Financial Aid

How to Apply for Financial Aid

Submission of the FAFSA is accepted as the financial aid application. Late applications can only be considered within the availability of funds.

The following steps should be taken in applying for financial assistance to attend the University of Tennessee Southern: 

    1. It is recommended that all students submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must apply for Admission to UT Southern before their applications for financial aid will be processed. This form is available from online from the Office of Admissions.  The FAFSA is available online at www.studentaid.gov

    2. An applicant who is a Tennessee resident must mark the appropriate residence question on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This FAFSA form allows the student to apply for the Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA) and the Pell Grant at the same time. This form is also required to receive a Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship. These forms may be obtained from Tennessee high school guidance offices or online. To apply online, you must first create an FSA ID. Log in to https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/ create-account/launch begin this process. Students and parents must then go to www.studentaid.gov to complete the FAFSA online. THIS IS A FREE SERVICE. Be sure you use the extension .gov or you will go to a non-government site that is not free and probably not safe.

 3.Out-of-state applicants should complete the FAFSA to be considered for the Pell Grant and other assistance. This form is available in high school guidance offices; see item 2 above. Out-of-state applicants are not eligible for the Tennessee Student Assistance Award.

 4.For further information, contact the Financial Aid Office, located on the first floor of Colonial Hall and email address financialaid@utsouthern.edu.

Your financial aid package could consist of external scholarships, grants, scholarships, work-study and loans. Grants and scholarships are free money; loans are repayable; and work-study is earned from working on campus. The institution reserves the right to adjust institutional aid when that aid in combination with external scholarships, federal and state aid, except for federal loan programs, exceeds the cost of attendance. A refund will not be provided as a result of receiving any UT Southern institutional scholarship or grant in combination with another UT Southern scholarship or grant, a federal grant, outside scholarship or a state scholarship or grant. If the total of the specified types of aid exceeds tuition and fees, room and board (or tuition and fees only for commuters), UT Southern scholarships will be lowered in the amount of the overage. Institutional aid is considered “last dollar” and in the event an overage creates a credit, the Institutional aid will be reduced.

UT Southern scholarships or grants may be replaced by other types of aid at the discretion of the Financial Aid Office.

UT Southern institutional scholarships may be applied to room and board charges.

Athletic Scholarship Policy

Standards for eligibility are set forth by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and UT Southern. Each coach is responsible for reporting the individual athletic scholarship amount annually to the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.

A full athletic scholarship covers tuition, room and board, fees on campus. There are not any institutional scholarships or discounts for ANY students (including athletes) during the summer semester (May-August). The only financial aid available to students for the summer semester is state and federal aid, and students must be enrolled in at least six hours to qualify.

The athletic scholarship may be reduced so the student will not be over awarded. NO STUDENT shall be awarded MORE than their cost of attendance when ALL aid is added together including loans. Pell grants are NOT refunded to students. If a student athlete moves off campus, the institutional reserves the right to reduce the athletic scholarship or institutional aid accordingly. Please check with the Financial Aid Office for more information.

Athletic scholarships will not cover International student insurance, international student tax, international student fees, housing deposit, and the fines incurred by students who break campus rules and regulations.

Student athletes are required to sign a Grant In Aid. Failure to do so does NOT exempt the student athlete from the athletic department rules. Student athletes are bound by the athletic agreement and must abide by the rules set forth by the Athletic Department. Please see the Financial Aid Office for a copy of the Grant In Aid for more information.

UT Southern does not stack athletic and academic scholarships.

Special Notes and Requirements

1. All financial aid awards are made on a one-year basis. STUDENTS MUST RE-APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID EACH ACADEMIC YEAR.
2. The priority deadline for application for financial aid is February 1st prior to the academic year for which aid is requested.
3. Students must be enrolled in at least a half-time basis (6 semester hours) to be eligible for federal or state financial aid. Students must be enrolled in at least 12 hours per semester to qualify for institutional aid. 
4. Students are required to meet the retention standards outlined in this catalog to remain eligible to receive Title IV financial aid funds.
5. Students receiving scholarships awarded on academic achievement must attain a 2.75 grade point average (GPA) for the first year to be eligible for renewal of the scholarship for the subsequent year. For each subsequent academic year a student must maintain a minimum 3.0 GPA.
6. Financial need is defined as the reasonable cost of education minus the student’s available resources, the prime sources for these being the student and his/her family. University aid serves to supplement personal resources.
7. Institutional Aid may be affected by the receipt of need based funds.
8. Students have the right to appeal financial aid decisions to the Admissions and Financial Aid Appeals Committee.
9. If a student athlete moves off campus, the Institution reserves the right to reduce the athletic scholarship or institutional aid accordingly
10. In order to qualify for federal, state, and institutional financial aid a student must enroll in classes that go towards their intended major.

Grants

Federal Pell Grants

This grant program is for undergraduate students who have a demonstrated financial need. The amount of the award is based on determination of the student’s eligibility and the cost of attendance at the University. This is a grant that you apply for with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The form may be obtained from high school guidance offices or online at www.studentaid.gov. Students are encouraged to apply electronically. It is recommended that all students apply for the FAFSA.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

These grants are awarded to students with exceptional financial need.  You must have an EFC of 0 to be eligible. The University of Tennessee Southern Student Financial Aid Application and FAFSA must be submitted. Secure these from high school guidance offices or go online. See item #2 under How to Apply for Financial Aid for details.

Tennessee Student Assistance Award (TSAA)

This grant program is available to Tennessee residents with financial need who are attending Tennessee institutions. These grants are administered by the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC), Nashville, Tennessee. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required for consideration for this grant. Forms may be secured from high school guidance offices or online. See item #2 under How to Apply for Financial Aid for details. The scholarship amount for a State school is $2000 for the year.

Tennessee Lottery Scholarship

Students graduating from qualified Tennessee high schools may receive lottery-funded awards if they achieve an ACT Score of 21, or a 3.0 unweighted grade point average. The scholarships are awarded to students who graduated in 2003 or later, who enroll in a timely manner and who attend a Tennessee institution of higher education. This scholarship is renewable for up to four (4) years or 120 credit hours, whichever comes first, if the student meets the yearly requirements set by the state of Tennessee. The FAFSA is required for this scholarship. See item #2 under How to Apply for Financial Aid for details. Home School graduates require minimum 21 ACT exclusive of the essay and optional subject area battery tests. Home school GPAs are not considered.

Federal College Work-Study Program (FCWSP)

The federal work program is designed to assist students with demonstrated financial need. Students work on campus for an hourly wage. The University of Tennessee Southern requires each student to complete the FAFSA. This form is available at www.FAFSA.ed.gov. The FAFSA form must be completed/submitted by March 15, and you must have at least a 2.0 cumulative GPA. All tax verification requirements are due by June 1.

See the Office of Financial Aid for additional information.

Student Loans

Federal Direct Loan

This federal loan program allows a student to borrow a maximum of $3,500 per year for the first year (0-29 hours), $4,500 for the second year (30-59 hours), and up to $5,500 for the third and fourth (60-89 Junior/90 + Senior) years of college. To apply for this loan, one must be admitted and enrolled in at least half-time, and in good standing at an eligible institution. A FAFSA is required to be eligible for this loan. An applicant can complete the go to www.studentaid.gov and complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN), and Entrance Counseling.

Failure to complete the federal requirements to receive a student loan will result in a balance owed due to not being able to result the loan.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards (SAP)

Students receiving financial assistance under the federally supported Title IV Programs, as well as institutional aid recipients, must comply with certain standards to be eligible for such assistance. Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a measurement of the student’s successful progress in their studies, based on their degree level and status (part-time/full-time). Satisfactory progress is evaluated at the end of the fall, spring, and summer terms, using standards that are both qualitative (academic performance as measured by grade point average) and quantitative (total number of academic credits earned within specified time periods).

It is the student’s responsibility to stay informed of the University's SAP standards and to monitor progress. For SAP purposes, students’ academic records are reviewed by the Financial Aid Office and the Registrar’s Office at the end of each semester. Students who do not meet one or more of the SAP standards will be placed on SAP warning. Students who fail to meet the requirements of the approved plan will no longer be eligible for financial aid. Eligibility may be regained by resolving all deficiencies except for the Maximum Length of Study standard.

Standard Academic Progress Standards

Qualitative Standard

Grade Point Average:

To meet this standard, a student must maintain a level of academic performance required to remain at the University as a matriculated student. The minimum level of academic performance parallels the grade point average required to remain in good academic standing and is as follows:

For students currently enrolled in developmental courses, all developmental classes are calculated into the GPA to determine probation/suspension.

Quantitative Standards

Completion Rate:

Students must successfully complete a minimum number of credit hours attempted by the end of each term of enrollment. These are as follows:

First term of enrollment – 50% of the hours attempted

Second term of enrollment – 60% of the hours attempted

Third and subsequent terms of enrollment – 67% of the hours attempted

Successful completion means receiving a final grade of A+/-, B+/-, C+/-, D+, or P. Grades of F, W (withdrawn), WP (withdrawn passing), WF (withdrawn failing), I (incomplete), and AU (audit) do not earn credit hours, but do count as hours attempted towards the quantitative standards of completion rate and maximum time frame for completion of the degree. Hours transferred from other institutions also count as hours attempted and earned. Students who fall below the above completion rates are not making Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Grades earned in developmental courses count in determining the completion rate and cannot exceed 30 hours; this limit cannot be appealed.

Classes dropped prior to the end of the add period at the beginning of each term will not count toward hours attempted. Credits earned through CLEP testing, AP examinations, etc. are not counted as hours attempted for calculation of completion rate.

Repeated courses affect SAP as follows:

GPA – Only the most recent grade counts in the calculation of the GPA.

Completion Rate – Each time a course is repeated, it is counted as hours attempted.

Maximum Time Frame – Each time a course is repeated, it is counted as hours attempted and is counted towards the maximum credit limit.

Courses in which a passing grade has been received may be repeated only once in an effort to increase one’s GPA. If repeated more than once, costs must be at the student’s own expense.

Maximum Time Frame

To remain eligible for financial aid, students must complete their degree requirements within 150% of the published length of their academic program. This means that a student’s attempted and transferred credit hours cannot exceed 150% of the credit hours necessary for completion of their primary degree or certificate. The maximum time frame is not increased for dual-degree or combined degree candidates, but is based on the program length associated with the student’s primary academic program.

Full-time students should attempt to earn at least 30-31 credit hours per academic year in order to graduate in four years. “Full-time” is defined as 12 credit hours per semester. Those who take no more than 12-14 hours per semester may choose summer courses as a way to reach 30 credits per year.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Review

At the end of each semester (Fall, Spring, and Summer), an SAP review is completed. Students who fail to make SAP at the end of a term will be placed on SAP warning and will be given one term to achieve SAP. If at the end of the warning period, they have not met minimum SAP requirements, they will be ineligible to receive further financial aid unless they successfully appeal their financial aid suspension. Those not successful in their appeal become ineligible for further financial aid until all deficiencies are remediated at the student’s expense. If the student has already been awarded federal/state aid for the following semester, that aid will be removed.

Regaining Eligibility for Financial Aid

Students who fail to attain the qualitative and/or quantitative standards for SAP should consult with a financial aid counselor to determine appropriate steps to take to regain financial aid eligibility. Actions to consider for regaining financial aid eligibility include:

• Taking courses during the summer at the student’s expense;

• Repeating failed courses immediately (the quickest way to raise a GPA);

• Removing incomplete (I) grades;

• Reviewing repeated courses to insure that the highest grade has been computed.

A student’s cumulative GPA can be improved only by coursework at The University of Tennessee Southern though credit hour deficiencies can be made up by attendance at UT Southern or at another institution. If enrolling elsewhere, the student must complete a Transfer Credit Request form with the appropriate signatures prior to enrolling at the other institution. Following completion of work elsewhere, the student is responsible for having an academic transcript sent to The University of Tennessee Southern's Registrar’s Office.

Once deficiencies have been remediated, the student must notify the Financial Aid Office and request reinstatement of eligibility. However, once the maximum length of study standard has been exceeded (150% of credit hours needed for graduation), financial aid eligibility ends, even if the student is in compliance with the other two standards.

Appeals Process

Students who fail to meet the minimum requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress and who lose all financial aid eligibility have the right to appeal this action to the Admissions and Financial Aid Appeals Committee by submitting a Student Appeal Form. An appeal must be based on significant mitigating circumstances that seriously affected academic performance. Examples of such circumstances might be serious illness, severe injury, death of an immediate family member, or other similar situations accompanied by appropriate documentation for the circumstance involved. Contact the Financial Aid Office to obtain a Student Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Financial Aid Appeal Form. This form is also on the UT Southern website under Financial Aid.

Course Program of Study

The U.S. Department of Education requires students to be enrolled in an eligible program of study in order to receive federal financial aid. Furthermore, a student's official enrollment classification can only include courses that are required in their degree program.

Starting with the Fall 2023 semester, UT Southern implemented a process called Course Program of Study (CPoS) to ensure compliance with these regulations.

This means, students can only receive financial aid for classes that are required for their current program of study (major). Students cannot receive financial aid payments for classes that are not specifically listed in their major (this includes minors). This means that a student may not qualify for some or all of Pell Grant, Hope Scholarship, Loans, and most other types of financial aid including institutional aid.

If a student enrolls in a class that is not required in the current major, even if the student thinks this class is required for a future major to begin next semester, the student will not receive financial aid for that course.

This rule applies to federal aid and state aid, so it is important that you verify with your advisor that all classes are required for the current program of study.
Common Reasons for Courses to be Excluded from Enrollment Classification:

• The student registered for a course that is not required for their degree.
• The course is a substitution, but the official substitution process has not yet been completed.
• A course is not required in the program of study for that student’s catalog year.
• The course was previously repeated and no longer qualifies for aid. If a student has previously completed the same course on two prior occasions and at least one of those attempts resulted in a passing grade, that course cannot be used in the determination of the student's enrollment classification for federal financial aid.

• The course is an elective, and the student already fulfilled all elective requirements.
• Minors must be required for the degree or fulfill an elective in order to be included as eligible coursework for federal financial aid.
• Internships, Honors courses, and prerequisite courses are only counted in a student's enrollment classification for federal financial aid if they are required in the student’s program of study or can fulfill a slot in a quota of elective hours specified in the program of study.

Example: If you register for 12 credit hours but 3 credits are in a course that is required for a degree at a university you want to transfer to in the future, you will only qualify for 75% of your financial aid. You will only receive aid for 9 credit hours and you will be responsible for paying a balance if there is one.