Financial Aid Terms

As a student navigating the financial aid process, you will hear terms that perhaps you’ve never heard before. Or may not be sure of their meaning. To make it easier we’ve listed terms and their meaning below.

Most Often Used Financial Aid Terms

Award Offer (Financial Aid Package)

Issued by a college’s Financial Aid Office, this is the official notification of the financial aid a student is eligible to receive.

Cost of Attendance

The estimated cost of attending college for one academic year. It includes tuition, housing and meals, fees, books, supplies, transportation costs, and personal expenses.

Equal Opportunity

Kuyper College is committed to ensuring equal opportunity with respect to both education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, or disability. Kuyper College complies with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1973, and other applicable statutes.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

A measure of how much a student and their family can be expected to contribute to the cost of a student’s education for the year. The EFC is determined by the information provided on the FAFSA.

Federal Work-Study

A program that provides part-time employment to college students to help meet the cost of their education.

Kuyper is one of only ten Federal Work Colleges in the United States. The Kuyper Work College educational program is  KuyperWorks which integrates the student’s learning inside the classroom and puts it into practice outside the classroom. Students may earn up to $8100 compensation toward tuition yearly.

Federal Pell Grant

The Federal Pell Grant ( up to $6,495) is available to students who qualify by completing the FAFSA.

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

A grant provided by the federal government to qualified undergraduate students who demonstrate exceptional financial need.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The form a student completes to determine the amount of financial aid they will receive. More information can be found at studentaid.gov/FAFSA.

Gift Aid

Award is given to a student that is not required to be repaid.

Grants and Scholarships

Grants and scholarships constitute free money available for education through a college or university, the state, the federal government, and outside agencies. Grants and scholarships may be awarded on the basis of need, GPA, merit, or all three.

Independent Status Student

To qualify as a student that can file their FAFSA independent of their parents, you must meet one of the following requirements:

  • You have reached your 24th birthday before January 1st of the beginning of the academic year for which you are applying for financial aid.
  • You are married.
  • You have children who received more than half of their support from you.
  • You have dependents (other than your children or spouse) that live with you and who will receive more than half of their support from you, now through June 30th of the end of the academic year for which you are applying for financial aid.
  • You are an orphan or ward of the court (or were a ward of the court until the age of 18) or certified as being homeless.
  • You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Out of Pocket Costs

Is the difference between costs and gift aid that can be given by earnings, savings, and educational loans.

Self Help

Is financial aid in the form of work-study (KuyperWorks) or student loans.

Verification

Is the process to confirm the accuracy of data provided by the applicant on the FAFSA. In order to complete the verification process, students and parents are required to provide certain documents to the college for review.

Educational Loans

Are a type of financial aid that must be repaid with interest.

Student Loans

Are Federal Stafford Loans borrowed by the student and can be subsidized or unsubsidized by the government based on the FAFSA.

Alternative (Private) Loans

Are commercial education loans based on creditworthiness. They usually require a co-signer.

Parent Loans

Are the federal PLUS loans borrowed by the parents. They do require the parents to be credit-worthy.

Majors & Programs

You will graduate with professional and biblical skills to think critically, communicate effectively as a Christ-centered leader.

KuyperWorks™

You will graduate with both an academic and a work transcript detailing your work experience for future employers.

Welcome

We invite you to explore Kuyper College to see if it could be where God wants to mold and shape you.

Plan A Visit

Our students, faculty, and staff are eager to meet you and help you discover how our community might also become yours.

Financial Aid

Tuition for first-year students will remain the same for four years and transfer students up to four years.

Scholarships

Kuyper College, community foundations, Federal and State Programs award thousands of dollars in scholarships and grants.

Residence Life

You will find comfortable and spacious suites at Schaal and Timmer Halls and Holts Apartments.

Spiritual Development

The Kuyper community will help you grow spiritually as you seek God’s direction for your life.