Financial Aid Policies

Office of Financial Aid

Hamline University has a broad pool of funds for student financial aid. A pool-and-match method of managing scholarships is utilized to help balance donor preferences and legal requirements regarding scholarships. Hamline selects recipients for most financial aid offers based on neutral criteria such as merit and financial need. In rare cases where funding was given to Hamline University with specific restrictions (such as gender), the institution will honor those restrictions to the extent allowed by law. This approach ensures that Hamline offers scholarships without an advantage or disadvantage to a recipient because of their race, color, national origin, ethnicity, or gender.

Satisfactory academic progress

Financial aid eligibility is based on Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. The Financial Aid Office measures academic performance and enforces SAP standards to ensure that financial aid recipients progress toward completion of their degree or certificate program. Students who fail to meet these standards become ineligible to receive financial aid until compliant with all of the requirements detailed in this policy.

To demonstrate Satisfactory Academic Progress, a student’s academic performance must meet these two main components:

  • Qualitative component, represented by grade point average (GPA)
  • Quantitative component measured by credit completion (the ratio between attempted and completed credits) and the maximum time frame to complete the degree or certificate program

View Undergraduate SAP policy »
View Graduate SAP policy »

Return of financial aid policy

A student who withdraws from school or decreases their enrollment status may receive a decrease in the institutional charges (see withdraw charges policy from Student Accounts Office), as well as a reversal of a portion or all of their financial aid, depending on timing.

Determine your enrollment status

Program types Enrollment status Credit requirement
Undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, online bachelor’s, teaching licensure Half-time At least 6 credits per semester
Full-time At least 12 credits per semester
Full-time (for State Grants) At least 15 credits per semester for full reward
Master’s, doctorate, graduate certificates Half-time At least 4 credits per semester
Full-time At least 8 credits per semester

View Financial Aid Return policy »
View Undergrad Lifetime Limits policy »