- The FAFSA form will be available online in December for the 2025-26 academic year. Going forward, the FAFSA will open in October for the following academic year.
- For maximum scholarship consideration, new students should be admitted to Milligan by December 1 and file the FAFSA as soon as it opens for the following year’s admission. You can still apply after this date but may not receive maximum aid.
- The Wednesday before the first day of class, all financial aid processes should be complete. You must pay your bill or enroll in the tuition payment plan.
Course schedules will be cancelled for students who have not completed ALL financial aid processes AND paid the balance due on their accounts on the Wednesday before the first day of class. Students will not be able to eat in the cafeteria or grill using their meal plans after course schedules are cancelled. Meals can be purchased with cash from Pioneer College Caterers during this time.
A $250 re-enrollment fee will be assessed to all students whose registrations are cancelled and who must re-register for classes. All financial issues will have to be addressed satisfactorily before a student will be able to re-register for classes. It will be the student’s responsibility to ensure their financial aid and student account balance have been addressed by the Wednesday before the first day of class.
Approximately 98% of our students receive some type of financial aid, including merit and need-based scholarships, grants, loans, and employment.
The Student Financial Services Office begins to process financial aid awards in early December for new incoming students and February for returning students. Please review, accept, and submit your financial aid offer as quickly as possible.
Talk to a financial aid counselor about Professional Judgment. Milligan University uses every resource and opportunity to assist students financially. Though the financial aid offer cannot be “negotiated,” special situations (such as death of a parent, loss of a job, severe illness, natural disaster, etc.) can be taken into consideration.
Any student wishing to receive federal, state, and/or need-based Milligan aid must file the FAFSA each year. No additional financial aid application for Milligan is required.
You may receive federal financial aid for up to 150% of the normal time frame it takes to complete a degree program. Milligan scholarships are renewable for 4 years; students must write a letter of appeal to be considered for institutional aid beyond their 4th year.
According to the federal government, a student is generally considered independent if he/she is at least one of the following:
- 24 years old
- A veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
- An orphan or ward of the court
- A student with legal dependents other than a spouse
- A married student
- A graduate student
If a student does not meet at least one of these criteria, he or she must be considered a dependent student, even if the student is not living with his or her parents.
Outside scholarships will be counted as a resource as required by federal law. There are exceptions, but outside scholarships do not usually affect the amount of institutional aid you receive.
The federal government requires some students to verify the information reported on their FAFSA. Colleges are responsible for performing this verification and must do so before federal funds can be disbursed.
Federal Direct Loans are either subsidized or unsubsidized. Your total award may include subsidized and/or unsubsidized loans for the same enrollment period.
A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. You will not be charged any interest before you begin repayment or during authorized periods of deferment. The federal government “subsidizes” the interest during these periods.
An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need. You will be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If you allow the interest to accumulate, it will be capitalized; that is, the interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan and additional interest will be based upon the higher amount.
Federal Loan annual limits are based on enrollment status.
