Federal Aid, Grants, & Loan Programs

Federal Pell Grant

The Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to undergraduate students demonstrating high financial need. Grant amounts are awarded based on: the information provided on the FAFSA; the cost of attendance (as determined by the institution); the student’s enrollment status (the number of credits per semester); and whether the student attends a full academic year or less. Students may not receive the Pell Grant simultaneously from two schools at a time.

1. Student needs to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine eligibility. A FAFSA Submission Summary will be sent to the applicant. Provided the student listed Marist as one of the colleges to receive information, the College will notify the student of the amount of Pell Grant to be received.
2. Award notification will be mailed to new students; mailing dates are provided, and email notifications will be sent to returning students by mid- June, provided a valid FAFSA is on file.
3. Payment of the award will be made directly to the student’s account. It will be made in two equal payments for fall and spring, unless otherwise noted. Student may be eligible for additional Pell Grant throughout the academic year.
4. A student who is in default on a Federal Perkins Loan or Direct Student Loan or owes a refund on a Federal Pell Grant is not eligible for federal and/or state aid.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

Federal SEOG is a federal grant program administered by Marist College to assist undergraduate students who qualify for the Pell Grant and demonstrate a high need.

1. The grant is reviewed and awarded annually.
2. The amount of the award will range from $500 to $2,000 per academic year.
3. The award can only be given to undergraduate students pursuing their first baccalaureate degree.
4. A Federal SEOG is awarded on the basis of financial need, other financial aid resources available to the student, total grant funds available to the College, and satisfactory academic performance of the student.
5. Payment of the award is made in two equal parts, in the fall and the spring, unless otherwise noted.6. A student who is in default on a Federal Perkins Loan or Direct Student Loan or owes a refund on a Pell Grant is not eligible for federal and/or state aid.

Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)

The Federal TEACH Grant provides up to $4,000.00 per year, less federal fee, for students who have completed the FASFA and meet the eligibility requirements for federal student aid. Students must have a 3.25 GPA or higher or score in the 75th percentile on at least one admissions test. Students must be completing the coursework required to become a teacher. Students must also intend to teach in a full-time, high-need subject area for at least four years at schools that serve students from low-income families and complete those four years within eight years of completing the program. For more information, please visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/teach

Federal Work-study Program (FWSP)

Marist College administers this federally sponsored employment program during the academic year. The FWSP assists in providing job opportunities to enrolled students who demonstrate financial need in meeting their college expenses. FWSP positions are primarily available on campus, but are also offered in the surrounding community with limited availability. Additional information about student employment can be found via my.Marist, by clicking the Student Financial Services tab, and selecting the Student Employment dropdown tab.

1. A Work Study award is an allocation only, and not a guarantee of employment.
2. FWS students are paid at least the federal or state minimum wage; whichever is higher.
3. Students cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the regular academic term and no more than 40 hours per week during an approved break.
4. Jobs are offered according to the availability of Work-Study opportunities. To remain eligible for Work Study, students must fill out a FAFSA per academic year, and continue to meet federal and institutional academic progress standards (refer to Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements).
5. Payroll schedules are published at the beginning of each academic year, and include the summer term. Prior to working on campus, students must complete the new hire paperwork packet in Student Financial Services, which includes the Federal Form I-9, W-4 Federal Tax Withholding Form, IT-2104 State Tax Withholding Form, and Direct Deposit Agreement. In addition, students must present original identification documentation as outlined on the last page of the Federal Form I-9 to Student Financial Services when submitting this paperwork.
6. Once a student is hired, their supervisor must submit an ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Form), which creates the student’s work assignment and online timesheet.
7. Students are responsible for submitting their electronic timesheets in a punctual manner to their supervisors. Student timesheets will be available to students via their my.Marist portal. Students are paid on a biweekly payroll schedule.
8. Students in default for a Federal Perkins Loan or Federal Direct Student Loan, or owing a refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) cannot receive a Work-Study award.
9. If selected for verification, the student’s file must be verified within 60 days.

Marist College Campus Employment Program (CE)

Marist College assists in providing part-time employment to Marist students during the summer months, and, to a limited extent, during the regular academic year. Additional information about student employment can be found via myMarist, by clicking the Student Financial Services tab, and selecting the Student Employment dropdown tab.

1. Campus Employment (CE) students are paid at least the federal or state minimum wage; whichever is higher.
2. Students cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the regular academic term and no more than 40 hours per week during an approved break.
3. Payroll schedules are published at the beginning of each academic year, and includes the summer term. Prior to working on campus, students must complete the new hire paperwork packet in Student Financial Services, which includes the Federal Form I-9, W-4 Federal Tax Withholding Form, IT-2104 State Tax Withholding Form, and Direct Deposit Agreement. In addition, students must present original identification documentation as outlined on the last page of the Federal Form I-9 to Student Financial Services when submitting this paperwork.
4. Once a student is hired, their supervisor must submit an ePAF (Electronic Personnel Action Form), which creates the student’s work assignment and online timesheet.
5. Students are responsible for submitting their electronic timesheets in a punctual manner to their supervisors. Student timesheets will be available to students via their my.Marist portal. Students are paid on a biweekly payroll schedule.

The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

Federal Direct Loan Program

Subsidized:
The Federal Direct Loan program assists students who are enrolled at least half time (six credit hours per term) in borrowing directly from the U.S. Department of Education. The loans are insured by the federal government. The benefits of the Subsidized Loan are: the borrower is not liable to make repayment on the loan while enrolled in college on at least a half-time basis; the loan is interest-free during the same period of time.

1. A FAFSA must be filed so that the college can determine the student’s eligibility. The school will certify the student’s enrollment, the college costs, the financial aid available to the student, and the allowable loan amount. Students must also complete a Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note and Direct Loan Entrance Counseling. Upon approval of the loan, proceeds are normally electronically transferred to the institution.
2. First-year students can borrow up to $3,500, sophomores up to $4,500, and juniors and seniors up to $5,500 per academic year in accordance with the student’s total family income and demonstrated financial need. (A FAFSA must be filed in order that the college can determine the student’s eligibility.)
3. A student may borrow up to an aggregate maximum of $23,000, if he/she is enrolled in a program of undergraduate education.
4. The amount the student may borrow is also limited by the student’s enrollment status, college costs, financial aid available to meet these costs, and the satisfactory academic performance of the student. The student must be matriculated and must maintain the cumulative grade-point average and credit accumulation standards established by Marist College. (Refer to Satisfactory Academic Progress Requirements for more details.)
5. The College works with the lending agencies and loan servicers in verifying and maintaining current information on all its student-borrowers.
6. A student may be required to pay a loan origination fee.
7. A Master Promissory Note must be signed by the student prior to the disbursement of the loan.
8. After loan proceeds are credited to the student’s account, notification will be sent to the student.
9. Information on interest rates and fees can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Repayment begins six months after graduation, or after the student ceases to be enrolled at least half time. Interest on this loan is paid by the Federal Government while the student is enrolled at least half time in a degree program. Students receiving a subsidized loan may be responsible for the interest subsidy during the six month grace period. If a student does not pay the interest accrued, the interest will be added (capitalized) to the principal amount of their loan when the grace period ends.
10. A student must not be in default, or owe an overpayment on an FSA grant or loan.
11. If verification is required, a student will be required to submit documentation before loans will be applied to their account.

Unsubsidized:
The unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan is awarded to students who do not qualify for the subsidized Federal Direct Student Loan. The terms and conditions of the unsubsidized loan are identical to those for the subsidized loan with the following exceptions:

For the Direct Unsubsidized Loans, the student is responsible for interest payments while in school. (You have the option to defer payments of interest and principal until after you graduate.) Information on interest rates and fees can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Repayment begins six months after graduation, or after you cease to be enrolled at least half time.

Additional Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan
This is a student loan program to assist independent undergraduate students or dependent students whose parents do not qualify for a Parent Plus Loan. Eligible freshmen and sophomores may borrow up to $4,000, juniors and seniors up to $5,000.

Aggregate Loan Limits
Dependent Undergraduate Students-$31,000 (no more than $23,000 of which may be subsidized)

Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (Plus)

Parents of undergraduate students may borrow up to the cost of education minus any other financial aid the student will receive. There is no aggregate limit and the interest rate is fixed. This is a credit-based loan. Repayment begins on the date of the second disbursement of the loan proceeds. Information on interest rates and fees can be found at www.studentaid.ed.gov.

Private Loan Program

Private loans are available to assist students in paying for college. The maximum amount you may borrow on a private loan each academic year per student is the cost of attendance minus other financial aid. For most private loans the lender requires the student to be at least 18 years of age. Also, an approved credit check and income verification is required.

The College participates in a preferred lender arrangement to better assist our students and families. The College chooses these lenders based on their commitment to the industry, competitive interest rates, quality customer service and competitive borrower benefits. The choice of a lender is not in any way limited to the College’s suggested list. If students and their parents choose another lender, they will not be penalized in any way for selecting the lender of their choice.

Requirements to Maintain Federal Eligibility

Requirements for meeting financial aid eligibility: HEA Section 484(c), 34 CFR 668.16(e), 34 CFR 668.32(f), and 34 CFR 668.34 require colleges to define and enforce standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students receiving federal financial aid must conform to these requirements in order to be eligible for this financial assistance. These Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements must provide a maximum time frame for completion of the degree, a graduated credit accumulation over this time, as well as a quality mechanism. Essentially, these minimum standards require students to demonstrate that they are actively pursuing their degree. Students may review the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy in its entirety via myMarist by clicking the tab for Student Financial Services and scrolling down to the Policy & Procedures Terms & Conditions section.

Veterans Educational Benefits

The Marist College Poughkeepsie Campus and the Marist College Campus in Florence, Italy are approved for study under Title 38 US Code for the benefits listed below. To maintain eligibility, the following criteria applies:

1. The student must be matriculated in an approved program of study.
2. The student must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress.
3. The student must maintain Satisfactory Program Pursuit. Educational assistance is restricted to the specific requirement of the degree being pursued. Only those courses that contribute to satisfactory pursuit can be certified. 
   1. Course Applicability-only courses that satisfy degree requirements are eligible for reimbursement by the VA. If a student takes a course that does not fulfill a program requirement, it cannot be certified for VA purposes. Excessive electives cannot be certified. Students would bear the cost of excessive free electives.
   2. Audited courses cannot be certified.
   3. Repeated courses that had previously been successfully completed (grade of D or better) cannot be certified. Grades of F, W, and WF can be repeated and certified.
4. Students must maintain satisfactory conduct. VA benefits will be discontinued if the student is dismissed for failing to adhere to the Marist College Student Code of Conduct.

In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679 subsection (e) and for students receiving Chapter 33 Post 9/11 GI Bill® or Chapter 31 Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment benefits the following applies. While VA payment to the institution is pending, Marist will not:

• prevent or delay the student’s enrollment
• assess a late penalty fee to the students
• require the student to take alternative or additional funding
• deny the student access to any resources available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution, including but not limited to access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities.

Students are required to:

• produce the Certificate of Eligibility
• provide written request to be certified via the Marist College Veteran Benefit Registration Form
• provide a DD-214 if applicable

Study Abroad Eligibility Requirements-veterans and eligible students who wish to study abroad are subject to the following:

• Eligible abroad experiences are as follows:
• Study at the Marist Branch Campus in Florence, Italy
• Travel courses that meet partially on the Marist Campus in Poughkeepsie and have a travel component led by Marist faculty.
• No other Marist Abroad experience is eligible for benefits under the GI Bill®.
• Students must be enrolled in courses that are applicable to their degree. Extra electives will not be covered by GI Bill® benefits. See 3.a. above.
• Students studying at the Marist Branch campus in Florence, Italy cannot be certified until the full schedule of courses has been made available to the Registrar’s Office and applied to the students’ records. There will be a considerable delay in the onset of VA payments.

Montgomery GI Bill® -Active Duty (MGIB)-Chapter 30
The MGIB program provides up to 36 months of education benefits. This benefit may be used for degree and certificate programs. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances. Generally, benefits are payable for 10 years following your release from active duty. Veterans may be eligible for assistance under this program if they first entered active duty after June 30, 1985. Veterans who entered active duty before January 1, 1977 may also be eligible for Chapter 30 benefits after December 31, 1989.

Eligibility for benefits is determined solely by the Veterans’ Administration (VA). For further information and applications, contact the VA Certifying Officer in the Office of the Registrar or your local Veterans’ Administration office.

Vocational Rehabilitation-Chapter 31
The Vocational Rehabilitation program is designed to provide all services necessary to enable a veteran with a service-connected disability to select, train for, and secure employment. Each veteran under Chapter 31 is assisted by both a VA counseling psychologist and a Vocational Rehabilitation Specialist. Vocational Rehabilitation may be provided for up to 48 months. The veteran has 12 years from discharge from active duty to use these benefits. However, the VA may approve an extension of time in certain cases. The VA will pay the cost of tuition, fees, books, and supplies. The veteran also receives a monthly subsistence allowance. The VA Counselor must submit an authorization before the start of each term.

Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)-Chapter 32
VEAP is a voluntary contributory matching program available to persons who entered active military service at any time during the period January 1, 1977 through January 30, 1985. The veteran must have completed his/her first period of service and have been discharged under other than dishonorable conditions. The amount of entitlement is contingent upon the amount the veteran contributed. Maximum length of entitlement is limited to 36 months. The veteran has 10 years from the date of discharge to use his/her entitlement.

Post 9/11 GI Bill® -Chapter 33
The Post-9/11 GI Bill® provides financial support for education and housing to individuals with at least 90 days of aggregate service after September 10, 2001, or individuals discharged with a service-connected disability after 30 days. You must have received an honorable discharge to be eligible for the Post-9/11 GI Bill® .

This benefit includes tuition and fees paid to the college on the student’s behalf, a monthly housing allowance paid to the student and a book stipend paid to the student. In some instances, benefits under this chapter may be transferred to eligible dependents.

Marist College is a participant in the Yellow Ribbon program. The Post-9/11 GI Bill® can cover all in-state tuition and fees at public degree-granting schools, but may not cover all private degree-granting schools and out-of-state tuition. The Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional support in those situations to those students who are entitled to receive 100% of the benefits payable under Chapter 33. Enrollment into this program is not automatic. Marist has a limited number of spaces available in this program. Eligible students are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information please visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/

Survivors’ and Dependents’ Educational Assistance Program (DEA)-Chapter 35
DEA provides education and training opportunities to eligible dependents of veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a service-related condition, or who died while on active duty or as a result of a service-related condition. The program offers up to 45 months of education benefits. These benefits may be used for degree and certificate progr ams. Remedial, deficiency, and refresher courses may be approved under certain circumstances.

Children of a veteran must be between the ages of 18 and 26 (contact the VA for exceptions). For the spouse of a veteran, benefits end 10 years from the date the VA finds you eligible or from the date of death of the veteran.

Montgomery GI Bill® -Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR)-Chapter 1606
This program is available to members of the Selected Reserve who have a six-year obligation to serve in the Selected Reserve signed after June 30, 1985. The Selected Reserve includes the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve, Air Force Reserve, Marine Corps Reserve, Coast Guard Reserve, Army National Guard, and Air National Guard. For some types of training, it is necessary to have a six-year commitment that begins after September 30, 1990. Applicants must have completed their initial active duty for training (IADT), met the requirement to receive a high school diploma or equivalency certificate before completing IADT, and remain in good standing while serving in an active Selected Reserve unit.

Applicants may be entitled to receive up to 36 months of education benefits. Benefit entitlement ends 14 years from the date of eligibility for the program, or on the day you leave the Selected Reserve.