Applying for Financial Aid
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by the priority date for all students by March 15. The FAFSA must be completed annually. To complete the FAFSA go to https://fafsa.ed.gov/ and input Park University’s Federal School Code: 002498, this will ensure the FAFSA information will be sent to Park University.
*For information and resources about student loan repayment, or to submit a complaint relating to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the Student Loan Advocate at loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov
Eligibility Requirements
- Students must be fully admitted into an eligible degree seeking program
- Students must be enrolled in at least half-time hours
- Students must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). To review the SAP policy please review the policy at http://www.park.edu/student-financial-services/satisfactory-academic-progress.html
- Complete Entrance Counseling (EC) and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) for federal student loans. For more information completing the EC and MPN please visit this website www.studentloan.gov
Gainful Employment Programs
Gainful employment programs are those that are offered by Park University that lead to a certificate or other non-degree credential, and for which students may receive federal financial assistance. All programmatic gainful employment information may be found on Park’s website at: https://www.park.edu/tuition-financial-aid/gainful-employment/.
Types of Federal Financial Aid for Graduate Students
Graduate and professional degree students may be eligible to receive aid from the following federal student aid programs:
- The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program — This is the largest federal student loan program. Under this program, The US Department of Education (ED) is your lender rather than a bank or other financial institution. There are two types of Direct Loans that graduate and professional degree students may receive:
- Direct Unsubsidized Loans — Eligible students may borrow up to $20,500 per school year. Graduate and professional students enrolled in certain health profession programs may receive additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan amounts each academic year. Contact your school’s financial aid office for details.
- Direct PLUS Loans — Eligible graduate and professional degree students who need to borrow more than the maximum unsubsidized loan amounts to meet their education costs may apply for a PLUS loan. A credit check will be performed during the application process.
- Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant — The TEACH Grant Program provides grants of up to $4,000 a year to students who are completing or plan to complete course work needed to begin a career in teaching. The TEACH Grant is different from other federal student grants in that it requires you to take certain kinds of classes to get the grant, and then to do a certain kind of job to keep the grant from turning into a loan.
For students in the State of Washington: For information and resources about student loan repayment, or to submit a complaint relating to your student loans or student loan servicer, please visit https://www.wsac.wa.gov/loan-advocacy or contact the Student Loan Advocate at loanadvocate@wsac.wa.gov.
Attendance/Participation Policy for Financial Aid
Park University confirms that students have engaged in an academically-related activity in the first two weeks of the term/semester for each course in which they are enrolled. Academicallyrelated activities include, but are not limited to: physically attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students; submitting an academic assignment; taking an exam, an interactive tutorial or computer-assisted instruction; attending a study group that is assigned by the school; participating in an online discussion about academic matters; or initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject studied in the course. Academically-related activities do not include logging into an online class without active participation, or participating in academic counseling or advisement. VA benefits will be terminated or adjusted if a VA beneficiary does not participate in any academically-related activity in the first two weeks.
Unofficial Withdrawal
The 50 percent point in the term will be used to determine the last date of attendance when students are unofficially withdrawn. The 50 percent point is used to calculate whether any Federal Title IV aid must be returned to the United States Government. The student will be provided an opportunity to provide documentation that they participated in an academic related activity beyond the 60 percent point. If a VA beneficiary is administratively withdrawn or officially withdraws from a class(es) resulting in non-punitive grades, the student will be reported to the VA. Benefit certifications for the program may be terminated and the VA beneficiary may be in debt to the VA.
Satisfactory Academic Policy for Financial Assistance
Satisfactory progress is a federally mandated process and must be met to remain eligible to receive federal and state assistance.
The complete policy is available on the Satisfactory Academic Progress link at www.park.edu/student-financial-services.
Scholarships
Scholarship selections begin in the spring for the following award year. The priority deadline for the Endowed Scholarship Application, with autobiography/personal statement and two letters of recommendation (some scholarships require that the recommendation letters be from educators and/or supervisors) is Feb.1 each year; however, applications are accepted year-round.
Applications and brochures with more detailed information are available in the Office of Student Financial Services (located on the Parkville Campus) or from the scholarship coordinator, who may be reached at (816) 584-6294.
Since some scholarships require students to demonstrate financial need, it is recommended that students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. (International nonimmigrant students are eligible to receive institutional scholarships, but are not eligible to complete the FAFSA and may need to provide alternative documentation to demonstrate financial need.) For a complete list of available scholarships, visit www.park.edu/scholarships.
Graduate Assistantships
The Graduate Assistantship program at Park provides students with a meaningful professional experience that enhances their graduate education and career development.
Within this broad framework, assistantships focus on – for example:
- Teaching-related duties (providing supplemental instruction or tutoring, leading discussion groups, participating in student learning assessment);
- Research (assisting an academic program or administrative unit in conducting research, often leading to presentation and publication opportunities for the Graduate Assistant); and Administration (program development, program facilitation, and assessment). Graduate Assistants contribute significantly to the areas within the University they serve. The role supplements and enhances the work of the area served and is not intended to replace core staff duties and functions.
Note: This is not a needs-based award and is not designed to provide students with all funding for their degree; students should expect to have additional financial resources. International nonimmigrant students are eligible to receive graduate assistantships.
Qualifications for a Graduate Assistantship
Assistantships are awarded on a highly competitive basis. To be considered for a graduate assistantship, a graduate student must be fully admitted into the graduate studies with a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0 or higher and be fully accepted into a Park University graduate degree program. See www.park.edu/grad for further details.
Work Requirements
Graduate assistants are required to work at least the specified number of hours. (Please note that international nonimmigrant students on F-1 and J-1 visas may not work more than 20 hours per week while classes are in session.) Students may not be required to report to work during school breaks, unless otherwise required to do so by the supervisor.
Compensation
All graduate assistants receive a modest monthly stipend and some tuition assistance.
See www.park.edu/grad for further information regarding graduate assistantship requirements, application procedures and other information.
The Graduate Assistantship program at Park provides students with a meaningful professional experience that enhances their graduate education and career development.
Veterans Benefits
Park University permits any covered individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility (COE) for entitlement to educational assistance.
Park University will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement of funding from the VA under Chapter 31 or 33.
In accordance with Title 38 US Code 3679©, this educational institution adopts the following additional provisions for any students using U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Post-9/11 G.I. Bill® (Ch.33) or Vocational Rehabilitation & Employment (Ch.31) benefits, while payment to the institution is pending from VA. This educational institution will not:
- Prevent the student’s enrollment;
- Assess a late penalty fee to the student;
- Require the student to secure alternative or additional funding;
- Deny the student access to any resources (access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities) available to other students who have satisfied their tuition and fee bills to the institution.
However, to qualify for this provision, such students may be required to:
- Produce the VA Certification of Eligibility (COE) by the first day of class;
- Provide a written request to be certified;
- Provide additional information needed to properly certify the enrollment as described in other institutional policies
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