Frequently Asked Questions

• Freshman Academic Scholarships: December through February
• Transfer Academic Scholarships: begins in March
• JCA Audition Awards: by mid-March

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

The Office of Financial Aid sends notification letters beginning mid-March to new students (freshman and transfers) who have been admitted to the University, submitted the FAFSA and have completed their financial aid file.

Yes. The Net Price Calculator is available to give you an estimate of financial aid and what your family's out-of-pocket expenses may be.

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.

Your academic progress is reviewed every term you attend. 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.

The maximum time frame given for you to receive financial aid to complete your academic program at Butler University.  The length is determined by multiplying the number of credit hours required to complete the program of study by 150%.  For example:  for a program that is 120 hours, you may attempt up to 180 credit hours.  At any time you will exceed 150% you will become ineligible.

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.

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.

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. obtaining 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.
6. an orphan or ward of the court at any time since you turned age 13
7. a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
8. in rare cases: emancipated minors, legal guardianships and the homeless

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.

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. obtaining 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.
6. an orphan or ward of the court at any time since you turned age 13
7. a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
8. in rare cases: emancipated minors, legal guardianships and the homeless

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.

No, we do not require it.

Yes! File on or before March 1 each year to receive maximum consideration of all aid.

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.

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.

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.

Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) was selected for verification through the Central FAFSA Processor or Butler University.  Each has their own criteria developed to make the selection.  The largest selection is for those who estimated their tax return information on the FAFSA.  To complete Verification, submit signed copies of the tax returns, W2s, etc. to our office.  We cannot proceed with the request for financial aid until ALL required documentation has been submitted.  New regulations also require filers to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA or submit an IRS Tax Transcript to complete the verification process.

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 private education loan programs.

No. The Federal Work Study Program provides an opportunity for students to work on campus earning money for expenses such as books, transportation and personal items.  Federal Work Study funds are not automatically credited to the student's account.  All employed students will receive a paycheck for the hours worked to use as they see fit.  All students may seek employment while on campus through the Office of Internship and Career Services.

The primary benefit from utilizing the Federal Work Study award is 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).

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.