Frequently Asked Questions - Undergraduate Programs
Financial Aid information specific to the traditional undergraduate programs.
Financial aid is any kind of money that is either given or loaned to a student for a period of time, which can assist in paying for school. Last year at Ohio Christian University, our students received over 11.4 million dollars in financial assistance of some type.
Yes, Ohio Christian University has been approved to receive both Federal and State financial aid funds. OCU has been approved to do so since 1973.
Ohio Christian University does accept employer assistance or reimbursements. For specific terms regarding your employer's reimbursement and tuition assistance policies, please see your employee handbook or inquire at your company about the program. OCU is happy to work with students and companies to ensure that education is affordable and easy to access.
Ohio Christian University does accept funds through military benefits. For questions about the program, ask your military contact or Financial Aid Counselor, Wes Brothers at 740-477-7757.
To apply for financial aid, you must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA can be found at www.fafsa.ed.gov. By completing the FAFSA, you are applying for federal grants and loans, along with state grants. Your financial aid advisor cannot determine your financial aid eligibility until you have completed and signed the FAFSA. The FAFSA must be completed annually. Also, the deadline to complete the FAFSA and still be eligible to receive state grants is October 1st of each year.
The FAFSA will ask for specific tax information. Therefore, you will need to be prepared to enter information that can be found on the following items:
- Your (and your parents', if you are a dependent student) 1040 tax forms from last year. For example, if you are going to be entering school anytime during the 2010-2011 school year, you will need to obtain your 1040 tax forms from the year 2009.
- Any W2 forms from your employer (and your parents’ employer, if you are a dependent student) from last year.
You may contact your financial aid advisor for assistance in one of the following ways:
For students enrolled in the AIM Adult Programs
- Email: spayton@ohiochristian.edu
- Phone: 740-477-7864 or toll-free @ 1-877-496-8342
- Students may use the two available computers in the Financial Aid Office, located in the welcome center, to fill out their FAFSA. The computer lab located in the OCU library may also be used.
- Note to AIM and Gateway students: If you do not have a computer with internet access, you will need to gain access to one via family, local library or otherwise. You will need this in order to complete coursework, download course guides, etc.
For students enrolled in the Traditional Undergraduate program
- E-mail: finaid@ohiochristian.edu
- Phone: 740-477-7758 or toll-free at 1-877-7OCU-NOW
- The Traditional Financial Aid Office is located in the Welcome Center, across from Admissions. There are two computers available for student use in this office.
- The computer lab(s) in the OCU library may be used as well.
This is very important! When asked to enter your school code on the FAFSA, please remember us! OHIO CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY'S SCHOOL CODE IS: 003030.
For students enrolled in the AIM or Gateway programs, a financial aid award packet will be mailed to you after registration. For students enrolled in the Traditional program, a financial aid packet will be mailed to you as soon as your FAFSA information is received and processed.
The award packet will include an award letter that will show your financial aid eligibility by listing the names and amounts of all awards offered to you. You can also contact your financial aid advisor for estimates prior to registering, as long as your FASFA has been completed in its entirety.
***Keep in mind that if you have previously attended another institution, you may not have the same eligibility at OCU as you did at your previous institution. Eligibility is determined by the information on your FAFSA, and varies by the type of school (Private/Public/Proprietary) and your enrollment status (Full-time, ¾-time, ½-time, less than ½ time). ***
The traditional program has many scholarships available for students based on academics, leadership, affiliations and residency. Please take a look at the website for more details.
The AIM program tuition is significantly discounted, but there are some discounts offered for being members of certain organizations or churches. Please check with your AIM recruiter for more details.
OCU policy for Traditional student refunds states that students must receive all excess funds from their account within 14 days of the disbursement of the loan, grant or scholarship that created the excess funds, unless otherwise stated in the student’s file. In order to be eligible to receive any excess funds however, a student must be enrolled in class in accordance with the requirements of their loan, grant or scholarship. Most loans, grants and scholarships require full-time enrollment, while a few require only half-time enrollment or less.