1. What types of scholarships are available?
2. When will I find out if I am receiving a scholarship?
3. How do I apply for need-based financial aid?
4. When will I be notified about my financial aid package?
5. Is there any way to find out what my family may be expected to pay prior to receiving my financial aid package?
6. Should I file my FAFSA online?
7. What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?
8. What are the requirements to meet SAP standards?
9. How often is my academic progress reviewed?
10. May I continue to receive financial aid indefinitely until I graduate from Butler?
11. Will my credits as a transfer or second-degree student count toward the duration of my eligibility?
12. What if I have special circumstances that prevent me from satisfactorily completing a semester?
13. My parents don't claim me on their taxes and I want to be considered an "independent" student.
14. My parents refuse to contribute to the cost of my education and I don't want to include their tax return information on the FAFSA. I want "to be declared as independent!" What do I need to do?
15. Does Butler University require the CSS Profile for incoming students?
16. Do I need to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year?
17. I want to move off campus but I'm afraid I'll lose some of my financial aid. How much will I lose?
18. I noticed a plethora of scholarships in the Butler University Bulletin such as the Edith I. Cooper and the Marie F. Craig Scholarships (just to name a few). How do I apply for these scholarships?
19. I received an Outside Scholarship for $1000 but only $500 was applied to my fall charges. Why wasn't the full amount applied to fall?
20. Why am I being asked to submit copies of my tax returns and W2s? My neighbor didn't have to.
21. I'm currently enrolled in three credit hours. What type of financial aid is available to me?
22. Will my Federal Work Study award be credited to my student account?
23. I think it will be a waste of my time to file the FAFSA because I make too much money. How much income is "too much" to be considered eligible for need-based aid?

Question: What types of scholarships are available?

Answer: Butler University offers a variety of merit and talent scholarships to its students. Among these awards are the freshman academic scholarships, departmental scholarships, athletic grants-in-aid, audition awards for fine arts majors and scholarships for transfer and international students.

Question: When will I find out if I am receiving a scholarship?

Answer: Award notification varies with the type of scholarship. Many scholarships are awarded in rounds, so award notification occurs over a span of time. Butler's typical award timeline is as follows:

• Freshman Academic Scholarships: December through March
• Departmental Scholarships: early March 1
• Transfer Academic Scholarships: begins in March
• International Student Scholarships: begins in January
• JCFA Audition Awards: on a rolling basis as students audition

Question: How do I apply for need-based financial aid?

Answer: For need-based financial aid consideration Butler requires the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be submitted by March 1, each year to receive maximum consideration of all aid.

Question: When will I be notified about my financial aid package?

Answer: The Office of Financial Aid sends notification letters beginning March 15th to new students (freshman and transfers) who have been admitted to the University and have completed their financial aid file.

Question:Is there any way to find out what my family may be expected to pay prior to receiving my financial aid package?

Answer: Yes. Completing the Preliminary Analysis of Family Responsibility form before February 1 will provide you with an estimate of what your family's out-of-pocket expenses may be. The Office of Financial Aid will contact you by mail with your estimated family responsibility after analyzing your information.

Question: Should I file my FAFSA online?

Answer: Filing the FAFSA online is the best way to reduce form errors as well as ensure timely submission of financial data. Visit the federal processor's website.

Question: What is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)?

Answer: Federal regulations require that all student financial aid recipients make satisfactory progress toward achieving a certificate or degree. Progress is measured by your cumulative grade point average (GPA), the number of credits earned in relation to those attempted and the length of your academic program.

Question: What are the requirements to meet SAP standards?

Answer: You must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better after the end of two academic years (4 semesters) at Butler University. For more information, visit our website that explains the SAP standards in detail.

Question: How often is my academic progress reviewed?

Answer: Your academic progress is reviewed at least once a year. Included in the review are all previous semesters (including any semesters in which you completely withdrew), all attempted course work, and transfer hours - regardless of your receipt of financial aid for those enrollment periods.

Question: May I continue to receive financial aid indefinitely until I graduate from Butler?

Answer: There is a maximum time frame given for you to receive financial aid to complete your academic program at Butler University:

Question: Will my credits as a transfer or second-degree student count toward the duration of my eligibility?

Answer: All transfer credit hours that appear on your academic transcript will be counted toward the duration of your eligibility. If you are pursuing a second Bachelor's Degree, only hours that apply toward the second degree are counted toward the duration of your eligibility. Change of major will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Question: What if I have special circumstances that prevent me from satisfactorily completing a semester?

Answer: If you fail to meet the SAP standards and have lost eligibility for financial aid, you may appeal that decision. The appeal must be in writing and accompanied by appropriate supporting documents. The appeal should be submitted to the Office of Financial Aid within 2 weeks of the date you are notified.

The Financial Aid Committee will review your appeal, and you will be notified of their decision. Circumstances that may qualify for review include:

1. serious illness or accident of the student;
2. death, accident, or serious illness in your immediate family;
3. change in academic program; and
4. other extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis.

The reasonableness of your ability for improvement to meet appropriate standards for the degree program in which you are enrolled will be taken into consideration. For more information, visit our special circumstances information page.

Question: My parents don't claim me on their taxes and I want to be considered an "independent" student. What do I need to do?

Answer: To be considered an "independent" student for financial aid purposes, you must meet one of the following criteria as defined on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA):

1. 24 years old
2. a degree (master's, doctorate) beyond a bachelor's degree
3. married
4. have children who receive more than half of their support from you
5. have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2004
6. an orphan or ward of the court or a ward of the court until age 18
7. you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces

If you don't meet any of the above criteria, you are considered a "dependent" student and must provide parent information to determine your eligibility for financial assistance. Simply living separate from your parent(s) without their support does not qualify you as an independent student.

Question: Does Butler University require the CSS Profile for incoming students?

Answer: No, we do not require it.

Question: Do I need to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year?

Answer: Yes! The recommended filing date is on or before March 1.

Question: I want to move off campus but I'm afraid I'll lose some of my financial aid. How much will I lose?

Answer: The amount of aid you receive is not affected by your choice of housing unless you are a Lilly Scholar. It is important for you to review the specifics of your awards with the Office of Financial Aid before you make that decision.

Question: I noticed a number of scholarships in the Butler University Bulletin . How do I apply for these scholarships?

Answer: The scholarships you are referring to in the Butler Bulletin are annual or endowed scholarships. Most are used to underwrite Butler University financial aid programs and cannot be applied for directly. However, by mid-March of each year, each department (college) is notified of any scholarship funds that are available for the following academic year. Departments then identify potential candidates for the scholarships based on the selection criteria of individual scholarships. The Office of Financial Aid works directly with departments to insure candidates meet individual scholarship criteria. Award letters are then sent to recipients detailing the scholarship requirements. Further inquiries can be directed to individual colleges.

Question: I received an outside scholarship for $1000 but only $500 was applied to my fall charges. Why wasn't the full amount applied to fall?

Answer: We are very fortunate that our students are being recognized with scholarship dollars from their communities totaling over $2 million. As a result of the number of scholarships received, Butler University must have a standard policy that adheres to the policy of a majority of scholarships received and to federal financial aid regulations. It is Butler University's policy to apply all scholarships equally between fall and spring semesters. In many cases donors require us to return half of a scholarship should the student not return for the spring semester. It is in the best interest of the student and the university to apply the scholarship to the entire academic year.

Question: Why am I being asked to submit copies of my tax returns and W2s? My neighbor didn't have to.

Answer: One third of all students who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are selected for verification which means copies of tax returns, W2 forms, etc. must be submitted to our office. In addition to a random selection to comply with federal regulation, students who estimate their tax return information on the FAFSA are selected. We cannot proceed with the request for financial assistance until ALL of the required documentation has been submitted.

Question: I'm currently enrolled in three credit hours. What type of financial aid is available to me?

Answer: If you are an undergraduate student with exceptional financial need, you may qualify for a part-time Pell grant. Students enrolled in less than 6 hours each term are not eligible for federal loan programs, but may be eligible for select alternative loan programs.

Question: Will my Federal Work Study award be credited to my student account?

Answer: No. Students who have been awarded Federal Work Study as part of their financial aid package must seek on campus community service employment. Please contact Center for Career Planning and Development at 317-940-9383 or check out their website.

The dollars that are awarded must be acquired by working in an approved campus job. The student receives a paycheck with normal withholdings - the money is not automatically applied toward students' accounts. A work study award of $1,000 will typically translate into eight hours per week, over the 15 weeks of the semester at minimum wage.

The primary benefit from utilizing the Federal Work Study award is the fact that the income from this type of employment (up to the dollars amount paid) is not included as income reported on the subsequent years' Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Question: I think it will be a waste of my time to file the FAFSA because I make too much money. How much income is "too much" to be considered eligible for need-based aid?

Answer: Many families mistakenly self-select themselves out of the financial aid process based on their income or assets. There is not a magic number, as the federal formula takes into account several factors including the cost of attendance at each of the schools you are applying. All families are encouraged to file every year regardless of income. Regardless of need, all families can still take advantage of the unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan and financing options. Filing for financial aid is free and we are happy to assist families with this form.