Seattle University guarantees the amount of institutional gift aid (grants and/or scholarships) that incoming undergraduate students will receive each year over the course of their attendance at the university. For freshman, this is up to four years (12 quarters). After the student has submitted all documents and/or information requested by SU and the initial year's institutional gift aid award has been finalized, that amount will remain constant for each year of the student's eligibility as long as the student is continuously enrolled, continues to make satisfactory academic progress and files a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually.
While the names of the grants and/or scholarships that make up the student's gift aid may change from year-to-year, the total dollar amount of institutional grants and scholarships will not total less than that received in the student's initial year.
Students who are awarded institutional scholarships and grants, are required to be enrolled full-time during the academic year, not including summer. They can receive institutional aid in equal amounts during enrolled quarters. If a student were to graduate early, they would only be eligible to receive the quarterly disbursement, which means that they cannot receive more than 1/3 of the total award in any given quarter.
For incoming first year students, institutional (Seattle University) gift aid is guaranteed for four years (12 quarters) to apply toward one degree with one major. Summer quarter is not included.
For incoming transfer students, the institutional gift aid guarantee is as follows:
Transfer students admitted with more than 45 credits institutional gift aid guaranteed for up to three years (9 quarters).
Transfer students admitted with fewer than 45 credits institutional gift aid guaranteed for up to four years (12 quarters).
For Graduate students, scholarships may be renewed based upon program requirements and the student meeting satisfactory academic progress standards.
Students who have extenuating circumstances may submit to Student Financial Services a request for approval to receive additional quarters of institutional aid.
Students must be continuously enrolled at Seattle University to retain their institutional gift aid guarantee. If, for example, a student leaves Seattle University for two quarters and then returns, the guarantee made initially is no longer in effect.
Because institutional gift aid is guaranteed at the same level for each year a student maintains eligibility, and tuition often increases from year to year, it's important for students and their families to have a financial plan in place for the entire span of the student's enrollment.