Tuition and Financial Aid

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Tuition and Fee Information – 2018-2019

Students who take fewer than 12 credit-hours are considered part time and will pay per credit-hour based on the type of course in which they are enrolled. Course credits, internships, and directed studies are combined to determine the student’s status as part time, full time, or full time with overload (for those who are taking credits in excess of 18 per semester).

Elizabethtown College’s full-time students have access to campus facilities and programs. Included in the comprehensive fee is the use of the High Library, Baugher Student Center, Body Shop, gymnasium, and athletic fields. Full-time students also receive free admission to all regular season, on-campus athletic events, and most cultural activities offered by the College.

Full-time students may carry up to 18 credits per semester. A cumulative grade point average of 3.20 is required to carry more than 18 credits, with the maximum allowed credit load being 20 credits. The excess credit(s) will be invoiced at the current part-time, daytime course rate of $1,055 per credit-hour.

Other Fees

Directed Studies: $1,665 ($555 per credit) and $300 (undergraduate course) and $500 (graduate course) fee.

Transcripts: Free-of-Charge

No transcripts of records will be furnished to anyone whose account is not paid in full.

Tuition Payment Policy

Students are required to submit payment for tuition in full prior to the beginning of the session. Payment may be made online through Elizabethtown College Netpay, by credit card (a convenience fee will be charged), ACH/Electronic Check (No additional fees), cash (accepted at the Business Office), or check or money order, made payable to Elizabethtown College (mailed to the Business Office or delivered in person at the SCPS Elizabethtown College office). 

For information and questions, contact the Business Office at 717-361-1417 or businessoffice@etown.edu or visit their webpage. 

Veterans’ Benefits: 

Students who are using veterans’ benefits for tuition must contact the Veterans’ Certifying Official, Katharine Daniels at 717-361-3735 well in advance of the first class. Veterans attending the College for the first time should be prepared to pay their tuition for the first semester while awaiting reimbursement from the Veterans’ Administration. For more information on how to research Veterans’ Benefits, please see our Military Tuition Assistance & Veterans’ Benefits Information.

Deferred Payment Program:

School of Continuing and Professional Studies students who will be reimbursed by their employer after completing a course may be eligible for the deferred tuition payment program.

Deferred Payment Program Policy:

Payment is required within 30 days of the completion of the session. If payment is not received by the 30th day, the banking information or credit card listed on the deferred payment form will be charged for outstanding tuition and fee costs. A convenience fee of 2.75% of the total payment amount will be assessed for any credit card payment. If a credit card is declined, monthly finance charges of 1.5% on outstanding balances will be retroactively assessed to the first day of the session and a $50.00 late payment fee will be added to the student’s account.

Students are not able to register in future sessions or receive official transcripts until their account is paid in full; eligibility for the deferred payment program may be denied for future courses as well. 

Required Documentation:

The following items must be submitted to the Business Office (see below) in order to participate in the Deferred Payment Program:

• A copy of your company’s reimbursement policy
• A letter from your employer verifying your eligibility for tuition reimbursement. The letter must be on company letterhead
• A completed Deferred Payment form with a valid credit card account or bank information included.

To protect students’ personally identifiable and confidential information, the Elizabethtown College Business Office has a secure upload site through which all Deferred Payment Program documentation can be uploaded. The link and log-in information is provided by your admission’s representative of academic advising coordinator.

Financial Aid

Elizabethtown College’s Financial Aid Office assists enrolled and prospective students in finding the financial means to allow them to fully participate in the educational experience at Elizabethtown College. Services include providing current information and resources, budgeting assistance, debt management advice, and suggestions for financing a college education. The office is open from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. It is located on the first floor of Zug Memorial Hall.

Students interested in need-based financial aid from the College must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is strongly recommended that students complete the FAFSA electronically at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Elizabethtown College’s Title IV code is 003262. Applicants should apply for financial aid no later than March 15.

All applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships during the admissions application review. Some of these scholarships include the approximately 100 endowed scholarships and gifts that are available to Elizabethtown students through the generosity of the College’s alumni and friends. Notification of these scholarships follows the offer of admission, but precedes any need-based awards.

All requests for applications and other information regarding need-based financial assistance should be directed to:

For more detailed information regarding Elizabethtown College’s financial aid programs, individuals may request a copy of the “Financial Aid Handbook” from the Financial Aid Office or visit the Financial Aid website at www.etown.edu/FinancialAid.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

For the undergraduate and graduate degree programs you may mail or email required materials to: Elizabethtown College, Financial Aid, One Alpha Drive, Elizabethtown, PA 17022 or finaid@etown.edu. 

A packet of the required financial aid forms is available through the Continuing and Professional Studies Offices.

Associate & Bachelor’s Aid*

All steps should be completed at least ONE MONTH prior to the start of classes:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Complete and submit, by mail or email, the Employer Educational Assistance Verification Form

Graduate Degree Aid:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Complete and submit, by mail, the Graduate Program Employer Assistance Verification Form 

*Elizabethtown College recognizes that standard financial aid forms do not always capture the full financial profile of our students. Please contact the Financial Aid Office at 717-361-1404 if you feel you have special circumstances or have any questions concerning this process. 

Elizabethtown College is required to review your academic progress regularly to ensure your continued eligibility for Federal financial aid, as outlined in our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policies and procedures. For information about SAP Standards at Elizabethtown College, and for the policies that are in effect for undergraduate and graduate students, visit the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards webpage. 

Enrollment Eligibility for Financial Aid

The accelerated sessions are offered in three 5-week (undergraduate) or two 8-week (graduate) “mini-terms” which comprise a semester.  Because of this, the determination of half-time status is different than traditional degree programs that operate on a fall/spring semester schedule. Undergraduate enrollment levels are determined by combining the credits taken in three separate 5-week sessions. Graduate enrollment levels will be determined by combining the credits taken in the two 8-week sessions.  The following are the credit minimum requirements for half-time and full-time enrollment by degree:

Undergraduate Programs (including associate and bachelor programs)

Full-time status is a student taking 12 or more credits within the semester.

Half-time status is a student taking at least 6 credits per semester.

Graduate Programs

Full-time status is a student taking 6 or more credits within the semester.
Half-time status is a student taking at least 3 credits per semester.

The website www.studentaid.gov has an abundance of information for students regarding all aspects of using federal aid, and offers a “summary” page for students to get a snapshot in one place to view their borrowing history and lender information and much more.  At www.studentaid.gov, students can:

• view their federal student aid history, including loan detail, grant detail, and overpayment detail;
• get their loan servicer’s contact information;
• find out how much Pell Grant eligibility they have left; and
• download their federal student aid history into a text file using the MyData Download function.

Disbursal of Financial Aid

Disbursal of aid typically takes place in the first session in which a learner is registered; PHEAA grants (for undergraduate students) are not disbursed until the last session of the semester. 

Renewal of Financial Aid

Learners must reapply each year in order for aid to continue. Typically a reminder is sent by the financial aid office through email in March. Learners are highly encouraged to complete materials for their application by May 1 for the following summer and fall and November 1 for the following spring. This includes the College’s Employer Assistance Verification Form and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Possible tax documents and other worksheets may requested.

Scholarships for Adult Learners

Edward and Carol Murphy/Charlotte Newcombe Scholarship for Mature Women Students The Edward and Carol Murphy/Charlotte Newcombe Scholarship for Mature Women Students is open to female students ages 25 and older, on basis of financial need, academic record and professional/career aspirations.. In August, an email is sent to all matriculated SCPS students who meet the criteria, inviting them to apply for the endowed scholarship.

James L. Fritz/Charlotte Newcombe Scholarship for Mature Women and Men Students The James L. Fritz/Charlotte Newcombe Scholarship for Mature Women and Men Students is open to male and female students ages 25 and older, on the basis of financial need, academic record and professional/career aspirations. In August, an email is sent to all matriculated SCPS students who meet the criteria, inviting them to apply for the endowed scholarship. 

Undergraduate Scholarship Opportunities (PDF) 
Graduate Scholarship Opportunities (PDF)

There are numerous external scholarships available to nontraditional students. We’ve compiled a list, available in the PDF documents. Please know that these links take you off our website; we do not monitor or control the information provided on these websites. This information is provided for your convenience only.

Federal Financial Aid Requirements

We Have a Right to Ask

All information requested by the Financial Aid Office is authorized by law. The legal right to ask applicants to provide their social security number is based on Section 7(a)(2) of the Privacy Act of 1974 (P.L. 93-579).

All applicants for financial aid at Elizabethtown College are advised that disclosure of their social security number is required as a condition of participation in federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. The applicant’s social security number is used in conjunction with the College identification number to identify the applicant’s financial aid application and account at Elizabethtown.

The legal right to ask for all other information is based on sections of the law that authorize the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), FWS, Federal Perkins Loan, and Federal Direct Stafford Loan programs. These include sections 411, 413B, 443, 464, 425, 428, and 482 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. Any information submitted is subject to verification. If applicants do not supply proof when asked, they will not receive financial aid.

Referral of Fraud

Cases of suspected fraud on the part of a Title IV aid applicant involving information relevant to a student’s eligibility or amount of assistance will be referred to the U.S. Department of Education. The following circumstances are indicative of possible fraud when the aid administrator can find no other legitimate reason for the discrepancy: 1) false claims of independent student status, 2) false claims of citizenship, 3) use of false identities, 4) forgery of signatures or certifications, and 5) false statements of income. Any referrals made to a local or state law enforcement agency also will be reported to the Office of Inspector General within the U.S. Department of Education.

Viewing an Application File

If students think that an error in their financial aid package stems from information in their file in the Financial Aid Office, they may review their file at any time, according to the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. To see a file, students should call the Financial Aid Office.

The Financial Aid Office treats each student’s file with sensitivity and utmost confidentiality. The financial information in these files is released only to those who have contributed to it, i.e., the student and, if he or she is a dependent, his or her parents. Students must give written and signed permission before the College will release information from their file to a third party. All students should keep copies of their tax returns, if submitted, as the College’s copies cannot be returned.

Institutional Refund Policy

Withdrawal from classes after the start of a session affects your academic record and tuition charge/financial aid. Contact your academic advisor immediately to discuss the withdrawal process and/or complete the Withdrawal Form in JayWeb to initiate the process.

To determine the effect withdrawing from a course may have on your financial aid status, contact the Financial Aid Office at finaid@etown.edu; 717-361-1404.

The meeting of class refers to the actual day of the week that blended/on-ground class meets. For purposes of these deadlines, online classes start on the first Monday of each session. For four-week winter online sessions, the class starts on the first Sunday of the session.

NOTE: Students are not able to initiate a drop/withdrawal request after the last date of the session.

Return of Federal Student Aid

Under HEA98 Public Law 105-244, the Department of Education stipulates the way funds paid toward a student’s education are to be handled when a recipient of funds from the Student Financial Aid (SFA) Program withdraws from school.

A statutory schedule based on the period the student was in attendance is used to determine the amount of SFA Program funds a student has earned when he or she ceases attendance. Up through the 60-percent point in each payment period or period of enrollment, a pro rata schedule is used to determine how much of the SFA Program funding the student has earned at the time of withdrawal. After the 60-percent point in the payment period or period of enrollment, a student has earned 100 percent of the SFA Program funds.

In general, the amendments require that if a recipient of SFA Program assistance withdraws from school during a payment period or period of enrollment in which the recipient began attendance, the school must calculate the amount of SFA Program assistance the student did not earn and return those funds.

The percentage earned is one of the following:

If the date of student withdrawal occurs on or before the student completed 60 percent of the payment period or period of enrollment, the percentage earned is equal to the percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment that was completed.

If the date of student withdrawal occurs after the student completed more than 60 percent of the payment period or period of enrollment, the percentage earned is 100 percent.

The percentage and amount not earned is the complement of the percentage of SFA Program assistance earned multiplied by the total amount of SFA assistance that was disbursed and that could have been disbursed to the student or on the student’s behalf for the payment period or period of enrollment as of the day the student withdrew.

For credit-hour institutions, the percentage of the payment period or period of enrollment completed is the total number of calendar days in the payment period or period of enrollment for which the assistance is awarded divided into the number of calendar days completed in that period as of the day the student withdrew.

If the student receives less SFA Program assistance than the amount earned, the school must comply with the procedures for late disbursement specified by the department in regulations. If the student receives more SFA Program assistance than the amount earned, the school and/or the student must return the unearned funds as required and in the order specified.

The school must return the lesser of: 1) the amount of SFA Program funds that the student does not earn or 2) the amount of institutional costs that the student incurred for the payment period or period of enrollment multiplied by the percentage of funds that was not earned.

The student – or parent, if a Federal Direct PLUS Loan – must return or repay, as appropriate, the remaining unearned SFA Program grant and loan funds. However, a student is not required to return 50 percent of the grant assistance that he or she receives and is obligated to pay.

The student – or parent, if a Federal Direct PLUS Loan – must return the unearned funds for which he or she is responsible to the loan program in accordance with the terms of the loan and to grant programs as an overpayment. Grant overpayments are subject to repayment arrangements satisfactory to the school or overpayment collection procedures prescribed by the Secretary of the Department of Education. SFA Program funds for the payment period or period of enrollment for which a return of funds is required must be returned in the following order: 1) unsubsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans, 2) subsidized Federal Direct Stafford Loans, 3) Federal Perkins Loans, 4) Federal Direct PLUS Loans, 5) Federal Pell Grants, 6) Federal SEOGs, and 7) other assistance under Title IV regulations.