To apply for federal aid (i.e., Title IV aid which consists of federal student loans and/or Federal Pell Grant funds, if eligible) you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (which is also known as the FAFSA) and be accepted into one of our programs. If you are applying for the Summer 2023, Fall 2023 and/or Spring 2024 semester(s), you must complete the 2023-2024 FAFSA no later than three weeks before your program begins. If you are planning to begin a program of study during the Summer 2024 semester or beyond, please make sure to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA which will become available on or after December 1, 2023.

Visit www.studentaid.gov  and click on "Complete the FAFSA Form". Remember to list the Baptist School of Health Professions (our federal school code is 014956) as a school of choice so we can receive the results. Make sure to use the IRS data retrieval tool which makes completing the FAFSA an easy task!

Once we receive the FAFSA results, we will review your application, verify your acceptance and determine what you are eligible for in federal financial aid. (If we need additional information prior to awarding you financial aid, we will contact you. At random, students and their families will be selected for the verification process which requires the submission of additional paperwork such as a tax transcript, verification worksheet, etc.)

We will notify you of your financial aid eligibility and you will have the option of accepting, reducing or rejecting the aid that best complements your ability to pay for school.

If you choose to accept the awarded student loans to cover your cost of attendance, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and the mandatory Loan Entrance Counseling (located at www.studentaid.gov) as required by the Department of Education.  These two items are required for all students new to the Baptist School of Health Professions regardless if you've done these at another college and/or university. Both items are located under the "Loans and Grants" tab after you log in to your studentaid.gov account.

To view our Code of Conduct Policy Related to Student Loan Activities, click here.

Special Circumstances

We recognize there are situations when the tax year information required to report on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) may not accurately reflect your current financial situation. Thus, if you believe there is a special circumstance not taken into account, you may request a review to determine if adjustments can be made to your FAFSA by contacting the BSHP Financial Aid Office (FAO) to request a Special Conditions Form.

Upon receipt of the form, the financial aid applicant will have approximately 10 business days to submit the Special Conditions Form and supporting documentation to the FAO.  If the situation and/or circumstances warrant changes to the FAFSA, the FAO will document and submit the changes to your FAFSA.  

Once all documents are received the BSHP Financial Aid Office, allow up to 10 business days for a final determination to be made and the student will be notified via email as to the final decision.  Be advised the decision of the BSHP Financial Aid Office is final with no opportunity to appeal.

Request for Independent Status

Per the Department of Education, in general a student who is 23 years of age or younger is classified as a dependent student. However, there may exist extenuating circumstances [such as an abusive, unhealthy or non-existent relationship with your parent(s)] when a student may request a professional judgment decision to be made by the BSHP Financial Aid Office (FAO) to determine if the circumstances warrant a dependency override for a student to be granted “independent” status.
Be advised none of the circumstances below will warrant or be considered for a dependency override:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education.
  
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification.
  
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes.
  
• The student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
  

If you believe your circumstances warrant such a review, please contact the BSHP Financial Aid Office to request a Dependency Override Form. 

Upon receipt of the Dependency Override Form, the financial aid applicant will have approximately 10 business days to submit the completed form and all supporting documentation to the FAO.  If the situation and/or circumstances warrant a change to the dependency status, the FAO will document and submit the changes to your FAFSA. 

Once all documents are received the BSHP Financial Aid Office, allow up to 10 business days for a final determination be made and the student will be notified via email as to the final decision.  Be advised the decision of the BSHP Financial Aid Office is final with no opportunity to appeal.