Questions Regarding Tuition and Financial Aid for eCampus Students

Tuition and fee information is available on the Office of the Bursar's Tuition and Fees page. Online Degree Completion Program students, Ohio University Correctional Education students, and anyone taking print-based education courses will want to view the current academic year’s eLearning link.

Students in online graduate programs will want to view the Off Campus Graduate Programs link.

eCampus students who are taking courses that were scheduled from the Athens Campus or one of the regional campuses should view the Athens Campus and Regional Campuses links.

Fee information is posted on the Tuition and Fees page on the bursar's website. In addition to the fees posted there, you also will want to consider the application fee and the graduation application fee.

There are three 5-week Sessions per semester. A traditional “term” is considered a semester at the University and is 15 weeks in length. Financial aid is based off of total hours enrolled for the semester. If a student is enrolled in one course each 5-week Session, then the student would be taking 3 separate courses for the semester. Fall semester has three different Sessions: Fall I, Fall II, and Fall III. Add the hours enrolled from all three sessions in order to determine total hours enrolled for the semester.

To apply for federal and state financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You can complete it online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You can obtain a paper FAFSA by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID. This form will ask for your tax information and, if you are dependent, your parent's tax information. This form should be completed as soon as possible after January 1 of the year you plan on attending school. When filing the FAFSA you should list Ohio University's school code of 003100. For more information, please refer to the checklist on the website for the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

Nondegree students, incarcerated students, and noncredit students are not generally eligible for federal aid, although some alternative financial assistance may be available.

Financial aid can be used for many expenses, however the following items are not covered if you are completing a distance learning degree program and have nonterm enrollment (Financial Aid Information for Print-Based Courses):

• Financial aid is not available for Course Credit by Examination (CCE).
• Living expenses are not included in the cost of attendance for enrollment in print-based correspondence courses through eLearning OHIO, so the financial aid award offer will not include the allowance for expenses beyond tuition, fees, and textbook costs.
• The full financial aid award does not disburse upon enrollment; students must prepare for some out of pocket tuition and textbook expense.
• Students enrolled in print-based courses are considered “half-time” regardless of the number of credit hours enrolled.

• Contact your bank to ask about a "Direct to Consumer" loan.
• AmeriCorps funds - For general questions about using your Education Award, contact National Service Trust at 1-800-942-2677. Live operators are available from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm EST, Monday through Friday. If you have successfully completed your AmeriCorps service, you can view your AmeriCorps Education Award account balance and activity online. You will need to apply to use your funds on the AmeriCorps website, and then Ohio University will be notified that your request has gone through and we can begin the disbursement process.
• Workforce Investment Act money available from your county Jobs and Family Services
• Alternative Loan Lenders

To transfer your FAFSA information to Ohio University, you need to add Ohio University's school code of 003100 to your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To do so, you can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and correct your FAFSA to list Ohio University's school code of 003100. You can also call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 and add Ohio University's school code over the phone. We will not be able to process the results of your FAFSA until you have applied to Ohio University. Once your admission's application is processed, we will begin the process of determining your financial aid eligibility. We will take into consideration the financial aid you received at your previous institution in this process.

Students pursuing coursework through the Online Bachelor Completion Program at Ohio University are eligible to be considered for Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loan funding only.

Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credit hours per semester if eligible for a Pell Grant award in order to receive the full-time award; otherwise, the Pell Grant will prorate based on the student’s enrollment. Students enrolled in the Online RN to BSN degree program will need to enroll in all planned courses for the semester (Fall I, Fall II, and Fall III) in order to meet the minimum half-time requirement for the student loan.  The Direct Loan requires a minimum of six credit hours per semester for undergraduate students and five credit hours per semester for graduate students.  You may refer to the website for the Office of the University Registrar to view the enrollment status guide for undergraduate and graduate students:   https://www.ohio.edu/registrar/enrollment-and-degree-verification#status

Aid Offer notifications begin at the end of April (for the upcoming school year) and are generated twice weekly after that time for new applicants. Online Aid Offers may be viewed on your My OHIO Student Center Accounts tab at the My OHIO Student Center. Log in using your OHIO ID and password.

Follow the links in your online aid offer in your My OHIO Student Center to assure completion of your financial aid requirements. Requirements include completion of a Federal Direct Loan Electronic Master Promissory Note and Loan Entrance Counseling. Students also complete the Federal Direct Loan Program online loan acceptance/confirmation.

Disbursement begins just before the opening of each semester. You will receive an email each time funds are disbursed to your account. If you have an award that has not disbursed, you may need to complete additional paperwork, register in additional credit hours, or complete an online process or form. Disbursed financial aid will first apply to any unpaid charges on your Ohio University account with the Office of the Bursar. Should your disbursed financial aid exceed the semester charges, a refund will be generated which can be used to assist you with other educational expenses such as books and/or living expenses.

You will receive your refund faster if you sign up for direct deposit through the bursar's office. Refunds made by direct deposit begin the first day of each semester and continue to be made daily. Refund checks are mailed to students starting the first Friday of the semester and continue on a weekly basis. To receive a refund promptly, students must be registered in the appropriate number of credit hours two weeks prior to the semester opening. Students must also have completed all necessary paperwork or online procedures at this time as well.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is a measurement of academic progress towards a degree or certificate that is required to maintain eligibility for financial aid. SAP is defined differently than the University defines good academic standing. SAP consists of three different components that are measured each year: accumulative grade point average, minimum course completion percentage, and maximum time frame. Students who fail to meet SAP standards are notified by mail. The student will become ineligible to receive financial aid. Any correspondence (both paper and electronic) sent to students regarding SAP should be carefully reviewed. View more information regarding the SAP policy.

For general financial aid questions, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships.

By Mail: Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships, Chubb Hall 020, Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701-2979
By Phone: 740.593.4141 between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00.p.m. Monday - Friday
By Fax: 740.593.4140 anytime

For specific questions regarding your financial aid eligibility for online degree programs, please email financial.aid.elearn@ohio.edu.