Student Eligibility
Students seeking Federal Aid must meet guidelines established by the U.S. Department of Education:
- Successfully complete the FAFSA – ISIR must be received by Criswell Financial Aid Office by April 15th for priority awarding.
- Possess a valid Social Security Number (SSN) – SSN matches are conducted by the government processor for each applicant for federal aid programs.
- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or other eligible non-citizen – Check with the Financial Aid Office for details.
- Be degree-seeking – Be enrolled in a degree-granting eligible program for the purpose of obtaining a degree, or certificate.
- Be fully admitted to Criswell College – Students admitted on a conditional basis (incomplete admission file) may be awarded financial aid, but no aid will be disbursed until the student completes admission file.
- Be in good standing and making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.
- Not be on Financial Aid Suspension.
- Possess a high school diploma or GED – Students who have successfully completed at least two years of college-level work that is acceptable for full credit toward a baccalaureate degree at Criswell College may also be eligible to apply for federal aid. Students completing their high school education in a home school environment may also be eligible to apply for federal financial aid under certain conditions. See the Financial Aid Office for more information.
- Not be in default (or delinquent) on any educational loan programs with the state or federal government, or have borrowed in excess of the loan limits on federal loan programs.
- Not owe a refund on grants previously received under the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant, or the Leveraged Educational Assistance Partnership Program Grant.
- Not be enrolled and receiving aid at another school concurrently.
- Meet enrollment status requirements (aid eligibility and amounts are based on full time, ¾ time, ½ time or less than ½ time status)
- Resolved any drug conviction issue.
Determination of Financial Aid
All student financial aid is coordinated through the Financial Aid Office, and all requests for student financial aid are reviewed and processed according to the following guidelines.
A student’s financial aid package can be determined once the Financial Aid Office receives a student’s FAFSA information and Criswell College Supplemental Application for Financial Aid.
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is an eligibility index number that your college’s or career school’s financial aid office uses to determine how much federal student aid you would receive if you attended the school. This number results from the information that you provide on your FAFSA® form. This number is not a dollar amount of aid eligibility or what your family is expected to provide. A negative SAI indicates the student has a higher financial need.
The college or career school will determine your financial need by subtracting your SAI from the cost of attendance.
The Financial Aid Office makes every effort to assist students in meeting their need using all resources available.
Award Procedures
Financial aid awards will be made only after a student’s FAFSA results have been sent to Criswell College and the Criswell College Supplemental Application For Financial Aid has been completed. If a student’s record is selected for verification (a review of the FAFSA data), all required documentation and corrected FAFSA information must be received before the application process is complete.
