Student Financial Aid

The mission of the Student Financial Aid Office is to assist students and their families in managing the cost of a Rollins education. Services include the following:

• financial aid awards to qualified students in the form of loans, grants, scholarships, and on-campus employment;
• coordination of scholarships and other assistance programs to insure proper credit to the student's account;
• counseling in financial aid for undergraduate and graduate education;
• student loan debt management counseling; and

Financial Aid Programs

Financial Aid recipients must enroll for at least twelve (12) semester hours per term to be considered full-time. 

GRANTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS

Federal Pell Grant. A program for needy undergraduate students. Eligibility is determined by the Federal government.

Rollins Grant. A Rollins program for full-time students with demonstrated need and academic talent. The Student Financial Aid staff determines eligibility based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the student's academic record.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. A program for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need. All eligible students are ranked according to family contribution determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Awards are made to those with the lowest family contribution.  

Florida Student Assistance Grant. This grant, of up to $1,600 per year, is provided by the State of Florida and the Federal government to needy students who are full-time and have been residents of the State of Florida for at least twelve (12) months immediately prior to enrollment. The Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance determines eligibility based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Florida Resident Access Grant. This State program provides up to $3,000 to full-time students attending accredited private colleges in Florida. Students must be residents of Florida for at least twelve (12) months. Financial need is not a requirement. A one-time application must be submitted no later than the first day of classes.

Rollins Cornell Scholarship. This is the top academic merit award on campus. Your scholarship is renewable provided you maintain at least a 3.6 cumulative grade point average and complete at least twenty-four (24) semester hours each academic year while remaining enrolled in the Arts & Sciences program. If you do not meet the 3.6 cumulative grade point average, but maintain at least a 3.2 grade point average, you may receive an Alonzo Rollins Scholarship.

Alonzo Rollins Scholarship. This award ranges up to $20,000. It is made to entering first-year students without regard to need and is continued each year thereafter, as long as the recipient maintains a 3.2 grade point average (GPA) or better. Awards are made by the Admission Committee based on the student's total record. To be considered, first-year applicants must complete the admission application process prior to February 1.

Presidential Scholarship. This award ranges up to $8,000. It is made to entering first-year students without regard to need and is continued each year thereafter, as long as the recipient maintains a 3.0 GPA or better. Awards are made by the Admissions Committee based on the student's total record. To be considered, first-year applicants must complete the admission application process prior to February 1.

Centennial Scholarship. This award up to $5,000 is made to entering first-year students without regard to need and is continued each year thereafter, as long as the recipient maintains a 2.8 GPA or better. Awards are made by the Admissions Committee based on the student's total record. To be considered, first-year applicants must complete the admission application process prior to February 1.

Donald Cram Science Scholarship. This $5,000 award is offered to entering first-year students from Florida who plan to major in chemistry, physics, computer science, mathematics or pre-engineering. It is renewable providing the recipient maintains a 3.2 GPA or better and continues to major in the appropriate field. Selection is made by the Admissions Committee based on the student's total record. To be considered, first-year applicants must complete the admission application process prior to February 1.

Rollins College Scholarships. A number of scholarships are part of the College's endowment, and the income is usually awarded annually to Rollins students. In addition, the College frequently receives expendable gifts designated for scholarships from individual donors, foundations, corporations and other organizations. Recipients of these grants are generally selected by the Student Financial Aid staff in consultation with the chairs of the various academic departments if so specified by donors in the scholarship agreements. Preference may be given to students with financial need.

LOANS

Federal Perkins Loan. This loan allows needy students to borrow funds, repaying after graduation at a low interest rate. The Student Financial Aid staff determine eligibility from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The amount of the loan depends upon the student's need as well as the availability of funds.

Federal Direct Student Loan. Funds for this loan are provided by the Federal government. Repayment begins after graduation at a low rate of interest. Eligibility is based on the student's need and is determined from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan. This loan is available from the Federal government. Interest accrues immediately. However, repayment may be deferred until after graduation.

Federal Direct Parent Loans to Undergraduate Students. Parents may borrow up to the full cost each year from the Federal government. Repayment begins immediately.

EMPLOYMENT

Federal Work-Study Program. This program provides on-campus employment to students with financial need. The Student Financial Aid staff determine eligibility from the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

AID FOR OFF-CAMPUS PROGRAMS
Rollins programs are those operated by the College and offered in cooperation with other colleges and universities. Please refer to the International and Off-Campus Study section for the list of programs offered.

Financial aid recipients (need-based and non-need-based) may apply to receive assistance for attendance in Rollins and affiliate programs. All aid programs used for attendance on-campus can be used for this purpose, except talent scholarships awarded by academic and athletic departments, which require departmental approval. Departments offering talent scholarships are not required to exempt students from performance obligations required of scholarship recipients or approve the scholarship for use in study abroad programs.

To qualify for assistance, students must meet the same eligibility criteria that are otherwise required of financial aid recipients.

VERANO ESPAÑOL
The Verano Español program is a Rollins summer program. Financial aid for summer study is not available through Rollins programs. Students qualifying for Federal Direct Loans or Parent Loans, who have not exhausted the maximum program eligibility during the regular academic year, may use the balance of their eligibility for study at Verano Español.

Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress

To receive aid at Rollins College, students must maintain satisfactory academic progress. The following criteria are checked at the end of the spring semester.

GRADE POINT AVERAGE
A minimum grade point average of 2.0 is required for both initial and renewal awards (entering first-year students should normally have a high school grade point average of 2.0). Some programs require a higher GPA: Alonzo Rollins Scholarship (3.2); Presidential Scholarship (3.0); Centennial Scholarship (2.8); Florida Academic Scholars Fund (3.0); and Florida Merit Scholars (2.75). Grade point averages are checked each term.

COMPLETION RATE
Aid recipients are expected to successfully complete a minimum of twenty-four (24) semester hours each academic year. At this rate, obtaining a degree will take longer than four (4) years. However, Rollins' sources provide aid for only four years. Therefore, the completion schedule should be used as a minimum guideline, not a registration plan. For transfer students, Rollins' aid will be provided for the number of years remaining to complete a degree based on the grade level at the time of transfer. For example, students transferring in at the junior level will receive Rollins' aid for no more than two years.

To graduate, students must complete at least 140 semester hours of academic work. An ‘I’ or ‘R’ grade in a course is considered a successful completion only after the grade is officially changed. A grade of ‘F’ is NOT considered to be a successful completion. A withdrawal is NOT considered to be a successful completion.

First time aid recipients are expected to meet these standards before any aid is awarded. Students receiving aid who fail to maintain these standards the first time are placed on Aid Warning. Students on Aid Warning because of a GPA less than 2.0 have until the end of the following year to bring up their average. Students on Aid Warning because of their completion rate must complete twenty-four (24) semester hours in the subsequent year. Students who fail to complete twenty-four (24) semester hours for two consecutive years will no longer be eligible for aid.

The Financial Aid Review Committee may approve individual appeals due to mitigating circumstances. Students who are denied aid because of failure to maintain satisfactory progress may become eligible by: 1) bringing the cumulative GPA and completion rate up to standard, or 2) if it is not feasible to accomplish item one in one term, students may submit a plan of action to the Financial Aid Review Committee for approval. Students must demonstrate substantial improvement in progress for the first term without aid and have a reasonable plan to bring progress up to standard once aid is reinstated.

Rights and Responsibilities of the Aid Recipient 

APPLICANTS FOR FINANCIAL AID HAVE THE RIGHT TO

• Confidentiality. Financial aid records are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
• Appeal financial aid decisions about their application. Written appeals are submitted to the Student Aid Appeals Committee in care of the Student Financial Aid Office.
• Information about the terms and conditions of financial aid programs, provided in the Rollins College Catalogue or in the Student Aid Award Notice enclosures.
• Inspect your education records and request amendment of those records, if you believe them to be inaccurate, by contacting the Dean of Student Affairs.
• File a complaint with the Department of Education if you believe your right to confidentiality has been compromised.
• Defer direct loan payments for Peace Corps or other volunteer service after you graduate.

APPLICANTS FOR FINANCIAL AID ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR

• Submitting accurate applications and forms before the deadlines and according to the instructions provided.
• Following instructions for application, renewal of aid, or resolving problems.
• Providing the Office of Student Records with accurate permanent and local addresses and telephone numbers.
• Notifying the Student Financial Aid Office of changes in family financial situation and when receiving assistance from an outside source.
• Reading the provided information about the terms and conditions of all aid programs.
• Enrolling in a full-time course load of not less than twelve (12) semester hours for fall and spring terms.
• Requesting special assistance when it is needed.
• Maintaining satisfactory academic progress according to the established financial aid policies.