Financial Information

Tuition and Fees for GPS Programs

Unless otherwise indicated, all tuition rates listed below are per credit hour. Unless noted otherwise, all tuition rates are effective as of July 1, 2015.

*Effective as of September 1, 2016

**Master of Ministry students enrolled in the Master of Ministry (online) or Master of Ministry/Master of Business Administration (online dual degree) program receive a $500 scholarship for each course in the Master of Ministry core curriculum (10 courses)

***Charged once per check.

Financial Aid

Student Financial Advisors are available to assist you with financial aid. You are encouraged to begin the process early. Please click here for more information.

For those who qualify, some financial assistance may be available. Students who wish to apply for federal or state financial assistance are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may complete and submit the application electronically at the web site www.fafsa.ed.gov. MVNU's school code number is 007085. Please enter this number when filing your FAFSA.

Employer Tuition Reimbursement

Some employers offer tuition assistance. Check with your Human Resources department to see what assistance is offered.

Payment Plan Options

The following payment plan options are available:

1. The student pays tuition for an entire payment period by the first night of class in that payment period.
2. The student pays tuition by the first night of class for each individual course.
3. The student applies for financial aid. The student is responsible for satisfying any balance that remains after financial aid has been applied.
4. The Student Financial Services Office receives a voucher from the student's employer stating how much the employer will pay. The student will be responsible for paying any amount not covered by the employer by the first night of each course.
5. The Student Financial Services Office receives a letter from the student's employer that states how much the employer will pay, and that also provides both the student's name and student ID number.

   If the financial assistance provided by the employer is not grade dependent, payment must be made by the first night of each course. If the financial assistance provided by the employer is grade dependent, payment will be due no later than 4 weeks after each course has been completed.

Note: If payment is not received in a timely manner, the student will not be permitted to attend class and may be withdrawn from the institution. This policy will be strictly enforced.

Leave of Absence (LOA)

Federal regulations require that a student not have a break in his/her attendance of more than 45 days. A break in attendance that is 46 days or more requires the student to do one of the following:

• Fill the break with another course
• Be on an approved Leave of Absence
• Withdraw from MVNU

The Leave of Absence policy and application form are available on the student portal and through the Student Financial Services Office.

Tuition Refunds

A 100% refund is given for a course that has not been attended. Any course that has been attended is billed at 100%.

If documentation is received from the retention specialist that a grade for a course has been changed from an X to a W, a refund will be given for that course, as outlined here.

Students who withdraw from the University will be billed through the course that was last attended.

Returned Checks

A processing fee will be assessed for any check or electronic payment that is returned as unpaid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

To participate in the Title IV Student Aid Program (Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Student Loans, Federal PLUS Loans, Federal PELL Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, Federal TEACH Grants and Federal Work Study), MVNU must take steps to fulfill federal requirements to implement and make public the standards for satisfactory academic progress that students must meet to be eligible to receive Title IV financial assistance. These standards are for financial aid purposes only and do not replace or override the academic policies of MVNU.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is based on three components:

1. Completion Rate

   A student must complete 67% of all hours attempted for financial aid eligibility. This is determined by dividing the total hours earned by the total hours attempted. Attempted hours will include grades of F, U, W, WF, WP, and I. These grades will NOT count as earned hours.

   • Repeating courses will add to the total number of attempted hours but will only count once as earned hours.
   • If a traditional student chooses to retake a course s/he has already passed at some point in the past, s/he can do this one time and receive financial aid for the course. Two or more attempts to take a course that has previously been passed cannot be funded with financial aid.
2. Timeframe

   A student can only receive financial aid for a maximum of 1.5 times the total credit hours required for his/her degree program. For any major that requires 120 credit hours for graduation this equals a maximum of 180 hours that can be attempted. For any majors requiring more than 120 hours, the maximum allowed will be calculated accordingly. Any hours attempted, but not completed will count.

   • Transfer credit hours must be included in the maximum of 180.
   • Repeated courses, failed courses and withdrawals will also count towards the maximum.
   • An appeal must be submitted by any student who has exceeded their maximum timeframe allowed due to transfer hours or change of major. Student Financial Services will review the credits attempted that apply towards the student’s program of study in order to determine future financial aid eligibility. An academic plan signed by the student’s academic advisor will be required.
3. GPA

   A student must achieve a cumulative GPA of 2.0 (3.0 for all graduate programs) by the end of the fourth semester/payment period and maintain the 2.0 (3.0 for all graduate programs) for the duration of their eligibility.

   • Repeated courses and failed courses will also count towards the cumulative GPA.

SAP Review

After each semester/payment period, Student Financial Services will review completion rate, timeframe and GPA for each student enrolled in that semester/payment period, regardless of whether or not the student received Title IV aid during that period. Depending on the student’s status relative to these factors, the student’s progress for financial aid purposes will be determined as follows:

1. Satisfactory Progress applies to any student who passed the appropriate number of earned hours to attempted hours, has not exceeded the maximum total attempted hours allowed for their program and his/her GPA meets the requirements listed above.
2. Financial Aid Warning applies to any student who fails to meet the requirements for completion, timeframe and GPA listed above for the semester. A warning letter will be sent at the end of the semester to the student to indicate why s/he is receiving a warning and what must be done within the next semester to be back in accordance with the SAP rules. If the student fails to meet these requirements, his/her federal, state and institutional financial aid will be suspended for future semesters. The student must bring his/her hours and/or GPA back into good standing or appeal to regain financial aid eligibility. A student cannot have two consecutive semesters on warning.
3. Financial Aid Probation applies only to a student who has failed to meet SAP requirements and has had an appeal approved by Student Financial Services. A student may be on probation for one semester only. If a student has not met the SAP requirements above, s/he should work with their Student Financial Advisor to understand what options exist to regain eligibility.
4. Unsatisfactory Progress applies to a student who has not met the requirements for completion rate, GPA and attempted hours after his/her warning period and is not on financial aid probation nor has an approved appeal. This student is not eligible for federal, state or institutional financial aid until s/he meets the requirements in each of the three areas listed above.
5. Academic Plan applies to any student who has submitted an academic plan as part of a SAP appeal and has successfully completed the goals for that semester as outlined by the plan. The student continues to remain eligible for federal and state financial aid, but does not meet the definition of a SAP eligible student.

SAP Appeal Process

1. A student who wishes to appeal his/her unsatisfactory academic progress determination must submit a SAP Appeal Form to the Student Financial Services office. SAP appeals are reviewed based on the extenuating circumstances such as serious injury or illness involving the student, death of an immediate family member or other circumstances beyond the student’s control that prevented him/her from achieving satisfactory progress. Each student’s circumstance is reviewed on an individual basis. Students appealing may also be required to submit an academic plan that indicates exactly what the student must take to finish his/her academic program and details in what time frame this can be accomplished.
2. The Assistant Director for Financial Aid will review the appeal and determine whether the financial aid termination is justified. The student will be advised in writing and by MVNU e-mail of the decision and may be asked to meet with his/her Student Financial Advisor to plan for future semesters.
3. A student wishing to appeal the decision of the Assistant Director for Financial Aid may do so in writing to the Director of Student Financial Services.

Things to Consider Regarding the SAP Policy

Changes in Major: Students will be expected to maintain satisfactory academic progress standards even if they make a change in major. All hours attempted from prior majors will be included in the total hours attempted for maximum time frame requirements. A student may appeal for a longer time frame with rationale of the reasons for the extension.

Second Degree: Students who pursue a second degree must pass courses at 67% pass rate and maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher. They may not exceed 150% of the required courses for the new degree.

Incomplete Coursework: Incomplete course work will be included as all hours attempted but not in hours passed until the grade is complete. Once the course is graded, the satisfactory academic progress status process will be re-evaluated upon request of the student.

Repeated Coursework: A student who fails a required course may repeat the course and receive federal financial aid. A student may repeat a passing course only one time and receive federal financial aid. Repeated coursework will count towards the total hours attempted and total hours passed for satisfactory academic progress. Cumulative grade point average for repeated courses will be determined by the Registrar’s Office.

Non-credit/remedial Coursework: Remedial coursework will be counted in determining financial aid eligibility, enrollment status, and satisfactory academic progress. These courses will be included in maximum timeframe calculations. Students will be limited to no more than thirty (30) remedial credits for financial aid eligibility.

Summary

Students are encouraged to review these standards and to be knowledgeable relative to their individual progress and financial assistance. The University recognizes that circumstances and conditions regarding these standards may require the discretionary judgment of the Student Financial Services Office. Examples of such conditions include changing majors or career objectives as well as various personal reasons. Any student with questions regarding SAP or these conditions should contact the Assistant Director for Financial Aid.