2025 - 2026 Academic Catalog

Undergraduate Financial Aid

Baptist University of Florida participates in the full range of state and federal aid programs. In addition, several other programs are offered to help students meet the cost of attending the university.  Financial assistance offered can be in the form of grants, employment, loans, or scholarships.  The applicant’s financial need, academic achievement, community and school service, and potential achievement may be considered in determining eligibility for different programs.  All financial aid forms, information and FAFSA link are available on the university website: www.buf.edu/financialaid. Paper applications for grants, scholarships and loans are available upon request.

 

Applicant Requirements

A student eligible to apply for financial aid...

  1. is accepted in good academic standing and maintains satisfactory academic progress at the university;
  2. is enrolled in an eligible program as a degree seeking student; courses not contributing to a student’s degree program will be ineligible for Title IV Federal funds;
  3. is a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen and has a valid social security number;
  4. owes no refund or repayment on a previous educational grant;
  5. is not delinquent on a student education loan;
  6. and, for programs based on financial need, has established financial eligibility through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

 

Application Process

To initiate the application process for grants, loans, college work study, and to be considered for institutional scholarships, a student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). BUF school code is 013001. Students may apply on-line through the university website or at www.studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.  The application period begins October 1 of each year for the following academic year.  The FAFSA application may be sent any time throughout the year, but by early submission the applicant may be eligible for additional grants. Students must reapply for financial aid each academic year.

 

After BUF has received the results of the FAFSA from the government, the applicant will be informed of any additional forms needed to complete the process. Students must submit all required forms to the Financial Aid Office in order to be considered for any financial aid programs. For priority consideration of state grants, a student’s financial aid file must be complete by May 1.  Institutional Scholarships will be awarded on a monthly basis beginning April 1. The Financial Aid Office will send each qualified student an award letter detailing the amount the student will receive in financial aid.  Each student is responsible for payment of 75% of the difference between charges and financial aid by add/drop for the fall and spring semesters. For J-Term and summer semesters the difference between charges and financial aid must be paid in full by the first day of class.

 

Financial Need

A student’s financial need is the basis for awarding federal and state aid. Financial need is the difference between the Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is determined by the results of the processed Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

 

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) for nine months is an average budget calculated by the Financial Aid Office.  The following direct and indirect expenses, permitted by federal regulations, are taken into consideration:

Average tuition and fee charges for a full-time student

Average books and supply expenses

Average room and board (based on whether or not the student lives with parent(s)

Average transportation expense to and from school

Reasonable miscellaneous personal expenses

 

Standards of Satisfactory Progress for Financial Aid

In order to maintain financial aid eligibility, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree.  Specifically, this means that full-time students, those taking twelve or more semester hours, must successfully complete 2/3 of those hours each semester, and meet or exceed the appropriate cumulative grade point average for their classification. The minimum cumulative grade point requirements are as follows:

 

               0-27 hours                          1.40

               28-60 hours                        1.70

               61-91 hours                        2.00

               92 or more hours               2.00

 

Grades of F, WP, WF, and W will not satisfy the academic progress requirements. Undergraduate full-time students are limited to a maximum of twelve fall or spring semesters of financial aid eligibility.  The maximum length of eligibility is prorated proportionately for part-time students. Students enrolled for at least six semester hours, but less than twelve semester hours, must successfully complete each course attempted with the appropriate minimum academic progress. The student’s cumulative academic record will be evaluated each semester. Students must complete their degree program before attempting more than 150 percent of the total credit hours required for the program.

 

Warning/Probation

If students fail to meet all criteria of the standards of satisfactory progress for financial aid they will be placed on financial aid warning for one semester.  If at the end of the semester the student earns the required grade point average and hours to be completed for this new stage of enrollment, the student will be considered to be making satisfactory progress and will be removed from warning status.  However, if at the end of the warning period, the student is not meeting all satisfactory progress criteria, financial aid will be suspended. The student will be placed on financial aid probation.

 

Reinstatement

After students have attended a semester at Baptist University of Florida at their own expense, they may apply for financial aid reinstatement if they have met the standards of satisfactory progress for financial aid for that semester.

 

Appeals

If the student feels that there were mitigating circumstances such as illness, death or personal or family problems which caused the lack of progress, an appeal may be made to the Executive Vice-President of Academic Affairs  by contacting the Director of Financial Aid.

 

Return of Title IV Aid Policy

Title IV financial aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and PLUS loans.

Students earn a portion of their financial aid each day they attend class.  Attendance will be taken each day of class and failure to attend could result in the reduction or revocation of a student’s financial aid.

 

A student’s official withdrawal date is:

the date the student officially notifies the Registrar of his/her intent to withdraw. The withdrawal process begins by contacting the Registrar’s Office.

 

A student’s unofficial withdrawal date is:

the student’s last date of attendance at a documented academically-related activity

 

If a student enrolls for classes, but does not attend and does not officially withdraw, the university will assume, for Title IV financial aid purposes, the student has unofficially withdrawn.   Funds may have to be returned to the U.S. Department of Education, unless there is documentation to indicate that the student completed the term enrolled.

 

After completing 60.5 percent of the calendar days for the term in which they are enrolled, the federal government considers 100 percent of the aid to be earned.  Students, who withdraw from all classes prior to completing 60.5 percent of the term, may be required to repay all or part of the Title IV financial aid they received (See the 2024-2025 BUF Academic Calendar for dates).  Under the Federal Title IV Repayment Policy, the percentage of Title IV aid earned shall be calculated as follows:

Number of calendar days completed up to and including the withdrawal date divided by total calendar days in the payment period, with the allowance for any scheduled breaks that are at least five (5) days long

The percentage of semester completed is the percentage of Title IV aid earned by the student

The percentage of Title IV aid unearned is 100% minus the percent earned

 

If the amount disbursed to the student is greater than the amount the student earned, unearned funds must be returned by the student. Loan funds are repaid in accordance with the terms of the promissory note.  Any grant amount the student has to return is a grant overpayment.  The student will be notified of the potential over award and will be required to make satisfactory payment arrangements with the federal government to return the funds.

 

If the amount disbursed to the student is less than the amount the student earned, and for which the student is otherwise eligible, the student is eligible to receive a Post-withdrawal disbursement of the earned aid that was not received.  This may result in a credit balance for the student.  Students with a credit balance will be notified by the Office of Business Affairs, according to the Institutional Refund policy. 

 

When a student receives federal aid in excess of the earned aid, the school must return the lesser of the unearned amount of Title IV aid or the institutional charges for the term, multiplied by the percentage of unearned aid. The school will return any unearned aid for which it is responsible within 45 days of the date the school determined the student withdrew.

 

Federal regulations require Title IV aid to be refunded in the following order:

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans

Federal Direct Subsidized Loans

Federal Direct PLUS Loans (for parents)

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)

 

Students who owe the university due to a Title IV Repayment may be ineligible to re-enroll.   They may also be ineligible for additional Title IV federal financial aid from any other university.

 

Students who receive Title IV funds must contact the Financial Aid Office before withdrawal from any or all classes to determine their financial aid liability.