Financial Aid

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Financial Aid Recipients

Financial aid will be disbursed and credited to the student account when all required documents have been received and approved by the Office of Financial Aid and the enrollment status meets all requirements.

Anticipated Financial Aid

Anticipated aid (pending financial aid) is contingent upon enrollment status and other requirements. It will be deferred for those students with a Financial Aid Notification Letter and, if applicable, have also completed the federal financial aid verification process. If the anticipated financial aid is reduced or canceled, the student is then responsible for any modification to the balance due. Likewise, if financial aid is refused, denied or decreased, payment is due to the College. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Office of Student Accounts/Bursar if there is a change in their financial aid. It is recommended that each student review their account periodically through Self-Service.

Disbursement of Financial Aid

Not all students are at the same point in financial aid processing, so not everyone will have their funds disbursed at the same time. The billing statement will reflect actually received funds applied as a credit and pending grants, scholarships and loans applied as anticipated. If a student’s financial aid is noted as “anticipated aid” on the student statement, patience is appreciated as the Office of Financial Aid and the Office of Student Accounts/Bursar work with each student to complete the disbursement process. If the financial aid appears on the student statement as a credit, then funds have been disbursed.

Students and parent borrowers will be notified in writing or electronically when a loan is disbursed. The notification will include the date and the amount of the disbursement, the right of the student or parent borrower to cancel all or a portion of the loan funds, and the procedures, including timeframes, by which they must notify the College they wish to cancel the loan or a portion of the loan.

Private Scholarships

The Office of Student Accounts/Bursar will notify any student by e-mail when a check needing endorsement arrives. The student should respond immediately. Scholarship funds will be applied to the student’s account when received and properly endorsed. The funds will not be divided between fall and spring semesters unless directed by the donor.

Alternative Financing 

Many students use private student loans (alternative loans) to help fund educational costs. Most private loan programs require a creditworthy cosigner. The College must have lender approval before the loan amount will be deducted as anticipated from a student’s account. Alternative Loans must be for the entire academic year. No semester only based Alternative loans will be permitted unless the student is in their final semester.

Credit Balances & Overpayments

If a student overpays their account, they may be entitled to a refund. Payments made in any part by a credit card will be refunded as “credit back” transaction to the credit card used for that transaction. Payments made by debit card in person will be refunded by check. For those students enrolled in FSPP, the contract will be reduced by the credit balance showing on the current student statement.

If a student has a credit balance resulting from an overpayment by personal check and/or financial aid, the refund will be made payable to the student, except for Direct Plus loan recipients (please see below). If the student has signed up for eRefund the money will be deposited directly in the student’s bank account and they will be notified by e- mail when the money has been disbursed, otherwise the student will be refunded by paper check. Physical checks will be mailed to the permanent home address listed with the Office of the Registrar.

If a Direct PLUS loan is awarded and disbursed to a student’s account, any credit balance (check) will be issued to the Direct PLUS borrower. The check will be mailed to the address on file in the Office of Financial Aid for the parent borrower. The amount of the check will not exceed the amount received from the loan provider.

Taxpayer Assistance

Ringling College of Art and Design does not provide tax advice. All decisions regarding the tax implications or benefits of your education should be made in consultation with your independent tax advisor.

For information regarding Education Credits, visit: IRS - Individuals - Students: https://www.irs.gov/individuals/students

In particular, on the IRS web site, see:

  • IRS Publication 1 7: Tax Guide for Individuals
  • IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education

To find information regarding your 1 098T form or to opt-in to 1 098T electronic delivery, visit: https://heartland.ecsi.net/ or contact ECSI tax helpline at www.ecsi.net/taxinfo.html.

Any payments or Financial Aid received after December 31 may not be reflected on the 1 098T.

1 098T forms will be mailed to the student’s permanent address no later than January 31 . If you have not received one, please visit the website listed above or contact the Call Center to obtain this information.

Scholarships, Grants and Loans

Purpose & Philosophy

The purpose of the Office of Financial Aid is to provide resources for students who otherwise would be unable to attend Ringling College. Our financial aid programs consist of institutional merit-based scholarships and need-based grants as well as federal and state grants, student loans and student employment. The Office of Financial Aid is committed to helping students achieve a Ringling College education. Our staff members assist students and their families with a high degree of personalized service. We provide comprehensive financial guidance and support over the entirety of students’ educational experience at Ringling.

Applying for Financial Aid

Accepted students are automatically reviewed for merit scholarships. These scholarships are based on various measures of achievement including the student's portfolio and grade point average (GPA).. Financial need is not a factor in determining merit scholarships. Incoming students who have completed the application process by February 15th for the following Fall semester are automatically considered for Ringling College merit scholarships. 

With a completed FAFSA each year, the College will consider students for all need-based federal, state and institutional aid for which they are eligible. The FAFSA is available on-line at www.studentaid.gov. Federal aid consists of grants, loans and work study. In addition to the Bright Futures Scholarship program, other sources of aid from the State of Florida include need–based and non-need based grants. The College offers grants to students based on demonstrated financial need. Available federal funds can only be applied to coursework leading to a degree.

Full Time Enrollment Requirement

Ringling College of Art and Design awards all institutional financial aid (merit scholarships, endowments, and need-based grants) based on full-time enrollment status.

Students awarded Ringling financial aid are required to maintain full-time enrollment (e.g. 12 credit hours or more) each semester in order to receive the full amount of their awards. Students who attend less than full-time will automatically have their Ringling scholarships and grants adjusted based on the number of credit hours they are enrolled for the semester. Federal aid requires a minimum of six credit hours to receive funds. Students unable to attend full-time due to extenuating circumstances may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid.

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

In accordance with Federal and State regulations, the following guidelines apply to all students requesting Title IV funds (Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Federal Direct Stafford Loan or Federal Direct PLUS Loan, Federal Work Study) regardless of whether the student has previously received Title IV aid. Refer to the Academic Requirements section for specific requirements related to institutional scholarships and grants.

Financial aid recipients are required to meet Ringling College’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. SAP provides Qualitative (GPA), quantitative (completion rate), and incremental (Maximum Time Frame) standards by which the College can determine that students receiving financial aid funds are maintaining SAP requirements for their course of study. Failure to maintain SAP in accordance with current policy requirements will result in the loss of financial assistance.

The Office of Financial Aid completes a SAP review annually at the end of the spring semester. All attempted credits are counted, irrespective of when and whether or not financial aid was received. The College counts all Incompletes (“I”s), Withdrawals (“W”s), (“F’s”) Credit / No Credit, Pass / No Pass and all repeated coursework. Students will be notified via email if there is an unsatisfactory academic progress status is determined. The email will outline why SAP was not attained and how to achieve a satisfactory status in the future.

If students transfer coursework from other institutions, the College will count all attempted credits Ringling accepts, into the SAP calculation, for both progress (67% completion rate of all coursework) and maximum time frame (150% of published program length).

When students are not meeting SAP, the College will terminate future federal financial aid. Students may appeal on the basis of injury or illness, the death of a relative, or other special circumstances. The appeal must explain why students failed to make satisfactory progress and what has changed in the situation that will allow students to make satisfactory progress at the next evaluation. If the appeal is approved, students will be placed on financial aid probation and offered federal aid for one term. If it requires more than one term to clear SAP standards, an academic plan will be created in conjunction with academic advising. SAP evaluation will occur at the end of that term. (See Appeal Process Federal)

Academic Requirements

Merit scholarships awarded through the College require recipients to earn and maintain a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA). Grants awarded through the College require recipients to earn and maintain a 2.0 cumulative GPA. Federal financial aid recipients must be in good academic standing by earning a minimum of a 1.5 cumulative GPA for first year students, and a 2.0 cumulative GPA for students second year and greater. Students must also be progressing toward their degree by completing at least 67% of attempted coursework. Students may not use institutional, federal, or state financial aid to pay for courses that they audit. Review SAP section for specific requirements relating to state programs.

Qualitative Measurement for Financial Aid (GPA)

A total quality point value is determined for the term using the quality point system:

Letter Grade GPA Points
A 4
A- 3.67
B+ 3.33
B 3
B- 2.67
C+ 2.33
C 2
C- 1.67
D+ 1.33
D 1
D- .67
F 0
W 0
I 0

All course grades will be taken into consideration including “I” (Incomplete), “F” (Failure) and “W” (Withdrawal).

Quantitative Measure (Completion Rate)

Students must complete at least 67% of credit hours attempted to remain compliant with SAP for federal financial aid.

Credit hours progression will be based on a cumulative total of credit hours attempted to credit hours earned. The following grades will not be considered completed credits: F, W, WF, I, and N.

Credits not completed will count toward maximum time frame toward degree completion.

Repeated Course Work

Repeated course to count toward your financial aid enrollment status, you may only repeat a previously passed course once (for a total of two attempts). If you enroll in a previously passed repeated course for a third time, this course will not count toward your enrollment for financial aid purposes. This rule applies whether or not the student received aid for any previous enrollment in the repeated course. 

Incremental (Maximum Time Frame)

Maximum hours to earn degree: To quantify SAP, the College uses federal law requirements in order to set a maximum time frame in which students are expected to complete their degree. The maximum time frame cannot exceed 150% of the published length of the program measured in credit hours attempted. To identify the maximum time frame of 150%, multiply the total credits required times 150%. Students who have reached or exceeded the maximum time frame of 150% or more are required to successfully petition the College by way of written request each semester in order to have their financial aid reinstated (see Appeal Process, below).

Federal Direct Loan Usage Limit

All first-time Federal Direct Loan recipients who borrow on or after July 1, 2013 have limited eligibility for Direct Subsidized loans, defined as a period not to exceed 150% of the length of the borrower’s education program.

Financial Aid Eligibility Status

Satisfactory: Satisfactory status is achieved when all criteria explained above are being met or when a student is meeting the requirements established under an individual academic action plan.

Financial Aid Warning: A student on Financial Aid Warning may receive Title IV funds (possibly lose other assistance) for one payment period. During this payment period, the student must meet the required standards to avoid Financial Aid Suspension.

Financial aid probation: A student has been placed on probation due to an approved appeal for title IV funds. During this time student must meet required standards to avoid Financial Aid Suspension.

Financial Aid Suspension: Students on Financial Aid Suspension cannot be paid Title IV federal assistance.

Loss of Financial Aid

Students who do not meet SAP requirements will be subject to termination from receiving further financial aid. SAP standards are checked and verified annually. 

Generally, students may fail to not meet SAP standards for the following reasons:

  • They have reached the maximum time frame of their program.
  • Did not complete the semester with a cumulative GPA of 2.0 orbetter.
  • They do not complete 67% of attempted credits cumulatively.

Additionally, the following are other considerations that students must meet to maintain SAP requirements:

  1. Repeating any course in which a grade of “C” or better is received is not permitted in determining enrollment for financial aid eligibility. A course in which a grade of “D” or “F” is received may be repeated one time.
  2. Incompletes (“I”) will be considered only if they are made up by the dates posted in the official semester calendar.

Once students reach their maximum time frame, and/or does not meet the SAP standards, they will be terminated from receiving further financial aid assistance.

Appeal Process

Students who have had financial aid terminated due to SAP Suspension, may submit a written appeal to the Office of Financial Aid. If the appeal has been approved by the Office of Financial Aid, students could be eligible for federal aid and/or Ringling aid reinstated. Students would be on Financial Aid Probation for a semester.

The letter of appeal should describe in adequate detail those extenuating circumstances which made it unreasonable or impossible to meet the terms and conditions required to maintain SAP. If SAP cannot be achieved after one term, the student must work with an Academic Advisor to complete an academic plan as part of the appeal process. The academic plan must include a list of classes with associated credit hours needed to graduate, which classes directly relate to graduation requirements, and a narrative of the action plan to ensure success for the remainder of the student’s college career at Ringling College.

Students paying for their own classes or sitting out for an enrollment period does not necessarily re-establish aid eligibility. Students for whom financial aid has been terminated for reasons other than exceeding the maximum time frame component may receive financial aid reinstatement by successful appeal or by meeting both of the following criteria:

  1. Achieve the required cumulative GPA and;
  2. Successfully complete 67% of the total cumulative credit hours attempted at the College.

Action taken on a financial aid appeal is communicated to students in writing by postal mail or email. Students who have an appeal approved will be placed on Financial Aid Probation status for the subsequent semester(s). While on Financial Aid Probation status, students must maintain a specified minimum semester GPA, complete a specified percentage of semester coursework, and be within the 150% maximum time frame.

Return of Federal Title IV Financial Aid

Students who receive Title IV funds (federal) and withdraw from the College are subject to the Return of Title IV Funds regulations.

Students with funds from any of these programs “earn” their financial aid dollars while enrolled. If a student withdraws prior to completing 60% of a semester, a prorated portion of the federal financial aid must be considered “unearned” and returned to the federal programs. Unearned financial aid dollars, which have to be returned to the federal aid programs, could cause students to owe the College a significant amount upon withdrawal.

In addition to the amount of federal aid Ringling College must return, students who received financial aid for other educational costs, including off-campus living expenses, may be required to repay a portion of those funds to the federal programs. Failure to return aid due back to the federal aid programs will result in loss of eligibility for federal financial assistance.

The return of Title IV aid is in the following order:

  • Unsubsidized Direct Loans
  • Subsidized Direct Loans
  • Direct Parent PLUS Loans
  • Federal Pell Grants
  • FSEO

Institutional funding will be pro-rated depending on the date the student withdraws. The Office of Financial Aid’s policy coincides with the Bursar’s date of withdrawal for tuition refunds for institutional programs.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursement

If the student did not receive all of the funds that were earned prior to withdrawing, a post-withdrawal disbursement may be due. If the student is eligible for a post-withdrawal disbursement of a grant, it must be disbursed within 45 days. If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, the student must give permission before the funds can be disbursed. Students will be notified within 30 days of the date of the withdrawal determination of any direct loan eligibility, or a parent for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan eligibility. Permission is required to use the post-withdrawal grant disbursement for all other school charges. If a post-withdrawal disbursement from a loan results in a credit balance, the credit balance will be refunded to the student and/or the parent in the case of a Direct Parent PLUS Loan as soon as possible, but no later than 14 days after the credit balance has occurred. The school must return the Title IV funds within 45 days of the date the school determines the student withdrew.

Calculating Earned Aid and Notification

Though your aid is posted to the student account at the start of each semester, funds are earned upon completion of the semester. Title IV financial aid is earned by the calendar day, not class day. This includes weekends, holidays, and breaks of less than five consecutive days. The College is required to determine the amount of Title IV aid the withdrawing student has earned and then either disburse any additional funds the student may be entitled to up to the amount earned, or return funds in excess of the amount earned which the student has already received. Once the Return to Title IV Funds calculation has occurred, the Billing Office will notify the student of the calculation and the aid that was returned by providing an updated billing statement. The outstanding balance now due to the institution, as a result, is posted on the student’s account. The student may contact the financial aid office for a detailed document outlining the calculation. Funds will be returned to the appropriate federal program within 30 days of the calculation.

Official Withdrawals

The Office of the Registrar notifies all departments of an official withdrawal. Official withdrawals are processed within 30 days of receiving a notification of withdrawal. The withdrawal date will be determined based on the date the student completes the Withdraw from Ringling Form. 

Unofficial Withdrawals

Title IV aid recipients who fail to withdraw but stop attending class are considered unofficial withdrawals. The Return to Title IV Funds policy requires the College to calculate the "earned" amount based on the last day of attendance of the semester. If the student stopped attending prior to the 60% point of the term, the student will be billed for the outstanding charges as a result of the Return of Title IV funds. Unofficial withdrawals are processed within 30 days of determining the student was an unofficial withdrawal.

Credit Balances After Withdrawal

The school must determine the correct Title IV credit balance, considering the results from both the Return to Title IV calculation and the institutional refund calculation. If after the Return to Title IV funds and the institutional refund calculations are applied to the student’s account and a credit balance results, the credit balance will be disbursed as soon as possible but no later than 14 days after the date of the Return to Title IV calculation is performed.

State Financial Aid 
State of Florida Financial Aid 

To receive assistance from the State of Florida, including the Effective Access to Student Education (EASE), a student must be a legal resident of the state. Where financial aid eligibility is concerned, a resident is defined as one who has established and maintained legal residence in Florida for at least 12 months prior to the enrollment period. This residence must be for the purposes of establishing a permanent home, and not merely be incidental to enrollment at an institution of higher learning. Attending college in Florida will not, in and of itself, meet the residency requirement for state aid.

Dependent Students can receive State of Florida financial aid if their parents qualify as a Florida resident per the state’s statuary regulations. Information on state programs that the College participates in and eligibility requirements can be found at www.FloridaStudentFinacialAid.org.

State of Florida Requirements for Continuing to Receive State Aid Students receiving any assistance from the State of Florida, including the Effective Access to Student Education (EASE), MUST:

  1. Be enrolled in a baccalaureate program for at least 12 semester hours per semester at the end of the drop-add period.
  2. Complete the equivalent of 24 semester hours by the end of the spring semester during each academic year.
  3. Maintain a cumulative G.P.A. of 2.0 or better at the College.
  4. Not have previously received a baccalaureate degree.

The State of Florida has additional requirements regarding Bright Futures and other Florida scholarship continued eligibility. Please visit www.FloridaStudentFinacialAid.org.

Residency

Students who are dependent for financial aid purposes are considered legal residents of the same state as their parents.

Students 24 years of age and older are considered to be independent of their parents for the purpose of determining residency. Students will be asked to document their claim to Florida residency pursuant to Florida statutes and state Board of Education administrative rules.

Out of State Students

Non-Florida residents may be eligible for aid from their home states. They should contact their appropriate state educational agency to make this determination.

Veterans Administration (VA) GI Bill® Yellow Ribbon Program To be considered for the GI Bill® programs students are required to provide a copy of your VA Certificate of Eligibility (COE) and complete a request for certification form with the Ringling College's (VA) certifying official in the Office of Advising, Records and Registration. Once your VA COE is received and the student completes a request for certification form with Ringling College Certifying Official, Ringling College will be able to submit certification, post an anticipated amount for VA funds to your tuition bill based on the appropriate program funding.

The Post 9/11 GI Bill ® Yellow Ribbon Program provides additional financial assistance to veterans and dependents who qualify for 100% of Post - 9/11 GI Bill® educational benefits. Ringling College provides yellow ribbon scholarship assistance, which is matched by the VA once VA’s yearly tuition cap is paid out fully.

VA education benefits are calculated on full-time enrollment, or 12 or more credit hours. VA education benefits payments will vary depending on which benefit being used and hours of enrollment required for degree. If a student withdraw from class(es), a debt may be incurred with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Students must complete a new request for certification with the College when withdrawing from class(es) during a semester. The appeals process for VA debts differs from that of the College and students should contact the VA directly for any questions regarding that process. Eligible students must maintain satisfactory academic progress for all terms in which they are enrolled, in order to continue to receive benefits. Details of satisfactory academic progress and all military affiliated policies can be found in the Academic Catalog.