Financial Aid

Grant aid is gift aid that does not need to be paid back. 

Institutional Gift Aid

Saint Joseph’s awards grants to students based on their academic performance, achievements and financial need. To be considered, students must submit a FAFSA annually. 

Federal and State Grants

Federal Pell Grant Program
The largest federal need-based student aid program provides grants up to a maximum of $6,195 per year to undergraduate students who are enrolled in their first bachelor’s degree. Eligibility is based on financial need —specifically, the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) as determined by the FAFSA, as well as educational costs and student enrollment status. Students must file the FAFSA to be considered.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
These federal grants are reserved for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. Priority is given to Pell Grant recipients with the highest demonstrated financial need. Students must file the FAFSA to be considered.

PHEAA State Grant

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency provides grants to undergraduate students that meet Pennsylvania residency requirements and are enrolled at least half-time (six credits) in their first-bachelor’s degree program. Eligibility is based on financial need. PA residents must file the FAFSA by May 1 each year to receive consideration. Grant awards range from $500 to $4,123 for the 2019-20 academic year.

Apply Now

Non-PA State Grants

Delaware, Washington D.C., Massachusetts, Ohio, West Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont are among those students that allow their state grants to be transferred for use at Pennsylvania schools.

View specific state aid deadlines

All undergraduate applicants are automatically considered for merit scholarships based on academic achievement. Merit-based scholarships for undergraduates are renewable for up to eight semesters as long as the student remains enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and meets the minimum cumulative GPA requirement for the award. These scholarships can be applied to tuition only.

Other scholarships require students to submit applications and can be based on interests, activities, background and academic achievement.

Find a scholarship

The Fellowships Office helps Saint Joseph’s undergraduate students apply successfully for major fellowships, including awards for undergraduate study, study abroad, graduate study and research internships. We work one-on-one with applicants throughout the application process to help leverage their Jesuit education into service for others and transformative, lifelong success for themselves.

Learn More

Federal Work Study awards are based on financial need, as determined by the FAFSA, and provide a student with an opportunity to work in a campus job for an hourly wage. Awards go up to $1,500 annually. Work Study awards are not applied directly toward a student’s charges, rather, a student is paid every two weeks for hours worked.

How to apply

Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans

Federal Direct Stafford Loans are available to U.S citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled at least half-time (six credits/semester). Typically, Stafford Loans are included in your initial financial aid package and are available to all students, regardless of need. No cosigner or credit check is required. The student is the borrower and repayment begins six months following graduation, over a 10-year period.

Undergraduate students with financial need may qualify to have a portion of their Stafford Loan subsidized. This means the Federal Government will pay the interest on the loan while the student is enrolled and during the six-month grace period. The interest rate is “variable-fixed” for the life of the loan but variable in that it is reset July 1 for the upcoming school year.

For the 2019-2020 academic year, the interest rate on the Federal Direct Stafford Loan is 4.59% for undergraduates (6.079% for graduate students) and there is a 1.059% origination fee deducted from the loan amount by the federal government.

Maximum annual loan limits based on grade level for dependent undergraduate students are as follows:

• $3,500 Subsidized + $2,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan: Freshmen (0-23 credits earned) = $5,500 TOTAL
• $4,500 Subsidized + $2,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan: Sophomore (24-53 credits earned) = $6,500 TOTAL
• >$5,500 Subsidized + $2,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan: Junior/Senior (54+ credits earned) = $7,500 TOTAL

Whether loan is Subsidized is based on financial need as determined by the FAFSA. If student as no financial need, total annual Unsubsidized Stafford Loan eligibility would be:  $5,500 as a freshman, $6,500 as a sophomore, $7,500 as a junior or senior.

Maximum annual loan limits per grade level for independent undergraduate students or for dependent undergraduate students whose parents are denied on the Federal Direct PLUS Loan are as follows:

• Freshman: $3,500 Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford + $6,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford = $9,500 TOTAL
• Sophomore: $4,500 Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford + $6,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford = $10,500 TOTAL
• Junior & Senior: $5,500 Subsidized Federal Direct Stafford + $7,000 Unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford = $12,500 TOTAL

To receive the Federal Direct Stafford Loan, first-time borrows at Saint Joseph's University must do the following: 

1. Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentloans.gov   
2. Complete an Entrance Counseling Session at 

Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loans for Undergraduates

• Credit-worthy parents of dependent undergraduates can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid received on an annual basis.
• The repayment period is 10 years (repayment can be deferred up to four years). 
• The interest rate is variable-fixed: fixed for the life of the loan but reset July 1 for the upcoming school year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, the interest rate on the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan is 7.079%.
• Here is a 4.236% origination fee deducted from the loan amount by the federal government.
• Parents can apply for a Parent PLUS Loan at studentloans.gov.  If approved, the parent borrower must complete the Parent PLUS MPN (Master Promissory Note) at studentloans.gov (good for 10 years except in the case of an endorsed loan).

Learn more about interest rates and apply online

Federal Direct Stafford Student Loans

Federal Direct Stafford Loans are available to U.S citizens and permanent residents who are enrolled at least half-time (six credits/semester). Typically, Stafford Loans are included in your initial financial aid package and are available to all students, regardless of need. No cosigner or credit check is required. The student is the borrower and repayment begins six months following graduation, over a 10-year period.

Graduate students must meet the following criteria to be eligible:

• Matriculating graduate student (accepted into an eligible degree or certificate program) taking at least 6 credits/semester, regardless of financial need, can apply for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. 
• Graduate students may be eligible to borrow up to $20,500 per year, depending upon their annual cost of attendance (Note: interest will accrue during the in-school and grace periods). 
• The interest rate is variable-fixed: fixed for the life of the loan but reset July 1 for the upcoming school year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, the interest rate on the Federal Direct Stafford Student Loan for graduate students is 6.079%.
• There is a 1.059% origination fee deducted from the loan amount by the federal government.

To receive the Federal Direct Stafford Loan, first-time borrows at Saint Joseph's University must do the following: 

1. Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) at studentloans.gov   
2. Complete an Entrance Counseling Session at studentloans.gov

Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans for Graduate Students

• Available to credit-worthy graduate students enrolled at least half-time (6 credits/semester) regardless of financial need, once your Stafford Loan eligibility for the year has been exhausted. 
• Graduate students can borrow up to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid received on an annual basis.
• Repayment begins six months following graduation (or the last date of half-time enrollment) and repayment period is ten years.
• The interest rate is variable-fixed: fixed for the life of the loan but reset July 1 for the upcoming school year. For the 2019-2020 academic year, the interest rate on the Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan is 7.079%.
• There is a 4.236% origination fee deducted from the loan amount by the federal government.
• Graduate students can apply for a GradPLUS Loan at studentloans.gov.  If approved, the student borrower must complete the PLUS MPN (Master Promissory Note) at studentloans.gov (good for 10 years except in the case of an endorsed loan).

Private or “alternative” student loans should typically be considered only after eligibility for all federal student loans have been determined.  Although terms can vary depending upon the product, with most private, alternative loans:

• The student, who must be at least 18 years of age, is the primary borrower.
• Most undergraduate students will need a credit-worthy cosigner (note-even if loan does not require a cosigner, the interest rate is often much higher without one, particularly if the student does not have an established credit history).  Many products offer a cosigner release option once the student has graduated and successfully made a certain number of on-time payments.
• The student can borrow on a yearly basis up to the “total cost of attendance” minus the other financial aid he/she is receiving.
• Are generally disbursed directly to the University via EFT after the drop/add period ends each semester.
• Can be deferred while the student is in school and for the first six months following completion of his/her program, but loans are “unsubsidized” (interest is accruing during this period).
• Offer both variable and fixed rate options.
• Are based on either the prime rate or LIBOR rate plus an add-on.
• Are zero origination fee loans (i.e.-no fee is deducted from the amount you borrow) but there are one or two exceptions to this.   
• Interest rates vary depending upon the credit-worthiness of the student borrower and/or cosigner.

Preferred lender policy

It is not Saint Joseph’s University’s practice to recommend a specific lender. Each student/parent has the right to select a lender of their choice; however, as a service to our students and families, Saint Joseph’s University provides a historical list of lenders our students have successfully borrowed with over the past several years.  Visit elmselect.com to learn more about private education loans and to compare various loan products. 

Application Process

1. Apply online for the full year amount needed at the individual lender’s website or go to elmselect.com to compare products and apply for one (it is not recommended to apply for multiple loans since a credit check is run on the student and the borrower). 

2. Once an application is processed and approved by the lender, Saint Joseph’s University receives electronic notification and will “certify” the loan with the lender directly.  Once a loan is certified, it will appear on the Tuition & Aid tab of The Nest where the student’s other financial aid is listed.

3.  Funds will be disbursed to the University shortly after the drop/add period ends each semester.

Federal Truth in Lending regulations mandate all new private loan application will require additional certifications (Title X of the Higher Education Opportunity Act). This regulation mandates self-certification and a waiting period that may lengthen the process (the average processing time is 3-6 weeks). Once the loan is approved and a final self-certification is received by the lender, funds will be disbursed to the school after an 8 day waiting period, typically after the drop/add period ends each semester. Please contact Office of Financial Aid if you have questions.

1. Establish an account on the GI Bill® Website. GI Bill® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at www.benefits.va.gov/gibill, or by calling 888-422-4551

2. If you are eligible for benefits, request a Certificate of Eligibility

3. Once received, email your Certificate of Eligibility to Michael Maloney, VA Certifying Official for Saint Joseph’s University, at mmaloney@sju.edu.

Learn more about your VA education benefits:

• Post 9/11 GI Bill — Veteran and Dependent (Chapter 33)
• Montgomery GI Bill — Active Duty (MGIB-AD/Chapter 30) and Montgomery GI Bill — Selected Reserve and Educational Assistance Program (MGIB-SR/REAP/Chapter 1606/7)
• Survivors and Dependents Assistance (Chapter 33/35)
• Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment for Veterans (VOC-REHAB/Chapter 31)

Why Your FICO Score is Just As Important As Your GPA

Wednesday, November 6th, 4:30-5:30 p.m., Doyle Banquet Hall South

Dinner provided.  Advance registration required.

Saint Joseph’s University is a CashCourse member school so students can utilize the many resources this site offers to make informed financial choices.  Hyperlink CashCourse Logo to sju.edu/cashcourse.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau website that helps you find financial products and services — whether you are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards or using any number of other consumer financial products.

Log into The Nest

• Go to the Tuition & Aid Page
• Select: Accept/Decline Financial Aid Award (Right side of the page)
• Select “Award”
• Select “Award Aid by Year”
• Select appropriate aid year
• You will need to read each tab before you can accept award offer
  • Select “Resources/Additional Information” and complete the Cash Management Statement.
  • Select Terms and Conditions
    • Only if your are selected for verification will you need to accept the statement before you can accept your aid.
  • Select “Accept Award Offer

Log into The Nest and Select the Tuition & Aid Page

• On the Tuition & Aid Page scroll down to the “Accept/Decline Award offer:
  Select “Award Aid by Year”
• Select appropriate aid year
• You will need to read each tab before you can accept award offer
• Select “Resources/Additional Information” and complete the Cash Management Statement.
• Select Terms and Conditions
  • Only if your are selected for verification will you need to accept the statement before you can accept your aid.
• Please review your award package and accept the full amount or partial amount of your award offer.

Please note that federal aid (Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Federal Direct Stafford Loans, Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans), PA State Grant aid and alternative student loans will show as “pending” in The Nest until the funds disburse.  Federal aid does not disburse to student accounts until 1-2 days following the add/drop period each semester.  (i.e.-January 22 is the spring 2020 disbursement date). 

PA State Grant aid (PHEAA Grant) does not disburse to student accounts until typically a month into the semester, once the state has issued the funds to the University.

Refunding of credit balances from federal aid will begin after the add/drop period, which is approximately 2 weeks after each semester begins.  Please note: beginning fall 2019, for students enrolled for 0 credits in module 1 and 6 credits in module 2, loans will not disburse until after the drop/add period for the module 2 course.  Then, refunds will be processed within 10 business days.  Paper checks will be sent to the permanent home address unless direct deposit is set up through The Nest: How can I sign up for Direct Deposit for my Tuition Account Refund?

If you have direct deposit, you will receive an email notification once your refund is processed. If you are not enrolled in direct deposit, a paper check will be mailed to your permanent address on file the following week. We highly encourage all students to enroll in direct deposit through The Nest, as this will aid you in getting your refund faster. Please note that refunds on Parent Loans are issued directly to the parent borrower.

Please expect a minimum of 10 business days to process all tuition account refunds. Tuition credit balances resulting from an overpayment of a personal check will require 30 days wait period before the tuition account refund process begins.

Saint Joseph's University processes refunds to students for the following reasons:

• When a student's total payments (from federal aid, scholarships, out-of-pocket payments, etc.) exceed their total charges.
• When a student has paid their tuition account and withdrawals from courses during the refund period.