Specific Aid Program Information

The cohort default rate is calculated using actual payment records of the student borrower. A 3-year cohort default rate is the percentage of a school’s borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year. Repayment begins 6 months after a student is no longer enrolled for at least 6 credit hours. Default occurs when a student is in repayment but fails to make their payment for 270 days or more. Data from the most recent years is provided below. The numbers below represent the 3-year cohort default rate.

Courtesy of CollegeNavigator

• To receive a PELL Grant you must enroll for at least one course. (Award amount is determined by the federally applied calculations used in submitting the FAFSA)
• To receive a PELL Grant for more than one course you must be an undergraduate and must register for all courses within the term on, or before the add/drop date for each semester award period (refer to the academic calendar for exact dates).
• To receive a Direct Loan you must be enrolled at least half-time in at least one Long Semester class within each award period/term in back to back classes whose duration is the same length.
• Should you register for a course(s) and not attend, any grant aid awarded to you must be adjusted. You will be responsible for repaying any funds given to you for any course(s) not attended.
• If you are awarded funds requiring full-time status and you do not attend a course(s), all aid awarded that was based on full-time status must be adjusted. You will be responsible for repaying any funds for which you become ineligible.
• Your eligibility of funds will be calculated based on your official enrollment as the first day of enrollment for that term/award period.
• Your enrollment status will determine what aid programs may be awarded to you. Different programs require different enrollment statuses. (Review the specific program details).
• Federal Financial Aid will only be awarded once for a repeat class in which you have received a passing grade.
• Institutional Scholarships are not awarded for repeat classes.

Dallas Baptist University (DBU) has adopted the Principles of Excellence Standard issued in Executive Order 13607. In adopting the Principles of Excellence, DBU has implemented the College Financing Plan (Shopping Sheet) to provide all prospective veterans and service members with a personalized Shopping Sheet that contains standardized information describing the cost of attending and the federal and state financial aid available.

What is the difference between the College Financing Plan and the offer letter?

Since colleges and universities use many different formats for their offer letters, students may find it difficult to compare the financial aid offers from various schools. The College Financing Plan is a standardized form used by schools that have agreed to comply with the VA’s Principles of Excellence.

The principles are designed to help ensure that students can make good educational and financial decisions using a clear, comparative tool that evaluates various financial aid offers. The college financing plan generates figures that are estimates only, and all tuition rates and fees are subject to change without notice.

Access to the College Financing Plan

All students that have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have completed the application process may log into MyDBU for a personalized College Financing Plan (click on the Federal Shopping Sheet link under the Financial Aid menu) within Financial Aid Self Service.

If the student has not yet applied for federal aid, they may wish to use the Net Price Calculator to estimate the cost of attending DBU as the cost of attendance and aid calculations cannot be correctly calculated without FAFSA information.

Included with the Plan:

• Estimated Cost of Attendance (Tuition and fees, housing and meals, books and supplies, transportation, and other education costs)
• Expected Family Contribution (determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission)
• Total Grants and Scholarships (Grants and scholarships from DBU, Federal Pell Grant, Grants from your state, and other scholarships you can use)
• Net Cost (Cost of attendance minus total grants and scholarships)
• VA Education Benefits (available to eligible military students)
• Work options (Work-study: Federal, state, or institutional)
• Loan Options (Federal Direct Subsidized Loan, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, and Federal Perkins Loan*)
• Other Options (Payment plan options, military or national service benefits, Parent or Grad PLUS Loans, Non-Federal private education loans)
• Glossary of terms
• Institutional Aid Office contact information and customized information from DBU

For any questions or additional information needed, please contact DBU's Military and Veteran Services Representative, Jason Gensler, at  (214) 333-5557 or jasong@dbu.edu.

To receive any scholarship from Dallas Baptist University, a student must be in good standing with the University and meet all requirements stated for that particular scholarship. No institutional scholarships are paid on repeat classes.

The Office of Financial Aid will provide information across many platforms to individual students. These platforms will include electronically transmitted information, conventional mailings, and portals such as MyDBU.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 academic year, all students that have been offered Federal Financial Aid will be required to agree to the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions to review his/her offer letter in financial aid self-service. 

The Financial Aid Terms and Conditions allow students the opportunity to authorize applying Federal Title IV Program Funds to pay for books and other charges. Students will have the opportunity to accept electronic communication for financial aid information, notification, and transactions. No access will be allowed to the students' financial aid offer letter, and no electronic correspondence or email communication will be permitted with the Financial Aid office until the terms and conditions are accepted. Manual, non-electronic alternatives will result in longer and delayed processing times, and not all services may be available through non-electronic means.

Students that desire to decline the consent to the electronic communication portion of the Financial Aid Term and Conditions must complete the following steps in his/her financial aid self-service portal:

• Select Financial Aid 
• Select Correspondence Option
• Check the box and submit to agree to receive hard copies of your Financial Aid correspondence

Eligibility for federal and state student aid is based on need and on several other factors as follows:

• Demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans and scholarships)
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate
• Be accepted for admission at DBU and working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at DBU
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen
• Have a valid Social Security Number (see Office of Financial Aid for exceptions)
• Register with Selective Service, if required (you can use the FAFSA to register) or register online at the Selective Service System official website
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress once in school
• Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal grant
• Certify that you will use student aid only for educational purposes

To be eligible for most institutional scholarships, the student must be in good standing and be making satisfactory progress toward his or her educational goals. Additional eligibility requirements may exist for each specific award as stated in the scholarship section of the catalog.

Each institutional scholarship has specific renewal requirements. For example, many institutional scholarships have a minimum GPA renewal requirement, separate from the SAP policy. Refer to renew requirement for your scholarship.

• Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students with incomplete admission files may be awarded aid, but no aid will be certified or disbursed until the student is fully admitted to the University.
• Changes in the schedule (increase or decrease in the number of hours) may affect financial aid. Dropping or withdrawing from classes could result in funds to be paid to DBU and diminish your future opportunities for enrollment and completion of your degree pursuit. Students are strongly encouraged to check with the Office of Financial Aid before withdrawing from or dropping or adding any classes.
• Aid will not be disbursed to student accounts until after the add/drop period ends each semester or term. Refunds due to students because of credit balances will be processed within 14 business days after aid is credited to the student account.
• The total of all tuition geared scholarships may not exceed the actual cost of tuition charged to the student. Tuition only (or tuition geared) scholarships may not be used or applied to costs other than tuition. In addition, unfunded scholarships received by the student will not exceed the actual charges incurred by the student; unfunded scholarships may not be carried forward into future terms. Adjustments of these scholarships may be made by the Office of Financial Aid.

Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Parent PLUS, and Grad PLUS

All of these loans require additional forms designed specifically for each program. Loans are made through the Federal government. These loans are not grants. The amount borrowed in each program must be repaid when a student leaves school, either by graduating or withdrawing and in accordance with the repayment schedules established by the U.S. Department of Education. We strongly urge student borrowers to be thoroughly familiar with and understand repayment responsibilities before applying for or securing any of these loans.

We strongly advise students to review the Annual Loan Limits chart below to determine the maximum loans available to borrow. The amount of other financial aid may limit or even reduce the number of loans a student may receive. It is advised that a student contact the Office of Financial Aid to have a counselor perform a file review. The Office of Financial Aid will consider students for the maximum amount of subsidized loans for which they are eligible.

Federal Direct Loan Limits Chart >>

If a student uses their total annual loan amounts for the Fall or Spring (or, both) there will be no loan availability remaining for the summer. We strongly urge each student borrower to plan accordingly and borrow wisely. If you have any questions please contact our office. Loans may be viewed on the National Student Loan Database System.

Students awarded and wishing to utilize Federal Direct Loans to pay against educational expenses must visit StudentLoans.gov to secure their Federal Loans.

As part of that process, students are required to complete online Entrance Counseling and sing an electronic Master Promissory Note (MPN) before the loan application process can be completed. This is a requirement before loan funds can be disbursed to any student account. 

Federal regulations require all student loan borrowers to complete exit counseling and to provide updated information at the time a borrower ceases at least half-time enrollment.

The student must be enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program at Dallas Baptist University. The award is based on the average cost to attend (COA) the University and expected family contribution (EFC) and is determined by the Department of Education as a result of completing a FAFSA. Anticipated awards are based on projected enrollment. Actual awards for enrollment in less than 12 hours will be prorated to reflect actual enrollment.

In order to receive an FSEOG, a student must be eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant and have an application for financial assistance completed before the date for priority consideration of March 15. Preference will be given to students with zero EFC.

An FWSP award listed on the award letter indicates eligibility only. This does not guarantee student employment on-campus. The number of jobs available is limited by funding from the U.S. Department of Education. Students who qualify for this award receive money through this program only if employed on-campus. If the student is awarded FWSP but is unable to obtain a job, the FWSP award may be replaced with other available self-help aid, such as a student loan.

A qualifying student must meet all requirements to receive Federal Aid as described previously and be a legal resident of Texas. If the student is dependent, parents must be legal Texas residents. Student requirements include:

• Must be pursuing their 1st Bachelor's or 1st Master's degree
• Have an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) not to exceed $24,200 per year (current 2023-2024 academic year)
• Meet all requirements to receive federal aid
• Must be enrolled three-quarter time in a semester to receive the grant for that semester
• Not be a recipient of an athletic scholarship
• Not be a Ministries or Church Music major (Some exceptions apply for non-ministerial students. Contact us for more information)

To maintain this grant, an undergraduate student must complete 24 hours in a year (Fall, Spring, Summer), and a graduate student must complete 18 hours in a year (Fall, Spring, Summer). Preference will be given to students who meet the priority date for the completion of applications. For additional information concerning maintaining eligibility for this grant please read the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG) Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.

Other aid and outside scholarships must be applied in accordance with the rules and regulations of each program received. For example, tuition scholarships may only be applied to tuition charges and not applied to costs other than tuition. If additional scholarships or aid from DBU or private sources become available for a student, aid packages may need to be adjusted. An adjustment is required if need-based aid is over-awarded.

You have the right to know...

• What financial aid programs are available at Dallas Baptist University.
• Any deadlines for submitting an application for each of the programs.
• How financial aid will be distributed, how decisions on distributions are made, and the basis for these decisions.
• How your financial aid was determined. (Costs for tuition, fees, room, board, travel, books, supplies, personal, and miscellaneous expenses are considered in your budget).
• What resources (your current assets, parental contribution, other financial aid, etc.) were considered in the calculation of your need.
• How much of your financial need as determined by DBU has been met.
• The details of the various programs in your student aid package.
• What portion of the financial aid you received must be repaid, and what portion is grant aid. If the aid is a loan, you have the right to know the interest rate, the total amount that must be repaid, the payback procedures, the length of time you have to repay the loan, and when the repayment is to begin.
• How DBU determines if you are making satisfactory progress and what happens if you are not.

In Accepting Your Responsibilities You Must...

• Complete all application forms accurately and submit them on time to the proper place.
• Provide correct information. In most instances, knowingly misreporting information on financial aid application forms is a violation of the law and may be considered a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U.S. Criminal Code.
• Return all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agency to which you submitted your application.
• Be responsible for reading and understanding all forms that you are asked to sign, and for keeping copies of them.
• Live up to all agreements that you sign.
• Perform the work agreed on in accepting a University work-study award.
• Be aware of and comply with deadlines for application or reapplication for aid programs.
• Be aware of the DBU refund procedures.
• Be aware that early withdrawal from the term may result in a pro-rated reduction of financial aid eligibility. Such a reduction may require that you repay the money that you received to attend school.
• Report changes in name, address, and telephone number to the proper office.

Disabled Students

Students who are physically disabled and are enrolled or will be enrolled at Dallas Baptist University should contact the Texas Rehabilitation Commission regarding financial aid specifically for the disabled.

Reason for Policy

If a school participates in an FSA loan program, it must publish and enforce a code of conduct that includes bans on the following:

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of August 14, 2008 requires institutions participating in the Federal Title IV loan programs to develop a code of conduct for the institution’s officers, employees, and agents. This is under Public Law 110-315. Dallas Baptist University’s officers, employees, and agents are required to comply with this code of conduct.

Policy Statement

Dallas Baptist University is committed to providing students and their families with the best information and processing alternatives available regarding student borrowing. In support of this and in an effort to rule out any perceived or actual conflict of interest between Dallas Baptist University officers, employees or agents, and education loan lenders, Dallas Baptist University has adopted the following:

Ban on Revenue Sharing

Dallas Baptist University does not participate in any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lender.

Gift Ban

Dallas Baptist University does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the school who is employed in the financial aid office, student financial services office, or is otherwise involved in the administration of education loans to accept any gift from any lender, guarantor, or servicer.

Contracting Arrangements Prohibited

Dallas Baptist University does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the school who is employed in the financial aid office, student financial services office, or is otherwise involved in the administration of education loans to accept any fee, payment, or other financial benefit (including a stock purchase option) from a lender or affiliate of a lender as compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or contract to provide services to a lender or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.

Advisory Board Compensation

Dallas Baptist University does not permit any officer, employee, or agent of the school who is employed in the financial aid office or student financial services office or is otherwise involved in the administration of education loans to accept anything of value from a lender, guarantor, or group of lenders and/or guarantors in exchange for service on an advisory board, commission or other group established by such lender, guarantor group of lenders, and/or guarantors. Dallas Baptist University does not allow for any reimbursement of expenses associated with participation in such boards, commissions or groups by lenders, guarantors, or groups of lenders and/or guarantors.

Interaction with Borrowers

Dallas Baptist University recognizes that a borrower has the right to choose any alternative/private education loan lender from which to borrow to finance his/her education. Dallas Baptist University will not refuse to certify or otherwise deny or delay certification of an alternative/private education loan based on the borrower’s selection of a lender and/or guarantor. Dallas Baptist University does not assign a lender to any first-time borrower through financial aid packaging or any other means.

Opportunity Pool Loan

Dallas Baptist University will not request or accept any offer of funds to be used for private education loans to students from any lender in exchange for providing the lender with a specified number or volume of Title IV loans or a preferred lender arrangement for Title IV loans.

Staffing Assistance

Dallas Baptist University shall not request or accept from any lender any assistance with call center or financial aid office staffing, including in-person school-required initial or exit counseling, except as permitted by applicable federal student loan requirements.

Sanctions

This code will be enforced by the institution. Any employee of Dallas Baptist University in violation of any part of this code will be subject to disciplinary action.