5.12.1. Applications and Requirements

Although U.S. citizenship is not a criterion for institutional (Oglethorpe) assistance, all applicants for state and federal financial assistance must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens, must be admitted as regular degree-seeking students and must have a high school diploma, GED certificate, or successful completion of a home school program. Transient and special status students, students enrolled less than half-time, and students who are only auditing courses are not eligible for financial aid.

In order for a student to be considered for every type of assistance available (federal, state and/or institutional sources) a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be submitted online at https://studentaid.gov.  Beginning with the fall 2016 semester, applicants may complete the FAFSA beginning on October 1, but no later than August 1 of the award year. Students should keep a copy of the FAFSA before submitting it to the federal processor. Oglethorpe’s Federal Code is 001586. Once the FAFSA has been received and processed by the federal processor, an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) will be sent to the enrollment services area. Keep copies of all federal income tax returns, etc., as these documents may be required in order to verify the information provided on the FAFSA.  Students who are selected by the U.S. Department of Education to provide additional verification information to Oglethorpe will be contacted via Oglethorpe e-mail, by letter to permanent address or both.

Most financial aid programs require students to demonstrate financial need as determined by the FAFSA (exceptions include: Oglethorpe’s merit-based scholarships, HOPE Scholarships, Zell Miller Scholarships, Georgia Tuition Equalization Grants, and Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans and Federal PLUS Loans).

As a condition to receive federal aid, all male students must register with Selective Service, either at a U.S. post office, through the FAFSA, or online at SSS.gov.

Additional requirements for all students in order to receive aid include:

  • Students must not owe a refund on any grant or loan; not be in default on any loan or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay any defaulted loan; and not have borrowed in excess of the loan limits, under federal aid programs, at any institution.
  • Students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP, see Sec. 5.14.).
  • • Students may not be a member of a religious community, society or order who by direction of his/her/their community, society or order is pursuing a course of study at Oglethorpe and who receives support and maintenance from his/her/their community, society or order.
  • Students must be enrolled full-time to receive institutional aid and enrolled in at least six semester hours for the semester (including all sessions within the semester) after the drop/add period to receive federal and state aid, with the exception of the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant, for which students must be enrolled full-time for the semester (including all sessions within the semester).
  • If eligible for a Federal Stafford Loan or Federal PLUS Loan, a Federal Direct Master Promissory Note (MPN) and entrance counseling must be completed online at studentaid.gov.
  • Students applying for the Georgia Tuition Equalization Grant, HOPE Scholarship, and Zell Miller Scholarship programs for the first time must submit either the current year’s FAFSA or a GSFAPP from the Georgia Student Finance Commission Web site at gafutures.org/.