Financial Aid

Unless otherwise stated on the award letter, all financial aid is disbursed equally over the fall and spring semesters.

Please refer to the Refund Policy as listed earlier in this handbook.

AFSA deadlines:

March 1st for new first-year students
April 1st for returning and transfer students
December 1st for new spring semester applicants

Note: Late applicants may be subject to a reduced award. Returning students, including those students who are anticipating a leave of absence or in absentia study for the following fall semester, who fail to submit financial aid applications by April 1 deadline and are otherwise eligible for Marlboro Grant, may have their Marlboro Grant reduced.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps to give a financial picture of each family and provide a national norm for consideration of each student who applies for aid. It should be completed and submitted as soon as possible after October 1. The FAFSA should be completed online at http://www.fafsa.gov. The information on the FAFSA should reflect the information on the appropriate Federal Income Tax Forms.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are awarded from funds allocated to the College by the United States Government; they are given to students with the greatest financial need who would be unable to attend Marlboro without this assistance. A student may qualify for up to $1,500 from SEOG in a given year. Students may be Pell Grant eligible in order to potentially qualify for SEOG.

Based on information submitted on the FAFSA, the federal government awards grants to eligible students in accordance with the entitlement program enacted by Congress in 1972. This federal grant is awarded to students who meet the required financial need criteria. The federal government determines eligibility and award amounts. The grant is disbursed in each term during the academic year in which the student is eligible. Grants are considered “gift aid” and do not have to be paid back. Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used – The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his/her lifetime is limited by a federal law to be the equivalent of six years. Using the maximum amount of Pell Grant you can receive each year as 100%, six years is equivalent to 600%.

Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) are not need-based. Any U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen whose dependent son or daughter is enrolled at least half-time is eligible to apply for a loan equal to the cost of attendance minus other financial aid for which the student is eligible. Federal PLUS loans are not subsidized and repayment of the loan or interest only may begin as soon as the loans are disbursed or may be deferred until the student separates from the College or has dropped below 6 credits. Examples of separation are graduation, leave of absence and withdrawal. It is the responsibility of the parent to complete the application and Master Promissory Note at www.studentloans.gov. Marlboro College cannot apply on your behalf.

These student loans are available to those who need assistance to meet the cost of a college education.

Under the provisions of this program, a qualified dependent student may borrow the following maximum annual loan limits:

$ 5,500 Freshmen
$ 6,500 Sophomores
$ 7,500 Juniors and Seniors

Independent students may be eligible for additional unsubsidized Stafford loan.

Additional lifetime aggregate borrowing amounts apply. Contact the Financial Aid office for further information.

Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized and Plus loans are federal education loans and must be repaid. The loans are charged interest at a rate set yearly be Congress. Origination fees determined by the Department of Education yearly are deducted from the loan before the proceeds are released to the College on the student or parent’s behalf. Interest rates can be found on the Department of Education’s website at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/interest-rates. Information on origination fees can be found at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized#additional-charges.

In order to process the Federal Direct Loan(s), a student borrower needs to complete two form at www.studentloans.gov:

• Entrance Counseling (Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan)
• Master Promissory Note (Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan)

Federal regulations require that students borrowing a Federal Direct Subsidized/unsubsidized loan for the first time at Marlboro college complete entrance counseling. Direct loan entrance couseling can be completed online at www.studentloans.gov. Entrance counseling explains your rights and responsibilities when borrowing a federal loan.

Federal regulations are also require that students exiting Marlboro College by way of graduation, withdrawal, leave of absence, absentia or, students who have dropped below 6 credits and, who have borrowed a Directloan, complete exit counseling. Exit counseling can be completed at www.studentloans.gov. Exit counseling explains your rights and responsibilities for repayment of your Federal Direct Loan.

Students who were awarded and are accepting the Federal Direct Subsidized and/or Unsubsidized loans, must complete the loan agreement. This loan agreement, know as the Master Promissory Note (MPN), must be completed online at www.studentloans.gov.

If a student has need as determined by the College’s financial aid policy and if the student’s need cannot be met by campus employment and/or other means, Marlboro College may supplement a portion of need with a Marlboro Grant.

Students with financial need may be eligible for employment through the Federal Work-Study Program and additional institutional funding. A listing of positions is compiled by the Student Employment Coordinator and posted on the college website. Federal work-study is part of the College’s Student Employment Program.

Students must apply for jobs through the appropriate supervisor. Jobs typically consist of cleaning, kitchen work, maintenance and office assistance. Jobs typically allow up to 10 hours of work per week.

Responsibilities & Rights of the Student

Responsibilities

1. To attend all Student Employment meetings.
2. To give a copy of your class schedule to your supervisor and create a work schedule based around it.
3. To adhere to the work schedule while the College is open, including days immediately preceding or following vacations. (The student is not expected to work during academic breaks or after the end of classes in May.)
4. Should illness or other unavoidable circumstance make it impossible for you to attend your job, the supervisor must be notified in advance and a suitable substitute found if the supervisor feels it is appropriate.
5. To arrive at the job site on time, work the scheduled hours and perform duties as assigned in a cheerful and satisfactory manner.
6. To complete electronic time sheets honestly, accurately, and according to published payroll schedule.
7. Once the job has been accepted, to remain on the job for at least a semester. Changing jobs is allowable only under extreme circumstances.
8. To maintain strict confidentiality of information you are exposed to as a result of your work responsibilities.

Rights

1. To receive adequate supervision and reasonable task assignments from your supervisor.
2. To be paid the Vermont Minimum Wage.
3. To receive pay checks on a bi-weekly basis.
4. To have supervisors approve electronic time card to the Accounting Office in accordance with the published payroll schedule.
5. To receive one written warning notice if your work or attendance, or time card submission is not satisfactory. This notice must include an explanation of the problem and a stated probation period.
6. To receive a written dismissal notice if your work does not improve after the warning.
7. To appeal a decision of dismissal before the Student Employment Committee.

Responsibilities & Rights of the Supervisor

Responsibilities

1. To provide the Student Employment Coordinator with a full job description for each position requested, approved by the budget manager.
2. To provide adequate supervision of Work-Study students.
3. To check time sheets for accuracy, and approve them in to the Accounting Office before noon on Monday.
4. To issue a written warning notice to students with time frame needed to resolve the problem. A copy of the notice must be provided to the Student Employment Coordinator.
5. To issue a written notice of dismissal when circumstances warrant, detailing reasons for the dismissal. A copy of the notice must be provided to the Student Employment Coordinator.

Rights

1. To expect students to arrive on time, work scheduled hours and perform duties as assigned in a satisfactory manner.
2. To request a new student employee if the supervisor’s current student does not fulfill the requirements of the job.

Reason For Dismissal

Any student falsifying a time sheet may be dismissed and may be required to repay all wages earned to that date. In addition, he/she will be ineligible for employment at Marlboro College in the future.

If, in the judgment of the supervisor, the student worker is not performing adequately in his or her job, the student may be dismissed after a formal written warning has been issued.

If a student fails to report to work when scheduled or assigned by a supervisor, he or she may be dismissed after a formal written warning has been issued.

If a student fails to work for two weeks (one pay period) without an explanation of special circumstances, his or her employment may be canceled for that semester without a warning notice.

If the Committee rules that the job dismissal was warranted, the student is not eligible for job placement until the following academic year. A student dismissed a second time will not be eligible for a job at Marlboro College.

The first element in the determination of a student’s award is the financial aid budget set by the College to cover the student’s Estimated Educational Cost, which includes tuition and fees, room and board (or expenses for those not living on campus), books, supplies, travel, personal expenses and Stafford loan origination fees. Students who have legitimate educational costs which are not reflected in the budget may state these costs in a letter to the Financial Aid Office. These needs may be met, if possible, by loans, job opportunities, or scholarships from private sources. Costs which reflect individual choice, such as ownership of an automobile, cannot be considered in providing financial aid.

From the information provided on the application form, the FAFSA determines expected Family Contribution. This is calculated by examining the income and assets of both the student and parents for a dependent student or the student or the student and spouse, if applicable, for an independent student.

The difference between the estimated educational cost and the expected family contribution is the student’s financial need. To meet this need, our office recommends a package that may include a federal Stafford Loan, Work-Study opportunity, other sources of state and/or outside aid, and, if the need warrants, a Marlboro Grant.

Work-Study students may work up to ten (10) hours per week during the academic year. Those who choose to work fewer hours may not earn their total award. If a Work-Study opportunity is part of the student’s financial aid package, it will appear on the financial award letter but will not be reflected as an anticipated credit on tuition and fee bills sent out by the Student Accounts office. Students participating in the Work-Study program will be compensated through bi-weekly payroll checks. Students have the option to sign over student employment earnings to be applied against that term’s charges.

We encourage students to apply for scholarships or grants from private agencies. Outside scholarships and State Grants (other than Vermont State Grants) are integrated into the financial aid package in the following way: half is used to reduce any Marlboro Grant and half is used to reduce self-help awards (Stafford loan, Alternative loan, Parent loan, or Work-Study). If the original intent of the outside scholarship foundation is not to reduce the institutional funds for which the student has qualified, our Office of Financial Aid will consider this when integrating the funds.

Independent students do not need to provide parental information to be considered for financial aid. In general, students entering college as dependent students will be considered dependent students throughout their Marlboro career, or until the student reaches the age of 24.

Students on leave are not eligible for financial aid. Students studying in absentia at another institution are not eligible for federal and state financial aid from Marlboro College unless a consortium or contractual agreement has been drawn up in advance with the school at which the student will be studying. (Marlboro Grant may be available for students studying on absentia 1.) See In Absentia under Changes of Status.

The Marlboro College faculty annually awards a number of endowed and annually-funded scholarships to returning students. These scholarships require financial need and recognize academic excellence; some have additional criteria. Yearly awards are made by the faculty based on recommendations from the Faculty Committee on Prizes and Scholarships.

Recipients must be full-time matriculated students, eligible for Marlboro Grant during the award period. The Scholarship will be integrated into the financial aid package such that 100% of the award will offset Marlboro Grant.