Financial Aid

Trinity College Academic Merit Scholarship

The Trinity College Academic Merit Scholarship is awarded to incoming students who demonstrate high academic achievement. Eligibility is based on high school GPA and test scores; it will be awarded after all final high school grades and official test scores have been received. It is renewable as long as eligibility criteria continues to be met.

Trinity College Grant

The Trinity College Grant is awarded based on high school achievement as well as financial need as evaluated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It is renewable as long as eligibility criteria continues to be met.

Church Matching Grant

TCF will match up to $1,000 per semester for students whose home church is providing them with a scholarship to attend TCF.

Christian Workers Grant

This grant allows students of full-time pastors or missionaries to receive a grant of $1,000 per year. Verification of status must be provided in the form of an official letter on church or mission organization letterhead.

Referral Grant

This one-time grant is awarded at $1,000 per year to students who are referred to TCF by their pastor or an alumni. Verification of referral must be provided in the form of an official letter on church letterhead for pastor referrals or a signed letter for alumni referrals.

Word of Life Scholarship

This scholarship of either $2,000 per year (off-campus) or $4,000 per year (on-campus) is awarded to transfers from the Word of Life Bible Institute.

Early Acceptance Grant

The Early Acceptance Grant is a one-time only award given to incoming students (either first time freshmen or transfer) who complete their Admissions application by a given deadline:

• Completion of Admissions application by December 1 of the year prior to entering TCF: $1,000 per year

• Completion of Admissions application by May 1 of the year entering TCF: $500 per year

Quest Ministerial Grant

Quest Grant

Church Matching Grant

Pell Grant

This is a federally funded type of aid that does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are offered to students with a low Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as determined by submitting the FAFSA each year of enrollment. The maximum Pell Grant for the 2020-2021 academic year is $6,345. Award amounts and eligibility are subject to change each academic year.

Eligibility:
-Students with an EFC of $5,711 or below are eligible to receive a Pell Grant.
-Students must be enrolled full-time each semester (12 or more credit hours) to receive their full Pell Grant offer.
-Students are limited to 600% of lifetime Pell usage. This equates to 6 years of full-time fall/spring enrollment or 12 semesters.
Students must be pursuing their first baccalaureate degree to be eligible for this grant.

Disbursement:
Pell Grant is prorated based on enrollment each semester.
Enrollment in 12 or more credit hours = 100% Pell eligibility
Enrollment in 9-11 credit hours = 75% Pell eligibility
Enrollment in 6-8 credit hours = 50% Pell eligibility
Enrollment in 1-5 credit hours = 25% Pell eligibility

Pell Grant disburses according to when classes begin. If a student has courses with varying start dates, the first portion of the Pell Grant will disburse at the beginning of the semester and the remaining portions will disburse on the first day of the later courses.”

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)

This program provides limited assistance for students of exceptional financial need. Pell Grant recipients are given priority consideration. The yearly average amount is $800.

Florida Student Assistance Grant (FSAG)

This grant is given to Florida residents only. The average maximum yearly amount is $1,700.

Bright Futures Scholarship

Click here for more information on Bright Futures.

Florida Prepaid

We accept Florida Prepaid

Federal Student Loans

Through the FAFSA, students can borrow subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. A federal subsidized loan is awarded based on need as defined by the FAFSA and is not charged interest while borrowers are enrolled at least half-time. A federal unsubsidized loan is not based on a student’s financial need and interest is charged throughout the life of the loan. Annual and lifetime loan limits are set by the federal government. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 credit hours in order to receive these loans. For additional information, please follow this link: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans.

Parent PLUS Loan

Parents of dependent students can apply for the Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) through www.studentaid.gov. This loan is not based on financial need and the annual limit is equal to the student’s Cost of Attendance, as defined by Trinity College, minus any other financial aid the student is receiving. Parents are required to pass a credit check; if your parent is denied this loan, please contact the Financial Aid Office for additional options. PLUS Loans carry a fixed interest rate and an origination fee. We must receive the results of your completed FAFSA before we can process a PLUS application. The 2020-2021 PLUS application is already available and the 2021-2022 application will become available in the spring of 2021.

Alternative Loan

Alternative loans are private (non-federal) loans. The terms and eligibility requirements will vary according to different lenders. You (and your co-borrower, if applicable) should carefully research the available options and apply with the lender that best suits your needs. To assist with this, TCF partners with Sparrow, a service that allows you to search and compare real, personalized private student loan offers from over 16+ lenders through a simple, three-minute application. Sparrow provides a suite of analytical tools that make loan comparison easy, digestible, and visual. Using Sparrow is free and does not impact your credit score. Visit the Sparrow platform here. Once you have applied and been approved through the lender of your choosing, the Financial Aid Office will process your loan.

Vocation Rehabilitation

Veterans Benefits

Click here for information on VA benefits.

Interest-Free Monthly Payment Plan

ADMINISTERED BY TUITION MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

This convenient option reduces the need to borrow and gives students and families more control over their savings. The payment plan allows you to spread your Continuing Education charges over 4 interest-free monthly payments for only the cost of a $25 enrollment fee. Enrollment benefits are:
– The ability to spread payments out over multiple months, without interest
– Free education payment advice to help you minimize borrowing
– Unlimited adjustments to your payment plan budget to ensure the total of what you are paying each month equals the balance owed per semester

Important Notes:

– Students need to register for classes with the Registration Office prior to enrolling in the payment plan.
– Students must register for the payment plan within (2) business days of registering for the class.

Please visit Tuition Management Systems website at trinitycollege.afford.com or contact their Call Center at 1-800-722-4867 with questions or to enroll.

You are also welcome to search for outside opportunities for scholarship to support your study at Trinity
College of Florida. We recommend utilizing the below websites to search and apply for these external
opportunities. Please ensure you inform the Financial Aid Office of any external checks you might be expecting.

FastWeb Scholarship Search

CollegeBoard Scholarship Search

FinAid Scholarship Search

Scholarships.com Search

US Department of Labor Scholarship Search

ScholarshipTracker Search

Juno Scholarship Search

Earnest Scholarship Search

Study.com Scholarship Search

Bold.org Scholarship Search

Sofi Scholarship Giveaway

Discover Scholarship Giveaway

Where Else to Find Scholarships
Many private companies and organizations offer scholarships. Below are some suggestions that you may
reach out to in order to see if anything is available to you:
High School Guidance/College Counselor
Local Businesses, Employers, and Financial Institutions
Church groups, Civic clubs, and other Community Groups
Alumni Associations

The first step in applying for federal financial aid is completing the FAFSA through www.fafsa.ed.gov. Once you have done this, request a consultation with our Financial Aid Department for any additional questions or information on other aid opportunities. You will need the Trinity College of Florida school code 030282 when filling out the FAFSA.

‘FAFSA’ stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. In one free, easy to complete application, students can apply for several different types of funding such as:

• Grants – aid that does not have to be repaid
• Student loans – low interest loans that help offset college expenses and must be repaid after leaving school. Student loans will be offered to you but you are not obligated to accept them.
• Work study – funding that allows you to work at an on-campus job of your choosing

Students applying for federal or state aid must complete the FAFSA. Make sure to add the Trinity College code 030282 so we can receive your FAFSA in a timely manner. Once your FAFSA is complete, we can determine your eligibility. Additional documentation or verification may be necessary. The Financial Aid Office Will reach out to let you know anything that might be needed.

On average, it takes 30 minutes to complete the application online through www.studentaid.gov or through the MyStudentAid app and help is provided throughout the process. Before you fill out the free application, you need to create your FSA ID – a username and password that lets you electronically sign your FAFSA and gives you access to various websites related to federal student aid. If your parent is providing information on your FAFSA, he or she will need his or her own FSA ID as well.

Everyone’s financial aid offer will look a little bit different, but there’s a simple formula that most schools use to determine how much funding you’ll receive. First, the Financial Aid Office takes your total cost of attendance then subtracts your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is based on the information you provide in your application. In short, your cost of attendance, minus your EFC, is equal to your financial need. The college uses your financial need and other information to determine how much financial aid you can receive. For any other questions, please reach out to the Financial Aid Office at Trinity College of Florida.

The FAFSA is important to complete because it is the foundation of all other types of financial aid. The Financial Aid Office must have your FAFSA on file in order to process other types of scholarships, loans, and grants that come from the school or the state.

Guiding Your Financial Aid Process

Here are links you may need for financial assistance.

• FAFSA Video Tutorial
• How to Create Your FSA ID
• Determine Your Dependency
• Filling Out FAFSA
• I Forgot My FAFSA User Name
• I Forgot My FAFSA Password

Verification is a process created by the U.S. Department of Education to confirm the accuracy of information provided on the FAFSA. Students are selected at random to complete this process. If you are selected for Verification, a notification email will be sent to your Trinity email address detailing what documentation you may need to provide in order to verify the information that was reported on your FAFSA. The Verification process is not considered completed until all submitted documentation has been reviewed and the Department of Education has accepted any changes that may have been made to the original FAFSA. We are not able to award federal funding until the verification process has been completed.

All students receiving federal financial aid must make satisfactory progress toward a degree. In accordance with guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education, SAP is made up of two components: a qualitative standard and a quantitative standard. Students’ SAP is evaluated at the end of each semester; any students not meeting the SAP standards will be notified via their Trinity email.

Qualitative Standard

Students must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 (cumulative including transfer coursework, if applicable) to be considered as meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

Quantitative Standard

Completion Rate: A student must consistently complete 67% of their attempted coursework to be considered as meeting SAP. This percentage is cumulative throughout a student’s time enrolled in courses and would include transfer coursework, if applicable. For example, if a student attempts 16 credit hours during a semester but successfully completes only 12, their completion rate would be 75%. In this case, they would still be meeting SAP standards, however, their completion rate would be lowered. Grades of F, W, and I are counted as hours attempted but not earned. A student who repeats a course to attain a better grade is considered to have attempted the course twice and the credit hours from each attempt are counted toward the completion rate.

Maximum Timeframe: Federal regulations state that there is a maximum timeframe in which a student must complete their educational program. The maximum timeframe is 150% of the published length of the educational program. For example, a student would be allowed no more than 180 attempted credit hours to complete a baccalaureate degree that is normally earned with 120 credit hours. When measuring compliance with this policy, all attempted credit hours are counted, including those attempted at other schools, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received.

SAP Evaluation

The first time a student falls below the minimum GPA and/or completion rate requirements, they will be placed on a “warning” status. This status will allow the student to receive federal financial aid for one more semester; this is considered a grace period during which the student has one semester to bring their GPA and/or completion rate back into good standing before becoming ineligible for federal aid. When grades are posted at the close of the warning semester, a student in this status would be expected to be at or above the minimum SAP requirements.

A student on “warning” status who fails to meet the minimum SAP requirements for a second semester will be placed on “suspension”. A student in this status is no longer eligible for federal aid. However, if extenuating circumstances exist that were beyond the student’s control, the student may submit an appeal in order to have their eligibility for federal aid reconsidered.

Appeal Guidelines

The appeal process is only available to a student with extenuating circumstances beyond their control. Both a written statement explaining the circumstances and supporting documentation must be provided in order for an appeal to be considered.

For example, if a medical issue caused a student to miss several classes or assignments and this resulted in a suspension status, the student may submit an appeal. In this instance, a student would provide a thorough written statement outlining the circumstances which led to poor academic performance as well as any supporting medical documentation to support the circumstances described (i.e. medical bills, physician’s statement on letterhead, etc.). All appeal documents will be reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Aid. If the appeal is approved, the student will be granted a probationary period during which they would once again be eligible to receive federal aid. During this period, they would be required to meet the following requirements: making a C or better in all attempted coursework, completing all attempted coursework (may not fail or withdraw from any classes), and follow an academic success plan. At the end of the probationary period, the student is expected to either be meeting SAP standards or to have followed the requirements of their appeal approval. If the overall SAP standards are still not being met after the probationary period but the terms of the appeal were met, the student would continue on probation and remain eligible for federal aid. If the overall SAP standards are still not being met after the probationary period and the terms of the appeal were not met, the student would lose eligibility for federal aid.

Re-Establishing Aid Eligibility

A student who is not meeting SAP standards may choose not to submit an appeal or may not be able to appeal, if they do not have any extenuating circumstances to explain low academic performance. If this is the case, the student will not be eligible to receive federal aid until they are in compliance with all components of the SAP policy. The student will need to attend and pass classes until they begin meeting the standards again; this may take several semesters to accomplish but it will be the responsibility of the student to improve their academic performance during this time.

Dependent/Independent Policy

The U.S. Department of Education has determined that for the purpose of obtaining federal financial aid, students under the age of 24 are generally considered to be dependent. Exceptions apply for students who:
Are veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces
Are serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training
Are providing more than half of the support for a dependent child
Are married
Have been determined to be an orphan, ward of the court since the age of 13
Have been legally determined to be an emancipated minor
Have been determined to be an unaccompanied youth who are homeless or at risk of being homeless
If you have questions concerning your dependency status, please contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Disbursement/Payment Policy

Financial aid awards are disbursed in equal amounts each semester and applied directly to the student’s account. If the award is more than the account balance, a disbursement will be generated and issued to the student in the form of direct deposit or check. If the award is less than the account balance, the student will be billed for the remaining amount due on the account.

Federal Return of Title IV Funds Policy

Title IV (federal aid) recipients who withdraw completely on or before 60 percent in time has elapsed during the period of enrollment for which the student has been charged will be required to return a portion of Title IV funds. The return amount will be calculated using the number of days the student attended in the given term and the total number of days in the given term.

Trinity College of Florida is committed to ensuring equal opportunity with respect to both education and employment and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, national origin, gender, or disability. Trinity College of Florida complies with Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1973, and other applicable statutes.