Additional Financial Aid Policies

Annual Disclosure of Consumer Information

Under federal law, every college or university is required to provide students with certain basic information about the institution. Visit the Consumer Information section of this website for more information. Contact Financial Aid Services at 860-439-2058 with any questions.

Advanced Placement/Overpointing

Regulations governing the federal and state financial aid programs allow aid to be awarded up to the level of credits required to satisfy the degree requirements. Students who have Advanced Placement credits, transfer credits, summer credits, or have overpointed may fulfill the graduation requirement earlier than the eight semesters allowed, which will make the student ineligible for federal and state funds for any remaining semester(s).

Students who need no more than two courses in a particular semester to graduate will find their federal and state aid in jeopardy even if they enroll in more than two courses. If you are such a student, we encourage you to review your academic record. If you think a potential problem exists, you should make an appointment with a financial aid counselor.

Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act

The Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act of 1990 requires that we collect, publish and distribute information regarding policies and procedures concerning security, criminal acts, law enforcement, awareness training, and drug policy. This information is available for your benefit and may be obtained by contacting Campus Safety at 860-439-2251 or visit the Campus Safety website.

Off-Campus Housing

One of the College’s most important institutional values is residential education. We do not encourage students to live off-campus, and our financial aid policy is structured to encourage on-campus living. Students who are considering moving off campus should arrange an appointment with a financial aid counselor to understand how their aid award may be affected.

Leave Statement

When a student is approved for a leave from the College, the student is considered withdrawn. Students who have borrowed from federal student loan programs will be required to complete exit counseling. A student who has been approved for a leave should arrange an appointment with a financial aid counselor to understand their rights, responsibilities, and repayment obligations pertaining to the student's loans. The lenders will be notified of the student's last date of attendance.

Policy for TITLE IV Financial Aid Refunds (Federal Funds Only)

When a recipient of a federal grant or loan completely withdraws from Connecticut College during the semester, the College must calculate the amount of Title IV (federal) grant or loan assistance that the student earned as of the withdrawal date. The federal programs subject to this refund policy are: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), and other grant or loan assistance authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act, as amended. Students must notify Financial Aid Services about any change in planned period of enrollment, whether due to withdrawal from a class, a leave of absence, or withdrawal from the College.

Non-attendance does not constitute official withdrawal. If a student who began attendance and did not officially withdraw fails to earn a passing grade in at least one course over an entire semester, the College must assume that the student has unofficially withdrawn. Unofficial withdrawals will be determined within 90 days of the end of the term. Federal financial aid recipients will have their aid package reviewed and recalculated, possibly causing a reduction in aid awarded.

The Financial Aid Services office is required by federal regulations to recalculate federal financial aid eligibility for students who withdraw, drop out, are dismissed, or take a leave of absence prior to the completion of 60% of the semester. The student's eligibility for federal funds must be recalculated. Recalculation is based on the percentage of earned aid using the following Federal Return of Title IV funds formula:

Percentage of earned aid = number of days of the semester completed up to the withdrawal date divided by the total days in the semester. For unofficial withdrawals, the withdrawal date used for aid recalculation is the midpoint of the semester. Any break of five days or more is not counted as part of the days in the term.

Funds are returned to the applicable federal program based on the percentage of unearned aid using the following formula:

Aid to be returned = 100% of the aid that could be disbursed minus the percentage of earned aid multiplied by the total amount of aid that could have been disbursed during the semester.

If a student earned less aid than was disbursed, the college is required to return a portion of the funds that were received by the student. This could result in a balance owed to the college. If a student earned more aid than was disbursed, the college would owe the student a post-withdrawal disbursement which must be paid within 120 days of the student's withdrawal.

If you are considering a leave mid semester, please arrange an appointment with a financial aid counselor who can do a preliminary recalculation to determine if a withdrawal will result in a refund of federal aid and if any money will be owed by the student.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

In accordance with federal regulations, all financial aid recipients are required to make satisfactory academic progress. This means that financial aid recipients must maintain a minimum grade-point average and accumulate a sufficient number of credits as they progress through the program. Full-time traditional students should maintain at least a 2.0 grade point average and not be more than eight semester hours behind the normal semester hours. Below is a chart of the minimum credit hours that must be completed to maintain SAP:

A student's progress will be monitored at the end of each semester to determine eligibility for financial aid for the upcoming semester.

Financial Aid Warning:  A student who may be in jeopardy of losing his or her financial aid will be sent a warning letter and required to meet with his or her dean or academic advisor. This student will be eligible to receive financial aid for the upcoming semester.

Financial Aid Probation: If a student has not met the minimum standards for satisfactory academic progress, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and denied access to financial aid. 

A student can appeal based on the following:

• injury or illness (must provide a letter from a health professional)
• disability (must provide a letter from Disability Services)
• death of a relative; or
• other special circumstances

The student must submit an academic plan that has been determined with consultation from the student's dean.  It must be specific and demonstrate how the student will graduate within the remaining semesters.  If the student's appeal of their financial aid probation is granted, the student will be notified of the approval via email along with additional requirements that must be met. The eligibility for financial aid will be for only one semester.  Future funding eligibility will depend on the successful completion of the semester based on the academic plan and any additional requirements listed in the approval letter.   

If you will be taking a semester off, or making arrangements to pay for classes without financial aid, please be advised that in order to regain eligibility for financial aid, you must meet the minimum requirements based on the original class in which you entered.

Return to College Students (RTC)

• RTC students must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 2.00 and the program must be completed within the maximum time frame of 12 semesters, less with transfer credits. See example below.

For example: If a student transfers in 48 credits, equaling three semesters, there would be nine semesters remaining to complete the degree.  The student must complete 8 credits during each of the nine remaining semesters.

Please reference the previous sections on Financial Aid Warning and Financial Aid Probation if you are not making satisfactory academic progress as defined above.

Graduate Students

• Graduate students in Psychology must maintain a minimum grade-point average of 3.00.
• The standard published length for a graduate student in Psychology is 48 credits or four semesters, if attending full-time, less with transfer credits.  Students attending part-time may have up to six semesters, less with transfer credits, to complete the program.

Please reference the previous sections on Financial Aid Warning and Financial Aid Probation if you are not making satisfactory academic progress as defined above.

Special Student Status

Students who have been admitted to the College and are enrolled less than half-time may be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant and campus-based programs - Federal Work Study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant - providing the student is making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.

If enrolled less than half-time, the student is not eligible for the Federal Direct Student Loan program. Connecticut College aid can only be offered to a student who has been admitted to the College and attends at least half-time, and is making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.

No aid is available for guest students who attend Connecticut College on the 12-College Exchange program or the National Theater Institute. Those students should apply through their home institution.

If a student decides to switch majors and requires additional credits beyond the 128 credits needed to graduate, financial aid will only cover up to the 128 credits. A student who changes to Special Student status is ineligible for Connecticut College aid. If a student has received loans for prior years, those loans may enter repayment.

Please consult a Financial Aid Services counselor to understand all the implications regarding this status.

Study Away Policy

Financial aid is available for students on an approved study away program.

Students attending a program not approved by the Office of Study Away are not eligible for financial aid assistance. No student will receive a Connecticut College Grant in excess of what would have been received if the student remained on campus.

Connecticut College will charge its own comprehensive fee for all approved study away programs.

The College will remit payment to the host program pending verification of enrollment. Financial Aid Services will verify enrollment with the host program before any federal/state/college aid is disbursed to the student's account.

All students are responsible for paying the host program directly for application fees, deposits, etc. The deposit will be deducted from the Connecticut College bill once confirmation of payment has been received from the host program.

Students should be prepared to incur out-of-pocket expenses for books, supplies, personal, travel, etc. The host program can provide guidance on these expenses based on averages incurred by other students.

The College will not replace the Federal Work Study award with College Grants.

For more information, please see the Study Abroad Financial Policy here.

Verification

Federal Student Aid selects some applications for a process called verification. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, Connecticut College is required to collect additional documentation from you. The Financial Aid Services Office will contact you if you are required to submit additional documentation.