Financial Aid  (219) 665-4175

Tri-State University subscribes to the principle that the primary responsibility for the financing of a student’s education rests with the student and his/her parents or guardian.  The mission of the Tri-State Financial Aid Program is service-oriented and geared to providing access, choice, and education for interested students.  To accomplish its mission, Tri-State University offers a variety of counseling and planning programs for students with economic need.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

All students who are attending Tri-State may:

• Receive financial aid information and counseling

• Apply for financial aid

• Be considered for financial aid on a first-come, first-serve basis

• Be notified in writing of his/her eligibility for financial aid

• Be informed of the specific types of financial aid awarded, the amount of each type, and the conditions necessary to renew each type

• Review with the Financial Aid Director how the aid was determined

• Request additional review of the aid package by the Financial Aid Director

All students who receive financial aid at Tri-State University are responsible for:

• Abiding by the policies and regulations of Tri-State University

• Informing the Financial Aid Office of other financial aid awards

• Maintaining good academic progress towards academic goals by remaining in good academic standing

• Maintaining good social standing by not receiving social disciplinary actions

• Contacting the Financial Aid Office when on a co-op, changing enrollment status, or withdrawing from school

• Reapplying for financial aid between January 1 and March 1 of each year

Application Procedure

Students seeking financial assistance should file by March 1.  Students seeking financial assistance should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  These forms are available in the Financial Aid Office.  Students seeking merit assistance should file the Tri-State Scholarship Application as a first time student at the University.

Sources of Aid

Funds for financial aid are provided from institutional, federal, state, and private sources.  Tri-State University scholarships and grants are based on scholastic achievement or financial need, types and amounts vary from campus to campus.  Indiana state grants and loans are administered through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI).  The federal government provides funds to the University, which in turn makes awards using federal eligibility criteria.  All federal aid is based on financial need, and is not limited by race, age, sex, or handicap.

Types of aid

Scholarships, grants, loans, and employment are available for students who meet the eligibility criteria.  Need based financial aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants), Federal College Work-Study (CWS), and Federal Stafford loans.  Indiana state grants such as the Higher Education Award, Freedom of Choice, and Twenty-First Century Scholars are need-based grants.

Need is the dollar amount that the Federal government determines is required by the family to educate the student.  The information used to calculate this figure is taken from the completed FAFSA.

Non-need based aid is money available to students regardless of need.  Private scholarships are available based on both need and non-need.  Institutional merit and non-need-based aid is not available at other Tri-State University locations.  Only spousal grants and federal and state aid is available.  For detailed information on criteria, application deadline, and selection procedures, please contact the Financial Aid Director.

Financial Aid Rules and Regulations

• Financial aid is not automatically renewable; you must apply for aid each year.  The priority deadline is March 1 for filing of the FAFSA.

• Tri-State University financial aid may be used for costs of tuition, fees and room and board in all of the University’s facilities.  This aid supplements assistance students may receive from outside sources, including that from federal and state governments.  If the total aid a student receives from all sources equals more than these costs, adjustments will be made in the amount of the University’s scholarships and grants.

• Financial aid may be adjusted at any time as required by the federal and state laws or institutional policies.

• A student’s financial aid package is based upon either full-time (12-18 hours), three-quarter time (9-11 hours), half time (6-8 hours), or less than half-time (1-5 hours) enrollment. 

• Most federal programs require enrollment of a minimum of six (6) hours each semester, but in some cases a Pell Grant may be offered for less than half-time attendance.

• The Financial Aid award is subject to revision if any of the conditions upon which the award was made changes; you will receive financial assistance from other sources after receiving this award; you/your family’s circumstances have changed substantially since filing the FAFSA; or you fail to maintain satisfactory academic progress.

• If you drop credit hours during the refund period and it changes your enrollment status, you must notify the Financial Aid Office at the time you change your status.  You must also contact the Financial Aid Office when withdrawing from the University.  Changing enrollment status before the end of the refund period will necessitate changes to your aid package.  Withdrawal or unofficial withdrawal after the refund period may necessitate changes to your aid package.

• Your eligibility for FSEOG, Federal Students loans, or CWS is dependent on at least half-time enrollment.

• Aid administered through the Financial Aid Office is credited to your account after the refund period.

• Aid is divided equally between the academic semesters and is applied at the end of institutional refund period (about 4 weeks).

• It is not required for students/parents to accept a loan as part of the aid award; however, as with CWS, grant or scholarship money will not be given if the loan is rejected.  A loan is to be repaid.  An entrance and exit interview is required of any student having a loan.

• If a work study allowance is included in a student’s package, the student may work 20 hours or less and will receive a bi-weekly paycheck.  It is the student’s responsibility to find his/her own CWS job.

• Students are not awarded aid the semesters they are off campus.  They should notify the Financial Aid Office of co-op plans; so that aid will be reserved for the summer if they plan to attend that semester.  Co-op students must also notify the state requesting a leave of absence so that state aid will be reserved for the summer semester.

• Students who withdraw from all classes during a semester are subject to two refund calculations to determine how much federal money must be returned to the appropriate programs.  All students are subject to the institutional refund calculations using the percentages given under the Refund section of the catalog.  Students who withdraw before 60% point in time of the semester are subject to Federal Refund calculation.  In each case, the institutional and appropriate federal calculations are compared.  The one yielding the largest refund to the federal government will be used.  For examples, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

• You must maintain satisfactory academic progress, both quantitatively and qualitatively, to be eligible to continue to receive financial aid.  College policy has established the criteria for satisfactory progress for financial aid recipients. Qualitative standards of progress are based on the grade point average.  The standards for GPA qualitative standards used in regard to warning, probation, and dismissal are printed in the Tri-State University catalog.  After accumulating 60 credits, you must carry at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA to be eligible for financial aid.

• Quantitative standards of progress are based on completion of credit hours.  Students receiving financial aid have a maximum period of time to complete their educational objective (associative degree, bachelor degree) and must complete a percentage of their program each semester based on their enrollment status.  Summer semester is optional.  The chart below gives the full time minimum credit hours needed.  Those students attending less than full time will have their progress calculated proportionally (according to their enrollment status and what would be expected of them if they attended full time).  Contact the Financial Aid Office for further explanation.

Qualitative academic records are reviewed after each semester, excluding first year, first time freshmen.  Quantitative academic records are reviewed after the spring semester.  Failure to meet these standards may result in a semester of ineligibility or financial aid probation, at the end of which, financial aid may be terminated if the standards of progress have not been met.  If financial aid must be terminated, the Financial Aid Office will advise the student about requirements for reinstatement of financial aid eligibility.

• Transfer students are assumed to be making satisfactory progress at the time of the initial enrollment.  The transfer student is placed at the grade level which corresponds to the number of hours transferred.

• Change-of-major students are not granted additional time beyond the maximum time frames set forth in the quantitative standard for the three schools.

• Continuing students must meet the qualitative and quantitative standards the first time they apply.  If deficient, a probationary period may be granted.

• To meet qualitative standards of satisfactory progress, the student may not remain on academic probation for two successive semesters.  For details of academic probation policy, consult the University catalog.

• A student may receive either a Financial Aid Credit Hour Probationary letter or an Academic Probationary letter each semester.  Both of these are considered warnings, and it is the student’s responsibility to take corrective action with the assistance of his/her Academic Advisor.  Each student is encouraged to have an interview with the Director of Financial Aid to discuss his/her lack of progress.  Aid shall be terminated at the end of spring semester if a student is unable to meet the criteria for the credit hours completed.

• If a student elects to enroll in summer school for the purposes of meeting the qualitative standards, the courses must be completed at Tri-State University.

• Unusual circumstances such as illness, family catastrophe, and other conditions beyond the student’s control will be considered by the Director of Financial Aid in the evaluation process.  If extenuating circumstances have affected the student’s progress, an appeal in writing may be sent to the Director of Financial Aid.  If the appeal results in a probationary period, the specific actions required of the student will be specified.  Failure to comply will result in termination of aid starting with the following semester.  Satisfactory academic progress appeals must be presented in writing to the Director of Financial Aid within the first five (5) days of class.

•  If a student is denied aid because of lack of progress, courses must be taken at the student’s expense until completing the minimum number of hours required for the student’s year in school and/or until the cumulative grade point average is high enough to remove the student from scholarship probation.  Once this criteria is met, the student may apply for financial aid for subsequent semesters.

• As general policy, only courses taken for credit count toward satisfactory progress.  Students who enroll in noncredit preparatory courses, however, should come in and discuss the application of those courses toward satisfactory progress.  A probationary period may be established for students who are otherwise eligible.

• Financial aid is tentatively awarded for the following academic year, but is contingent on the student making satisfactory progress at the completion of spring semester and the receipt of all required paperwork.  Aid packages are set aside for students who appear eligible at the time.  The tentative aid package will be withdrawn if a student is not making satisfactory progress after spring semester.  Conversely, should a student not receive a financial aid package for lack of satisfactory progress and then subsequently achieve satisfactory progress at a later date, an aid package will be created from entitlement funds and institutional/campus based funds if such funds are available.  Summer hours may be used in the determination of satisfactory progress to regain eligibility for financial aid.  It is the student’s responsibility to inform the Financial Aid Office of a change in eligibility status.  Students who begin the year making satisfactory progress relative to the quantitative standard (credit hours earned towards the degree) are assumed to be making satisfactory progress for the entire year.  No student may remain on academic probation for two semesters and receive aid.  Should a student who is on academic probation remain in school for a second semester, the student’s financial aid would be withdrawn starting with the second semester of probationary status.

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