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The Office of Financial Aid at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University realizes that choosing a college and financing your education is one of the most important decisions you will make. On this page, you’ll find information about the financial aid application process at FranU, aid application deadlines, and must–know information about the FAFSA, student loans and other types of available aid
At FranU, we treat all students with respect and maintain the confidentiality of personal information about our students and their families at all times. We strive to demonstrate the highest level of care, ethical behavior and professionalism while assisting students and their families with finding the best options to pay for college, all while remaining good stewards of federal, state and institutional funds.
A large percentage of our student body receives some form of financial aid, making us one of the nation’s most affordable private Catholic universities. Many of our students receive financial aid through the form of grants, scholarships and loans. FranU also participates in the state’s TOPS program and the Louisiana Go Grant program.
As a student, you have the right to understand what you’ll pay for your education, and at FranU, we believe our students should have a clear sense of their approximate tuition expenses. To better serve our students as they navigate their decision-making process and plan for their financial future, we’ve created a Tuition and Fee Calculator that can be used to determine the estimated cost of attendance.
FranU offers aid in the form of the Taylor Opportunity Program for Students (TOPS), Federal Work-Study, scholarships and more. With so many options and opportunities for students of many backgrounds, we’re confident that our team in the Office of Financial Aid can connect you with the right aid for where you’re at in life.
The goal of the Office of Financial Aid is to provide you with high-quality service and equitable resources to help meet your educational goals. You may apply for federal student aid, including grants, loans and work-study, by completing the following steps.
Go to Studentaid.gov to create an FSA ID. If you are required to include parent information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), your parents need to create an FSA ID also. If you already have an FSA ID, proceed to Step 2.
Once you’ve created your FSA ID, complete and submit the FAFSA on the Studentaid.gov site. Be sure to list FranU’s school code, 031062. The Department of Education (DOE) provides an electronic copy of your FAFSA to the Office of Financial Aid at FranU.
Submit the Financial Aid Data Form to the Office of Financial Aid. If you have been selected by the DOE for a process called verification, you will be required to submit additional documentation. The Office of Financial Aid will notify you via email of all documentation you must provide.
Your financial aid eligibility is determined after the Office of Financial Aid has received your FAFSA and all required documents, provided you are:
Admitted into the University and/or Program;
Meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy requirements; and
Meeting all other federal eligibility requirements.
If you are a first-time Direct Stafford Loan borrower and/or new to the University, you must complete a Direct Stafford Entrance Loan Counseling session. A link to the online session is available on the Federal Student Aid website.
If you are a first-time Direct Stafford Loan borrower and/or new to the University, you must also complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). You may complete an MPN by logging onto the Federal Student Aid website.
The Office of Financial Aid will email you an award letter detailing the aid you are eligible to receive. Please allow one to two weeks (three to four weeks during peak processing months of July and August) for receipt of your award letter once you have submitted all required documentation.
Accept/Reject any aid offers via Wolf Tracks.
You must complete a credit pre-approval and Master Promissory Note (if you have not already completed a Direct PLUS MPN). You may access the PLUS application at Studentaid.gov after May 1.
To learn more about Financial Aid watch a short video.
The FAFSA becomes available each year on October 1. You may apply for financial aid any time after October 1 to use for the upcoming fall, spring and summer semesters. We recommend that your application be submitted no later than March 2 for priority consideration.
It is important that you complete the financial aid application process early enough each year so that your award will be in place prior to fee bill deadlines; otherwise, you will be responsible for payment of your fees by the due date.
In addition to the information below, FranU has created a guide to help you navigate financially preparing for college that includes a breakdown of the differences between federal and private loans, how to decipher your financial aid award letter and more.
A student is independent if they meet any one of the following criteria from HEA Sec. 480(d):
Is at least 24 years old.
Is married as of the date they apply.
Will be a graduate or professional student at the start of the award year.
Is currently serving on active duty for purposes other than training.
Is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
Has dependents other than a spouse.
Was an orphan, foster child or ward/dependent of the court at any time since the age of 13.
Is an emancipated minor.
Is in legal guardianship or was determined at any time since July 1, 2008, to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or was self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.
If you are the student applying and you have a child and one or both of your parents are directly or indirectly providing more than 50% support in cash or other assistance to the child/grandchild, then you would answer “no” to the FAFSA question about legal dependents. “Indirect support” to the child includes support that a parent gives to you on behalf of your child. If you are living with a parent who is paying for most of the household expenses, your parent would usually be considered the primary source of support to your child, and you would answer “no” to the question about legal dependents.
Need to change your status? Only in extreme circumstances does the school have the authority to change your status. The Higher Education Act allows a financial aid administrator (FAA) to make dependency overrides on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual circumstances.
However, none of the conditions listed below, singly or in combination, qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override: parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education; parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification; parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes; or the student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
If you have questions about changing your dependency status, you can reach our office at (225) 526-1714 to discuss your family circumstances with a counselor. Should you have a valid case for a dependency override, your counselor will give you all appropriate forms to complete the process.
Note: It has no bearing on being able to be considered as “independent” whether or not your parents claimed you on their tax return. The Higher Education Act of 1992 established requirements for establishing independence. More information can be found on the FAFSA website Dependency Status page.
When completing the FAFSA, you’ll be asked to indicate your marital status. You must indicate your marital status as of the date you are completing the FAFSA. You cannot update your marital status once you have filed your FAFSA.
A deferment is a period of time during which no payments are required, and interest does not accrue (accumulate) unless you have an unsubsidized direct loan. The most common loan deferment conditions are enrollment in school at least half time, inability to find full-time employment (for up to three years) and economic hardship (for up to three years).
If you temporarily can’t meet your repayment schedule, but you’re not eligible for a deferment, your lender might grant you forbearance for a limited and specific period of time.
Forbearance occurs when your lender or loan-servicing agency agrees to either temporarily reduce or postpone your student loan payments. Interest continues to accrue (accumulate), however, and you are responsible for paying it, no matter what kind of loan you have.
There are certain mandatory forbearances. Examples include borrowers who:
Are in a medical or dental internship or residency;
Have student loan payments that are 20 percent or more of their monthly income;
Have payments being made for them by the Department of Defense.
Contact your lender or loan-servicing agent for more information on the mandatory forbearance benefit.
Loan discharge refers to the cancellation of a loan, even one in default, due to school closure, false certification, your death or total and permanent disability.
Cancellation or sometimes “forgiveness” of a loan is based on the borrower performing certain types of service, such as teaching in a low-income school. A defaulted loan cannot be canceled based on qualifying service (e.g., teaching).
Student and parent borrowers can consolidate (combine) multiple federal student loans with various repayment schedules into one loan: either an FFEL Consolidation Loan or a Direct Consolidation Loan. The result is a single monthly payment instead of multiple monthly payments.
However, there could be downsides to loan consolidation. For example, consolidation may significantly increase the total cost of repaying your loans; because you may have a longer period of time to repay, you’ll pay more interest. You might also lose some borrower benefits such as interest discounts and rebates. Always talk to a financial aid professional for advice when deciding whether or not to consolidate.
Defaulting on a loan is the failure to repay a loan according to the terms agreed to when you signed a promissory note. The consequences of default are severe. If you return to school, you’re not entitled to receive any additional federal student financial aid.
Many of our students receive financial aid in the forms of grants, scholarships, and loans. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University participates in the TOPS and the Louisiana GoGrant programs.
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You should submit your FAFSA as soon as possible to ensure that your application will be processed in time. The FAFSA becomes available each year on October 1. (The Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University school code for the FAFSA is 031062.)
Tuition is charged by credit hour for all programs of study. The tuition rate is determined by course type. Fees are charged per credit hour or per semester depending on the fee. Tuition and fees are assessed at the time a student registers for courses.
Use the tuition and fee calculator to determine specific per-semester costs.
No. You may apply for financial aid any time after October 1. However, you must be admitted to receive a financial aid award and enrolled to receive disbursement.
By completing the FAFSA you are applying for all Federal Title IV programs including the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Fed Direct Loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), Parent Plus Loans (PLUS), and Graduate PLUS loans (GPLUS). The FAFSA is also the application for other aid such as, Louisiana’s Tuition Opportunity Program (TOPS),certain scholarships that require financial need.
The FAFSA becomes available each year on October 1. You may apply for financial aid any time after October 1 to use for the upcoming fall, spring, and summer semesters. We recommend that your application be submitted no later than March 2 for priority consideration. It is important that you complete the financial aid application process early enough each year so that your award will be in place prior to fee bill deadlines; otherwise, you will be responsible for payment of your fees by the due date.
YES! Each year you must refile either the FAFSA or the Renewal FAFSA for the appropriate academic year. You must also maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to qualify for aid each year. Please refer to Satisfactory Academic Progress regulations on our website.
The The FSA ID can be used to sign the FAFSA electronically, drastically decreasing the processing time.
After submitting your FAFSA, a copy is provided electronically to the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Financial Aid Office (FAO). The FAO will notify you via email of the documentation you are required to provide. If you have been selected by the U.S. Department of Education for a process called verification, you will be required to submit additional documentation to the FAO. This may include, but is not limited to, copies of Federal tax returns, verification worksheets, W-2’s, etc. All students will be required to submit the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Financial Aid Application. These forms are to be submitted, upon request, to the Office of Financial Aid at FranU, not to the Federal processor. Your financial aid will not be complete until you have submitted the required documents.
The Office of Financial Aid is located on the first floor of the Student Service Building located at 7525 Picardy Avenue. Our counselors are available from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday for your convenience. Hours vary in rare circumstances. Students driving some distance to visit a financial aid counselor are encouraged to make an appointment. You may also phone and speak with one of our representatives by calling (225) 526-1714 or Toll Free (877) 242-3509 or you may email us at Financial.Aid@franu.edu.
Once all requested documentation has been submitted to our office you will either receive an email or paper award letter from our office notifying you of your award(s). Emails are typically sent to all continuing students who already have a Wolf Tracks account set up. The email will direct you to your Wolf Tracks account to either accept/decline your award offers. This is done by logging on to Wolf Tracks and selecting “Financial Aid,” and then “Accept/Decline Awards”.
Yes. Any changes in enrollment may affect your financial aid eligibility. If you have financial aid and are considering cancelling registration, dropping courses, or resigning, contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid before doing so. You will be advised as to how your aid will be affected which will afford you the opportunity to make a wise decision.
Federal regulations require schools participating in Title IV programs to use specific refund policies when a student who receives Title IV aid ceases enrollment. When an official withdrawal occurs, federal aid awards (except Federal Work-study) may be prorated as follows: the number of calendar days completed during the semester divided by the number of days in the semester. An adjustment will not be made for a student that withdraws after 60% of the semester has passed. If funds are released to a student because of a credit balance on the student's account and the student later withdraws, then he/she may be required to repay some of the federal aid released. Students are encouraged to check with our office before resigning to determine how their aid would be affected.
Students who leave the University, whether officially or unofficially, and who plan to return, should contact the OFA to determine if they have financial aid eligibility for the semester they are planning to return. If students are planning to return in the next Fall semester, a new FAFSA must be completed before eligibility can be determined.
It is strongly suggested that all students who have financial aid and are considering withdrawing from the University speak with a OFA counselor before completing the withdrawal process so all options can be considered.
Yes. All aid is monitored to ensure that the total amount awarded including federal financial aid, scholarships (both institutional and outside), and other resources do not exceed the total cost of attendance for the academic year. Also, please remember to notify the Office of Financial Aid of any outside awards you may be receiving. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University reserves the right to reduce or rescind award packages to remain in compliance with federal, state and/or institutional rules and regulations.
No. The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), which reauthorized the Higher Education Act (HEA) and added new laws, removed veterans education benefits from estimated financial assistance, effective July 1, 2010.
The Federal processor determines your individual family’s ability to contribute to the cost of your education (“Expected Family Contribution” or “EFC”) using the information you provide on the FAFSA. This figure is used solely for the determination of financial need and does not represent a figure you will owe the University. The formula they apply is referred to as “Federal methodology”. After receiving your EFC from the processor, our office then subtracts that EFC from the Cost of Attendance. In essence, the formula is Cost of Attendance-EFC= Financial Need.
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the amount the university calculates or estimates that it will cost you to attend for the academic year. Costs includes: tuition/fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. This figure is used solely for the determination of financial aid and does not represent a figure you will owe the University. Budgets cannot be student specific and are calculated for undergraduates and graduate students using state averages from Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance (LOSFA) and from figures obtained from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
The University offers an interest free payment plan. Please contact the Bursar’s Office for additional information.
Some loans are independent of financial need. Please refer to our loan information on our website. You will find information concerning the Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan, Alternative Loans, the Federal Parent (PLUS) Loan, and the Graduate PLUS (GPLUS) Loan
If your natural parents are separated or divorced, use the natural parent with whom you lived the most in the past twelve (12) months. If you lived with neither parent, or lived with each parent an equal number of days, use the parent that provided the most financial support to you over the past twelve (12) months. If that parent has remarried, you must also include the step parent’s financial information on the application, and parent and step parent should report themselves as married on the FAFSA.
When completing the FAFSA, only provide the income information from the tax return for the parent who qualifies as your responsible parent and your parent should report divorced/separated on the FAFSA.
Prenuptial agreements are ignored by the federal need analysis process. After all, two individuals (parent and step-parent) cannot make an agreement between them that is binding on a third party (the federal government). The federal government considers the step-parent a source of support regardless of any prenuptial agreements to the contrary. If a step-parent marries the parent, he or she is considered responsible for supporting the parent and children even if he or she is unwilling to do so.
It has no bearing on being able to be considered as “independent” whether or not your parents claimed you on their tax return. The Higher Education Act of 1992 established requirements for establishing independence. Several questions are addressed on the FAFSA (see “Will I be considered Dependent or Independent?) to establish your dependency status. If the answer is “YES” to any of the questions you will be considered “self-supporting” for financial aid purposes.
A student is independent if he meets any one of the following criteria from HEA Sec. 480(d), i.e., if he:
No. If one or both of the student’s parents are directly or indirectly providing more than 50% support in cash or other assistance to the child and grandchild, then the student would answer “No” to the FAFSA question about legal dependents. “Indirect support” to the child includes support that a parent gives to the student on behalf of the child. If the student is living with a parent who is paying for most of the household expenses, the parent would usually be considered the primary source of support to the child, and the student would answer “No” to the question about legal dependents.
Yes—only in extreme circumstances. The Higher Education Act allows a financial aid administrator (FAA) to make dependency overrides on a case-by-case basis for students with unusual circumstances. However, none of the conditions listed below, singly or in combination, qualify as unusual circumstances meriting a dependency override: Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education; Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA or for verification; Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes; or Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.
You can reach our office at (225) 526-1714 to discuss your family circumstances with a counselor. Should you have a valid case for a dependency override, your counselor will give you all appropriate forms to complete the process.
A foster parent, grandparent, or a legal guardian is not treated as a parent for FSA purposes. If at any time since the age of 13 both of the student’s parents were dead (and he did not have an adoptive parent) or he was in foster care, he is independent. If he is now, or was when he became an adult, an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship, he is independent. If a student is living with her grandparents or other relatives, their data should not be reported on the FAFSA as parental data unless they have adopted the student.
No. You must indicate your marital status as of the date you are completing the FAFSA. You cannot update your marital status once you have filed your FAFSA.
If you have experienced any of the following circumstances check with your financial aid counselor to see if this may affect your financial aid application/status: divorce of parents or you from your spouse, death of a major wage earner, loss of employment of a major wage earner, or loss of other income or benefits such as social security or child support by you, your parents, or your spouse.
Not immediately. The Direct loans have a grace period of 6 months before repayment begins. When you take a leave of absence you will not have to repay your loan until the grace period is used up. If you use up the grace period, however, when you graduate you will have to begin repaying your loan immediately.
The amount that a student can borrow varies dependent upon many factors such as, your level in college, your individual eligibility based on your FAFSA, etc.
UG Dependent Students: $31,000 (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized)
UG Independent Students: $57,500 (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized)
GRAD and Professional Students: $138,500 (no more than $65,500 of which can be subsidized)
YES. You are required to be enrolled on at least a ½ time basis to be eligible for student loans. Six hours is considered ½ time for a fall or spring term for an undergraduate student. Three hours are considered ½ time for the summer term
A private student loan is a nonfederal loan issued by a lender such as a bank or credit union. Private student loans often have variable interest rates, require a credit check and do not provide the benefits of federal student loans.
Federal student loans offer borrowers many benefits not typically found in private loans. These include lower interest rates, income-based repayment plans, and loan forgiveness and deferment options, including deferment of loan payments when a student returns to school. For these reasons, students and parents should always exhaust federal student loan options before considering a private loan.
A deferment is a period of time during which no payments are required and interest does not accrue (accumulate), unless you have an unsubsidized Direct Loan. The most common loan deferment conditions are enrollment in school at least half-time, inability to find full-time employment (for up to three years), and economic hardship (for up to three years).
If you temporarily can’t meet your repayment schedule but you’re not eligible for a deferment, your lender might grant you forbearance for a limited and specific period of time. Forbearance occurs when your lender or loan-servicing agency agrees to either temporarily reduce or postpone your student loan payments. Interest continues to accrue (accumulate), however, and you are responsible for paying it, no matter what kind of loan you have.
Yes. There are certain mandatory forbearances. Examples include borrowers who:
Contact your lender or loan-servicing agent for more information on the mandatory forbearance benefit.
Student and parent borrowers can consolidate (combine) multiple federal student loans with various repayment schedules into one loan: either a FFEL Consolidation Loan or a Direct Consolidation Loan. The result is a single monthly payment instead of multiple monthly payments.
Yes, there could be. For example, consolidation may significantly increase the total cost of repaying your loans. Because you may have a longer period of time to repay, you’ll pay more interest. You might also lose some borrower benefits such as interest discounts and rebates. Always talk to a financial aid professional for advice when deciding whether or not to consolidate.
Yes, but only under rare circumstances. A discharge or cancellation releases you from all obligations to repay the loan. Contact your lender or servicer for more details.
Discharge refers to the cancellation of a loan, even one in default,* due to school closure, false certification, your death, or total and permanent disability.
Cancellation or sometimes “forgiveness” of a loan is based on the borrower performing certain types of service such as teaching in a low-income school. A defaulted loan cannot be canceled based on qualifying service (e.g. teaching).
Failure to repay a loan according to the terms agreed to when you signed a promissory note. The consequences of default are severe. If you return to school, you’re not entitled to receive any additional federal student financial aid.
You can get it by logging on to www.nslds.ed.gov. NSLDS is our database for federal student financial aid where you can find out about the aid you’ve received. If you’ve only just applied for aid, you won’t find any information on NSLDS yet. NSLDS receives data from schools, guaranty agencies, and U.S. Department of Education programs. The NSLDS Web site is generally available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. By using your student ID, you can get information on federal loan and Pell Grant amounts, outstanding balances, the status of your loans and disbursements made.
If your aid disbursements create a negative balance (refund), a refund check will automatically be generated by the Bursar’s Office.
Yes. Loans are received prior to enrollment. Pell Grants are posted after the census date and TOPS is posted mid-term. So, you may receive multiple checks.
TOPS award amounts at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University are based on the weighted average of tuition at comparable public schools. The semester award amounts are listed below.
Opportunity Award $2859
Performance Award $3059 ($2859 + $200 stipend)
Honors Award $3259 ($2859 + $400 stipend)
Full-time enrollment is defined as 12 credit hours* per semester for undergraduates. Students planning to enroll less than full time as defined above should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss their reason for enrolling less than full time and how their TOPS eligibility will be affected.
*All hours at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University.
Clinical students must enroll in 9 hours each fall/spring semester to be considered eligible for TOPS. The Office of Financial Aid will automatically bill the state for TOPS eligible clinical students enrolled in at least 9 hours. Clinical students are not required to earn 24 hours in an academic year. TOPS will be prorated based on the number of hours enrolled in clinicals.
Nothing. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University will bill the state for TOPS funding for eligible students enrolled at FranU.
Per regulations, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University bills the state for TOPS payments on the 15th class day for eligible full time students. The funds typically arrive mid-semester and are applied directly to students’ accounts in the Bursar’s Office. Because fee bill payments are due prior to the arrival of TOPS funds, Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University places an anticipated TOPS credit on the fee bill for students who have been determined eligible by the state or, in some cases, who have indicated to the Office of Financial Aid that they expect to receive TOPS funding.* Some students who receive an anticipated TOPS credit may be determined ineligible for the TOPS program by the state. These students will be responsible for paying any charges to which the anticipated TOPS credit was applied.
*If you do not see an anticipated TOPS credit on your fee bill, but think you will be receiving TOPS, please contact the Office of Financial Aid.
Earn 24 hours each academic year defined as the fall, spring and summer semesters. Clinical students who enroll full-time per institutional definition are not required to meet the 24 hour requirement.
Maintain academic progress defined as:
The following cumulative GPA* is checked at the end of each spring semester
* Please note Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University awards +/- grades, but these are not recognized by the state TOPS office.
**Performance or Honors Award recipients who fail to maintain a 3.00 cumulative GPA at the end of an academic year will revert to the Opportunity Award provided they have maintained the GPA necessary for renewal at that level. Once the recipient reverts to the Opportunity Award, the Performance or Honors Award CANNOT be reinstated.
At the end of all other terms, steady academic progress, defined as a 2.00 cumulative GPA must be maintained.
Failure to meet one of the continuous full-time enrollment components results in permanent cancellation of TOPS.
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University awards +/- grades, but these are not recognized by the state TOPS office. Quality points are assigned to grades as follows.
A 4 quality points per credit hour
B-, B, B+ 3 quality points per credit hour
C-, C, C+ 2 quality points per credit hour
D-, D, D+ 1 quality point per credit hour
F 0 quality points
The Office of Financial Aid at Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University administers the TOPS program. All questions regarding TOPS should be directed there, or to the state TOPS office at the contact information below.
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance
P.O. Box 91202
Baton Rouge, LA 70821-9202
Phone Number: (800) 259-5626, ext. 1012
Email Address: custserv@la.gov
Website: http://www.osfa.la.gov/
... but I do not think there are any additional classes I can take.
What should I do?
Contact the Office of Financial Aid. In specific cases, a student may be considered eligible to receive TOPS as a part-time student, but this must be documented in the Office of Financial Aid in order for the student to receive funding.
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program enables eligible students and parents to borrow from ED instead of from a bank or other lending institution. This allows borrowers to work with a single entity, ED, through its Direct Loan Servicing Center when repaying loans or dealing with loan-related issues.
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