Financial Aid

Priority Institutional Financial Aid Scholarship Deadlines

* Those who apply by the priority deadlines will be given first priority.  Others who apply will receive consideration depending on availability of funds.

Fall – February 1st
Spring – November 1st
Summer – March 1st

Your application to Prescott College is also your application for most Institutional Financial Aid. The sooner you apply, the sooner you will know about your financial aid. Note that your scholarships awarded through the admissions process are typically renewable through graduation, provided you maintain continuous enrollment and satisfactory academic progress. 

Apply today to secure your best financial aid options!

Endowed Scholarship and Donor-Restricted Fund Deadline

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

Submit one simple application for 25 different endowed and/or donor-restricted scholarships just for Prescott College students!  These are one-time donor driven awards for both current and incoming Prescott College students.  These awards will be disbursed in Fall 2024 and Spring 2025.  Missed the deadline?  You may still submit an application to be considered in the alternate pool should a scholarship become available later in the year.

See the full list of Endowed Scholarships

Submit your endowed scholarship application now!

Freedom Education Fund Deadline

Tuesday, March 26, 2024

If you are an undergraduate DACAmented or undocumented student, in addition to other scholarship opportunities, consider submitting an application for the Freedom Education Fund (FEF) which offers the possibility of a full-tuition scholarship for up to four years (your entire undergraduate program)! It also covers regular fees which are billed each term (does not include course fees). One new scholarship available each school year.  This scholarship began through student initiative and is supported in part through donors and through a $30 (optional) per term student fee for our on-campus undergraduate students.  Others may contribute to this fund anytime through this link. (Write “Freedom Education Fund” in the gift restrictions box.)

Apply to the Freedom Education Fund today!

Filing the FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step to receiving Title IV federal student aid.  FAFSA’s are processed year-round at Prescott College but take generally 2 weeks to receive and process once federal aid offers begin for each term (example – January for new admits for fall term). The following dates are useful dates to know for receiving aid on time for each term.

FAFSA Recommended Filing Dates:

• Fall Term: New Students: MARCH 1st; Current Students: APRIL 1st
• Spring Term: New Students – OCTOBER 15th; Continuing Students: NOVEMBER 15th
• Summer Term:  New Students – MARCH 1st; Continuing Students: APRIL 1st

FAFSA open and close dates:

• FAFSA Opens for 2024-2025 School Year – December 2023 (exact date TBA — “by 12/31/2023” per U.S. Department of Ed)
  • Are you ready?  Create your Federal Student Aid Account / establish your FSA ID.  
  • Figure out who your “FAFSA Contributors” will be (Hint: it might be different than last year.)
• FAFSA Opens for 2025-2026 and beyond – October 1 of the year prior to the following school year.
• FAFSA Closes: JUNE 30 at tail end of the school year.

Students are expected to pay tuition and/or have financial aid arrangements in place prior to the tuition deadline listed below for each term.  All financial aid documents must be complete for financial aid to be considered in place.  New students who enroll after the tuition deadline will be given additional time to pay and arrange for financial aid.   In all cases, students should have paid or have financial aid finalized no later than the first day of classes.

Tuition and Registration Deadlines:

• Spring 2024: Friday, December 1st, 2023 ($75 Late Registration Fee begins starting 5 pm) 
• Summer 2024: Friday, May 3th, 2024 ($75 Late Registration Fee begins starting 5 pm) 
• Fall 2024:  Friday, July 5, 2024 ($75 Late Registration Fee begins staring 5 pm)
• Spring 2025:  Friday, December 5, 2024 ($75 Late Registration Fee begins staring 5 pm)
• Summer 2025:  Friday, May 2, 2025 ($75 Late Registration Fee begins staring 5 pm)

Anticipated Financial Aid & Your Student Bill:

If you are expecting financial aid to pay your bill, it should show in your account history 1-2 weeks after you register and finalize your financial aid documents.  To access your account history, login to MyAcademicServices, click on the “Finances” tab, and then “Make or Manage Online Payments.

Financial aid is updated weekly, beginning in:

• Fall term: MAY
• Spring term: NOVEMBER
• Summer term: MARCH

Don’t see your anticipated financial aid in your account? Contact financial aid:

Email: [email protected]

Call: (928) 350-1111

How to Pay Your Bill

Making a payment on your tuition is easy through your student account portal. You can make a one-time payment anytime or set up an interest-free monthly payment plan. Refunds go through the portal as well.

• Follow this link to MyAcademicServices
• Use Your Prescott College Login
• Select Finances
• Select Make or Manage Your Online Payments. You’ll need to log in again. You can also give access to someone who’s paying your bill for you.

Continuing Student SAP Appeals Deadline is the Thursday prior to the start of the term

Summer 2024 – May 16th
Fall 2024 – August 15th
Spring 2024 – January 9th
Summer 2025 – May 15th

Intended for those who are newly suspended who wish to stay continuously enrolled.

Returning Student Priority* SAP Appeals Deadlines

Fall – May 1st
Spring – November 1st
Summer – April 1st

For students on leave of absence or returning after a time away.

Students who are returning to the college after one term or more, not registered, and not on official leave of absence need to re-apply to the college.

Please submit appeals ideally on or before registration opens for the term.

*Appeals submitted after the posted deadlines above may or may not be considered depending on timing and the student’s situation. Decisions for those submitted late are not guaranteed to be rendered in time for students to meet the tuition payment deadline or to begin courses for the requested term.

SAP Appeal Form

New Student Appeals Priority Deadline

Fall – June 1st
Spring – December 1st
Summer – April 1st

Continuing Student Appeals Priority Deadline

Fall – May 1st
Spring – November 1st
Summer – April 1st

Includes submitting appeals for Financial Circumstances, Cost of Attendance, Independency Status, and Parent PLUS Loan Overrides. Please schedule an appointment with a financial aid counselor if you are considering submitting any of these types of appeals to learn more about the process and to discuss required supporting documentation. Find the forms needed for all these types of appeals, on our financial aid forms page linked below.

Financial Aid Appeal Forms

Note: Financial Aid cannot disburse until all placeholder credit courses are cleared by the registrar’s office. Placeholder credit courses are those which require a course contract or additional documentation to be submitted to the registrar’s office in order to be fully registered. Examples include mentored courses, independent studies and dissertation credits. Additionally, all required financial aid forms must be submitted prior to disbursement. Required forms are fund specific. Please see your financial aid letter for details.

At Prescott College our Pell Grant freeze dates align with our session add – drop deadlines. This means that the last day to add or drop courses for a student’s last session of the term is the day their Pell grant “freezes”. The amount of a Pell grant depends on a student’s enrollment level (in 2023-2024) or number of credits (in 2024-2025) , and so whatever that is for the term for each student on their last add – drop deadline for the term, determines their Pell grant award amount for the term. Up until that freeze date, Pell grant award amounts are pro-rated as listed below. 

Spring 2024 Pell Freeze Dates and Add – Drop Deadlines

Term (1/16/2024 – 5/10/2024) – Monday, January 29th, 2024
Session C (1/16/2024 – 3/8/2024) – Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024
Block 1 (1/16/2024 – 2/9/2024) – Thursday, January 18th, 2024
Block 2 (2/13/2024 – 3/8/2024) – Thursday, February 15th, 2024
Session D (3/19/2024 – 5/10/2024) – Tuesday, March 26th, 2024

Summer 2024 Pell Freeze Dates and Add – Drop Deadlines

Term (5/21/2024 – 8/9/2024) – Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
Session E (5/21/2024 – 6/30/2024) – Tuesday, May 28th, 2024
Block 1 (5/21/2024 – 6/14/2024) – Thursday, May 23rd, 2024
Block 2 (6/18/2024 – 7/12/2024) – Thursday, June 20th, 2024
Session F (7/2/2024 – 8/9/2024) – Tuesday, July 9th, 2024
Block 3 (7/16/2024 to 8/9/2024) – Thursday, July 18th, 2024

Fall 2024 Pell Freeze Dates and Add – Drop Deadlines

Term (8/20/2024 – 12/13/2024) – Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024
Session A (8/20/2024 – 10/11/2024) – Monday, August 26th, 2024
Block 1 (8/20/2024 – 9/13/2024) – Thursday, August 22nd, 2024
Block 2 (9/17/2024 – 10/11/2024) – Thursday, September 19th, 2024
Session B (10/22/2024 – 12/13/2024) – Monday, October 28th, 2024

Spring 2025 Pell Freeze Dates and Add – Drop Deadlines

Term (1/14/2025 – 5/9/2025) – Monday, January 27th, 2025
Session C (1/14/2025 – 3/7/2025) – Tuesday, January 21st, 2025
Block 1 (1/14/2025 – 2/7/2025) – Thursday, January 16th, 2025
Block 2 (2/11/2025 – 3/7/2025) – Thursday, February 13th, 2025
Session D (3/18/2025 – 5/9/2025) – Monday, March 24th, 2025

Summer 2025 Pell Freeze Dates and Add – Drop Deadlines

Term (5/20/2025 – 8/8/2025) – Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025
Session E (5/20/2025 – 6/27/2025) – Tuesday, May 27th, 2025
Block 1 (5/20/2025 – 6/13/2025) – Thursday, May 22nd, 2025
Block 2 (6/17/2025 – 7/11/2025) – Thursday, June 19th, 2025
Session F (7/1/2025 – 8/8/2025) – Tuesday, July 8th, 2025
Block 3 (7/15/2025 to 8/8/2025) – Thursday, July 17th, 2025

Enrollment Levels and Grant/Scholarship Proration Amounts:

* Note: Pell grant amounts will be prorated to the student’s exact number of credits beginning in 2024-2025. All other grants and scholarships are prorated to the student’s enrollment level as follows:

Full Time (12 credits or more) – 100%
Three Quarter Time ( 9 – 11 credits) – 75%
Half Time (6 – 8 credits) – 50%
Less Than Half Time* (0 – 5 credits ) – 25%

Note: Loans are not prorated, but half-time enrollment or higher each term is required for federal student loans. This is also the requirement for most institutional scholarships from Prescott College, though exceptions can be made for summer terms and for graduating seniors.

Spring 2024:

Term (1/16/2024 – 5/10/2024) – Friday, April 26th, 2024
Session C (1/16/2024 – 3/8/2024) – Thursday, February 22nd, 2024
Block 1 (1/16/2024 – 2/9/2024) – Monday January 29th, 2024
Block 2 (2/13/2024 – 3/8/2024) – Monday, February 26th, 2024
Session D (3/19/2024 – 5/10/2024) – Friday, April 26th, 2024

Summer 2024:

Term (5/21/2024 – 8/9/2024) – Sunday, July 7th, 2024
Session E (5/21/2024 – 6/30/2024) – Saturday, June 15th, 2024
Block 1 (5/21/2024 – 6/14/2024) – Tuesday, June 4th, 2024
Block 2 (6/18/2024 – 7/12/2024) – Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024
Session F (7/2/2024 – 8/9/2024) – Friday, July 26th, 2024
Block 3 (7/16/2024 to 8/9/2024) – Tuesday, July 30th, 2024

Fall 2024:

Term (8/20/2024 – 12/13/2024) – Monday, December 2nd, 2024
Session A (8/20/2024 – 10/11/2024) – Monday, September 30th, 2024
Block 1 (8/20/2024 – 9/13/2024) – Wednesday, September 4th, 2024
Block 2 (9/17/2024 – 10/11/2024) – Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024
Session B (10/22/2024 – 12/13/2024) – Monday, November 25th, 2024

Spring 2025:

Term (1/14/2025 – 5/9/2025) – Thursday, April 24th, 2025
Session C (1/14/2025 – 3/7/2025) – Wednesday, February 19th, 2025
Block 1 (1/14/2025 – 2/7/2025) – Tuesday, January 28th, 2025
Block 2 (2/11/2025 – 3/7/2025) – Tuesday, February 25th, 2025
Session D (3/18/2025 – 5/9/2025) – Thursday, April 24th, 2025

Summer 2025:

Term (5/20/2025 – 8/8/2025) – Monday, July 7th, 2025
Session E (5/20/2025 – 6/27/2025) – Monday, June 16th, 2025
Block 1 (5/20/2025 – 6/13/2025) – Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025
Block 2 (6/17/2025 – 7/11/2025) – Tuesday, July 1st, 2025
Session F (7/1/2025 – 8/8/2025) – Friday, July 25th, 2025
Block 3 (7/15/2025 to 8/8/2025) – Tuesday, July 29th, 2025

The dates above are the last dates for each session for which students can request to receive a “W” withdrawal grade. W’s are not counted into grade point average, but they do negatively affect student’s completion rate. Both measures are an important part of satisfactory academic progress standards, which students are required to meet in order to maintain eligibility for financial aid (see the Academic Catalog for details.)

General Criteria for all Prescott College Funds:

• Except when noted, all funds require at least half-time enrollment.
• Scholarships, grants, fellowships, assistantships, discounts, and matches are applied toward direct costs only and cannot be combined with other tuition-specific funds such as tuition remission, waivers for tuition, or agency and third-party payments intended to cover direct costs only.
• Students will qualify for the same amount of renewable gift aid (grants and scholarships) each term as long as they meet academic progress requirements. The amount is prorated based on enrollment level:
  • Full Time: 12 or more credits per term: 100%
  • Three Quarter Time: 9–11 credits per term: 75%
  • Half Time: 6-8 credits per term: 50%

(Note: Students using military benefits should contact the School Certifying Official about military benefits which may be pro-rated differently than above.)

• Scholarships are offered through the admissions process based on academic merit or other criteria are generally available for up to the normal duration of the student’s program. See financial aid offer letter for details.
• Prescott College scholarships and grant aid are not transferable to other colleges or programs.
• Courses taken at other institutions may not be counted toward meeting the enrollment requirement for Prescott College funds.
• Except as noted, funds may be applied toward Summer enrollment.
• To receive Prescott College funds, students must be enrolled in a degree-seeking or eligible certificate program.

All new students who apply by our priority application deadlines are considered for our merit-based admissions scholarships. After the priority application deadline, scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis*. Most undergraduate scholarships are renewed each year for students who maintain satisfactory academic progress as a full-time student at Prescott College.

Learn more

These are open to all current and incoming students. Each endowed or donor-restricted scholarship is for a different area of study, with amounts ranging from $200 to $5,000. 

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for 2024 – 2025 Awards — Applications Due at 11:59 pm MST on TUESDAY, MARCH 26, 2024:

• Freedom Education Fund – for undocumented and DACA-mented students. For more details, see next accordion section below.
• 31  Endowed & Donor-Restricted Scholarships: applications due March 26, 2024 MST at 11:59 pm.

Spring Selection Process for Fall Term Scholarships:

Information about eligibility and applying for fall term scholarships will typically be available here in February each year, as well as announced via “announcement” emails and flyers around campus. The application deadline each year is typically mid-March.

The deadline for the endowed and donor-restricted scholarships for the 2024-2025 school year is March 26, 2024 at 11:59 pm.  If you miss the deadline, you may still submit an application to be considered in the alternate pool should a scholarship become available later in the school year.

See the full list of Endowed Scholarships

The Freedom Education Fund is a full-tuition scholarship for students who are undocumented and/or DACA-mented and demonstrate financial need.  This also covers regular fees billed to all students every term (does not include course fees).  One new scholarship is available each school year. The Freedom Education Fund is a full-tuition scholarship for on-campus undergraduate students. 

This scholarship is currently OPEN and ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for the SPRING 2024 Term and beyond! 

Scholarship applications must be submitted by 11:59 pm MST on Tuesday, March 26, 2024 to be considered for the Fall 2024 term.

Students must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA) and meet the general eligibility requirements for federal student aid  to be considered for the following federal grants.

Federal Pell Grants

Federal Pell grants are need-based grants (up to $7,395 for the 2023-2024 school year) available to first-time undergraduate low-income students or students from low-income families.  Grant eligibility is determined based on the student’s Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) calculated with data from the FAFSA. Beginning in 2024-2025, Pell Grant eligibility will be based on the Student Aid Index (SAI) also determined by the FAFSA (replacing the EFC).  

Federal Pell grants are pro-rated to a student’s enrollment level, but are available even at less than half time.  However, a student who has already received two full-time term’s worth of a Pell grant within one academic year must be enrolled at least half time in their third term in the same academic year (for example summer) in order to receive the Pell grant.  Additionally, students are limited to no more than 6 year’s worth (12 full-time terms) of Pell grant in their lifetime.

Click here to learn more about Federal Pell Grants from the Federal Student Aid website.

Federal TEACH Grants

Federal TEACH grants are grants for students seeking to be Highly Qualified teachers and who are pursuing their Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in teaching.  Federal TEACH grants can be as much as $4000 per school year for full-time students and are available in addition to other Federal awards such as student loans and Pell grants, as well as other sources of aid from other organizations including state and school-based aid.  The Federal TEACH grant does require a service obligation after graduation, else the Federal TEACH grant turns into a Federal unsubsidized loan. 

Please see the Federal TEACH Grants Federal Student Aid website for additional details.

Federal SEOG Grants

Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are available to first-time undergraduate students with the highest financial need.  The school determines who will receive these grants but is limited to a total lump-sum allocation for the school each year.  

At Prescott College, students who are Pell eligible are given first priority, and in addition we reserve these grants for students with unusual financial circumstances who may not be able to have their needs met via other traditional financial aid sources.  Students can submit an e-mail to [email protected] to be considered for an SEOG grant if they believe they meet the criteria mentioned above.  Please see the guidance under the “When All Else Fails” section of the the Appeals tab of this website for guidance in writing an e-mail to financial aid for requesting additional assistance.

Federal Loans are borrowed funds that must be repaid with interest. By completing your FAFSA, you’re automatically considered for federal direct subsidized and unsubsidized loan funds. These include:

William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program
Funds come directly from the US Department of Education rather than from private lenders.

Federal Direct Loans
Depending on a student’s need, these loans may be offered as subsidized or unsubsidized or as a combination of the two.

• Subsidized:
  The Department of Education pays the interest while the student is in school and during the grace and deferment periods.
• Unsubsidized:
  Students must meet the same requirements as for Subsidized loans, except they don’t need to demonstrate financial need. The student is responsible for interest that accrues throughout the life of the loan.

Federal Direct PLUS Loans:
Available to either parents of undergraduate dependent students or to graduate or professional students. The loan is for the full “cost of attendance” minus other forms of financial aid received.

Parent PLUS:
Parents can take out loans on behalf of their student. Repayment of principal and interest will begin 60 days after loan funds are fully disbursed to the school. However, parents can defer repaying both principal and interest while their student is enrolled at least half-time and for an additional six months after the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half time.

Graduate PLUS:
Graduate students can supplement federal unsubsidized loans or other sources of financial aid.

Apply for federal loans at studentloans.gov.

After you have considered all federal loans, you may also be interested in applying for a Private Loan for Education.  A private loan is a credit-based educational loan.  Terms and conditions are set by each individual lender, so students should shop wisely for their lender.  Students unable to qualify on their own may need to obtain a co-borrower/co-signer.  Students may borrow up to their Cost of Attendance budget, less any other financial aid funds and resources received. 

Students have the following rights relating to private/alternative loans—

• The right to select any lender even though it may not be included on the Prescott College Lender List 
• The right to comparative information regarding interest rates and other benefits included on the Prescott College Lender List 
• The right to prompt certification of any loan, irrespective of lender choice 
• The right to inquire as to how the lenders on the Prescott College Lender List were chosen

Private Loan Lender List

• Prescott College objectively evaluates all prospective private educational loan lenders on an ongoing basis. Lenders chosen may be subsequently removed for failure to adequately serve the needs of students. 
• Prescott College staff will make parents and students aware of their option to choose any lender. This choice will be clearly communicated via the financial aid website and whenever a parent or student inquires about student lending options. 
• Prescott College will process all loan applications regardless of lender choice. All applications will be processed in as timely a manner as possible.

Reference the link below for a list of private lenders to compare rates and review options. 

Elm Select Private Lender List

Private Loan Shopping Tips

Some lenders offer options such as:

• The ability to borrow money up after the enrollment period. This can help students pay off past due balances
• Ability to borrow while enrolled less-than half-time.
• International Students and DACA students
• Ability to borrow with a co-signer (which may qualify the borrower for lower interest rate).
• Co-signer release

Look for these and other options for each lender by clicking the “details” button on each lender’s options listed on the ELM Select Private Lender Lists.

Other Important Information Regarding Borrowing

Students should first complete the FAFSA so that eligibility for the federal loan programs (Federal Direct, Parent PLUS, and Graduate PLUS) can be determined before considering a private educational loan. Students who apply for a private loan prior to having federal loan eligibility determined will be asked to complete a FAFSA.

Students should only borrow what they need and should carefully scrutinize whether they should borrow the full amount of what was offered in their award letter.

Prescott College partners with various organizations in an effort to best serve our students’ needs with respect to student borrowing. These organizations include lenders who offer private educational loans. In establishing and maintaining these relationships, faculty and staff should always be cognizant of what is in the best interest of our students. In this regard, faculty and staff are expected to maintain a commitment to exemplary standards of professional conduct and ethical behavior.

Student Employment helps with financial expenses and provides a valuable service to Prescott College and local community projects. Positions continually become available in various areas on-campus, as well as off-campus opportunities such as working with local schools, farms, libraries, and other organizations.

Student Employment supervisors understand that a student’s primary responsibility is to their course work. We make accommodations in scheduling and work hours whenever possible.

Students may be employed with federal or institutional work-study funds or via institutional department budgets.

For more information, contact the Student Employment Coordinator by e-mail at [email protected]

To view current job openings, please visit the Student Employment Portal

Prescott College is an equal opportunity employer.

Some states offer financial aid which students from those states may use anywhere in the United States.  Others restrict students to use state aid only at schools within that state.  We recommend that each student explore their state’s grants for education to review the latest offerings.  

Arizona State Aid

Arzona offers several state grants, primarily for high-need undergraduate students and for teachers.  More information can be found at the Arizona State Grant Website: 

• Arizona LEAP Grant
• Arizona Teacher Loan-to-Grant Program
• Arizona First-Things-First Grants for Early Childhood Education

Americorp

Armericorp service positions offer pay during the time you are a service member, an Education Award upon completing your service which can be applied toward tuition and fees at a school of your choice or toward past student loans, and some school, like Prescott College, also offer Americorp Scholarships on top of all of this to match some or all of your earned education award from Americorp.  Learn more about Arizona Serve, the Americorp program hosted by Prescott College, and about Americorp here.  Learn about Prescott College’s Americorp Scholarships on our scholarship page.

State Vocational Rehabilitation 

States across the nation offer assistance to individuals with disabilities via State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)  offices, and benefits can include money for tuition and fees in some cases.  Individuals who believe they may be eligible should contact their state’s Vocational Rehabilitation office to inquire about the process for applying for benefits.  Once through the approval process, individuals are connected with a vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselor who will discuss options with the students for training in their chosen career field.  Should the counselor and student together decide that Prescott College is a good fit for the student’s needs, State VR will authorize payment of tuition and fees minus other financial aid typically up to a certain limit depending on which VR program the student qualifies for.  Reach out to your state VR office today to get started on the process if you may be eligible.  

If you have already been approved for services, please contact the financial aid office to be connected to our Financial Aid Counselor liaison for Vocational Rehabilitation benefits.  We’ll help you with the enrollment certification process which needs to be completed each term.

Tribal Nation Education Scholarships

Many Native American Nations throughout the United States offer Education Scholarships to their members.  Typically these scholarships require an application which includes a Financial Needs Analysis form which the school completes to verify the student’s enrollment and educational expenses.  Students receiving Tribal Education Scholarships are encouraged to send their Financial Needs Analysis forms to the financial aid office via e-mail to [email protected] as soon as possible during the application process.  These forms typically are required before being approved for a scholarship and need to be submitted before the scholarship deadline.  

Consult with your tribe’s scholarship office regarding specific dates and processes associated with your tribe. Don’t know where to begin?  Check out these resources:

• U.S. Bureau of Indian Education Higher Eduation Grant Program Info Packet 
• U.S. Department of the Interior Tribal Leaders Directory

Other Outside Scholarships

Check out our Outside Scholarship page for links to many other scholarship and grant opportunities from other organizations. 

To be considered for any federal financial aid (in addition to institutional aid) you must:

1. File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Prescott College’s FAFSA school code is 013659.  If you filed a FAFSA in a previous year, click the button to renew.
2. List up to 10 schools on the FAFSA (more will be allowed beginning 2024-2025). If you didn’t originally include Prescott College, you can add it at any time.
3. Include Income Data on the FAFSA from 2 years prior (for 2023-24 for example, you need data from 2021).  You may be able to download the tax data you need directly from the IRS while in the FAFSA. Other data may be helpful to collect before you begin such as the following: Things to Collect Before You Begin
4. Contact the Financial Aid Office if you need  further assistance and/or if you need to amend or correct your FAFSA.  Some FAFSA adjustments must be made via the financial aid office, so be sure to discuss this with your counselor before making decisions.

Find federal financial aid eligibility criteria here: requirements and eligibility.

The nature and amount of the financial aid you’re eligible for depends on whether you’re a dependent or independent student, and if you are a dependent student, you’ll need parental information to file the FAFSA.  Your status may surprise you, so find out which applies to you.

Confirmation E-mails

1. First you will receive an automated e-mail reply that confirms your FAFSA was submitted — typically the same day or the day after you submit.
2. You will then receive another automated e-mail 2–3 days later, once the FAFSA is processed and sent to the school. This e-mail contains your Student Aid Report (SAR).

Student Aid Report (SAR)

1. Once your application has been processed, you’ll get an e-mail with a link to your Student Aid Report (SAR). This lists the information you submitted on your FAFSA.
2. Review the SAR to make sure all information is correct. The school will receive this information at the same time that you do, and start determining eligibility for all financial aid.
3. If you find an error, log back into fafsa.gov to make a correction if directed to do so, or contact the Financial Aid office at [email protected] or (928) 350-1111

Financial aid packaging is when the Financial Aid team reviews a student’s record, including their FAFSA, to determine eligibility for financial aid from all sources.

Once this begins, it takes at least 2 weeks for a financial aid offer to be sent out.

Financial Aid Offers

Prescott College starts sending out financial aid offers typically in the beginning of January each year. New undergraduate on-campus fall-start students will receive theirs first, followed by undergraduate online students and then all graduate students.

For current students, financial aid offers start going out after Spring break and continue on a rolling basis thereafter.  Priority is given to those who register and file their FAFSA, followed by those who have registered but not filed.  Students are encouraged to contact their financial aid counselor if they have a time-sensitive reason to be packaged prior to the beginning of June.

You’ll receive a financial aid offer via the e-mail on your FAFSA. If you do not file a FAFSA, your financial aid offer will be e-mailed to the e-mail address on your Prescott College application.  New undergraduate on-campus students may also receive a physical mailed letter.  Others may receive a physical mailed copy if desired upon request to the financial aid office.Your financial aid offer may say you’re required to submit additional documents. Be sure to complete and submit all requested documents as soon as possible.

The financial aid office will calculate your need for financial aid by subtracting your the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) from the FAFSA from your program’s Cost of Attendance (COA) accounting for your enrollment level.

COST OF ATTENDANCE – EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION (EFC) = FINANCIAL NEED.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance (COA) is an estimated budget based on a student’s program of study and enrollment level. It includes estimates for:

• Tuition
• Academic Fees
• Transportation
• Books, Course materials, Supplies, and Equipment
• Housing and Meals
• Miscellaneous personal expenses

Students can only receive financial aid, no matter the source, up to their cost of attendance. Which types of aid the student may receive and how much of each type is determined by a student’s:

• Academic program
• Enrollment level
• Housing status
• School policy (for institutional aid)
• Data reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Please visit our Tuition, Fees, and Costs of Attendance page for more.

Estimated Family Contribution (EFC)

(will be called the Student Aid Index (SAI) beginning in 2024-2025)

For each student, federal formulas based on the student’s income and other financial factors determine the expected family contribution (EFC). The EFC is then used to determine the types of aid and how much of each type the student may receive.

Students can view their calculated EFC on their Student Aid Report, which is e-mailed to the student a few days after they submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Each student’s financial need is determined by the following calculation: Financial Need = COA-EFC

Financial need is the maximum amount of need-based financial aid a student may receive. Students can still receive other non-need-based financial aid (such as unsubsidized loans) beyond their demonstrated financial need, up to their cost of attendance.

About 25% of students are selected for a process called “Verification”, some randomly, and some because the FAFSA computer program or a financial aid counselor may have spotted potentially conflicting information.  In this case, the student will be required to submit additional documents to verify that the application information submitted on the FAFSA is correct. Students who are selected for verification will first receive a preliminary financial aid offer, but this offer may change and will not become official until verification is complete.  

There are different types of verification, for example identity verification and income verification.  The preliminary financial aid offer letter will list the specific forms or additional documents each student needs to complete verification.  You can find many of the additional forms needed for verification on our financial aid forms page, including the document upload form for financial aid.  This form is specifically for sending documents from outside sources which should NOT be e-mailed for privacy sake, such as tax forms. Please contact the Financial Aid office if you have further questions.

Once you have your financial aid offer, figure out your net cost — that’s how much it will actually cost you to attend school after your financial aid. To do this:

1. Review tuition, fees, and cost of attendance for your program. If you received an award packet by mail, these costs are listed on your budget worksheet. If you received an e-mailed award letter, these costs are listed in the Award Guide section of your first aid offer just able your actual aid offer letter.  Please also see our tuition, fees, and cost of attendance website and/or contact the financial aid office for assistance.

2. Subtract financial aid scholarships and grants on your financial aid offer. This will tell you your net cost before loans.

3. Consider employment options, personal savings, and any other outside sources of aid you expect to receive. Find out about Prescott College work study and other employment options near campus.

4. Decide how you’ll pay any fees due to the school. You can accept your federal loans, take out private loans, receive a grant or scholarship, or pay out of pocket. Explore your options including:

• Setting up a monthly Payment Plan
• Endowed and other Prescott College Scholarships
• Outside Scholarships
• Private Loans

5. Determine the amount of loans (if any) you want to cover your expenses — don’t forget about your living expenses or other costs.

6. Accept the federal loans you want that are listed on your financial aid offer. Do this by completing the following items which may be listed on your offer letter (if not listed, you have have completed them previously):

• A loan response form, found on the Financial Aid Forms page or in your offer letter
• Annual Student Loan Acknowledgement
• Federal loan entrance counseling
• Master Promissory Note 

7. Apply for any other loans you need including: 

• Federal Parent PLUS loans, 
• Graduate PLUS, or 
• Private Loans

To receive some financial aid need-based aid, students must have an Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI) number from the FAFSA below a certain number, however that number is determined by data from your FAFSA which can be over 2 years old.  What if something has changed in your financial circumstances since then?  The Financial Circumstances Appeal process can help account for these changes, or if you have had a major life expense which has demanded resources you would otherwise have been able to spend on your education.   If you have not already qualified for the maximum need-based aid for your program of study, consider filing a Financial Circumstances Appeal.  Consult with your financial aid counselor for more details as supporting documentation is required for this process. 

Priority Deadlines for Financial Circumstances Appeals:

Students who file financial circumstances appeals by the following deadlines are likely to receive a decision regarding their appeal prior to the start of the applicable term.  

Fall 2023:  June 1, 2023

• (August 1, 2023 – last chance deadline prior to fall term start)

Spring 2024:   November 15, 2023 

Summer 2024:  April 1, 2024

The Financial Cumstances Appeal Form is available here.

Each year the financial aid office sets a financial aid budget for each program, known as the cost of attendance budget, based on average students costs estimated via student surveys, local price comparisons, and other sources.  The may receive no more in financial aid than their cost of attendance.

These budgets take into account the current:

• tuition and fees 
• housing and meals dependent on the type of housing the student chooses (on-campus, off-campus, or with relatives), 
• transportation costs including travel to and from campus, for field study, and to internship or student teaching sites
• books, course materials, supplies, and equipment
• Miscellaneous personal expenses

Occasionally, students may have other costs related to their attendance in school which have not been accounted for in the standard cost of attendance budget for their program.  For example:

• disability related expenses, 
• child care expenses, 
• reasonable study abroad expenses
• The purchase of a computer or technology needed for the student’s program (limited to once per program up to $2500)
• Or simply, living expenses which exceed the norm due to the area of the country the student lives.

If a student has reached the maximum financial aid they are permitted to receive under their standard pre-set cost of attendance budget, and they wish to apply for loans or other outside resources to help cover these additional costs, a student may submit a cost of attendance appeal along with supporting documentation to request an adjustment to their cost of attendance budget.

Submit a cost of attendance appeal petition here.

Students under the age of 24, with few exceptions, are considered dependent when filing the FAFSA and must include their parent and/or step-parent’s information on the FAFSA.  

The nature and amount of the financial aid you’re eligible for depends on whether you’re a dependent or independent student. Your status may surprise you, so find out which applies to you.

Students who are normally considered dependent students but who have unusual parental circumstances may appeal their dependence status.  The following are examples of circumstances which may be applicable:

• Parents are incarcerated.
• Student has left home due to an abusive family environment.
• Student does not know where your parents are and are unable to contact them (and has not been adopted).
• Student is homeless or is at risk of being homeless.

To appeal, students should submit at least two letters of support from professionals or non-family members who can attest to their situation along with a Petition to Apply for Independent Status.  Students unable to obtain at least two letters of support should still contact the financial aid office to request a meeting with the financial aid director to review their situation.

Students who have exhausted all their available resources and who still have not been able to figure out how to cover their tuition and fees for the upcoming term should e-mail the financial aid office at [email protected] to explain their circumstances and request a review of  their account.  In the email, please explain:

1. What your current financial need for assistance is.  Please be as specific as possible.
2. If you have faced any unusual financial circumstances over the past year including but not limited to:
   1. Job change
   2. Change in family make-up – i.e. birth, death, marital status change, etc affecting number of people in the family or the number of people in the family attending college.
   3. High medical expenses and what those expenses were related to and when for anyone in your FAFSA family
   4. One-time lump sum necessary expenses (example: court judgement)
   5. Other unusual circumstances
3. Efforts you have already made to acquire additional resources and the outcome of those efforts including prior loan denials.
4. A brief summary of your student status and any outstanding accomplishments (program of study, # of credits and terms until graduation, cumulative GPA, ways that you have contributed to the Prescott College community)

Upon receipt of your e-mail, your case will be assigned to a financial aid staff member who will complete a special review for potential additional aid options that may previously have been overlooked or that may have become available since the time you initially applied.  Certain cases may also be referred to the financial aid director for further review.  Additional documentation may also be requested depending on potential aid sources available.

Students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to stay eligible for financial aid.

SAP standards include maintaining a 2.0 GPA for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduate students. Students are also required to maintain a 67% completion rate or higher and complete their program of study within a 150% maximum timeframe.  The 150% maximum timeframe is 150% of the minimum number of credits required for graduation in the student’s program of study.

Please see the academic catalog Financial Aid Policies section for further details on how SAP is calculated. SAP is checked at the end of every term as soon as the grading deadline passes.

Students who fall below standards are given one warning term. During that term, they are required to develop an academic student success plan with their faculty advisor for improving their status.

If a student falls below SAP standards a second consecutive term, they are put on SAP suspension. Students have the option to appeal SAP suspension if they have extenuating circumstances. To do this, submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Petition Form available on our financial aid forms page. Supporting documentation is required.

Failure to attend, complete, and/or withdrawing or dropping courses from classes may result in a recalculation of financial aid eligibility levels and a possible return of financial aid. If this happens, you could be responsible for paying tuition and fees that your aid previously covered – even if you previously received a refund.

Before you consider dropping or withdrawing from school or from particular courses, we strongly encourage you to contact the Financial Aid office.  Also, reach out to your academic adviser for enrollment options.  You may be able to take an incomplete instead or swap out a class instead of dropping it completely.  These strategies may help you maintain your current financial aid level.

Please read these important rules for further information:

• Federal grants are pro-rated if a student did not begin a scheduled course.
  Federal grants are pro-rated to the student’s enrollment level at the point of withdrawal, taking into account only those courses in which the student began. This most often affects Pell grants (see the Pell grant Freeze Date section under the Important Dates and Deadlines question above.)
• Aid eligibility is re-evaluated according to Return to Title IV (R2T4) federal regulations.
  In certain circumstances, a student’s federal aid is required to be re-calculated, resulting in a proration of aid. In most circumstances this is equates to a LOSS of some financial aid, which results in a balance due to the school for the portion of the student’s tuition and fees which the financial aid previously covered. The recalculation is done pro-rating the student federal financial aid to the student’s official withdrawal date or, in the event of an unofficial withdrawal, to their last date of attendance or participation. Prescott College is not required to take attendance, and so therefore if the last date of attendance or participation is unknown, the midpoint date of the student enrollment dates is used, counting all dates in the sessions in which the student was enrolled at the point of withdrawal.
  
  The R2T4 requirement is waived in certain cases in which a student has received Title IV federal aid and was enrolled in sessions other than the full – term session. These cases include:
  
  ▪ If a student has completed all requirements for graduation prior to withdrawing.
  ▪ If a student has successfully completed with a passing grade(s) (D or better) enough credits to be considered half time.
  
  If the student has successfully completed with a passing grade(s) (D or better) at least 49% of the countable days of the enrollment period. Countable days include all days in every session of the enrollment period, excluding breaks of 5 days or more — not just the sessions in which the student is enrolled. Only those days for the sessions in which the student received a passing grade are included in the percentage calculation in the numerator.
• Incompletes affect the R2T4 waiver and the R2T4 calculations.
  The days of this incomplete session can only be included in the number of countable days calculation (for determining if the R2T4 can be waived) if the student successfully finishes the incomplete and the grade is posted within the first 45 days after the course session ends. This is true event if academic policy allows the student to continue working on the course after the 45 day timeline.
  If it is determined that the student does not qualify for an R2T4 waiver, then the days in the incomplete session are included in the R2T4 calculation up to the point the student stopped participating before the end of the course session. The last day of attendance or participation cannot be after the end of the course for this calculation. For example, if the student’s last day they participated in the course before the last day of the class was 3 weeks before they end of the class, then they submit another assignment for the class after the last day, the date used for the R2T4 calculation would be the date they submitted the assignment 3 weeks before the end of the course.
• Written confirmation of future attendance is required.
  If a student is registered for a session which begins after the point the student withdraws or stop attending a course before it has ended, a student MUST CONFIRM IN WRITING if they intend to still participate in their future session course. To do so, please send e-mail to [email protected]. Not doing so, will still result in evaluation of an R2T4 calculation as described above and the student may then lose aid and owe a balance. This returned aid may or may not be able to be re-disbursed should the student start again.