with students first, unless parental data is required. Data from custodial parents is required for students considered dependent under U.S. Department of Education rules, which differ from dependency rules set by the IRS. The Financial Aid Office, as well as other administrative and academic offices, communicate with students using three official methods: the student's Gustavus e-mail account, the student's Gustavus voicemail account, and the student's Gustavus post office box.

Each student is expected to set up and check each of these accounts regularly and is responsible for information sent to them; even if the student uses other communication methods (other e-mail address, cell phone, etc.) for other purposes. Even if a student believes the message to be in error, he/she should follow up with the appropriate office in a timely manner.

Gustavus Adolphus College supplies an appeal procedure to students whose financial situation has changed dramatically from that reported on the FAFSA. The Appeal Grant is awarded based upon a professional judgment decision that has been made by a financial aid professional based upon US government guidelines. 

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards ensure that you are successfully completing your coursework and can continue to receive financial aid. All students receiving financial aid are required to meet SAP standards as measured after each semester of attendance. Federal regulations require the College to establish, publish, and apply standards to monitor your progress toward completing your degree program. To assure a student remains eligible for financial aid, they must meet the SAP standards outlined in the following section.

The standards of satisfactory academic progress apply for all financial assistance programs including Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Student Loans (Stafford and PLUS), Corporation for National & Community Service (AmeriCorps), as well as assistance from the state and the institution. 

Quantitative Progress

1. Credit Completion Pace
   1. Students must complete 67% of all credits attempted. A completed credit has a grade of A, B, C, D, or S.
   2. Withdrawals, F grades, incomplete courses, and repeated courses are included in attempted credits.
2. Maximum Time Frame
   1. All students are expected to finish their degree within an acceptable period of time. Financial aid recipients may continue to receive aid through their cumulative attempted credits that equal 150% of the required number of credits needed to complete their program, including transfer credits from another college. As soon as it becomes mathematically impossible for a student to graduate within the 150% limit, Gustavus Adolphus College will place the student on Financial Aid Suspension. Students who require developmental coursework or who have changed degrees/majors may appeal to have the 150% limit extended.

Qualitative Progress

1. Maintain the required minimum cumulative GPA:
   1. 1.80 GPA during either semester of their first year in residence
   2. 2.0 GPA after first semester of second year in residence and subsequent semesters

Definition of Terms

• Warning: This is the status assigned to a student who, after being in good standing, fails to meet the required qualitative and/or quantitative standards of satisfactory academic progress at the end of a semester.
• Probation: This is the status assigned to a student who, in the previous semester, was on warning status and subsequently again failed to achieve satisfactory academic progress but whose appeal to have eligibility restored has been granted.
• Suspension: This is the status assigned to students that fail to meet the required qualitative and/or quantitative standards of satisfactory academic progress following a warning semester or probationary semester. While on suspension, a student is ineligible for financial aid.

Financial Aid SAP Warning and Suspension

1. A student will be placed on financial aid SAP warning if they fail to meet the required qualitative and quantitative standards. The student will be informed, by the Financial Aid office, of the warning status via a letter and email within 20 days after the end of the term. While on warning you may still receive financial aid. Financial aid warning lasts for one payment period only and does not require action (such as an appeal) by the student. A student will be removed from financial aid warning status if the required qualitative and quantitative standards are met by the end of their warning period.
2. A student will be placed on financial aid SAP suspension if they fail to meet the required qualitative and quantitative standards of satisfactory academic progress following a warning or probationary semester. The Financial Aid office will send a letter to the student, within 20 days after the end of the term, notifying them of their status. The letter will contain conditions under which the student can appeal to have financial aid restored. The letter will also inform the student that the appeal must include why the student failed to meet satisfactory academic progress and what has changed that will allow the student to achieve satisfactory academic progress at the next evaluation. While on financial aid suspension, a student is ineligible from receiving Title IV, state, and institutional financial aid. Students on suspension may attend the College at their own expense until they attain the qualitative and/or quantitative requirements for satisfactory academic progress requirements. Students that have their aid suspended may be eligible for a private loan. It is the student’s responsibility to check with private lenders to determine if the lender offers loans to students not meeting SAP requirements.
   1. Students may have their suspended aid restored under the following circumstances:
      1. A student may appeal their financial aid SAP suspension by performing the SAP appeal process. A student whose appeal is approved will be placed on financial aid probation, making them eligible for financial aid during the subsequent probationary semester.
      2. After a probationary semester, the student meets the required qualitative and quantitative standards, or the student has made substantial academic progress as determined by the Academic Standing Committee (ASC). These students will automatically have their aid restored.
   2. If a student does not attain the required qualitative and/or quantitative parameters during their SAP probationary period, have not made substantial academic progress as determined by the ASC, they will be placed on financial aid suspension a second time.

Additional Factors

The following are considered when evaluating a student’s satisfactory academic progress:

1. Attempted credits include all grades earned at the College and transfer credits accepted by the College.
2. Earned (completed) credits include grades of W or I.
3. If you repeat a course, credits will be added to your attempted/earned credit totals each time you register. However, only the best grade received in the course will be used in the calculation of your cumulative GPA.
4. Transfer and consortium credits accepted by Gustavus Adolphus College will be included when calculating your cumulative completed credits percentage and maximum attempted credits but not your GPA. This includes credits earned from institutions including non-Gustavus Adolphus College study away programs. Credits are included in both attempted and earned credits.
5. Federal regulations require the College to include the original grade and number of credits for any class you retroactively withdrew from when calculating your SAP status. If you have retroactively withdrawn from one or more courses, the GPA used to determine if you are meeting SAP standards may differ from your official College GPA.
6. Credits earned while a Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) student at the College will be included in your cumulative completed credits percentage, GPA, and the maximum attempted credits calculation. PSEO credits earned at another postsecondary institution will be treated as transfer credits.
7. If a student changes majors, the credits they earn under all majors will be included in their GPA calculation as well as their maximum attempted credits and the calculation of credits you have attempted and earned. 

Financial Aid SAP Suspension Appeal Conditions

A student must use one of the following methods to submit a request for reinstatement of financial aid:

1. The electronic appeal submission form
2. A signed and dated letter of appeal explaining why financial aid should be reinstated. The letter of appeal must be postmarked or delivered in person no later than 30 days after the start of the semester for which the student wishes to have their aid reinstated.

The appeal must be submitted prior to 30 days after the start of the semester for which the student wishes to have their aid reinstated.

Acceptable reasons for an appeal include the following:

• Medical
• Family problems
• Death of a relative
• Other special, significant or unusual circumstances

Documentation verifying the situation may be requested. An appeal decision will be relayed to the student no more than 15 days after receipt of the appeal letter.

How a withdrawal affects Title IV (Federal) and State financial aid

Federal regulations require Title IV financial aid funds to be awarded under the assumption that a student will attend the institution for the entire period in which federal assistance was awarded. When a student withdraws from all courses for any reason, including medical withdrawals, he/she may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds that he/she was originally scheduled to receive. The return of funds is based upon the premise that students earn their financial aid in proportion to the amount of time in which they are enrolled. A prorated schedule is used to determine the amount of federal student aid funds he/she will have earned at the time of the withdrawal. Thus, a student who withdraws in the second week of classes has earned less of his/her financial aid than a student who withdraws in the sixth week. Once 60% of the semester is completed, a student is considered to have earned all their financial aid and will not be required to return any funds.

Federal law requires schools to calculate how much federal financial aid a student has earned if that student:

• Completely withdraws, or
• Stops attending before completing the semester, or
• Does not complete all modules (courses which are not scheduled for the entire semester or payment period for which he/she has registered at the time those modules began.)

Based on this calculation, Gustavus Adolphus College students who receive federal financial aid and do not complete their classes during a semester or term could be responsible for repaying a portion of the aid they received. Students who do not begin attendance must repay all financial aid disbursed for the term. 

How the earned financial aid is calculated

Students who receive federal financial aid must “earn” the aid they receive by staying enrolled in classes. The amount of federal financial aid assistance the student earns is on a pro-rated basis. Students who withdraw or do not complete all registered classes during the semester may be required to return some of the financial aid they were awarded.

Institutions are required to determine the percentage of Title IV aid ‘’earned” by the student and to return the unearned portion to the appropriate aid programs. Regulations require schools to perform calculations within 30 days from the date the school determines a student’s complete withdrawal. The school must return the funds within 45 days of the calculation. The R2T4 calculation process and return of funds is completed by the Financial Aid Office.

For example, if a student completes 20 percent of the payment period, they earn 20 percent of the aid they were originally scheduled to receive. This means that 80 percent of the scheduled awards remain “unearned” and must be returned to the federal government. After 60% of the semester is completed, a student is considered to have earned all his/her financial aid and will not be required to return any federal funds.

The following formula is used to determine the percentage of unearned aid that must be returned to the federal government:

• The percentage earned is equal to the number of calendar days completed up to the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period (less any scheduled breaks that are at least 5 days long).
• The payment period for most students is the entire semester. However, for students enrolled in modules (courses which are not scheduled for the entire semester or term including J-Term), the payment period only includes those days for the module(s) in which the student is registered.
• The percentage unearned is equal to 100 percent minus the percent earned.  

For students enrolled in modules:

A student is considered withdrawn if he/she does not complete all the days in the payment period that the student was scheduled to complete. Gustavus Adolphus College will track enrollment in each module (a group of courses in a program that do not span the entire length of the payment period combined to form a term) to determine if a student began enrollment in all scheduled courses. If a student officially drops courses in a later module while still attending a current module, he/she is not considered as withdrawn based on not attending the later module. However, a recalculation of aid based on a change in enrollment status may still be required.

Students who provide written confirmation to the Financial Aid Office at the time of ceasing attendance that they plan to attend another course later in the same payment period are not considered to have withdrawn from the term. If the student does not provide written confirmation of plans to return to school later in the same payment period or term, Gustavus Adolphus considers the student to have withdrawn and begins the R2T4 process immediately. However, if the student does return to Gustavus Adolphus in the same term, even if he/she did not provide written confirmation of plans to do so, the student is not considered to have withdrawn and is eligible to receive the Title IV funds for which the student was eligible before ceasing attendance. Financial Aid will then reverse the R2T4 process and provide additional funds that the student is eligible to receive at the time of return.

Institutional funds are not subject to the R2T4 policy. Return of MN State funding is governed by the MN Office of Higher Education. 

Determining the withdrawal date

For an official withdrawal, the effective withdrawal date is the first date of notification by the student to Dean of Student, Registrar or Financial Aid Offices or designated official as noted by a signature on the College withdrawal form. We may use a last date of attendance for the effective withdrawal date if the last date a student attended class or submitted coursework is verified by an employee at Gustavus Adolphus who has knowledge of a student's class attendance, or if there is an emergency situation and there is third party documentation that verifies a student has not attended class. Gustavus Adolphus does not accept a student's self-reported last date of attendance. For an unofficial withdrawal, it is the date the institution becomes aware that the student is no longer attending the institution.

For an unofficial withdrawal, due to the student failing all classes, the effective withdrawal date is the midpoint of the term if there is no last date of attendance reported by instructors. The withdrawal date for students who are academically dismissed is the date of the notification of their dismissal. We may use a last date of attendance for the effective withdrawal date if the last date a student attended class or submitted coursework is verified by an employee at Gustavus Adolphus who has knowledge of a student's class attendance, or if there is an emergency situation and there is third party documentation that verifies a student has not attended class. Gustavus Adolphus does not accept a student's self-reported last date of attendance. 

The Return of Title IV Funds

The federal formula requires a return of Title IV aid if you received federal assistance in the form of a Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan or Federal Direct PLUS Loan and withdrew on or before completing 60 percent of the semester. 

The federal government mandates that if you withdraw from all classes, you may only keep the financial aid you have "earned" up to the time of withdrawal. The Title IV funds that were disbursed more than the earned amount must be returned to the federal government by the College and/or you. 

Step 1: Student's Title IV Information

Financial Aid Office will determine:

• The total amount of all Title IV aid disbursed (if any) for the term the student withdrew. (Title IV aid is counted as aid disbursed in the calculation if it has been applied to the student account on or before the date the student withdrew.)
• The total amount of all Title IV aid disbursed, plus the aid that could have disbursed (if any) for the term in which the student withdrew.
  • Pell Grant and SEOG will be automatically credited to your account for open charges.
  • Federal Direct Loans and Perkins Loan funds can only be 

Step 2: Percentage of Aid Earned

Financial Aid Office will calculate the percentage of aid earned as follows:

The number of calendar days completed by the student divided by the total number of calendar days in the term (weekends included) in which the student withdrew. (Days Attended / Days in Enrollment Period = Percentage Completed)

If the calculated percentage exceeds 60%, then you have "earned" all aid for the period and we will not have to return any federal funds.

**Important note: The date the student earns more than 60% of aid does not coincide with the tuition refund schedule for dropped classes, and is only used to determine the amount of financial aid we must return (if any). 

Step 3: Amount of Aid Earned by Student

The Financial Aid Office will calculate the amount of aid earned as follows:

The percentage of Title IV aid earned (step 2) multiplied by the total amount of Title IV aid disbursed or that could have disbursed for the term in which the student withdrew (Step 1). (Total Aid Disbursed x Percentage Completed = Earned Aid) 

Step 4: Amount of Title IV Aid to be Disbursed or Returned

• If the aid already disbursed equals the earned aid, no further action is required.
• If the aid already disbursed is greater than the earned aid, the difference must be returned to the appropriate Title IV aid program. This means that a balance may be created on the Gustavus Adolphus student account, and he/she will then be billed and responsible for paying all charges. (Total Disbursed Aid - Earned Aid = Unearned Aid to be Returned)
• If the aid already disbursed is less than the earned aid, Financial Aid will calculate a post-withdrawal disbursement. If this post-withdrawal disbursement contains loan funds, the student may elect to decline these funds as to not incur additional debt. Loan funds must be accepted or declined by the student within 14 days of notification of eligibility.  If the student does not respond, the loan funds will not be disbursed to the account.  Federal grant funds (Pell Grant and SEOG) for open student account charges will be applied to the student account.  The College is required to obtain a student’s permission to credit their account with federal grant funds more than open charges. The student will be notified of any additional disbursements via email to his/her Gustavus Adolphus account.

When students fail to attend their classes, they could leave the College owing money because their charges for tuition, fees, housing and their meal plan exceed the amount of financial aid that they have earned. For these reasons, students are strongly advised to meet with a member of the Financial Aid Office to discuss the financial consequences of dropping out of or withdrawing from the College before doing so. 

Determination of aid for students who fail to earn a passing grade in any class

Financial aid is awarded under the assumption that the student will attend Gustavus Adolphus College for the entire term for which federal assistance was disbursed. When the student has failed to earn a passing grade in at least one class for the term, federal regulations require the school to determine whether the student established eligibility for funds disbursed by attending at least one class or participating in any Gustavus Adolphus academic-related activity. If the school cannot verify that the student attended Gustavus Adolphus, all financial aid must be repaid to the federal programs. The student’s account will be charged and the student will be responsible for any balance due.

If the student can prove to have participated in a Gustavus Adolphus class or academic-related activity past the 60% date, the student will not be required to return any disbursed financial aid. The student's account will be updated and the student will be responsible for any other charges that may have been applied to their account.

Students who can verify attendance beyond Gustavus Adolphus’s records may submit supporting documentation to the Financial Aid Office. 

Order of funds returned

The order of return of funds is prescribed by the Department of Education regulations as follows:

1. Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan
2. Subsidized Federal Direct Loan
3. Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
4. Federal Pell Grant
5. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Loans must be repaid by the loan borrower as outlined in the terms of the borrower's promissory note.

The grace period for loan repayments for Federal Unsubsidized and Subsidized Direct Loans and Federal Perkins Loans will begin on the day of the withdrawal from Gustavus Adolphus. The student should contact the servicer if he/she has questions regarding the grace period or repayment status.

MN State financial aid refunds

If a student withdraws before completing more than 60% of the semester, a portion of the State of Minnesota financial aid may also need to be returned. State of Minnesota financial aid includes all state financial aid (MN State Grant, SELF and other state aid). For state financial aid, Gustavus Adolphus utilizes a state worksheet found in Section III, appendix 14 of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education Financial Aid Manual. In general, any remaining refund after taking the total amount of funds paid to the student’s account (cash, financial aid) and subtracting the amount of charges the school can retain for tuition, fees, room, board and other charges and the institutional share of Title IV refund is prorated between Minnesota financial aid programs and institutional financial aid programs.

 

+ Appeals 

At Gustavus Adolphus College we take the time to personally consider each individual family’s financial circumstances. The financial information reflected on the FAFSA may not be the best representation of your current financial situation. The Financial Aid Office provides a Special Circumstance/Appeal process, which allows us to review changes to a family’s financial situation based on new information. 

Special Circumstance/Appeal Process

Please complete the Special Circumstances/Appeal Form if any of the following circumstances apply to your situation:

• Excessive Medical Expenses—If your family had high amounts of medical or dental expenses that were not covered by insurance or a health savings account, we may be able to consider these payments.
  • Expenses paid by family and not reimbursed by insurance or by employer’s pre-tax plan
  • Documentation showing the amount paid (out of pocket) must be provided
  • As a guideline—it takes at least $5,000 in medical expenses paid (for a family of 4) to provide eligibility for additional financial aid
• Loss of Income—If your family experienced a loss or reduction of income, we may be able to consider this situation.
• Dependency Override—Married Students/Students Getting Married
  • Gustavus strongly recommends waiting to file the FAFSA until after getting married. 

Special Circumstances/Appeal Form

Electronic Appeal Form

PDF Appeal Form

Withdrawal Process
To officially withdraw, complete a Withdrawal Form with the Registrar’s Office. If you cannot complete the form, submit a written notice of intent to withdraw (email or letter) to the Registrar’s Office.

• Email: registrar [at] gustavus.edu
• Portal: my.Gustavus.edu
• Phone: 507-933-7495

Unofficial Withdrawals
If you stop attending all classes without officially withdrawing:

• Federal aid is recalculated at the midpoint (50%) of the semester.
• State and institutional aid is adjusted.
• You will be notified via Gustavus email and mailed a final bill.

Requesting a Refund From Your Student Account

Refunds for students with credit balances are processed each semester. 

• For fall semester they are processed around October 1 and spring semester around February 1. 
• Students will need to request the refund by completing the Refund Request Form.

 All student refunds will be directly deposited into your personal bank account on file with Gustavus. 

• If they are not set up with direct deposit, a check will be sent to your on-campus mailbox. 
• If the refund is made payable to a parent a check will be mailed to the address provided on the form.

Refund Policy for Tuition, Fees, Housing, and Meals

If you withdraw from Gustavus Adolphus College, your tuition, fees, housing, and meal charges will be adjusted based on the date of your withdrawal. Refunds are also subject to federal, state, and institutional financial aid regulations.

Refund Schedule – Fall & Spring Semesters

Refunds are based on the date recorded on your official Withdrawal Form submitted to the Registrar’s Office. If you stop attending without formally withdrawing, the date used will be your last documented class participation.

Student Health Insurance

• Withdraw within the first 30 days of the semester → insurance premium refunded, coverage canceled.
• Withdraw after 30 days → no refund, coverage continues until the end of the policy period.

Refund Schedule – Summer Term

Withdrawal Timing and Refund

• Before first day of classes—100%
• Within first 5 days—50%
• After first 5 days—No refund 

Financial Aid Adjustments

Refunds do not always mean a zero balance. Withdrawing may reduce your financial aid, which could leave you with a remaining balance.

• Federal aid (R2T4): If you withdraw before completing 60% of the semester, Gustavus must return unearned federal aid. Once you’ve passed 60%, all aid is considered earned.
• Minnesota state aid: State programs (e.g., MN State Grant, SELF Loan, GI Bill) follow Minn. Office of Higher Education refund rules.
• Institutional aid: Adjusted according to the same refund schedule listed above. 

Important Notes

• Refund schedules and updates are posted on the Student Accounts MyGustavus site.
• Always meet with Financial Aid and Student Accounts before withdrawing to understand the impact on your aid and bill.
  Students who do not consult these offices before withdrawing waive the right to appeal a refund or aid adjustments.

Contacts

• Refund & Billing Questions: studentaccts [at] gustavus.edu | 507-933-7502
• Withdrawal Process Questions: registrar [at] gustavus.edu | 507-933-7495

Current Students

Students who are currently enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus College and have a hold on their transcript from the Student Accounts Office can gain access to their transcript if one of the following occurs:

1. If the current total outstanding balance is less than $1,000.
2. If the student has entered into, and as determined by Gustavus, is in compliance with the payment plan. In compliance with a payment plan is defined as follows:
   1. In Compliance: The student shall be considered in compliance with the payment plan agreement, if there are no past-due payments on the payment plan. If there are past due payments, the student can make the past due payments to be considered in compliance.
   2. Minimum Monthly Payment: The minimum payment accepted will be determined as to when the transcript is requested in the semester:
      1. First Month of Term - 1/5 of balance
      2. Second Month of Term - 2/5 of balance
      3. Third Month of Term - 3/5 of balance
      4. Fourth Month of Term - 4/5 of balance
      5. Fifth Month of Term - full balance or reduce to $1,000 or less
3. If the transcript request is made by a prospective employer for the student, the transcript will be sent directly to the prospective employer.

Non-Registered Students

Students who have a past-due student account balance with Gustavus and have a hold on their transcript from the Student Accounts Office can gain access to their transcript if one of the following occurs:

1. If the current total outstanding student account balance is less than $1,000.
2. If the student has entered into, and as determined by Gustavus, is in compliance with a payment plan. In compliance with a payment plan is defined as follows:
   1. In Compliance: The student shall be considered in compliance with the monthly payment plan agreement, after the student makes 12 consecutive, on-time, monthly payments. The first payment will be 25% of the unpaid balance due and the remaining payments will be 5% of the unpaid balance after the 25% down payment is made. The student will not be in compliance, if, during the 12 consecutive months they fail to make a monthly payment by the last day of each month. The student can regain compliance status after they have made 12 consecutive, on-time, monthly payments after the non-compliance time period.
   2. On-Time Payments: Payments are due on the last day of each month or within two business days of the due date.
   3. Minimum Payment: The reasonable minimum monthly payment will be 5% of the unpaid balance on the account after a down payment of 25% of the unpaid balance is made to start the payment plan.
3. If the transcript request is made by a prospective employer for the student, the transcript will be sent directly to the prospective employer.
4. If Gustavus has sent the debt for repayment to an outside collection agency.