Understanding Santa Clara University Merit Scholarships: A Comprehensive Guide

Santa Clara University (SCU), located in the heart of Silicon Valley, offers a variety of merit-based scholarships to recognize and support talented students. This article provides a detailed overview of the requirements, application process, and other essential information related to these scholarships. SCU is a Jesuit institution known for its strong business and engineering programs, and it incorporates its Roman Catholic affiliation into the student experience.

Merit Scholarships at Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University awards merit scholarships to students with exceptional academic records. In addition to academic merit, SCU also offers scholarships for exceptional ability in performing arts, such as athletics, music, theater, and dance. All students who complete the Common Application for admission to Santa Clara University are automatically considered for merit scholarships.

Financial Aid Application Process

To be considered for any type of financial aid, including merit scholarships, students must complete the required financial aid applications. The two primary applications are the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the CSS Profile.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The FAFSA is the primary application for federal and state financial aid. It is available at the U.S. Department of Education website (studentaid.gov). Filing the FAFSA is free. The 2024-25 FAFSA form will not become available to applicants until December 2023.

CSS Profile

The CSS Profile is the financial aid application service of the College Board. Santa Clara University strongly encourages all applicants to complete the CSS Profile to maximize their financial aid opportunities and consideration for all Santa Clara University aid programs. Completing the CSS Profile helps SCU estimate your eligibility for federal aid at the time of admission. The CSS Profile should be completed as soon as you complete the admission application. All students are charged $25 for the initial application, which covers the cost of creating your CSS/Financial Aid Profile and the first school report. The College Board processes all waivers.

Key Information for Completing Financial Aid Applications

Income Records: Use income records from two years prior to the academic year for which you are applying for financial aid.
FSA ID: You and your parents will each need to get an FSA ID to access and sign your FAFSA.
Divorced or Separated Parents: Provide answers for the parent you lived with the most during the past 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, then answer for the parent who provided the most support during the past 12 months (e.g., money, gifts, loan, housing, food, clothes, medical expenses). Child support payments from your other parent will be taken into consideration.
Stepparents: If you have a stepparent in your household, their income information must also be provided.
Undocumented Students: Undocumented students are not eligible for state and federal financial aid, but California students can complete the California Dream Act Application to qualify for state aid.

Application Deadlines

It is crucial to adhere to the specified deadlines for financial aid applications to maximize your chances of receiving aid:

Early Decision/Early Action Applicants: Complete the CSS Profile by the November 15 priority deadline.
Regular Decision Applicants: Complete the CSS Profile by the February 1 priority deadline.

Understanding Financial Aid Offers

Financial aid offers are based on the information provided in the FAFSA and CSS Profile. This information is assumed to be accurate and verifiable. Santa Clara University reserves the right to adjust the initial award in accordance with federal, state, and University guidelines if discrepancies or inaccuracies are identified during the verification process. The University may also request further documentation to confirm eligibility for University-specific grants and scholarships.

Estimated vs. Confirmed Aid

Some financial aid offers may include estimated aid. An estimated award represents the university's best judgment of your financial aid eligibility. Some offers are made before final confirmation of your eligibility or before the opportunity to verify some of the information you provided on FAFSA. Grants and scholarships will be accepted on your behalf.

Disbursement of Funds

Federal regulations prohibit the university from distributing funds to a student’s account any earlier than 10 days before the start of classes each term. Once aid is disbursed to the account, it will pay any tuition charges. Tuition is paid each term; likewise, a third of the student’s financial aid is available each term.

Impact of Dropping or Withdrawing from Classes

Dropping a class may affect your eligibility for financial aid for the current term or future terms. If you withdraw from school, you may be expected to repay a portion of the financial aid that was distributed for that term. If you withdraw, some of the funds paid to the school for your fees, tuition, or other charges may be refundable. If you receive financial aid, refunds must first be returned to the financial aid programs according to federal regulations and other program guidelines. Students who wish to withdraw from Santa Clara University during a quarter must complete a withdrawal form and an exit interview in the Drahmann Advising and Learning Resource Center. If the formal requirements for withdrawal are met, the student's registration will be canceled without academic penalty. A withdrawal notation (W) will be assigned for each course from which the student withdraws after the fourth week of the quarter.

Read also: Explore Santa Clara University

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

All undergraduate students applying for financial aid must adhere to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy across all programs and enrollment levels. This policy holds students accountable for meeting academic progress requirements, regardless of whether or not they have previously received financial aid. SAP ensures that students are successfully completing coursework and can continue to receive Title IV and SCU financial aid. SAP is comprised of three components: GPA, PACE, and MAX.

SAP Components

Qualitative Standard (GPA): Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 or higher.
Quantitative Standard (PACE): Pace is a measurement used to define a student’s academic progress towards completing their degree. All students are expected to complete their educational program in a timeframe no longer than 150% of its published length.
Maximum Attempted Units Allowed (MAX): Students must complete the requirements for their academic programs within one-hundred fifty percent of the minimum units required to complete their academic programs. Units attempted include all units transferred into Santa Clara University from prior institutions that can be used to satisfy students' academic program requirements. Students who have reached their maximum attempted units allowed are ineligible for additional financial aid.

Unit credit, but not grade point credit, is awarded when the grade of "P" is assigned. Unit credit is not awarded when the grade of "NP" is assigned. All transfer credits accepted by SCU are included in the attempted and completed calculations for Pace. Incompletes (I), Withdrawals (W), Failures (F), and/or repeated courses will adversely affect a student's completion rate. Students must complete the minimum number of units to fulfill federal, state, and University requirements. Students may only repeat a course in which they have received a grade of less than C minus (C-).

SAP Status

PASS: Student Passes SAP, they meet all standards and are in good standing.
WARNING: Financial Aid Warning is assigned if a student was previously meeting SAP policy standards but failed to make satisfactory academic progress for the last SAP review of enrollment. During the SAP warning period, students are allowed to continue to receive financial aid without a written appeal.
FAIL: Fail status is assigned if a student was previously placed on SAP Warning and fails to meet the standards for the last SAP review of enrollment. Students with this status are not eligible for Title IV and SCU financial aid. The student will receive notification via their Workday account that they have failed to meet SAP standards.

Appealing a Financial Aid Suspension

There may be extenuating circumstances encountered by a student that may affect his/her ability to be academically successful during an enrollment period. These circumstances include personal injury or illness that occurs during an enrollment period; death of an immediate family member or legal guardian during an enrollment period; or other documented circumstances that were unexpected in nature and beyond control of the student. In these cases, cumulative grade point average or completion rate may decline resulting in the student not meeting the minimum qualitative and quantitative standards previously described. If a student wishes to appeal a financial aid suspension, a Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal Form must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. If the appeal is approved, s/he will be placed on financial aid probation (separate from academic probation).

A student who has lost eligibility to participate in federal, state, and University aid programs for reasons of academic progress can regain that eligibility only by enrolling at Santa Clara University at his/her own expense. The mere passage of time will not restore eligibility to a student who has lost eligibility for failure to make satisfactory academic progress. Students who have been dismissed from Santa Clara University for academic reasons but who are subsequently re-admitted are not automatically eligible to participate in federal, state, or institutional aid programs and will be placed on financial aid warning. Students who failed to meet satisfactory academic progress and who choose to enroll without financial aid may request a review of their academic record after any term in which they are enrolled without the receipt of financial aid.

SAP for Graduate Programs

P/NP options may not be available in your graduate programs. If your graduate program does have a P/NP option, courses will count toward your total hours for the cumulative completion rate for federal financial aid. However, Pass grades will not count in your GPA calculation.

Appealing for Additional Funds

Students who do not meet the minimum SAP requirements have the right to appeal when special circumstances exist. Santa Clara University does not hold either need-based or merit-based scholarship/grant funds in reserve for appeals. All available funds are offered at the time of initial award. Very few appeal requests are granted. To be considered for appeal funding there must have been a significant change in your financial circumstances since the time you filed your FAFSA. The change in circumstances must be documented (for example, ongoing unemployment or excessive medical expenses not covered by insurance). Santa Clara University will not grant an appeal on the basis of higher award offers from other schools. If you choose to submit an appeal based on changed circumstances, it will be reviewed once all proper supporting documentation is received and, if additional funds are available, you will be notified as soon as possible. Please note that an appeal is not a guarantee of additional funds and it may not be possible to let you know the decision prior to the next payment due date (or May 1 deposit deadline for incoming freshmen); therefore, it is advisable to base all decisions on your current award.

Additional Scholarship Opportunities and Grants

Santa Clara University offers several other scholarship and grant programs to support students:

Alumni Family Scholarship: Awarded to children and grandchildren of alumni.
Santa Clara University Third-Child Grant: Available to families with three or more dependent children simultaneously enrolled in undergraduate programs at Santa Clara University. A tuition grant of up to fifty percent will be awarded to the student who is farthest along in his or her studies.
Cristo Rey Promise: Funded by the University, along with donor-funded scholarships and the Santa Clara Fund. This scholarship is awarded to first-year undergraduate students who graduated from a Cristo Rey High School.
SCU California Promise: Awarded to first-year undergraduate students who are eligible for Cal Grants and have demonstrated financial need.
Santa Clara University - Schott Family Scholarship Program: This award is available to qualifying undergraduate students who transfer to Santa Clara University in the fall quarter from one of the Bay Area community colleges. The program is funded by Association Member Stephen Schott, Owner and CEO of S.C.S Development Co.
Army ROTC Scholarships: The Army ROTC program offers several scholarships, ranging from partial tuition to full tuition, and may include Santa Clara University on-campus housing.
National Merit Scholarship Finalists: Santa Clara offers scholarship money to National Merit Scholarship Finalists, although terms may vary. Some schools require you to list them as your first choice in order to receive the benefit, and others may impose additional need-based or academic requirements.
Cal Grant: If you reside in California and are considering Santa Clara, be sure to investigate the Cal Grant. You can apply by submitting your FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application, but you must meet the program's deadline in order to qualify. If you meet financial and other requirements, you may receive over $14,000 per year towards education expenses.

Federal Student Loans

Student loans are vital resources that help pay for college. The Federal Direct Loan program is one of the Federal Student Aid programs of the U.S Department of Education, which provides students with a simple, convenient, and flexible way to borrow money to pay for education after high school. Students do not borrow from banks. The federal government raises the loan funds through its regular Treasury bill auctions. Federal Direct Loans are loans made with federal capital and owned by the federal government. Loan repayments are made to the government, and Federal Direct Loans are never sold.

The Federal Direct Loan-Subsidized and Unsubsidized interest is currently at 5.50% for undergraduate students. Both Federal Direct Loan-Subsidized and Federal Direct Loan-Unsubsidized allow you to defer payment until you graduate or drop below half-time status; you must be enrolled at least half-time to qualify for this loan.

Federal Direct Subsidized Loan

The Federal Direct Subsidized Loan is based on need, and the government pays the interest while the student is still enrolled at least on a half-time basis and during the grace period. The federal government pays the interest on your Subsidized Federal Direct Loan while you are enrolled or in your grace period.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan is not need-based, so it is available to students regardless of financial need. While the student is still in school, the interest accrues and is capitalized or added to the principle if the recipients choose not to make payments upon the interest. However, students may request to make interest payments while still in school.

William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS Loan

The William D Ford Federal Direct PLUS Loan Program is available to assist parents or stepparents of dependent students in obtaining funds to pay for education.

Additional Financial Aid Information

Outside Scholarships: Students can use outside scholarships to supplement their financial aid package at Santa Clara. Outside scholarships are awards offered by private and non-profit organizations separate from their college.
Pell Grants: The federal government awards Pell Grants to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need by filling out the FAFSA. Students with a bachelor’s or professional degree are not eligible. Pell Grants do not need to be repaid. If you receive a Pell Grant, the award amount should remain consistent at any college you gain admission to.
Federal Work-Study: Federal Work-Study earnings are subject to federal and state income taxes. Students do not receive the money until they earn it. Students must start earning and receive a paycheck by November 15 to remain eligible.
Summer Financial Aid: There are limited funds available for summer enrollment periods. Most students use all their aid eligibility during the regular academic year and have little or no remaining eligibility for the summer.
Study Abroad: Students can usually apply their current financial aid (including loans) to assist in covering the cost of studying abroad. Make sure your FAFSA is up-to-date for the period when you wish to study abroad.
FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act): This law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S Department of Education. FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education record. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. The Financial Aid Office is limited to what student information can be released to parents of all eligible students. Independent student status for financial aid purposes is very specific and not easy to obtain if you are under age (under the age of 24).
Impact of Outside Monies: If you are receiving any financial aid from the Financial Aid Office, you will first want to contact them directly with the amount of your scholarship. Outside monies may affect your original award, so they would like to inform you of any changes as early as possible.
Grants and Scholarships: Grants and scholarships are considered gift aid. Gift aid is free money that does not have to be repaid, while loans are considered self-help programs.

Applying to Santa Clara University

Santa Clara University asks applicants to complete a supplemental essay. Santa Clara University is test-optional, which means that applicants are permitted, but not required, to submit their standardized test scores. If you choose not to submit your scores, admissions officers will weigh your grades, extracurriculars, essays, and interviews more heavily. Students must apply by January 7 to enroll at Santa Clara during the fall semester. At Santa Clara students also have the opportunity to apply Early Decision. 89% of students who start at Santa Clara University finish their degree within six years of enrolling.

Understanding the Cost of Attendance

The sticker price at Santa Clara is $78,849. The cost of attendance can vary from year to year and will typically rise over your four years in college. College costs can look different for every student based on their financial situation. The FAFSA and CSS Profile use financial information from the prior, prior year.

Life After Graduation

The median income of students 10 years after starting at Santa Clara University is $109,183. Graduates of Santa Clara take out a median of $19,162 in federal student loans.

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