Eligibility Requirements

Undergraduate & Graduate Students

Students must meet all eligibility requirements listed below to be considered for any Title IV federal financial aid programs and/or need-based aid from Methodist University.

Be a High School Graduate

To be eligible for aid, students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or have a certificate indicating they have completed a home-study program recognized by their home state.

Be Enrolled in an Approved Degree Program

Students must be enrolled in an approved degree-seeking program to be eligible for any financial aid from the university. A list of programs and degrees is published in the Methodist University Academic Catalog. Students studying in an approved study abroad program and tuition exchange programs are eligible for financial aid at the university once all necessary procedures have been completed.

Credits

Undergraduate students must register for at least twelve credits in one of the on-campus programs each semester to be considered for the maximum aid possible. Undergraduates who register for a less than full-time course load (below 12 credits in one of the on-campus programs) may have their financial aid offer reduced as required by federal regulations and institutional policies. However, they must enroll in at least six credits to remain eligible for federal loans but may be enrolled less than half time for the Pell Grant.

Graduate students must register at least half time (a minimum of three credits) each semester during the academic year to be eligible for Federal Direct Loans.

Be a U.S. Citizen or an Eligible Non-Citizen

Students must be United States citizens or classified as eligible non-citizens in order to be eligible for Federal or State Funds. Students must fit one of the following categories in order to be considered eligible non-citizens:

Citizen not born in United States/Permanent Resident

  • Certificate of Citizenship: (Must have student’s name, certificate number and the date the certificate was issued.)
  • Certificate of Naturalization: (Must have student’s name, certificate number, Alien Registration Number, name of the court and the date where naturalization occurred.)
  • Certificate of Birth Abroad: (Must have embossed seal “United States of America” and “State Department”.
  • S. Passport
  • S. Passport (Must be stamped “Non-citizen National”)
  • “Permanent Resident Card”(Form I-551), or the “Alien Registration Receipt Card”(Form I-151)
  • Foreign Passport (Must be stamped “processed for I-551” with expiration date.)
  • I-94 (Must be stamped “Processed for I-551 with expiration date, or Temporary Form I-551,” with appropriate information filled in.)

Have a Valid Social Security Number

Students must have a valid Social Security number to receive federal financial aid. Exceptions to this rule are students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.

Not in Default on a Federal Loan or Owe a Refund on a Grant

To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must not be in default on any type of Federal Loan. Students who owe any refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant are not eligible for federal financial aid until the matter is cleared and documentation is provided.

Demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

Students must maintain SAP, according to the standards and practices of the university. Students who fail to maintain satisfactory progress may not receive federal Title IV aid or state and university need-based grants and scholarships.