Apply for Financial Aid

All financial aid applicants must complete steps 1-3 below. Loan applicants must complete all steps (1-5). All awards are contingent upon acceptance to the Seminary. Award letters indicating scholarships will be mailed during the summer. Returning students may view their awards in their student portal under "My Financial Aid." Fax: 423-478-7711

Step 1: Apply for a PIN

The PIN serves as your identifier allowing you access to your personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems. www.pin.ed.gov

Step 2: Complete the FAFSA

This is the first step in applying for financial aid (scholarships and/or loans).  You must list the Seminary’s Federal School Code: BO6511, for us to receive a copy of your FAFSA/Student Aid Report. The preferred submission date is before March 25th. Be sure and retain your pin number for future reference, corrections, etc. Also, print and retain the confirmation page. www.fafsa.ed.gov

Step 3: Complete Seminary Financial Aid Application

Click on step 3 to view the Seminary Financial Aid Application, print, complete and submit the Seminary’s Fin. Aid Application to the Fin. Aid Office between January 1 and April 30th for first priority. New students should apply before June 15th deadline to receive first priority. Review the scholarship section on your application to view any additional items that are required for particular scholarships (ex. Home Mission Loan Contract, Academic Scholarship recommendations, etc.).

Step 4: Complete Master Promissory Note for Federal loans

Loan applicants complete a loan application /Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. (Your promissory note is good for ten years and should not be required again). Complete the Entrance Counseling for the Subsidized and Unsubsidized Federal Loans. If you would like to apply for a GRAD PLUS (credit based loan), then you should contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

A. Complete Entrance Counseling Quiz

B. Complete the Master Promissory Note

Step 5: Complete Loan Request Form for Student Loans.

Stafford loan applicants, click on step 5, print, complete and return the Loan Request form and submit it to the Financial Aid Office. You must submit this information to us each time you apply for a loan.

Fax: 423-478-7711  Address: 900 Walker St. Cleveland, TN 37320

Legal and Other Requirements to Apply for Federal Aid

You must be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.

• You must meet satisfactory academic progress standards set by the postsecondary school you are or will be attending.

• You might be able to receive aid for distance education courses as long as they are part of a recognized certificate or degree program.

• You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.

• You must have a valid Social Security number (SSN). If you don’t have an SSN, you can find out more about applying for one at www.ssa.gov or by calling 1-800-772-1213; TTY users can call 1-800-325-0778.

• When you apply for federal student aid you sign a statement that certifies that you will use federal student aid for educational purposes only. You also certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe a refund on a federal student grant (which could happen if you have withdrawn from school, for example).

You must comply with Selective Service registration. If you’re a male aged 18 through 25 and you have not registered you can, at the same time you complete your FAFSA, give the Selective Service System permission to register you by means of the FAFSA. You can also register online at www.sss.gov or call 1-847-688-6888; TTY users can call 1-847-688-2567.

• You have limited eligibility for federal student aid while you're incarcerated. Generally, you're only eligible for a Pell Grant and then only if you're NOT incarcerated in a federal or state penal institution. Check with the financial aid office at the school you plan on attending.

• Generally, if you have been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid, you will be ineligible for a period of time based on the type and number of convictions. If you have been convicted of a drug-related offense, it is very important that you complete and submit the FAFSA to determine your eligibility. If you are submitting a paper FAFSA, you will be mailed a worksheet to assist you in determining whether your conviction affects your eligibility for federal student aid. If you are applying using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.gov, your eligibility will be determined during your online session. If you need assistance or have any questions on how to answer this question, call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) for help from the Federal Student Aid Information Center. Even if you’re ineligible for federal student aid because of a drug conviction, you should still complete the FAFSA because most schools and states use FAFSA information to award nonfederal aid. If you have lost federal student aid eligibility due to a drug conviction, you can regain eligibility if you pass two unannounced drug tests conducted by a drug rehabilitation program that complies with criteria established by the U.S. Department of Education.