Financial Assistance

Receiving an education at The College of Idaho is an investment that gives students a competitive advantage throughout their lives. We believe that an outstanding learning experience at the C of I should be available to every qualified student, regardless of financial considerations, and we are committed to helping families find the financing options to support students' goals.

A college education represents a major financial undertaking. The Student Financial Aid Service Office is eager to work with students to help them develop an educational funding strategy. The College of Idaho seeks to identify and obtain maximum funding from all available sources with a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study.

Students who complete the financial aid process in a timely manner and are pre-registered have an advantage in the awarding process. Information must be provided within the deadlines outlined in student correspondence or aid may be held up or canceled due to an incomplete file.

The College of Idaho uses a combination of federal aid methodology and institutional policy to provide a uniform method to assess a family's financial strength and estimate the expected family contribution (EFC) toward the student's cost of education (COE). The COE, also known as the student budget, includes tuition, fees, books and supplies, room, board, personal expenses, and transportation.

Applying for Financial Aid

Students applying for financial aid must be admitted as regular students working toward eligible degrees at The College of Idaho.

Types of Aid

Financial assistance at The College of Idaho comes in three forms: merit-based scholarships, talent-based scholarships, and need-based aid. All students are automatically considered for a merit-based scholarship when applying for admission. Need-based awards are granted based on a student's demonstrated need, indicated on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Federal Aid

The College of Idaho encourages all students and families to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA must be filed each year in order to determine a student's eligibility for federal grants, work study and loans, as well as any need-based institutional aid. Continuing students reapply each academic year (beginning October 1). Early applications (submitted between October 1 and November 15) receive priority consideration.

The College of Idaho's Federal School Code is 001617 .

State Aid

Residents of Idaho may also be eligible for a variety of scholarships or grants offered by the Idaho State Board of Education. All Idaho residents should complete the FAFSA application AND apply for Idaho scholarships through the State Board of Education at www.boardofed.idaho.gov. The College distributes grants and scholarships to students determined to be eligible by the Idaho State Board of Education and to those who meet eligibility criteria set by the Idaho Legislature for campus-based programs.

Merit Awards

Merit Scholarships — Presidential, Trustee, Dean, William Judson Boone and the PEAK Scholarship - are based on grade-point average, test scores, Test Optional Index and/or transfer credits and GPA at time of admission. Transfer, Dual and Alternative Credits please see the Transfer Student Policy for additional information. The maximum merit scholarship, established at the time of admission, may be met by one or more endowed or funded scholarships donated by major contributors to The College of Idaho. All or a portion of these awards may be renamed at any time during enrollment.

Merit scholarship award is guaranteed through the student's 4th year of undergraduate enrollment provided they meet the scholarship criteria, are enrolled full time (12 credits per semester) and maintain Satisfactory Academic Standing (SAP). If SAP is not met, a Merit Scholarship will be reduced to half the original amount until SAP is regained. Students transferring in credit hours from another school may receive a merit award for less than 3 years. Students enrolled in 5th year undergraduate courses may receive half the original merit scholarship amount, reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Presidential Scholar and Trustee Scholar - These funds are in recognition of academic excellence and are renewable through the 4th year as long as a cumulative GPA of 3.00 is maintained; if the cumulative GPA falls below 3.00, one semester is given of probation allowing the student to raise the GPA. If after the probationary semester and the cumulative GPA of 3.00 is not regained the scholarship will be reduced to half of the original amount the next semester.

Dean's Scholar and William Judson Boone Scholarship - These funds are in recognition of academic excellence and are renewable through the 4th year as long as a cumulative GPA of 2.50 is maintained; if the cumulative GPA falls below 2.50, one semester is given of probation allowing the student to raise the GPA. If after the probationary semester and the cumulative GPA of 2.50 is not regained the scholarship will be reduced to half of the original amount the next semester.

PEAK Scholarship - These scholarship funds are renewable through the 4th year as long as a cumulative GPA of 2.00 is maintained; if the cumulative GPA falls below 2.00, one semester is given of probation allowing the student to raise the GPA. If after the probationary semester and the cumulative GPA of 2.00 is not regained the scholarship will be reduced to half of the original amount the next semester.

Talent-Based Scholarships

Students may apply for several different types of talent-based scholarships offered at The College of Idaho:

Art
Athletics
Debate
Music
Theatre
Debate

Students should follow the guidelines for each scholarship found on the application or outlined on the Talent-Based Scholarships page. Each scholarship may request unique items that pertain to the talent; students should be sure to submit all requested items in order to be evaluated and awarded accordingly if selected.

Athletics - The College of Idaho competes in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). The college does offer talent based scholarships. These scholarships are directly controlled by the sport coaches themselves. Please contact the identified coach directly to discuss options.

Outside Scholarships

There are many other sources of financial aid available through private foundations, companies, service clubs, or other organizations that are not directly managed by the College. The College recommends all students seek out and apply for any source of financial assistance available; apply for outside scholarships by contacting the organization and completing the requirements listed.

If awarded a scholarship from an external agency, please provide the College a copy of your award letter, email or certificate so that we may add it to your financial aid awards. Scholarships will not be listed without supporting documentation.

Award Notification

Students will receive two award notifications. The Merit award accompanies the letter of acceptance for enrollment; the second notice will detail scholarships, loans, or other eligible aid. Students are asked to accept, adjust, reduce, or decline their financial award within 30 days of receipt of their award notification. Students are expected to read, sign, and return a copy of the Award notification. Included in the award package:

Financial assistance is awarded for one academic year or less, depending on the number of semesters of intended enrollment.
Assistance continues each year provided the student is still eligible to receive aid. The amount of federal aid granted and components of the financial aid package may vary from year to year, dependent on need and funding.
The ability to provide aid depends not only on the availability of funds but also on the student maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress, i.e., earning 24 credits per academic year. See Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid.
- Satisfactory progress is reviewed on a continuing basis, following semester end.
- Part-time students (less than 12 credits) must earn half the required units and maintain academic standing.
Part-time students (less than 12 credits per semester) are not eligible for institutional financial awards, and federal aid is prorated based on the number of enrolled credits.
All students receiving federal aid must be working toward a degree or teaching certificate to maintain eligibility.

Most of the awards that appear on the Financial Aid Award Notification are applied to the student account with receipt of a signed award notification and confirmation of attendance following the 10th day of the semester (census day). Exceptions to this rule include:

Outside scholarships are applied when the scholarship check is received by The College. NOTE: Students must notify the Office of Student Financial Aid Services if they are receiving any outside scholarships as they may affect the overall award package.
Federal, state, and College of Idaho Work-Study earnings are paid directly to the student by check as money is earned.
Federal Direct Subsidized Loan and/or Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans are applied directly to the student account upon completion of the Entrance Counseling Session and Master Promissory Note.
Federal PLUS Loan is applied directly to the student account.

Since changes occur regularly in federal regulations concerning financial aid programs, the information in this catalog may change without notice. Additional information about financial aid can be obtained from the Student Financial Aid Services Office.

Maintaining Eligibility for Financial Aid

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) - Undergraduate

SAP is used to define successful completion of coursework - both for establishing and maintaining eligibility for financial aid and scholarships. Federal regulations require all colleges and universities to publish and apply standards that monitor students' progress towards completion of their certificate or degree program. Two departments monitor SAP at the completion of each semester. The Registrar's Office monitors course work for academic standing, and the Office of Student Financial Aid Services ensures that all students (including full-time, part-time, and students without aid) are meeting the requirements for SAP. These standards apply to all students regardless of whether or not a student has received previous financial aid or transferred from another institution. The federal regulations set minimum requirements, but schools can choose their own acceptable thresholds. This means that SAP standards can vary from one institution to the next.

Students failing to meet SAP standards will receive communication via email to their C of I email address. All students should check their email on a regular basis for any changes or updates to their student account, financial aid awards, or requests for documentation.

In order to maintain SAP the student must

Have a grade-point average which meets the minimum requirements for continuation of study at C of I;
Earn a minimum number of credits for each academic year; and
Complete all degree requirements within a specified time-frame.