Financial Aid

Financial Aid is the available federal, state and /or scholarship funding that a student may receive to be used toward their educational expenses.  Financial aid is not intended to cover a student's total educational expense.  However it is intended to act as a supplement to the family's contribution to the student's education expenses. Educational expenses are considered the responsibility of the student and, if dependent, their parents. All questions and concerns should be directed to the Financial Aid Specialist in the Student Services Department.

Application Procedure

Students interested in receiving financial assistance must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application can be obtained from the College, most public libraries, or high school guidance areas. Online applications can also be completed at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  A completed FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Stafford Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), the Illinois Monetary Award Grant (MAP), and the Illinois Incentive for Access Grant (IIA). Also, if eligible, a student may receive funding from the Veterans Administration, the Nursing Student Loan Program, and a variety of Trinity Foundation Scholarships.    

Approximately six to eight weeks after the FAFSA is filed, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to the student via US mail or Email. The SAR should be reviewed for any updates or corrections. Changes can be made by mailing the corrected SAR to the federal processor or by submitting them on the FAFSA website. If any additional documentation is needed, the College Financial Aid Specialist will contact the student. Once all required paper work is received, a financial aid award letter will be created by the College and sent to the student. The award letter outlines the types and amounts of assistance that the student may receive for the academic year.

PRIMARY CONSIDERATION FOR ASSISTANCE IS GIVEN TO APPLICANTS WHO HAVE SUBMITTED ALL REQUIRED FORMS TO STUDENT SERVICES ON OR BEFORE APRIL 1 of each year. Files completed after this date will be considered based on the availability of funds. 

Student Reporting Responsibility

1. The student must report any funds received from outside sources such as scholarships, tuition assistance, and military benefits. These funds are part of the overall financial aid package.
2. Any change in enrollment status must also be reported (e.g. full vs. part-time). The financial assistance package will be revised in accordance with the awarding guidelines.
3. The student must respond to any requests for information that is sent by Trinity College. Failure to comply with such requests will delay processing of the student's financial aid award.   

Renewal of Financial Aid Awards

Financial Aid is not renewed automatically from one year to the next. The student must complete a FAFSA or renewal application every year if the student wishes to be considered for financial aid. The student's eligibility will be evaluated for demonstrated financial need (except for loans) and for satisfactory academic progress according to College policy.

Academic Progress

Students receiving financial aid must maintain acceptable academic progress. Students must successfully complete the required credit hours based on enrollment. The student must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or above in all course work. They must also complete 67% of all attempted courses. A student must complete the program for which they are enrolled with in a 150% of the curriculum length.

Students must also meet the cumulative grade point average (GPA) requirements:

If the required hours are not completed or the cumulative grade point average is not met, students will be placed on financial aid probation for one semester. Financial aid may be received while on probation. Students who do not meet the academic progress requirements during their probation semester will not be eligible for financial aid until the student is placed in Good Standing at the College.
 
Student Classification for Financial Aid Purposes

 Federal and State Grants

Grants are considered gift aid; students are not required to repay them after completing their program of study.  There are several types of federal and state grants.  The Pell Grant and Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) are grants funded by the federal government.

The State of Illinois funds the Illinois Monetary Assistance Program (MAP) and the Illinois Incentive for Access (IIA) grants.  Trinity College of Nursing and Health Sciences is an Illinois higher learning institution. State of Iowa grant programs do not apply.

Grants are awarded based on need as determined by subtracting expected family contribution (calculated by the FAFSA processor) from the cost of attendance (calculated by Trinity College).

Institutional Scholarships and Achievement Awards

Trinity Scholarship Applications can be downloaded here.   Scholarship application deadlines vary each semester. Scholarships are currently offered in the Spring term of each academic year.  We generally announce the deadline of scholarship applications via a e-mail to all students or post card.  The deadline is different each year.

College scholarship applications are reviewed by the College Scholarship Committee and awards are made based on funding available. Contact the Student Services Department for additional information and application information.

Federal Loans

Federal loans offered through Trinity College include the Stafford Loan Programs, the Federal Nursing Student Loan Program, and the Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS).  Students and families may also apply for alternative consumer educational loan programs available from a variety of lending institutions.  These loans have varying interest rates and repayment terms.  The Student Services Department will certify an alternative loan based on the student's cost of education minus other financial aid the student maybe receiving.

Links

• www.fafsa.ed.gov
• www.studentaid.ed.gov
• www.fastweb.com