Financial Aid

The financial aid programs at St. John Fisher University are established to provide assistance to eligible students in meeting the costs associated with their education. Eligibility for institutional, federal, and state financial aid is determined primarily on the basis of demonstrated financial need and/or merit, in accordance with applicable laws, regulations and institutional policies. Responsibility for financing educational expenses rests primarily with the student and the student’s family. Students and families are expected to make reasonable efforts to contribute resources toward educational costs. The Office of Student Financial Services establishes and maintains an annual cost of attendance based on current tuition and fees, as well as reasonable estimates of related educational and miscellaneous expenses.

The following is intended to give basic information about the financial assistance that is available. Often, financial aid offers will consist of a combination of the forms of aid described in this section. Sources of aid awarded at the discretion of St. John Fisher University are not available for summer study, even if the student enrolls in a full-time course load during the summer semesters.

Forms Required for Applying

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for consideration of federal student aid and need-based institutional scholarships and grants. The FAFSA is completed at FAFSA.gov. Fisher’s priority deadline for FAFSA completion is January 15th prior to the upcoming new aid year.

Separate applications for financial aid programs not administered by the University (e.g., state grants), are required, as indicated in the program descriptions.

Academic Progress Requirements

The academic progress requirements for New York state, federal, and institutional aid are detailed in Standards of Academic Progress for Financial Aid Recipients.

Consortium Agreements

A consortium agreement is a written agreement between two schools which allows a Fisher student to take courses at another institution and count those courses toward his or her degree at St. John Fisher University. A consortium agreement allows the St. John Fisher University Office of Student Financial Services to count courses at both institutions when determining a student’s enrollment level for the purposes of awarding aid. However, the courses taken at the host institution must be applicable toward the student’s degree to be counted at St. John Fisher. Consortium agreements are approved on a limited basis based with demonstrated mitigating circumstances. The student must contact the Office of Student Financial Services to complete the Request for Financial Aid to take Course(s) at Another Institution form.

Renewal of Financial Aid

Financial aid is reviewed annually and requires students to file the Free Application of Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year that aid is requested. The FAFSA priority filing deadline for returning Fisher students is January 15 of each year. Applications received after the priority deadline will be considered for aid renewal on a funds-available basis. An award is continued if the student is making satisfactory progress toward a degree, demonstrated financial need, and meets academic requirements of merit scholarships. Substantial adjustments in aid from year to year are seldom made unless there is a major change in family financial need. The maximum number of semesters of St. John Fisher University grants and scholarships that an entering first-year student can receive is eight (8) full-time semesters (4 years).

Students are strongly encouraged to consult with the Office of Student Financial Services prior to changes in housing status, major, financial need, enrollment plans or participation in a study abroad program. These changes may affect a student’s eligibility for renewal of certain types of financial aid.

For further information, please see Terms and Conditions of Financial Aid Awards [pdf].

Change from Full-Time to Part-Time Status

Part-time students are not eligible for certain types of financial aid. Students who reduce enrollment to fewer than 12 credits within the first six weeks of the semester will be classified part-time students for financial aid purposes. Students considering a change from full-time to part-time status are encouraged to consult with the Office of Student Financial Services before finalizing any registration changes, as such changes may affect financial aid eligibility.

Loan Exit Interviews

Federal Direct Student Loan and Federal Perkins Loan borrowers, and Federal TEACH Grant recipients are required to complete federal exit counseling. Federal Direct Student Loan exit counseling and TEACH Grant exit counseling is completed at: http://studentaid.gov. Federal Perkins Loan borrowers will be contacted by the loan servicer, ECSI, to complete exit counseling.

Special Circumstances

Parents and students who experience changes in family or financial circumstances should notify the Office of Student Financial Services for review and possible reconsideration of financial aid eligibility. Supporting documentation may be required.

Office of Student Financial Services
St. John Fisher University
3690 East Avenue
Rochester, New York 14618
Phone: (585) 385-8042