Doctor of Ministry Financial Aid
It is expected that Doctor of Ministry students will continue to work in their ministry settings even as they study and complete their research project culminating in their dissertations. Their parish or church must be supportive of their DMin work and ideally supportive financially as well. Limited financial assistance is available through Trinity in the form of scholarships and student loans. Students who qualify for Veterans' Affairs Benefits and Vocational Rehabilitation Funds should contact the Financial Aid Director. The following provides information concerning Financial Aid. For further information contact the Doctor of Ministry Office or the Financial Aid Director.
Doctor of Ministry Scholarships
Limited scholarship funds and student assistance funds may be available for Doctor of Ministry students with demonstrated need. These funds are for full-time Doctor of Ministry students in good standing. A student is considered full-time in the Doctor of Ministry program when he or she is taking a minimum of two classes per year. Janani Luwum Scholars are not eligible to apply. If you would like to apply for this limited assistance, please complete the Scholarship Application found here on Trinity’s website. Please complete it to the best of your ability so that we may have an equitable means of awarding funds. The application deadline for Academic Year 2008-2009 is June 30th.
Application for a Doctor of Ministry scholarship and/or assistance funds include completing
1) the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and
2) the Scholarship Application form.
Even if you are not pursuing any federal student loans, Trinity requires scholarship applicants to file the FAFSA for our institutional assessment of students’ relative need. Applications must be completed in their entirety and received by the Financial Aid Director on or before June 30, 2008 (and the FAFSA must be filed electronically on or before June 30, 2008). Please complete a FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Student Loans
Trinity participates in the Stafford Student Loan Program. The specific type of Stafford Loan available to Trinity students is the FFEL (Federal Family Education Loan). In order to be eligible for a Stafford Loan the student must be enrolled in the DMin program and registered for a minimum of six credit hours during the year. Students with Stafford Loans must maintain satisfactory academic progress. Trinity’s desire is for students to graduate with a minimal amount of indebtedness so that loan repayments do not unduly burden their future ministries. Below are the steps a student needs to take in order to determine his or her eligibility, request, and receive a Stafford Loan.
1) FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step to determining if a student qualifies for federal student loans. Ideally one should submit the FAFSA before June 30th (especially if also applying for a DMin Scholarship through Trinity). The U.S. Department of Education uses FAFSA data to calculate the student’s EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and to verify other loan eligibility requirements. Complete a FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Each academic year, the student will have to file a new FAFSA.
2) AES Loan Application
This step is for students without a current MPN (Master Promissory Note).
Trinity processes student loans through AES/PHEAA (American Education Services/The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency). To begin the loan process, the student needs to complete a Stafford Loan Application on the AES web site: www.aessuccess.org. Normally once a student has a current MPN, this step will not have to be repeated in subsequent years.
3) Loan Eligibility Calculations and Loan Request through VFAO
The next step is for the student to complete an online interview with the VFAO (Virtual Financial Aid Office) at https://tesm.vfao.com. The amount that an individual student is eligible to borrow is calculated based on Trinity’s official Doctor of Ministry Cost of Attendance (COA – see below), other aid that the student anticipates receiving, and the EFC derived from the student’s FAFSA. Trinity sets the COA for all students but is allowed to make adjustments on a per student basis for exceptional situations based on federal guidelines. If this should be an issue, the student should see the Financial Aid Director. The VFAO calculates the student’s loan eligibility; and then, the student requests a loan amount within his or her eligibility limits.
4) Award Letter
The student will receive an Award Letter that indicates his or her loan amount(s) and the anticipated disbursement dates.
5) Disbursements
Student loans are released in two disbursements — ideally within a few days of the beginning of each term. Loan funds are first applied against outstanding tuition, fees, and optionally to the student’s Trinity Bookstore balances. The student has the option of keeping remaining funds on account or receiving them in check form. When the funds arrive at Trinity, the Student Billing Administrator will contact each student.
Trinity’s Doctor of Ministry Cost of Attendance (COA) Policy
For academic year 2008-2009, Trinity has three standard COAs for Doctor of Ministry students. These are for a full Doctor of Ministry academic year of November 16, 2008 through October 15, 2009: Winter Term (Jan Term) and Summer Term (June Term). The difference among the COAs is in number of credit hours (tuition and corresponding fees). Minimal full-time attendance for the year is 6 credits, 3 each term. Tuition for audited courses cannot be included in calculating the student’s COA. A change of enrollment that reduces the student’s credit hours and thereby changing the student’s COA will necessitate a recalculation of the student’s loan eligibility.
For Academic Year 2008-2009 the following are Trinity’s Doctor of Ministry COA’s:
6 credits 9 credits 12 credits
(3 cr./term) (3+6 cr./term) (6 cr./term)
full-time full-time full-time
(minimum)
$4,050 $5,365 $6,680
Trinity Doctor of Ministry Alumni
Graduates of Trinity’s Doctor of Ministry program can take further courses at 50% of the tuition.
