Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our Frequently Asked Questions page! If you cannot find the answer to one of your questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are happy to help!
Financial Aid & Award Letters
Can I get more financial aid?
Did you make a mistake on your FAFSA? You should view your Student Aid Report (SAR) to make sure everything is correct. If you spot a mistake, you need to make a correction to your FAFSA so we award your aid using accurate figures.
Has there been a change in family income since the tax return used to calculate your aid (the FAFSA looks at prior-prior year, the 2024-2025 FAFSA uses tax information from 2022)? If so, you may qualify for an Income Adjustment Appeal so we can take into consideration any financial changes that were not reflected on the FAFSA.
Were your parents denied a Parent PLUS Loan? If you are an undergraduate, dependent student, you may be eligible for additional unsubsidized loans if your parent is unable to borrow a PLUS loan.
Did you complete your New Jersey Required Documents? This does not apply to all students. Please visit www.njgrants.org and log in/register to view your "To Do" list. Please complete any requirements that may be listed for you.
Did you advance a grade level? Students who advance a grade level between terms in the same academic year may be eligible for additional aid. See the loan limits here. If you are eligible for additional aid, please write a detailed email to our office so we can review your award.
What if none of these apply to me, can I get more aid?If none of these situations apply to you, our office is likely unable to increase your award. The Department of Education has strict awarding regulations that limit our ability to adjust federal financial aid. If you are an incoming student and have questions about scholarship funding, please contact Admissions at 856-256-4200.
I still owe a balance after accepting all of my aid, what are my options?
There are several options to cover your bill after all student aid has been applied, we like to call them the 3 P's:
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- Payment Plan- Distribute your remaining balance into five interest-free payments per semester.
- Parent PLUS Loan-A loan from the US Department of Education for parents of dependent students. If a parent is not approved for the loan, students could be eligible for additional federal student loans.
- Private Loan-Borrowed from any private lender of your choice. Students may need a co-signer.
I missed the April 15th deadline, can I still receive aid?
Yes, please submit your FAFSA as soon as possible for consideration for federal and state financial aid. If you were previously awarded state funding (TAG, EOF, Rowan Opportunity Program/Garden State Guarantee), you will be ineligible for those programs in the fall term but may be eligible for the spring if you meet the deadline for that semester.
I am attending in the fall and saw on my award letter that my Tuition Aid Grant (TAG) and/or EOF disappeared, what happened?
We do not process our final TAG/EOF awards until late August/September. Please check your NJ Fams account at www.njgrants.org to make sure you are awarded and do not have any missing documents for HESAA. If you see your award and do not have any outstanding verification requirements, you are all set. As long as you are registered in at least 12 credits, your award will go onto your account later in the summer.
What is the deadline to accept my loans?
Students can typically accept loans starting by the end of June for the upcoming award year and will be available to accept them through the end of the semester.
If you would like to use your loans to cover your bill, you must accept them and, if you are a first-time borrower, complete your Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) by the due date in order for the loans to reflect on your billing statement.
It can take up to three business days for a loan to show on your bill after accepting them so we advise you to accept your loans as soon as possible. You can complete your electronic loan documents (counseling and promissory note at www.studentaid.gov.
I accepted my loans but changed my mind. How do I decline them?
I accepted my financial aid, when will the money go onto my account?
The Bursar sends final bills for the fall in July with a due date in August. If you would like your financial aid to apply toward your bill, you must accept your award, and complete the MPN and Loan Entrance Counseling, first-time borrowers only.
When you look at your bill under "anticipated financial aid" you will see the aid that is pending to disburse once we release funds late in September/mid-February.
If I didn’t use my financial aid in the fall, can I use all of it in the spring?
Yes, you are entitled to your remaining eligibility. If you transferred to Rowan in the spring and used your aid at the previous school, you can only use the remaining amount for which you are eligible at Rowan.
How does dropping or withdrawing from a course affect my financial aid?
It depends upon the type of registration adjustment and when during the semester the change takes place. Detailed information can be found on our website.
My aid decreased after I was awarded a scholarship, what's going on?
Sometimes, when a scholarship is added to a student's account, we need to adjust the student's need-based aid. Sometimes a large scholarship may force us to convert a subsidized loan to an unsubsidized loan.
We always make adjustments that benefit the student the most. Keep in mind, a student can never receive financial aid in excess of their Cost of Attendance (COA). It is rare, but at times a student may be ineligible for a scholarship if they already have "free money" up to their COA.
Is there a limit to the amount of financial aid I can receive?
Yes. The Cost of Attendance (aka budget) is a comprehensive estimate of all possible costs related to attending college for your enrollment period and sets the limit for the maximum amount of financial aid you can receive. Grants, scholarships, federal loans, private loans, tuition waivers, and third-party scholarships are all factored into your cost of attendance.
At times, additional funds are posted to the account after having already received the maximum allowed funding. Our office will review your awards to ensure that the most favorable forms of funding are posted to your account first such as grants and scholarships.
I am graduating in December, can I get my annual allotment of financial aid in the fall semester?
If you are graduating in December, your loans will be prorated and you may not be awarded your usual amount of aid for the semester. It is important you read about loan proration to understand your eligibility to avoid owing a balance to the school.
How can I apply for a scholarship?
All incoming students are considered for merit-based scholarships as part of the admissions process.
Continuing students that are enrolled full-time can apply for the Foundation Scholarship Program. Applications for these scholarships are usually available from September-December. You will be notified during spring/summer and if awarded, the funds will go toward your bill for the following academic year. All students are encouraged to apply for any private scholarships for which they may qualify.
I have been selected to receive a scholarship. Why isn’t it showing up on my award letter?
In many cases, there is a delay from when our office is notified you have been awarded a scholarship and the funds are posted onto your account. Please save records of your scholarship notifications so you can keep track of your awards.
Also, be mindful that many scholarships have a minimum GPA requirement, please check your Rowan email to make sure you have not lost eligibility for your scholarship.
How do I get financial aid for my winter/summer courses?
Winter-There is no financial aid available for winter, but winter credits can help you meet the minimum enrollment requirements to receive spring financial aid.
Summer- Financial aid is available for summer courses for some students.
Billing, Charges & Refunds
I am a parent paying the bill, why can't you talk to me about my child's financial aid?
Student records, regardless of the student's age, are protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). This is a federal law that prevents schools from disclosing student information to a third party without the student's written consent. The student can grant FERPA consent in Self-Service Banner. This will allow us to speak to authorized individuals on behalf of the student.
Why is my estimated cost of attendance so high?
Your estimated cost of attendance includes the average cost to attend Rowan University for one academic year. This is not your bill. It includes a budget of tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses.
I’m not living on campus, why am I being charged for housing?
You are likely not being charged for housing, you may be viewing your estimated cost of attendance, instead. To see your charges you must visit the Bursar tab in your Self-Service Banner.
Will my aid cover off-campus housing?
If you have additional funds after paying your tuition and fees, any surplus funds will be returned to you in the form of a refund which can be used to pay your rent. Please keep in mind that refunds are not processed until October for the fall term and February for the spring term. Many students have to cover housing expenses out-of-pocket until their refund is processed.
Will my aid decrease if I live off-campus?
Generally speaking, no. If you are one of the few students who have several institutional scholarships, they may be reduced if you move off-campus. Institutional scholarships can only cover direct costs such as tuition, fees, room and board. If you move off-campus, your direct charges decrease significantly when housing is taken off your bill. In the event you have institutional scholarship funds remaining after your direct costs have been covered, you will not receive a credit balance on your account nor will you be issued a refund check. If the University is unable to arrange on-campus housing for you, a refund may be issued to assist with the cost of off-campus housing provided you submit confirmation that the University could not accommodate you.
I already have health insurance, why am I being charged for it?
Health insurance is charged to every matriculated, full-time student. If you have health insurance, you can find instructions for waiving this fee on the Bursar’s website. Please note there is a deadline by which you must waive coverage. Please submit your waiver ASAP.
I would like to split my balance into payments, how do I set that up?
You can set up a deferred payment plan with the Bursar’s Office.
How can I view and pay my bill?
You can view your bill under the Bursar tab in your Self-Service Banner. Bills for the fall semester are available mid-July and will be due early-mid August. Spring bills are available in December and are due in January. Bills can be paid online, by mail or in person at the Bursar's Office.
I have an old balance from a previous semester, can I get a loan to pay it off?
Federal student loans cannot be used to pay prior balances. There are some private lenders that will authorize a loan for a prior balance. When looking for a lender, be sure to specify the correct term for which you are requesting the funding.
When will I get my refund?
Verification
How do I complete my federal verification requirements?
Each student who is selected for verification will have different documents to complete/submit to our office. To see your requirements, follow the instructions on the verification page.
I was asked to upload copies of my W-2s but I don’t have them, what can I submit instead?
You can contact the IRS to request a copy of your Wage and Income Transcript online or by mail.
I am being asked to upload a verification of non-fiing but cannot get it online. The IRS Office is closed. What can I do?
Not everyone will be able to get the letter online from the IRS based on not having enough credit history to verify their identity. In lieu of the non-filing letter from the IRS, you can submit a signed statement affirming you did not, and were not required to file taxes for the requested tax year, and the attempts you made to get it online that were unsuccessful. You must sign the statement and upload it to you verification portal.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
I was notified that my financial aid was suspended but my GPA is over a 2.0, is this a mistake?
Your financial aid GPA may be different than the GPA you see on your transcript for students who were eligible for "GPA Forgiveness". All grades, even those the University has chosen to exclude are reviewed when determining your SAP status.
I did not make satisfactory academic progress because of reaching the maximum time frame. What is that?
Students must complete their program within 150% of the credit hours required to complete your degree program, including all transfer credits. If your financial aid is suspended for this reason, you may be eligible to appeal, especially if you are pursuing a double major or have other documented reasons for reaching the maximum time frame.
Graduation & Repayment
How do I repay my loans?
You can find information about your loan balances and loan servicers by visiting the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). You will work directly with your loan servicer to arrange repayment, postpone payments or to change your repayment plan.
I am enrolled in school but my loan servicer needs confirmation to defer my loans, can you fill out a form for me?
The Registrar’s Office can assist you with enrollment verification.