How to Apply

In order to be considered for financial aid, a student must be accepted in the College. Financial aid is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Heidelberg assumes most students will apply for need-based aid by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you and your parents do not plan to file a FAFSA, please contact the Financial Aid Office so appropriate documentation can be made and so that the financial aid award notification and tuition payment information can be sent.

We highly recommend completing the FAFSA electronically. If you plan to file electronically both you and one parent needs a PIN (personal identification number).
We strongly encourage you to file your FAFSA after you and your parents have completed your federal tax return so that you have accurate income and tax information. If at all possible this should be complete by March 1. If you do file using estimated income, please be aware that you will need to report your actual tax information to the Central Processing System (CPS) either electronically or via paper corrections.

Our federal code number is 003048.

Financial Aid Disbursement

How Funds are Awarded

Students who file a FAFSA will be analyzed according to "need" for the funds which they will be eligible. These funds include federal, state and college sources. College sources and campus–based federal funds are awarded based upon college policy.

How Funds are Disbursed

Financial aid funds are disbursed to a student after they are registered as an official student at Heidelberg. In order to prepare billing statements to students, some financial aid funds are disbursed in late July. These funds include college and state funds. Federal regulations do not allow disbursement of federal funds more than 10 days prior to the first day of class. Therefore, Federal Pell Grant, SEOG and Federal Perkins Loan funds are not disbursed until that date which is mid-August (depending upon the date classes begin). Most Federal Stafford Loan funds are also disbursed about that time except for first-time students who are borrowing for the first time. First-time borrowers must wait 30 days into the first term for their initial loan disbursement. This usually falls on the last few days of September.

Verification

About 30 percent of our financial aid applicants are randomly selected for a process called verification. The federal government requires us to collect student and parent federal tax returns, W2 statements and a verification worksheet for those students selected. Items that we must verify include: number of family members, number in college, student and parents' adjusted gross income, taxes paid and untaxed income such as child support, social security benefits and money paid to a tax deferred pension. Students must submit documentation before financial aid can be disbursed to the student's account. Returning student must submit documentation prior to being awarded financial aid for the year. Sometimes the result of verification changes the student's eligibility for need-based funds. If that is the case, the student will receive an updated Financial Aid Award notice.

Renewal of Aid

Renewal of aid may be denied or reduced for the following reasons:

  • failure to make satisfactory academic progress
  • failure to meet renewal guidelines
  • disciplinary probation
  • failure to document continued need for funds
  • late application
  • fraudulent information
  • reduction in funds the College receives from state and federal sources.

Financial assistance terminated or reduced for the above reasons may be reinstated the following year if the conditions have been met or corrected.

Special Conditions

The Higher Education Amendments (HEA) of 1994 gave financial aid administrators the authority to make adjustments to an individual student's federal aid application based on special circumstances within the household. Students and/or parents who feel they have special circumstances occurring in their household which might affect their ability to pay for their education can submit a Special Conditions Form. Circumstances that are considered include but are not limited to: loss of taxable or untaxable income, disability, separation or divorce or unusually high medical expenses.

Withdrawal Policy and Return of Title IV Funds Policy

The College has a formal withdrawal process. Students wishing to withdraw from Heidelberg must complete a pre-withdrawal interview with the Vice President of Student Affairs on the third floor of the Campus Center. Students must then talk to a representative from the Financial Aid Office and the Business Office before the withdrawal is official. The official withdrawal date is then determined and communicated to other campus officials. Students who withdraw prior to completing more than 60 percent of an enrollment period will have their eligibility for aid recalculated based on the percent of the term completed. The law assumes that you "earn" your federal financial aid awards directly in proportion to the number of days of the term you attend. The percentage of Title IV funds earned shall be calculated as follows:

  • Number of days completed by student
  • Total number of days in term = Percent of term completed
    • Example: If you complete 30 percent of the semester, you earn 30 percent of the federal assistance you were originally eligible to receive. The federal guidelines require that we refund this 30 percent in the following order: Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, Subsidized Stafford Loan, Perkins Loan, Pell Grant, SEOG other.

This policy governs all federal grant and loan programs, including Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Perkins Loan and Federal Stafford Loans. The College will use the tuition adjustment percentage for the college and state fund adjustment. Please contact the Director of Financial Aid with specific questions concerning the refund calculation.

Outside Scholarships

Students are encouraged to explore outside scholarship sources above and beyond the programs administered through the Financial Aid Office at Heidelberg. Federal regulations require that institutions take into consideration all grants and scholarship funds available to the student. Therefore, students are required to report to the Financial Aid Office, in writing, the name of the scholarship and the amount received or to be received as soon as the student becomes aware of his/her eligibility for outside assistance. If a student is a recipient of an outside scholarship and has received federal financial aid, review of their total award is required. Outside funds will first be applied to the student's unmet financial need. Adjustments to the student's self-help, loans and/or work will be made before reducing the college grant.