Terms and Conditions of Receiving Financial Aid

Financial aid is offered with the following conditions:

• Financial aid award packages offered to students are individualized and reflect the student’s eligibility based on the information provided by the student and their parents on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. Each financial aid award package also factors in the student’s grade level, program of study, eligibility requirements, and funding levels. Federal financial aid awards are contingent on federal funding levels and are, therefore, subject to change based on Congressional action.

• Your financial assistance is offered based on merit and/or calculated need as determined from the information provided on your FAFSA. Financial aid is subject to adjustments or cancellations due to changes in laws, regulations, appropriations, changes in your financial situation, verification, discovery of data errors, changes in your enrollment status, or changes in your living arrangement.

• If you receive any financial assistance from an outside source (e.g., an external scholarship) that is not included in your financial aid awards, you must inform the Financial Aid Office.

• You must be enrolled at least half-time (six credit hours minimum for undergraduate students for all semesters).

  • Beginning in 2026/2027, loans for part-time students will be subject to an adjustment to their annual loan limit.

• Registering for courses is not enough to secure your financial aid. You must also attend the courses in which you enroll. Failure to attend can be expensive: your aid could be reduced retroactively, and you may be required to repay aid you have received. If you have any questions about your enrollment and eligibility for financial aid, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

• Your expected enrollment status and the campus you are expected to attend are indicated on your offer tab in the MySpelman Financial Aid web portal. If this information is wrong, you must notify the Financial Aid Office. Your financial aid awards will be adjusted accordingly.

• You must only enroll in classes required to complete your declared degree requirements, as specified in the Spelman College Catalog. You should refer to your degree audit to confirm that the coursework you are enrolled in is required to meet graduation requirements for your program. Classes taken for audit are not eligible for financial assistance and do not count toward enrollment for purposes of financial assistance.

• If requested, you must provide documents to verify the accuracy of the information reported on the FAFSA before financial aid can be awarded or disbursed.

• You must not be in default on any federal educational loans nor owe any refunds on federal grants you have received at any post-secondary institution to receive federal financial aid.

• Students admitted as "Guest" students are not eligible for federal financial aid at Spelman College.

• You may use financial aid funds only for education-related expenses incurred at Spelman College for the respective academic year. Check your student account balance at least once a month to be sure you do not have unpaid charges.

• Spelman College applies your financial aid awards directly to charges on your student account (including tuition, fees, housing, and other charges). Funds in excess of these charges will be released to you in a financial aid refund. Some institutional charges cannot be paid with Title IV (federal aid), thus you may still owe the Bursar even if you receive a refund. If subsequent charges are made to your student account, it is your responsibility to pay them.

• To remain eligible for federal financial aid, students must make "satisfactory academic progress" toward completion of a degree. Federal regulations require the Office of Financial Aid to monitor the progress of each student toward their degree completion. Students who fail to achieve minimum standards for grade point average and completion of classes may lose their eligibility for all types of federal and state aid.

• You must work in a Federal Work-Study (FWS) position to earn the FWS amount shown on your award letter. FWS funds are not disbursed to your student account and do not reduce the amount you owe Spelman. You will receive a paycheck based on your student pay cycle.

• You are not eligible for aid restricted to undergraduate students, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, or Federal Work-study, if you have already earned a bachelor's degree.

• Georgia State Programs (HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships) are reviewed each semester to determine whether eligibility requirements are met.

• Financial aid awards are based on information provided by the student and are subject to revisions and/or cancellation at any time if: federal or state regulations change; federal, state, or institutional fund allocations change; student aid index changes; student receives a scholarship, benefits, waiver, etc.; or an error is made in the calculation of your eligibility or award, whether by the federal aid servicer, private loan servicer, or Spelman College.

• The institution, state, and federal government are absolved of any and all responsibility for funding in the event that a grant and/or a loan or any other financial assistance is based upon fraudulent, inaccurate, or misleading information.