College of Arts & Sciences

Bethel Financial Aid Guidelines

Bethel University believes financial aid should provide assistance to those students who would not otherwise be able to attend college.  Financial aid is also awarded to encourage the enrollment of students who have demonstrated high academic achievement, special talents, or a strong likelihood of success at Bethel.  The following guidelines help us provide the best possible aid to those needing it:

• The student's family has primary responsibility for financing the education, and a student requesting financial aid is expected to contribute toward his or her own educational expenses.  This self-help may be in the form of summer or school-year earnings or loans in any reasonable combination.  Financial aid from the university and other sources will be viewed only as supplemental to support from the family.
• Awards can consist of gift aid, loans, or employment.  They are offered singly or in combination.  Although the student is free to request a change in the award package, the final decision will be made by the university.
• Various types of aid (gift aid, loans, and employment) will be packaged to meet four objectives:
  

• 1. As funds permit, no aid recipient should be forced to borrow an unreasonable amount to meet demonstrated financial need.
  2. Every needy aid recipient shall be expected to accept some self-help aid (loans and/or employment).  Packages consisting totally of gift aid are rarely offered.
  3. Within the boundaries of the above two objectives, the percentage of a student's need met by gift aid will depend on his or her academic achievement, campus participation, and other contributions to the college.
  4. Total gift aid from all sources will rarely exceed the student's actual tuition charges.

• Students are encouraged to seek outside gift aid.  (This includes church scholarships, matching grants, high school and community awards, national merit scholarships, etc.) For students living in campus housing, Bethel-controlled gift aid will only be reduced if total gift aid exceeds actual charges for tuition, room, and board.  For students not living in campus housing, Bethel-controlled gift aid will only be reduced if total gift aid exceeds actual tuition and board charges.  Loan and/or work eligibility will only be reduced if needed to keep the student's total aid package within federal need limits.
• A student's financial need is determined by an analysis of the information provided in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Consideration is given to elements that affect a family's financial status, including current income, assets, number of dependents, other educational expenses, and retirement needs.  A student's financial aid will vary based on whether you choose to live in campus housing or off campus.  We will provide the best need-based financial aid to students who live on campus.
• All financial aid, excluding job earnings, is first credited to a student's Bethel account.  Only after all current Bethel charges are satisfied will surplus aid be disbursed to students for use in meeting other expenses.
• Gift aid from federal, state, and Bethel programs is only available to undergraduate students who have not yet earned their first baccalaureate degree.  Postbaccaluareate students taking undergraduate courses will not receive gift aid, but will be eligible for government loans if they are seeking licensure, certification, or a second type of bachelor's degree (e.g., a student has a B.A. and is now seeking a B.S.N.).