Financial Aid
Financial aid is available to matriculated students who are taking at least six credit hours per semester. In order to be given full consideration for all types of financial aid programs available at St. John Fisher University, students must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students may complete the FAFSA online at fafsa.gov Students should file at least one month prior to the beginning of the academic term for which they wish to receive financial assistance.
The Office of Student Financial Services is dedicated to providing you the highest level of service as we guide you through the financial aid process and assist you in meeting the costs of receiving a quality Fisher education. Graduate students should contact Fisher’s Office of Student Financial Services at (585)385-8042 with any questions. To assist graduate students in planning for and achieving their academic objectives, the University offers the following:
Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
The student must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) and complete the St. John Fisher University TEACH Grant application. The student must be enrolled in a TEACH Grant-eligible program as a graduate student, meet certain academic achievement requirements, receive TEACH Grant counseling and sign TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve. To receive the grant in successive years, the student must make satisfactory progress towards a degree, complete the FAFSA application, receive TEACH Grant counseling, sign the TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve and meet eligibility requirements. Academic achievement requirements are reviewed prior to receipt of the grant each semester.
Federal Direct Student Loan Program
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Student Loan Program provides low-interest long-term loans to matriculated students enrolled at least half-time in a degree program for education expenses. Borrowers must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and maintaining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility in a graduate or professional program. Student must complete the FAFSA application. The lender of these loans is the federal government and repayment is to the U.S. Department of Education.
For further information on amount fees, and interest rates, please visit Financial Aid’s Graduate Federal Direct Student Loan Program page.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Program
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program is available to matriculated graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a degree program. Borrowers must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens and maintaining satisfactory academic progress for financial aid eligibility in a graduate or professional program. The student may borrow up to the student’s cost of attendance, minus other financial aid. The lender of these loans is the federal government and repayment is to the U.S. Department of Education. Loan approval is subject to a credit check based on criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education. Student must complete the FAFSA application.
For further information on how to apply, amounts, fees, and interest rates, please visit Financial Aid’s Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Program page.
Private Student Loan Programs
Private student loans are loans a student can borrow from a private lender. Students who have not established a credit history will be asked to apply with a co-signer. Although interest accrues while the student is in school, the payments on the loan may be deferred until the student ceases enrollment. A private loan may provide enough funds to enable the student to attend and pay for the college of their choice. The annual loan limits are the cost of attendance minus other financial aid. The terms and conditions of the loan (including interest rates and fees) will be determined by the lender. A private student loan application is completed directly with the lender of the student’s choosing.
Privately Funded Scholarships
A small number of privately funded scholarships are available to graduate students in good academic standing who meet the criteria designated by the donor(s) of the scholarship. Students eligible to apply for any of these scholarships will be notified and asked to fill out the proper paperwork.
New York State Aid
Recipients must be in good academic standing in accordance with the commissioner’s regulations and must not be in default of a loan guaranteed by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation.
For eligibility requirements, application process and award information on the following:
- Senator Patricia K. McGee Nursing Faculty Scholarship
- Veterans Tuition Awards
- NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Scholarship
- NYS Aid to Native Americans
- Segal AmeriCorps Education Award
- NYS Child Welfare Worker Incentive Scholarship Program
Please visit the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation website.
Standards of Academic Progress for Graduate Financial Aid Recipients
Graduate students are considered to be making satisfactory academic progress for federal aid eligibility as long as they are in good academic standing according to institutional standards.
For purposes of computing academic standing, quality points are assigned to letter grades as follows:
| Grade | Points Per Credit |
| A | 4.00 |
| A- | 3.70 |
| B+ | 3.30 |
| B | 3.00 |
| B- | 2.70 |
| C+ | 2.30 |
| C | 2.00 |
| F | 0.00 |
Graduate-level students are considered to be in good standing if their cumulative GPA is 3.00 or higher at the end of each semester.
Standards of Academic Progress Cumulative Grade Point Average:*
| Semester Credit Hours Earned Toward Degree | 0–6 | 7–12 | 13–21 | 22+ |
| Good Standing: | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Probation: | 2.00–2.99 | 2.50–2.99 | 2.75–2.99 | — |
| Academic Dismissal with GPA Below: | 2.00 | 2.50 | 2.75 | 3.00 |
*Averages will not be “rounded.” For example, 2.99 will not be rounded to 3.00.
The School reviews student records each semester. If the School determines that a student has failed to meet the standards, the School reserves the right to dismiss the student from their program. The student will have two weeks upon receipt of their dismissal letter to appeal to the School for reinstatement. If the School approves a student who has not met the academic standing requirements to continue, approval from the dean or program chair is required for the student to continue to receive federal, state, and institutional financial aid. If approved, the student will be considered on probation for financial aid for the next semester. Student Financial Services will review the student’s academic progress at the end of the next attempted semester. If the student has not made progress towards the published standards, he or she is no longer eligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid until they return to good standing as published. If a student is dismissed from the program, he or she is no longer eligible for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
Students who graduate or drop below half-time status are required by the federal government to complete exit counseling online at Studentaid.gov if they borrowed a Federal Direct Student loan or received a Federal TEACH grant. Failure to do so may result in the withholding of their diploma and/or academic transcript.
Repeated Course Work
For students who are repeating coursework (full time or part time enrollment status) in which they previously received a letter grade of D- or higher, Fisher will allow a student federal and Fisher aid one time for retaking previously passed coursework.