The Office of Financial Aid, located on the ground floor of the Administration Building, exists for the purpose of assisting students to finance their education. Available resources consist of scholarships, grants, loans and part-time employment through various University, State and Federal programs of aid. Eligibility varies with each program, and demonstrated financial need is required for many programs.

Students must reapply for all forms of financial aid each year. Application information and forms are available at the Financial Aid Office after January 1 each year. Application deadline for each academic year is May 1 for undergraduate students and May 31 for graduate students. Students applying for the spring term only must complete and file an application by December 1. Early filing is recommended to ensure consideration for all forms of aid available. Funding limitations at times results in the unavailability of awards to late applicants who are otherwise eligible.

A major function of the office is financial aid counseling. The Financial Aid Office has implemented a Primary Counselor system so that students will have a point of contact in the office who will be familiar with their individual circumstances. Students who require assistance should schedule an appointment with their counselor to explore possible sources of financial aid. No student should consider withdrawal for financial reasons without first contacting the
Financial Aid Office.

Statement of Principles, Policies and
Procedures for Student Financial Aid

The fundamental purpose of the Financial Aid Office at Duquesne is to attempt to make it possible for students who would normally be deprived of a college education because of inadequate funds to attend college. Every attempt is made to meet a student’s demonstrated need. However, this is not always possible. Based on the belief that higher education should not be a privilege reserved only for those who can afford to purchase it, that educational opportunities should not be limited by the financial resources of the student and his/her family, and the fact that total resources available for financial assistance to students at Duquesne University are limited, we have adopted these principles for our financial aid programs.

1. The family of a student is expected to make a maximum effort to assist the student with college expenses. Financial assistance from the University is viewed only as supplementary to the efforts of the student and the family.
2. To determine the expected family contribution and the resulting demonstrated financial need, the University utilizes the needs analysis provided through the completion of the free application for student aid.
3. Financial assistance consists of scholarships, grants, loans and employment, which may be offered to students in various combinations.
4. In selecting students for financial aid, the University shall place emphasis on financial need and/or academic achievement in accordance with criteria of various programs of aid.
5. Awards based exclusively on criteria other than demonstrated need may be made to students who do not otherwise qualify for financial assistance; however, such awards must be considered as a resource in determining eligibility for need-based awards.
6. Where need-based funds are involved, the total amount of financial assistance offered a student cannot exceed demonstrated financial need. The only exceptions to this restriction would be PLUS Loans as well as Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, all of which can be used to reduce the expected family contribution used to determine need.
7. A student who needs financial aid is expected to apply for the Stafford Loan as well as state grant assistance (undergraduates who are Pennsylvania residents must apply by May 1 of each year).

General Operating Policies

The Financial Aid Office was established at Duquesne University to coordinate all financial assistance offered to students at the University. That office is charged with responsibility to assure that the principles of financial aid are made operationally effective.

The following operating policies are designed to assure that the Financial Aid Office is effective in carrying out its responsibilities:

1. In accordance with established procedures, all students applying for financial assistance must submit appropriate application forms to the Financial Aid Office and complete any other required processes by published deadlines.
2. Students applying for financial assistance are to be given consideration for all of the programs administered by the University for which they are eligible, providing funding is available. The student’s aid package may consist of one or more of these programs including scholarship, grant, work and/or loan, or any combination that best meets the student’s needs.
3. Funds available to the University for financial assistance to students shall be processed through the Financial Aid Office. Nominations of individuals to receive certain designated scholarships, athletic awards, etc. shall be submitted by the responsible department or agency to the Financial Aid Office.
4. The Financial Aid Office shall maintain adequate records to assure that the aid given to each student is not in excess of the actual amount needed to attend the University.

Programs of Aid Normally Available to Duquesne Students

General Operating Procedures

The following general operating procedures are designed to assure the smooth functioning of the financial aid program at Duquesne University. Early availability of information about financial aid requests is essential to an orderly operation.
Therefore:

1. The deadline for student applications for financial aid shall be:

a ) Undergraduates: May 1
b) Graduates: May 31
Students should be aware that funding limits at times may require strict enforcement of deadline dates. Students are to be notified as soon as possible (after receipt of the completed application) of the financial assistance to be offered to them. Written acceptance of the aid offered must be returned to the Financial Aid Office by the student.

2. The Financial Aid Office shall be responsible for the general processing of all departmental scholarship funds, athletic awards and all other financial aid funds at Duquesne University. Selection of candidates for certain designated awards are to be made by the appropriate department; however, the selection should be made sufficiently early to permit inclusion of the award in the financial aid package for all students receiving financial aid. Departmental awards made after the students’ aid packages have been established may require adjustment to those packages.

3. At times, scholarships and other funds from outside the University are received directly by offices other than the Financial Aid Office for credit to specific student accounts. Copies of such notices should be sent to the Financial Aid Office for processing.

4. An individual student file is maintained by the Financial Aid Office for each student receiving assistance of any kind at the University. This record shall indicate the total of the student’s needs and the types and amounts of all assistance received.