Financial Aid Process
Take it step by step.
Whether you’re a new or continuing student at Biola, the financial aid process is a crucial aspect to financing your education. The Office of Financial Aid is here to guide you through the steps you need to take, the forms you need to fill out and the financial aid opportunities available to you.
Filing the FAFSA and Applying for Aid
The financial aid process starts out by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or other forms requested by our office. Take a look at the steps you need to follow, as well as important dates and deadlines you should mark on your calendar.
Important Forms
Based on your completed FAFSA information, our office will begin to put together the best financial aid offer for you — and we request specific forms from you to help with that process. You can access those forms through your profile in Biola’s My Account system, or take a look at our “Important Forms” page to access and complete the requested information.
Academic Requirements for Financial Aid
Federal regulations specify that a student must be making progress towards his or her academic degree in order to receive Financial Aid. To remain eligible for federal, state, and institutional aid, as well as most private student loans, a student must maintain “Satisfactory Academic Progress” as specified below.
- Cumulative GPA requirement
- Undergraduate and Teaching Credential Students: 2.0
- Graduate Students: 2.5
- Maximum Timeframe/Pace requirement
- Once a student has attempted 150% of the required number of units for his or her degree, he or she is no longer eligible to receive financial aid. Maximum time frame is reviewed at the end of each term by tracking a student's “pace.” To maintain financial aid eligibility, students must complete at least 67% of all cumulative units attempted.
- Pace Percentage = Total Credits Completed / Total Credits Attempted
For more information about how Satisfactory Academic Progress is calculated or when it is assessed, please review the complete Satisfactory Academic Progress policy at biola.edu/financial-aid/about/disclosures.
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeals
In certain cases (including but not limited to illness, illness of a family member, death in the family, or other special circumstances that have prevented the student from achieving SAP standards), a student may appeal the aid suspension by completing the “Financial Aid Suspension Appeal Form.” Appeals should address the circumstances surrounding the student’s insufficient progress and explain why they were not able to achieve the SAP requirements and provide a plan of action to correct the progress. Students will need to specify what has changed in the circumstances, and therefore why they will be able to make progress in the future. Appeals will be reviewed by committee and the student will be notified by email to his or her Biola email account of whether the appeal is approved, denied, or needs further information for a determination to be made. If the appeal is denied, the student will not be able to receive any federal or state aid, but may be able to apply for private student loans with a lender who does not require SAP. Typically a student also loses eligibility for all institutional aid, however in rare occasions a student may be approved to receive institutional aid only. More details regarding the appeal process can be found at biola.edu/financial-aid/about/disclosures.
Payment Plans
Biola offers four different payment plan options that can help you spread out your semester expenses. Learn more about the plans and see which one fits your needs.
Course Eligibility Information
Federal financial aid (Title IV) rules state that only courses that count towards the completion of a student’s degree program may be included when calculating a student’s eligibility for aid. Learn more about how to review your course eligibility.
Additional Resources
Know Your Options
The Office of Financial Aid provides different resources that can help you plan out your finances as you pursue your Biola education.
Financial Aid Counseling
Have questions about the process? Call us or come by our office for a drop-in appointment with a knowledgeable financial aid counselor — they can help.
Contact Us
The Office of Financial Aid is here to answer questions you have about the financial aid process. Contact us in person, by phone or email.