Federal Financial Aid

Emperor’s College offers Federal Financial Aid through the William D. Ford Federal Loan Program. You may apply for up to $20,500 a year in subsidized and/or unsubsidized loans. Please contact our Financial Aid Director Doug Miller at doug@emperors.edu for full details. The brief summary below outlines the important points. (Our Federal School code is 026090.)

To be eligible for federal financial aid, students must:

1. Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen
2. Be in compliance with Selective Service Registration (male students only)
3. Display a “financial need”
4. Have a high school Diploma or General Educational Development (GED)
5. Be enrolled in the Master Degree Program
6. Not owe a refund on a Federal Grant or be in default on Federal Educational Loan
7. Meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Standards which includes:
  • Maintaining a minimum 2.0 grade point average
  • Maintaining the required completion rate
  •Completing a program of study within 150% of the published
  length of the program.

How To Apply For Financial Aid

For all federally funded financial aid, students need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After you have submitted your FAFSA you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) by mail. Check to make sure that all information listed on your SAR is correct. If there are corrections that need to be made, inform the Financial Aid Office. All corrections can be done electronically in our office.

Williams D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program, Policy and Procedures

According to Federal regulation all students taking out a loan must be enrolled at least half time and must attend both an entrance and exit interview loan counseling. To qualify for the Direct Subsidized Loan, a student must demonstrate financial need, which is determined by the following formula:

COA - EFC = Eligibility for Direct Subsidized Loan

COA is the Cost of Attendance.

EFC is the Expected Family Contribution

The school establishes the COA in compliance with federal guidelines.  The EFC is calculated using financial information the student provides on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Although financial need is not considered when determining the amount of Direct Unsubsidized Loan for which a borrower is eligible, the COA and EFC must be taken onto account:

COA - EFA = Eligibility for Direct Unsubsidized Loan

COA is the Cost of Attendance.

EFA is Estimated Financial Aid and is subsidized loans and any of the grants.

Once all the information is received, a financial aid officer will review the student’s file to determine the financial aid need. In order to process your student loan application, the following must be completed:

  • Entrance Loan Interview
  • Meet all the school requirements
  • Enroll at least 8 units
  • Maintain GPA of 2.0 or better

Your Financial Aid will not be processed until Admissions requirements are met.  Disbursement will be issued on the third week from the beginning of the quarter.  Students will receive a letter from the Financial Aid Office, indicating the loan check is available to pick-up.  At the time of disbursement, Financial Aid Department will verify Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Loan Denial

     In accordance with the Federal Higher Education Act as amended, the Financial Aid Officer has the authority to refuse to certify a loan application or reduce the loan amount. When this occurs, the decision along with the reason for denial or reduction of the loan amount will be provided in writing. All financial aid students must attend an Exit Loan Interview prior to the release of the final disbursement.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

     Pursuant to federal regulations, financial aid recipients are required to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). SAP is defined as the students completion of this standard established for measuring a student’s academic progress. Student academic progress is monitored each quarter.  For the purpose of financial aid eligibility, a student’s enrollment status is considered:

• Full time:14 or more quarter units
• Three quarter time:11-13 quarter units
• Half time:8-10 quarter units

There are three requirements in the SAP Policy that students need to meet or they may become ineligible to receive financial aid due to unsatisfactory academic progress:

• The maximum time frame
• The minimum grade point average (GPA) the student must maintain
• The number of units the student must complete each quarter Federal regulation set the maximum time frame in which a student must complete his/her educational program as 150% of the published length of the educational program. Full time students are expected to complete their studies within 4 years; if attending three-quarter time, within 5 years; and if attending on a half time basis, within 6 years. Once the student reaches the maximum time frame, the student is no longer eligible to receive financial aid.  The student must maintain a 2.0 GPA each quarter to receive financial aid and must also maintain an overall cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. If the student’s GPA falls below 2.0, the student will be placed on financial aid probation.

Financial Aid Probation

     Students who receive financial aid, but fail to maintain SAP will be placed on financial aid probation for one quarter. Students will be notified in writing stating the reason(s) and the conditions that must be met to re-establish SAP. They may, however, continue to receive financial aid during the probationary quarter.

Removal from Financial Aid Probation

     At the end of the probationary quarter, the student must have completed the required number of units, and/or raised the GPA to at least 2.0 for all courses attempted. If, at the end of the probationary quarter, the student’s GPA is 2.0 or better, but the cumulative (overall) GPA is below 2.0, the student will remain on financial aid probation for one more quarter until he/she raises the cumulative GPA to 2.0 or better. If after two (2) quarters, a student fails to raise their cumulative GPA, they will be placed on financial aid suspension and no longer be eligible to receive financial aid. Students will regain financial aid eligibility beginning with the payment period after they have met the SAP requirement(s).

     Note: Students on financial aid probation may also be on academic probation. It is advised that students meet with an Academic counselor to discuss education plans/requirements and academic progress.

Financial Aid Suspension

     A student on financial aid suspension is no longer eligible to receive financial aid. Financial aid suspension occurs when a student fails to re-establish SAP while on probation and therefore, fails to make SAP for two quarters. Students placed on financial aid suspension will be notified in writing that they have failed to make SAP. They will be informed of the reasons for suspension.

Reinstatement of Financial Aid

     A student who has been terminated from receiving financial aid may be reinstated by registering for classes — without financial aid funds — and also completing a minimum of
8 units with a GPA 2.0 or better and a cumulative GPA of 2.0.

Leave of Absence      

All leave of absence must be requested in writing. Failing to do so will be treated as withdrawal. Also, if a student fails to return on the scheduled date, it will result as a withdrawal and will affect the student loan grace period.