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Financial Aid

We want to make this process simple for you. The best way to determine eligibility for Title IV funding is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

When all application materials, including the FAFSA, are received, we will send you an estimated financial aid award letter. The award letter lists all financial aid you are eligible to receive, including grants and loans (if you’ve elected to borrow).

The award letter is subject to change if your financial aid eligibility changes. Some financial aid awards require you to send us a few extra forms.

Additional information is available under the below Reminders and Links sections. Apply early to ensure that funds are available when needed.

Follow these steps to start your financial aid application. The priority application timeline is 8-weeks prior to beginning courses.

Step 1: Complete the FAFSA

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The FAFSA is the primary application required of all students before receiving Federal Financial Aid.  This is a FREE application and should take about 30 minutes to complete.

The FAFSA is good for the period July 1 through June 30 each year and is available to be completed beginning on October 1st.  The tax information being used on the application is from two years previous.  For example:  If you are going to be enrolled on/after  July 1, 2024, the tax information that will be used is from your 2022 return.

The FAFSA can be completed by going to the FAFSA Link.  Be sure to complete the FAFSA that corresponds to your anticipated enrollment.

To view a helpful video on creating an FSA ID, click on this link:  How to Create an FSA ID.

Ottawa University's Federal School Code: 001937

Be sure to electronically sign the application with your FSA ID. Failure to do so will create delays in the processing of your financial aid.

If you don’t already have a FSA ID, you can create one here.

Step 2: Calculate Your Costs

  • Students can use the Undergraduate Cost or the Graduate Cost Financial Aid Estimators to help them determine the amount to borrow and the project cash flow scenarios given various enrollment patterns, loan amounts, etc.
  • Students can use the Financial Aid Estimators to help them determine the amount to borrow and the projected cash flow scenarios given various enrollment patterns, loan amounts etc.
  • Once you know the amount of your loan, you can use the Student Loan Repayment Calculator to get an idea of what your monthly payments will be.

Step 3: Student Loan Applications

Complete the Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note

  • Sign in with your Federal Student Aid ID

Complete the Following Student Loan Applications

Note: MyOttawa portal access required; you will be asked to login to begin each application.

All students must complete this forms each time a new loan is being certified. This documents provides us with the information needed to certify your loan.

If you need assistance, or do not yet have a MyOttawa user ID and password, please contact your Finance Advisor.

Additional information for students and parents interested in other types of student loans:

Important Reminders

Financial Clearance

In accordance with university policy, each student is required to be financially cleared by the business office prior to the end of the add/drop period. University policy states that, “a student will be disenrolled on the Monday following the last date of the add/drop period if the student is not financially cleared.” The last day of the add/drop period is the second Monday of each Term.

Withdrawing from a Course

Students that wish to withdraw from a course must do so by following the official withdrawal process. Please contact the Registrar’s office if you need information about the correct way of withdrawing from a course. Financial obligations may result based on the last date of attendance/participation or as a result of an unofficial withdrawal (if you stop participating in class but do not officially drop the course). Students who are unable to complete a course are encouraged to officially withdraw as quickly as possible once the determination to do so has been made. Upon withdrawal of all credits in a given term, institutional, state and federal refund calculations will be completed and the appropriate adjustments or pending financial aid disbursements will be canceled. Students will need to complete new paperwork upon return.

Disbursement of Funds and Financial Aid Refunds:

Financial Aid disbursements will not be posted to the student’s tuition account until the instructor has recorded the students participation in class using the online attendance system. Credit balance refunds from excess Financial Aid are issued by the Accounts Receivable department within 14 days from the date that the credit balance was created. Students should plan their cash flow needs accordingly since most refunds will not be issued until the 3rd week of the term (or later).

Financial Aid Forms

Please contact us if you have questions about any of these forms. We will be happy to walk you through the details.

2024-25 Financial Year

(Classes between July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025)

Here are some frequently asked questions we hear from students. Specific questions not addressed below can be addressed with the Financial Services staff at your campus.

Financial Aid Questions

The Federal Direct Loan is a type of financial aid. Students must complete the federal grant application (FAFSA) before eligibility for a loan can be determined

Yes. Having bad credit does not prevent students from participating in the federal financial aid programs (except the Federal PLUS Program).

Whether aid is repaid depends on the type of funding received. Loans need to be repaid and grants and scholarships do not.

Yes, students must apply for financial aid every year. If their financial circumstances change, students may get more or less aid. Renewal of the financial aid package also depends on a student making satisfactory academic progress toward a certificate or degree, such as achieving a minimum GPA.

Yes. If a student receives any kind of financial assistance, it must be reported to the Department of Financial Aid. The university will review his or her financial aid package to determine if eligibility for federal funds has changed.

There are three web-accessible applications needed to apply for financial aid:

It could be affected. Students should consult their Financial Aid Coordinator before making any changes to their enrollment status.

There are many types of assistance available. However, income is only one of many factors involved in determining aid eligibility. Students should not assume they are not eligible until they have completed the FAFSA. Most students are at least eligible to participate in the Direct Unsubsidized loan program.

The award letter is mailed to students after we have determined eligibility for aid. It will indicate the type of aid students are eligible for and the approximate disbursement dates and amounts for these funds.

Verification is the process whereby the school is required to review the information provided on the FAFSA for accuracy. The federal government randomly selects students for this process or a student may get selected because of conflicting or unusual information provided on the FAFSA. If selected for verification, the student (and parents, if applicable) will be required to submit a verification worksheet and a copy of the appropriate year tax transcript.

Much of the information required for verification can only be found on the tax transcript.

Questions About Grants

Undergraduate students should submit a Federal Application For Student Aid (FAFSA) via the Department of Education website.

The maximum annual PELL Grant is set by Congress and is determined in part by the student's enrollment status throughout the year and the output results from the FAFSA. Students should contact the Department of Financial Aid for more information.

No, the amounts of a PELL Grant disbursement are determined on a term-by-term basis. Unused PELL Grant funds at the end of the fiscal year (7/1 – 6/30) are lost.

In addition to the Federal Pell Grant program, there are a few other grant programs available to students attending Ottawa University:

  • SEOG: This is a supplemental grant program only available to undergraduate students attending the traditional college in Ottawa, KS. Students must submit their FAFSA by the March 15th deadline to be considered for these funds. The student does not need to do anything further since the Department of Financial Aid will determine which students are eligible.
  • TEACH: This is a forgivable loan program available to undergraduate and graduate students enrolled in specific programs of study at a limited number of Ottawa University campuses.
  • State Grants: Some states (e.g. Arizona and Kansas) offer grants/scholarships to students attending Ottawa University.

Questions about Loans

Students may contact his or her lender or the Department of Financial Aid. In addition, there are various calculators available to help students determine what their loan repayment will be.

The lender will provide Disclosure Statements showing details of current loans and reflecting overall indebtedness but the National Student Loan Data System should be the best source of information pertaining to all of your student loan debts.

Like all other types of financial aid, the funds will be applied directly to the student’s university account. If a credit balance is created, the excess funds will be issued to the parent.

Students may be eligible. They should contact the Department of Financial Aid to further discuss.

The parent has the option to apply with an endorser who would also be subject to a credit check. The parent may also appeal the credit decision. Absent either of these alternatives, the student can be treated as an independent student for loan purposes only and receive additional Unsubsidized loan funds.

Failure to repay loan(s) can have serious consequences. Not only will it affect credit, but a student's wages could be garnished, tax returns withheld and eligibility lost to participate in any further federal financial aid programs.

A student who is eligible for a deferment will not have to make loan payments during the deferment period. Students who are enrolled at least half-time are eligible for an in-school deferment. The University Registrar updates student enrollment statuses each term via the National Clearinghouse.

Students are allowed a grace period of six months before entering repayment. The grace period begins once the student leaves school or drops to less than half time status.

The federal government pays the interest on a subsidized loan while the student is in school at least half time and (with some exceptions) during the grace period. The student can either pay the unsubsidized interest quarterly while in school (recommended) or can choose to capitalize the interest payment and have the interest added to the loan principal.

The interest rate on Federal loans can/will vary based on the type of loan and when the loan is taken. Please contact your lender or the Department of Financial Aid for more clarification regarding the rates on your loan(s).

The entrance and exit interviews are the student's opportunity to learn about his or her rights and responsibilities as Federal Direct Loan borrowers.

Repayment on a PLUS loan begins 60 days after the final disbursement is made. Parents can apply for a deferment while the student is in school. Be careful about asking for this since interest will continue to accrue during the deferment period. The accrued interest will increase the size of the loan, especially if the deferment is for an extended period of time.

All federal student loans are funded through the U.S. Department of Education.  Private loans are available through a variety of lenders and the student can select whichever lender provides the best product to meet his/her needs.

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