FINANCIAL AID
Birmingham-Southern College Catalog 2016-2017
216
FINANCIAL AID
Student Financial Aid at Birmingham-Southern College
Financial aid at Birmingham-Southern College is administered through the Office of
Financial Planning. The College embraces the philosophy that worthy, qualified students
should have an opportunity for a college education regardless of their economic
circumstances. Birmingham-Southern College is willing to join with the student and his
or her family to provide monetary assistance for eligible students who demonstrate
financial need. The student’s family bears the principal responsibility of financing college
education. The College expects each student to assume a measure of responsibility
through a combination of savings, limited work, and/or borrowing. Any eligible student
admitted to Birmingham-Southern College who applies for need-based financial aid
through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is considered for
assistance.
Based on the statement of philosophy above, and with an understanding that aid resources
at the College are limited, the Office of Financial Planning has adopted the following
principles:
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The primary purpose of the financial aid program is to assist students who,
without such aid, would be unable to attend Birmingham-Southern College.
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A student’s family is expected to make a maximum effort to assist the student
with college expenses. The Office of Financial Planning views financial
assistance as a supplement to the student and family contribution.
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Financial aid consists of grants, scholarships, loans, and employment that may
be offered to students singularly or in various combinations.
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Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress, as defined by the
College.
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The total amount of need-based and merit-based financial assistance offered to a
student shall not exceed the student’s cost of attendance.
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With certain limited exceptions, merit scholarships funded by the College shall
not exceed the cost of regular tuition. In the event that outside scholarships are
awarded to individual students, the College reserves the right to use merit-based
awards to fund educational costs other than tuition and mandatory fees not to
exceed the cost of attendance.
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In determining a student’s financial aid award, outside resources including
scholarships, grants, and loans will be considered to ensure equitable
distribution of funds and adherence to federal regulations.