Washington College | Catalog

Catalog

Financial Aid

Washington College is committed to providing educational excellence and equity for all students. The policies and principles of financial aid are based on the belief that all qualified students—regardless of their race, sex, or economic status—should have the opportunity to experience a Washington College education. The College supports the principle that the purpose of financial aid is to provide monetary assistance to students who can benefit from a Washington College education, but who, without such assistance, would be unable to attend. Access to such assistance is considered a privilege, not a right.

Washington College offers several types of financial aid to help qualified full-time undergraduate students meet their college expenses. College-sponsored tuition scholarships, tuition grants, work-study, and low-interest loans are available to full-time undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need and who meet the College's admission criteria. In addition to College-sponsored financial aid, eligible students can receive assistance from federal, state, and independent aid programs.

The financial aid process is predicated upon the precept that parents will assume primary responsibility for the educational expenses of their sons and daughters; it is also understood that students have a responsibility to help pay for their education. Since an education is an investment that should yield lifelong dividends, a family should be prepared to contribute to it both before entering and while in college. College support is intended to complement family financial resources (including any federal, state, or other outside aid for which a student may be eligible); College need-based tuition assistance is offered only after all other sources of aid have been exhausted.

The purpose of need-based aid is to reduce the difference between the student's estimated contribution to college expenses (as determined by the Free Application for Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA) and Washington College's Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid) and the actual cost of tuition, room, and board, plus an estimated amount for books and miscellaneous expenses. For the 2011-2012 academic year at Washington College, that total is $46,770.

Applicants for Fall 2012 should file the FAFSA and Washington College's Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid between January 1 and February 15, 2012. Although 2011 federal tax information is needed to complete the two forms, families are advised to use estimated tax data rather than miss the February 15 filing deadline. Families with questions about estimating tax data are encouraged to call the Office of Student Financial Aid.

For students who show exceptional academic promise, Washington College also offers merit-based academic tuition scholarships. These are offered without regard to financial need; however, in cases involving both superior academic achievement and demonstrated financial need, a merit-based tuition scholarship will be included in the financial aid package.

Grant and scholarship assistance from all sources is applied first to full-time tuition charges. Grant and scholarship assistance in excess of tuition is then applied to direct College charges for fees, and on-campus room and board.

Application Procedures for Freshmen and Transfer Students

There are four items that must be submitted to be considered for need-based financial aid at Washington College:

The Washington College Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Parents' 2011 Federal Income Tax Return, W2s, and all schedules filed
Student's 2011 Federal Income Tax Return, W2s, and all schedules filed

The FAFSA is used to collect financial information needed to determine a student's eligibility for federal aid (Federal Pell, Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Work-Study (FWS), Federal Direct Student Loans, Federal Perkins Loans). The WC Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid collects additional non-federal data used by Washington College to determine eligibility for institutional need-based grants. To be considered for maximum federal, state, and College financial aid, the FAFSA and WC Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid should be completed and mailed between January 1 and February 15. Students who file these forms after the February 15 deadline will be processed in the order received and, if eligible, funded to the extent permitted by the availability of remaining funds.

All families who wish to be considered for need-based aid are required to provide the College with a signed copy of their 2011 federal tax return and W2s. Signed copies of both student and parent tax returns are required. Colleges and universities are required by law to use the signed federal tax return and W2s to verify data submitted on the WC Institutional Application for Need-Based Financial Aid and FAFSA. Awards cannot be finalized prior to receipt of the signed federal tax returns.

New students will be notified of financial aid decisions on a rolling basis beginning in February. Returning, upper-class student award notices are posted online and available through Web Advisor in June after the completion of spring semester courses.

Upperclass Student Aid

Financial aid recipients are required to reapply for need-based aid each year. Upperclass students must complete the FAFSA form by February 15. Completion of The Washington College Institutional Aid Application is only required during the first year a student requests consideration for need-based aid. Tax returns and W2's are required only in the event that the student's file is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. Notification of aid decisions begins in June.

Students who received no financial assistance during the fall semester, but who wish to be considered for need-based aid during the spring term, must file the appropriate applications with the Financial Aid Office no later than November 1. Spring term awards are based upon the availability of funds as well as demonstrated need and academic achievement.

Important notes regarding need-based aid award: All students who have applied for and qualify for need-based financial aid will be offered some form of self-help aid. Self-help aid is defined as Federal Subsidized Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, and Federal Work-Study. All students offered WC Institutional need-based grant or scholarship assistance are expected to accept and use the self-help assistance to offset their educational expenses.

The percentage of demonstrated need that is met by the College's aid award varies from student to student. Although 100% of demonstrated need is met in some cases (e.g., a student with high academic ability and low to moderate need), meeting full need is not the policy of Washington College.

Policy on Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policies

The Office of Student Financial Aid has established the following policies and procedures stated to fulfill the requirements expressed in the Higher Education Act (HEA) as revised for the 2011-12 academic year. The Satisfactory Academic Progress policies and procedures of Washington College are reviewed when changes at the federal or institutional level require review to ensure compliance with Federal Regulations. All Washington College students applying for Title IV federal and selected other types of assistance mustmeet the criteria stated hereafter regardless of whether or not they previously received aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress for financial aid eligibility should not be confused with the College’s academic progress policy. These are two distinct and totally separate policies. It is entirely possible to fail to meet minimum standards of one policy and pass the minimum standards of the other.

Policy Requirements – The HEA revised section 668 contains updated regulations concerning Satisfactory Academic Progress. Section 668 requires that an institution establish, publish and apply reasonable standards for measuring a student’s ability to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress. Such standards must meet the following qualifications:

Contain standards that are the same as or stricter than the institution’s standards for a student enrolled in the same educational program who is not receiving assistance under a Title IV, HEA program.
Include both a qualitative (grade-based) element and a quantitative (time-based) element.
Evaluate student progress in both elements annually, at a minimum.
Provide specific procedures under which a student may appeal a determination that the student is not making satisfactory progress including documentation of extenuating circumstances.
Provide specific procedures for a student to re-establish that he or she is maintaining “satisfactory progress.”
Describe how GPA and pace of completion are affected by transfer credit.
Require that if the student is not making satisfactory academic progress, the student is no longer eligible to receive aid.
Notify students of the results of the evaluation at the end of the annual review as to whether the student has met the qualitative and quantitative components.
Define terms used in discussing the evaluation of satisfactory academic progress including the terms appeal, probation, academic plan, and maximum timeframe.
Provide for consistent application of standards to all students within categories of students, e.g., full-time, part-time, undergraduate, and graduate students and educational programs established by the institution.

The programs governed by these regulations are:

For Undergraduates:

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant
Federal Work-Study (FWS)
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
All Washington College need-based tuition grants

For Graduate Students:

Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan

Satisfactory Academic Progress standards include three elements:

Maximum time frame within which a degree or certificate must be granted,
Minimum completion percentage, and
Minimum cumulative grade point average.

SAP Definitions – HEA section 668 requires that Washington College define various terms related to the evaluation of SAP.

Maximum Timeframe (MTF) – The required length of time it will take a student to complete a degree program or certificate based on the appropriate enrollment status. Federal regulations allow a student to be eligible to receive aid up to 150% of the time that it would normally take to complete a degree. All credit hours in which a student enrolls or transfers to Washington College are included in the maximum time frame calculation, regardless of the number of degrees a student chooses to obtain. Grades that are considered credit hours attempted and completed in the calculation of maximum time frame include: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, F, I*, W.

Minimum Completion Percentage (MCP) – The percentage of coursework that a student must earn during enrollment. Washington College requires students to earn passing grades in 67% of the hours in which they enroll during the evaluation period. Grades that are considered hours earned include A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, D+, D, D-, P.

Minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average – The minimum GPA a student must have earned at the end of the evaluation period. For first year undergraduate students, a 1.75 CGPA is required. All other undergraduates a 2.0 CGPA is required.

SAP Appeal – The process by which a student who is not meeting the institution's standards petitions the institution for reconsideration of the student's eligibility. Students are evaluated at the close of spring semester annually. At this time, any student not meeting all SAP components will be ineligible for any further financial aid. Students may submit an appeal to be considered for reinstatement on a probationary status of no more than one semester to resolve all deficiencies. Students who appeal, but for whom it would be mathematically impossible to resolve all deficiencies in one semester, will be placed on an academic plan. Per Federal Regulations, Washington College can only consider appeals based on the death of a relative, an injury or illness of the student, or other special circumstance. Appeals must include documentation of circumstances on which the appeal is based. Appeals must also specify why the student failed to satisfy SAP requirements and what has changed in the student’s situation.

SAP Probation – A status assigned to a student who fails to satisfy SAP requirements, who has successfully appealed and had eligibility for aid reinstated. Reinstatement of aid during this probationary period may be no longer than one semester. Additional periods of probation are determined by performance during previously approved probationary periods.

Academic Plan – Students may be placed on an academic plan upon submission of a successful appeal. If it is mathematically impossible for a student to resolve all deficiencies during one semester of attendance and the student’s reason for appeal is appropriate according to federal regulations, the student may be placed on an academic plan with the end goal being to resolve all deficiencies. An academic plan can vary in length and is determined by the Office of the Associate Provost and Dean. The Academic Plan does not have to equate to the exact number of semesters it would take a student to resolve all deficiencies. Students granted aid eligibility through an academic plan may receive aid for up to one year before conducting a review of the student’s performance. If the student is meeting the criteria identified in the SAP appeal approval at the annual review, the student’s academic plan may be extended.

Reinstatement – The act of removing all SAP deficiencies reinstating aid eligibility. Reinstatement is defined as removing all deficiencies acquired during all period of enrollment or caused by transfer credits. Reinstatement is not a status granted in regard to an appeal.

SAP Components – The following provide detailed information regarding the evaluation of the three components required in the review of SAP.

Maximum Time Frame (MTF)

Undergraduate students receiving financial aid must maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) and make steady progress toward the completion of their degree as described below. The maximum time frame for program completion is defined as 150% of the credits required to complete the degree program as defined by Washington College. For example, a typical Bachelor’s degree requires 128 credits: 128 x 150% = 192 credits. 192 credits is the maximum that can be attempted with financial aid.

Attempted Credits	Grade Point Average Requirements	Minimum Cumulative Credit Completion
0 - 32	1.75	67% of attempted credits
33 - 48	2.00	67% of attempted credits
49 - 64	2.00	67% of attempted credits
65 – 80	2.00	67% of attempted credits
81 or more	2.00	67% of attempted credits

Transfer credits accepted by Washington College will be included in the progress completion requirement and minimum CGPA requirement (if the College transferred in the grade). Students who have not completed their undergraduate degree after 192 attempted hours (including transfer credits) will no longer be eligible for financial aid. Students must graduate with a cumulative 2.0 grade point average.

For undergraduates, first-year students must earn a minimum of a 1.75 cumulative grade point average by the end of the first award year. Undergraduate students must earn a minimum of a 2.00 cumulative grade point average by the end of all subsequent award years to be eligible for aid.

Washington College is not obligated to continue institutional grant assistance to students who require more than eight semesters to complete degree requirements.

SAP Notifications – At a minimum, students will be notified of the results of the annual SAP review. All students will receive notification of their SAP standing regarding of their status. Students who comply with Federal Regulations will receive their financial aid award for the upcoming academic year. Correspondence will be sent to students via email. Academic Advisors will receive a copy of SAP notifications in the event that an advisee fails to meet the SAP standards.

SAP Ineligible – This letter is sent to students who have failed to meet, at least, one component of SAP. Students found to be deficient in GPA, MCP, and/or MTF after the annual review are considered ineligible for all forms of financial aid during the subsequent award year. Aid can only be reinstated through a successful, documented appeal or by resolving all deficiencies.

SAP Probation Removed – This letter is sent to students who were on a probationary status during their prior term of attendance and have now resolved all of their deficiencies. This status is approved at the end of the term of probation and is determined by successful removal of SAP deficiencies. To receive SAP Probation Removed, students must have achieved the minimum GPA required for their academic career and level and must reach, at least, 67% of accumulative course completion. Students who fail to meet these criteria will be ineligible for financial aid unless all deficiencies are satisfied.

SAP Probation Denial – This letter is sent to students who were on a probationary status during their prior term of attendance and did not resolve all deficiencies. Students who fail to resolve all deficiencies will be ineligible for financial aid. Students in this situation cannot have aid reinstated. They have already submitted an appeal during a prior term and, thus, have exhausted their right to appeal. Resolution of all deficiencies is the only mechanism that a student may again be considered eligible for financial aid.

SAP Academic Plan Extension – This letter is sent to students who were on an academic plan during their prior term of attendance and met all requirements of their plan and/or resolved all deficiencies. This status is granted upon specified review of the academic plan or during the annual review. Unless otherwise specified, students must maintain the minimum GPA required for the academic career for the term and must complete, at least, 67% of courses attempted. Students who fail to meet these criteria or those communicated specifically in the SAP correspondence will be ineligible for financial aid unless all deficiencies are satisfied.

SAP Academic Plan Denial – This letter is sent to students who were on an academic plan during their prior term of attendance and did not meet all requirements of that plan or resolve all SAP deficiencies. Students who fail to meet these criteria or those communicated specifically in the SAP correspondence will be ineligible for financial aid. Students in this situation cannot have aid reinstated. They have already submitted an appeal during a prior term and, thus, have exhausted their right to appeal. Resolution of all deficiencies is the only mechanism that a student may again be considered eligible for financial aid.

SAP Appeal Procedures - Beginning with the 2011-12 academic year, significant changes were made to the appeal process. Federal regulations do not require that a school allow students an opportunity to appeal an unsatisfactory status. Washington College has chosen to exercise the ability to use professional judgment and entertain appeals for reinstatement of aid for no more than one term of probation. Students for whom it would be mathematically impossible to resolve all deficiencies during one term may be placed on an academic plan, which gives much more flexibility in financial aid reinstatement. However, per federal regulations, only appeals documenting specific circumstances will be considered for approval. The Admission and Student Aid Committee overseeing SAP will review the content of the appeal. Only appeals that document the following reasons will be considered:

Serious physical or mental illness of the student
Serious physical or mental illness of the student’s immediate family member
Death of the student’s immediate family member
Other extreme circumstances

If the appeal is not submitted for one of these reasons, it will automatically be denied by the Director of Student Aid and will not be heard by the SAP Appeal Committee. If the appeal is submitted based on an approved circumstance, but does not provide documentation of said circumstance(s), the Director will contact the student and request the documentation. If the appeal is complete and all necessary documentation is provided, the Director will prepare to present the appeal to the SAP Appeal Committee. Students may only submit one appeal per academic career. For example, students may appeal once as an undergraduate and once as a graduate. Exceptions may be made for students who have not attended Washington College for, at least, three full academic years.

For students who have exceeded the maximum timeframe, consideration for reinstatement may be given up to 175% of the normal time it takes to complete a degree in the student’s academic career. Appeals for students who have exceeded 175% of the normal time it would take to complete the degree they are pursuing will not be considered. Students who have exceeded this cap may only pursue alternative loan funding. They will no longer be considered for financial aid during their academic career.

There is no secondary appeal process. If an appeal is denied, students can only be reinstated for aid eligibility if they satisfy all deficiencies. If an appeal is approved and the student does not fulfill the conditions of his or her probation or academic plan, the student will not be eligible for aid for any future semesters during their academic career unless the student satisfies all deficiencies.

SAP Probation – In cases where the appeal is approved, the student may only be permitted one semester of aid. During this semester, the student is considered to be on SAP Probation. Unless otherwise specified, students must maintain the minimum GPA required for the academic career for the semester and must complete, at least, 67% of courses attempted to be extended for the subsequent semester. Students on SAP Probation for timeframe will be reviewed to determine if the academic plan (timetable) is currently being followed and future enrollment is following this plan.

At the end of each semester, all students on SAP Probation will be reviewed to determine whether the student maintained the minimum GPA and MCP and/or the MTF academic plan is being followed. If a student fails to meet these criteria, the student loses aid eligibility. It will not be reinstated unless the student satisfies all SAP deficiencies at the end of the evaluation period. Notification of the semester probation review will be sent to students.

At the SAP annual review, students who were on probation or an academic plan during their most recent semester of attendance will be reviewed for an additional probationary term or continuation of the academic plan in the next academic year.

Eligibility for Reinstatement – A student may be reinstated for federal and selected other types of financial assistance by successfully satisfying all deficiencies. Students who regain eligibility by resolving all deficiencies will be identified during the annual SAP review.

Scholarships

Annual Scholarships

The Independent College Fund of Maryland Scholarships
The Kent and Queen Anne's Alumni Scholarship Fund
The Kent County Vincent Hynson Scholarship Fund
The James Millard Murphy Scholarship
Dr. Jacob D. Rieger '28 Scholarship

Endowed Scholarships

The Helen Sullivan Adams Scholarship Fund
The Bailey Memorial Scholarship
The William O. Baker '35 Scholarship
John E. Barnes, Jr. '47 Scholarship
A.T. and Mary H. Blades Scholarship Fund
Cecil M. Benadon / Hodson Trust Memorial Scholarship
The Elizabeth A."Bo" Blanchard Scholarship Fund
The Theodosia C. Bowie '33 Scholarship Fund
The Ann Brandt '43 Memorial Fund
George Avery Bunting Scholarships
The Burchinal Scholarship
The Joseph Raynor Carrow Fund
The Douglass Cater Scholarship
The Chevy Chase Bank Scholarship
The Christmas Scholarship
A. James Clark Scholarship Fund
The Dr. Charles B. Clark '34 Scholarship Fund
Class of 1940 Scholarship
Class of 1950 Scholarship
The Class of 1956 Scholarship Fund
Class of 1987 Scholarship
Class of 1994 Scholarship
The William L. Clayton Scholarship
Cleaver / Hurst Educational Endowment
George and Ann Clegg Scholarship Fund
Clark M. Clifford Scholarship
Clough Family Scholarship
Colonial Dames, Chapter 1, Scholarship
The Concordia Foundation Scholarship Fund
The Nellie Graham Cooley Scholarship
The Corddry Scholarship Fund
The Alonzo G. Decker, Jr. Scholarship
The Virginia G. Decker Scholarship
The Helen Springer Dryden Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Harry J. Duffey Scholarship
The Henry Armitt Brown Dunning Caroline County Scholarship
George R. Evans / Hodson Trust Memorial Scholarship
Robert Fallaw Endowed Scholarship
The Jefferson L. Ford, Jr. '14 Memorial Fund
France-Merrick Scholarship
The Friends of the Arts Scholarship
Gale Fund for Environmental Studies
The Charles H. Gibson Scholarship Fund
The Daniel Z. Gibson Scholarship Fund
Helen S. Gibson Scholarship
James H. Gilliam, Jr. Scholarship
The Gray-Pinkney Scholarship
The William G. Greenly Scholarship Fund
The William E. Griffith '50 Scholarship
The Julius Grollman Scholarship American Legion Post #278
Norman M. and Eleanor H. Gross Scholarship Fund
Anna Melvin Hague '05 Memorial Scholarship
The Charles S. Hague, Jr. '38 Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Avery W. Hall Scholarship
William Randolph Hearst Foundation Scholarship
The Leroy Savin Heck, M.D. '25 Scholarship Fund
The Alfred S. Hodgson Scholarship
The Hodson Trust-Beneficial Merit Scholarships
Hodson-Gilliam Scholarships
Leroy E. Hoffberger Music Scholarship
The William and Nellie Frederick Hotchkiss Scholarship Fund
The Ernest A. Howard Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Rufus C. Johnson '42 Scholarship
Elwood M. Jones Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Reverend John Edward Jones Scholarship
The Mr. and Mrs. William Kight Scholarship
The Johan and Bart Koppenol Scholarship Fund
Prudence Kudner Memorial Scholarship
The Larkin Family Scholarship
The Constance Stuart Larrabee Scholarship Fund
Legg Mason Wood Walker Scholarship Fund
The Lewis-McGrath Scholarship
The Dr. Frederick G. Livingood Memorial Scholarship
Thomas Hunter Lowe '52 Scholarship
Thomas J. and Belle Patterson Maher Scholarship
The Mary Martin Drama Scholarship
The Mary Emily Matthews Scholarship Fund
The William Beck Matthews Scholarship Fund
The Joseph H. McLain '37 Memorial Scholarship
The Memorial Scholarship
The Alice C. and J. William Middendorf, Jr. Merit Scholarship
The Mid-Shore Community Foundation Scholarship
The Mid-Shore Community Foundation/Steele Fund Scholarship
The Lewis Waters Milbourne Scholarship Fund
The Clifton M. Miller Scholarship
The Duncan Miller Scholarship
Mary Louise Moore Scholarship
Dorothy Woodall Myers Scholarship Fund
The Everett Nuttle Memorial Scholarship Fund
The George D. and Margaret A. Olds Memorial Scholarship Fund
The Dr. John Thomas Parker Scholarship Fund
The William Kennon Perrin and Anita Ewens Perrin Scholarship
The Raymond Richard Pomeroy '51 Scholarship
The Raggedy Ann and Andy™ Scholarship Fund
The Irwin O. Ridgely Memorial Scholarship
The H. Charles Rienhoff Scholarship Fund
The John W. Roberts III '67 Book Scholarship
The Emory T. Roe Fund
The Henry Rogers Scholarship
Sonia and Nathan Rosenwald Scholarship
The Harry S. Russell Memorial Scholarship
St. Paul Travelers Scholarship Fund
The Margaret Jane Martin Sasse Memorial Scholarship
The Joseph W. and Jean E. Sener Scholarship
The Seraph Foundation Scholarship
The Smith-Bandel Scholarship
C. V. Starr Scholarship
The Joe B. Stevens Scholarship
The George D. Stowman Memorial Scholarship
The SunTrust Scholarship
The J. Edwin Tawes Memorial Scholarship
The Edith Louise Lawrie Thornton Scholarship
The Margaret Boulden Thornton Memorial Scholarship
The Ralph Usilton '62 Scholarship
The William Warner Scholarship
George Washington Scholarship
Washington College Academy of Lifelong Learning (WC-ALL) Scholarship
P. Watson Webb Scholarship
Elizabeth Tate Westbrook Art Scholarship
The Clarence C. White Memorial Scholarship
The Mrs. John Campbell White Scholarship
The Jacob O. Williams Memorial Scholarship

Federal and State Grants and Scholarships

The Federal Pell Grant program makes funds available to undergraduate students to attend post-secondary institutions. Eligibility is based on financial need, and application is through the normal financial aid application process of Washington College.

The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) program provides funds for grants to undergraduate students with great financial need. Application is through the normal financial aid application process of Washington College, and the awards are determined by the institution.

State Scholarships are available to some students through their individual state scholarship administrative offices. To compete for these state awards, students should contact their state scholarship administration to inquire about application procedures, eligibility criteria, and application deadlines.

Student Loan Programs

The Federal Carl Perkins Student Loan Program provides funds to institutions for students who need loans to meet their educational expenses. Application is through the normal financial aid application process at Washington College. The College determines awards after a review of the applicant's financial need.

Repayment begins nine months after graduation or leaving school. Students may take up to ten years to pay back the loan. During the repayment period five percent interest is charged on the unpaid balance.

The Federal Direct Student Loan Program enables students to borrow directly from the U.S. Department of Education. This loan is guaranteed by the federal government.

The maximum for freshmen is $3,500; for sophomores, $4,500; and for juniors and seniors, the maximum is $5,500. All borrowers must complete a FAFSA. The amount of the loan is based on demonstrated financial need, up to the maximum. The current interest rate for Federal Direct Student loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2009 is 5.6% for Federal Subsidized Direct Loans, and 6.8% for Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loans.

Repayment of Federal Direct Student Loans begins six months after leaving school, and borrowers may be allowed up to ten years to repay the loan. Students borrowing funds through the Unsubsidized Direct Student Loan program are responsible for monthly interest payments while enrolled. Principal payment is deferred until six months after graduation. Consolidation programs, which may allow a longer repayment period, are also available.

The Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) allows a parent to borrow funds to assist with payments for the current academic year. This program is not need-based and may be used in lieu of the family contribution. The interest rate is set in July of each year; however, the interest rate for loans disbursed on or after July 1, 2009 is 7.9%. Repayment normally begins within 60 days of disbursement. However, parents may elect to postpone repayment of the principal until 6 months after the student is enrolled at least half time. Application information is available through the Office of Student Aid.

Federal Work-Study Program

Washington College participates in the Federal Work-Study Program, which provides job opportunities on campus for students who have financial need. There are a wide variety of jobs from which to choose: students assist in the Admissions and Student Affairs offices, in Miller Library, and for various departments and offices all over campus. In return for their efforts, work-study participants earn a biweekly paycheck to help cover their ongoing educational expenses. Application is made through the College's normal financial aid application process, and awards are determined by the College.

Campus Employment

Washington College also offers on-campus employment opportunities that are not need-based. Contact the Center for Career Development for a list of these jobs.

Federal Title IV Aid Refund Policy

Washington College adopted the refund policy that conforms to Section 668.22 of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. Withdrawing, or expelled students with Title IV funding will be subject to both Federal Policy regarding the possible return of Title IV funds awarded to the student and to Washington College's policy regarding the possible return of institutional aid awarded.

The law requires that, if a student withdraws, is granted an approved leave of absence, or is expelled during a semester, the amount of Title IV assistance that the student has earned up to that point is determined by a specific formula. If the student received more assistance than he or she earned, the excess funds must be returned.

The amount of assistance that a student has earned is determined on a pro-rata basis. That is, if a student has completed 30 percent of the semester, the student earns 30 percent of the assistance they were originally scheduled to receive. Once the student has completed more than 60 percent of the semester, the student earns all of his/her assistance.

If a student received excess funds that must be returned, Washington College must return a portion of the excess equal to the lesser of the student's institutional charges multiplied by the unearned percentage of financial aid received, or the entire amount of the excess funds.

Policies and procedures for withdrawing from the College are described on page 53. To request an approved leave of absence or to withdraw from the College, please contact the Associate Provost for Academic Services.

Any Title IV aid recipient who is withdrawing from the College, requesting a leave of absence, or is expelled must contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss how this action would affect his/her financial aid awarded. Any questions related to this refund policy should be directed to the Financial Aid Office in the Casey Academic Center.