Terms of Your Financial Aid
Enrollment Requirements and Award Eligibility
Financial aid is generally awarded based on full-time enrollment status (12 credit hours per term), unless the student notifies the Financial Aid Office of a different enrollment level. Institutional scholarships are awarded based on full-time enrollment and are not prorated for students enrolled less than full-time.
Students are responsible for informing the Financial Aid Office of any changes to their enrollment status. Eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid programs may vary depending on enrollment level. To receive financial aid, students must be enrolled in an eligible degree-seeking academic program.
Changes to Financial Aid Awards
Financial aid awards are subject to revision throughout the academic year. Adjustments may occur for reasons including, but not limited to:
Receipt of additional financial assistance, including outside scholarships or other educational benefits.
Corrections to information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Changes resulting from institutional review or verification processes.
Modifications to federal or state funding appropriations.
Discovery of conflicting or inaccurate information affecting eligibility.
Students are required to notify the Financial Aid Office of any financial assistance not reflected on their award notification. Chaminade University reserves the right to revise financial aid awards whenever eligibility changes occur.
Withdrawal and Return of Financial Aid
Students who withdraw from the University after the beginning of a term may have their financial aid eligibility recalculated under federal Return of Title IV (R2T4) regulations. If aid must be reduced as a result of the recalculation, students may become responsible for outstanding charges owed to the University.
Institutional scholarships and grants may also be adjusted if tuition charges are reduced. Additional information is available in the University's Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Funds Policy.
Confidentiality of Financial Aid Records
Financial aid records are maintained by the Financial Aid Office and are considered confidential educational records protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).
Students wishing to review their financial aid records must submit a written request. Parents of dependent students may request access only with the student's written authorization.
Requests from third parties require a completed Consent to Release Information form submitted through the Office of the Registrar.
Disclosure of Financial Aid Information
To protect student privacy:
Students must provide valid government-issued photo identification or a University-issued identification card when requesting information in person.
Financial aid information will only be discussed through official University communication channels.
Students must use their Chaminade University email account when communicating with the Financial Aid Office.
In cases involving divorced or separated families:
Former spouses of independent students are not entitled to the student's financial aid information.
Non-custodial parents of dependent students may only receive information if their financial information was used in determining aid eligibility and disclosure is otherwise permitted by law.
Annual Application Requirement
Students seeking need-based financial assistance must submit a new FAFSA each academic year. Financial aid awards are not automatically renewed, and the University cannot guarantee that funding levels will remain unchanged from year to year.
Changes in federal, state, institutional, or donor funding may result in annual variations in award amounts and program availability.
Incoming merit scholarships are awarded as tuition discounts and are generally renewable for up to four consecutive academic years, provided all scholarship renewal requirements are met.
The University reserves the right to revise financial aid packaging policies annually.
Student Responsibilities
Students are responsible for:
Reporting changes to their permanent address promptly.
Monitoring their University email account regularly for financial aid communications.
Informing the Financial Aid Office of changes that may affect aid eligibility.
Reporting any outside scholarships or educational benefits received.
Institutional Scholarship Eligibility
Students who leave the University through transfer, graduation, withdrawal, or other separation from enrollment forfeit any remaining eligibility for institutional scholarships and grants.
Summer Financial Aid
Students enrolled in summer sessions may be eligible for financial aid based on remaining annual eligibility.
Federal student loan eligibility is subject to annual borrowing limits. Loan funds previously borrowed during the academic year, including loans received at another institution, reduce the amount available for subsequent terms.
Students must be enrolled in at least six credit hours during the summer term to qualify for federal student loans.
Prior-Year Balances
Current-year financial aid funds may not be used to satisfy outstanding balances from a prior academic year, except where permitted under federal regulations.
Federal Student Loan Counseling Requirements
Students who withdraw from the University or drop below half-time enrollment while receiving federal student loans are required to complete Exit Counseling.
Students who later return and seek additional federal student loan funding must complete any required Entrance Counseling before receiving new loan disbursements.
Student Loan Adjustments
Students may request reductions, cancellations, or modifications to their federal student loan amounts through the University self-service portal or by contacting the Financial Aid Office, provided requested amounts remain within annual federal borrowing limits and the established cost of attendance.
International Student Eligibility
International students are not eligible for federal financial aid programs or institutional scholarships and grants funded through federal aid eligibility requirements.
International students may pursue alternative educational loan options through private lenders if they meet the lender's eligibility criteria.
Disbursement of Financial Aid
Financial aid funds are generally credited to a student's University account no earlier than ten (10) days before the beginning of an academic term.
Students with credit balances resulting from financial aid disbursements may receive refunds beginning after the term starts, provided all eligibility requirements have been met.
Students are responsible for selecting a refund preference through the University's designated refund management system. If no selection is made, refund checks may be mailed to the address on file.
Refund Processing
Refunds resulting from excess financial aid credit balances will be issued within fourteen (14) days of the creation of the credit balance, unless otherwise authorized by the student.
Authorization to Retain Federal Credit Balances
Students and Parent PLUS Loan borrowers have the right to determine how any excess federal financial aid is handled. Individuals may submit a Federal Student Aid Credit Balance Authorization Form to authorize the University to retain or apply eligible credit balances as permitted by federal regulations.
Concurrent Enrollment at Multiple Institutions
Federal regulations prohibit students from receiving Title IV federal financial aid simultaneously at more than one institution for the same enrollment period.
If duplicate federal aid is identified, the University may be required to reduce or cancel aid, which could result in a balance owed by the student.
Eligibility for Second Bachelor's Degrees
Students who have previously earned a bachelor's degree and enroll in a second bachelor's degree program may be eligible for certain federal student loan programs, provided they meet all federal eligibility requirements and have not exceeded aggregate borrowing limits.
Students pursuing a second degree of the same type as a previously completed degree may not be eligible for federal financial aid. Eligibility for Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) is generally not available to students who have already earned a bachelor's degree.
Federal loan eligibility remains subject to annual and aggregate borrowing limits established by federal law.
Cost Summary
A listing of the Cost of Attendance can be found by visiting: Cost of Attendance – Chaminade University of Honolulu
For information regarding billing and payment options, please visit: Student Billing and Payment – Chaminade University of Honolulu