Financial Aid Handbook

Financial Aid Policy And Procedures

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 1

  Important Notes:

  • Federal financial aid will be awarded only for enrollment in Thomas Edison State University Guided Study or Online courses, but not for TECEP® examinations, Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) e-Pack® courses or NC-PACE courses.
  • Students are not eligible for federal financial aid if they are incarcerated in a federal, state or military correctional institution. To review other federal eligibility requirements, students may visit studentaid.gov to access the federal student guide.
  • Once you register for courses in your established attendance pattern, you must register for all subsequent semesters in that pattern. If you are unable to do so, you must notify the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@tesu.edu. You should not be in overlapping terms.
  • Students are responsible for any charges not covered by their aid, which includes the graduation audit fee.

  Priority Deadlines for Applying for Financial Aid

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  Please note the deadlines for aid is two weeks prior to the start date of the first term of your award year. The Office of Financial Aid will continue to process all financial aid applications received after the priority dates and, if possible, process your financial award prior to the start of your intended semester start date. Completed files received after this date will be reviewed for the following semester set. Please note that you must reapply for financial aid every year.

  Veterans’ Benefits

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  Students may receive veterans’ benefits as well as federal financial aid. Students interested should visit our “Students Using GI Bill and VAstudent-resources/military/national-guard/index Benefits” page at www.tesu.edu/military/veterans.

  National Guard Waiver

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  The New Jersey National Guard Tuition Plan (NJNGTP) is available to active members of the New Jersey National Guard and to dependents of deceased members of the New Jersey National Guard under certain circumstances. Those interested should visit our page at https://www.tesu.edu/student-resources/military/national-guard/index.php.

  Financial Aid Awards

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  The following are typical costs for students who have taken Thomas Edison State University courses. Costs will vary and depend upon the number of credits taken.

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  	IN STATE	OUT OF STATE
  Course Tuition (based on 24 credits)	$10,776	$14,016
  Books and Supplies	$1,700	$1,700
  TOTAL	$12,476	$15,716

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  The financial aid package that is calculated for students attending Thomas Edison State University is sufficient to cover the aforementioned costs as well as other miscellaneous expenses directly related to the cost of education at this institution, and includes a $8,505 allowance for living expenses (based on a traditional 9-month award year or three terms at the University). Loan amounts may vary with credit load.

  Course Materials and Textbooks

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  Students at Thomas Edison State University registering for Guided Study or online courses will be given access to their course through myEdison. The courses contain the course manuals, syllabi, assignments and any forms needed. You may purchase your textbooks, study guides, telecourse guides and any DVDs used in the course by contacting the University's textbook supplier, at (800) 325-3252. You will be responsible for paying for these materials but will be refunded for the cost by the Office of Student Financial Accounts 45 days after the start of the semester if there is enough financial aid remaining in your account. All account activity can be reviewed online via myEdison.

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 2

  Financial Aid Programs and the Academic Year (1)

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  Thomas Edison State University participates in the Federal Pell Grant, subsidized and unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans, Tuition Aid Grant and Garden State Guarantee for New Jersey residents and private loan programs. All applicants for financial aid must complete the financial aid application process and qualify economically. Students must meet the following eligibility criteria:

  • Be admitted to or enrolled in a degree program at Thomas Edison State University;
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;
  • Not be in default on a federal loan or owe a refund on a federal grant at any institution;
  • Be making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree;
  • Provide all requested documentation.

  The school’s Academic Year is considered 36 weeks. Half-time status is considered 6 credits per term for Undergraduate Study.

  A description of how each of the aforementioned programs applies at Thomas Edison State University is discussed in the following paragraphs. Please note the MS in Data Science and Analytics is not eligible for Federal Student Aid

  FEDERAL PELL GRANTS

  Pell Grants are awards for undergraduate students only. Pell Grants are based on financial need and are used to help you pay for a portion of your educational expenses. If you are eligible and enrolled in the University, you should take at least 6 credits of Guided Study and online courses per semester to be considered for a Pell Grant. If you complete the financial aid process by the specified deadlines, the grant may be credited to your account when you register for courses.

  To determine how much Pell someone will get, there will be a percentage called Enrollment Intensity. Enrollment Intensity takes the number of student’s enrolled credits and divides it by the number of credits required to be considered full time. Then, we take the scheduled amount for the year and multiply by the Enrollment Intensity for the term, then divide by number of award periods. Students taking 12 or more credits per term are considered full time, 9 to 11 credits are considered three quarter time, 6 to 8 half-time and 1 to 5 less than half-time. If a student’s annual Pell entitlement is $6,000, was awarded four terms (for example, July, October, January, and April), and took 6 credits each term they would be entitled to $1,500 each term. Whether you went for two terms as a full-time student or four terms as a half-time student you would be entitled to the full $6,000.

  However, the Department of Education is now allowing students eligibility for 150% of those who plan to enroll beyond their scheduled Pell grant for an award year. In the example above, if the student was full-time in July and again in October, then they would have exhausted their annual fulltime enrollment. If they registered at least half-time in a remaining term they would then be eligible for the remaining 150% of their Pell award (this is sometimes referred to as “Year-Round Pell”).

  Please note though that your Pell awards will initially be configured as though you will be utilizing your full-time Pell eligibility. If your annual entitlement is $6,000 and you were awarded July/October/January/April, you would see $3,000 in the July/October and January terms, totaling $9,000. If you only registered for 6 credits in July, you would only be entitled to a normal half-time award and only $1,500 would be disbursed, and $2,250 if going 9 credits. You will still be reviewed for possible Year-Round Pell in subsequent semesters after the term’s aid transmits.

  Please review IMPORTANT 2026–2027 FINANCIAL AID CHANGES
  for new changes to Pell and the SAI: https://www.tesu.edu/tuition-financial-aid/financial-aid/26-27-changes.php

  STUDENT LOANS 

  The University participates in both the subsidized Federal Direct Loan and the unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan as well as private loan programs and the State NJ CLASS loan program. The government pays the interest on the subsidized loan while you are in school. Under the unsubsidized loan, you are responsible for the interest while you are in school. Conditions of private loans vary with the lender.

  To be eligible for the subsidized Direct Loan, you must qualify economically. The unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan is available regardless of one’s income. You are required to be enrolled for a minimum of halftime status in order to be eligible for both subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Half-time status indicates that the student is enrolled in 6 credits of Guided Study and/or online courses per semester if undergraduate, and three (3) credits per semester if graduate. Graduate students are only eligible for unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans. Students may accept, reject or lower the loan amounts for which they are awarded.

  To apply for the Direct Loans, you must first complete the financial aid application process. Your eligibility for the Federal Direct Loans will automatically be determined and disclosed to you in the award notice. You must provide the U.S. Department of Education with a signed Master Promissory Note (MPN). You may submit your Direct Loan Master Promissory Note at https://studentaid.gov/mpn/. Also, first-time borrowers with the
  University must complete entrance counseling, which may be accessed at www.studentloans.gov.

  Please note that actual loan eligibility is based on enrollment intensity. Please review IMPORTANT 2026–2027 FINANCIAL AID CHANGES: https://www.tesu.edu/tuition-financial-aid/financial-aid/26-27-changes.php

  GRADUATE DIRECT PLUS LOANS

  Direct PLUS Loans can help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans available to eligible graduate or professional students through schools that participate in the Direct Loan Program. This program is being phased out and is only available to students who have had prior loans disbursed. Please review the Important 2026-2027 Financial Aid Changes page at https://www.tesu.edu/tuition-financial-aid/financial-aid/26-27-changes.php.

  Please note that private loans can only be awarded up to cost of attendance and must take into account all other financial aid received during that award year. Borrowers under the NJ CLASS loan program must be matriculated students.

   

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 3

  Financial Aid Programs and the Academic Year (2)

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  BORROWER BASED ACADEMIC YEARS (BBAY)

  Pertaining to students in all TESU graduate programs: Federal student loans have annual limits based on an academic year. An academic year for purposes of loan awarding is generally
  based on the standard academic year (SAY) which is our July through June terms. Typically, a student borrows their annual limit within that traditional academic year. Alternatively, BBAY
  allows the academic year to begin at any point that the student enrolls and ends when the student completes the calendar year. For example, a student starting November 2024
  and awarded $20,500 would not be able to borrow a new $20,500 until November 2025. All TESU graduate student loan borrowers will be awarded financial aid based on a BBAY.

  FINANCIAL AID AND THE 8-WEEK UNDERGRADUATE NURSING SESSIONS

  The Financial Aid award year for the 8-week Undergraduate Nursing courses will be 48 weeks with three 16-week Financial Aid semesters: July, November and March. Each 16 week Financial Aid term will be comprised of two consecutive 8 week Undergraduate Nursing sessions.

  Students would need to enroll in a minimum of 6 credits in each FA term though this could be comprised of 3 credits in the first academic term and 3 credits in the second. Pell and loans will be awarded based on the combined number of credits in each FA term. If a student is in only 3 credits in the first session, the Pell will be a less than half time award and if continues enrollment in the second session, the remaining Pell eligibility for the term will be applied to the student’s account. For Federal Direct loans, the student must be enrolled in 6 credits in the Financial Aid term, preferably in 3 credits in each session which comprises the term.

  If a Nursing student starts in the second module of an FA term, the student would have to be at least 6 credits in that module to be eligible for loans and full-term Pell. Otherwise, a private
  loan would be the only option.

  NEW JERSEY TUITION AID GRANT (TAG)

  If you are a New Jersey resident, qualify economically and take at least 12 credits per eligible semester, you may qualify for a TAG award. The TAG will be credited to tuition costs for Thomas Edison State University courses. Courses taken at consortium colleges for traditional fall semesters must coincide with Thomas Edison State University’s July through December terms. Likewise, Spring semesters must match up with our January through April terms. Summer TAG is comprised of our May and June terms. Please note our deadlines for course registrations.

  If some of the 12 credits are taken at another school under a consortium agreement, TAG awards are processed to you at the end of the semester, after you have furnished proof that
  you have successfully completed 12 credits.

  Please note that the TAG award reported in your NJFAMS account may not be the actual amount you will receive at Thomas Edison State University. The maximum TAG award equals the in-state full-time flat rate. Awards will vary based on the TAG eligibility and tuition costs for the term. This amount will be indicated within your myEdison account.

  To be eligible for TAG, students should be registered for 12 credits of Online or Guided Study formatted courses. The July, August, September, October, November and December terms are considered Fall. The January, February, March and April terms are considered Spring. For Summer TAG, students must be registered in a minimum of 6 credits in our May or June terms and must have already received TAG in a previous 26-27 term. Students may receive one TAG award in the Fall, Spring and Summer. Please note that all financial aid paperwork must be received before the start of the term in order to qualify for TAG.

  The State is not responsible for funding the award in the event of fraudulent, inaccurate, or misleading information.

  GARDEN STATE GUARANTEE

  The Garden State Guarantee (GSG) is a financial aid program that will provide up to four semesters of free or reduced tuition to eligible students. All full time New Jersey resident students or New Jersey Dreamers with the following criteria will have no tuition costs.

  • Full time enrollment in the following terms:
    
    • 12-week terms – September, October, November, December, January, February, March, April or May (June, July and August excluded)
    • 16-week terms (July excluded)
  • Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) between $0 and $65,000.
  • Must be in third or fourth year at start of term (definition of 3rd year is at least 60 credits towards their first Bachelor’s degree; and 4th year is at least 90 credits towards their degree).
  • Must not have already received four Garden State Guarantee Scholarships.
  • GSG is designed as a “last-dollar” tuition and fees program, which means the amount of the GSG is calculated after all other federal and grant aid is taken into consideration.
  • The maximum GSG award for full time study in an eligible term is $3,595.

  All eligible students will automatically be considered for the GSG upon retrieval of their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or, if a student qualifies as a NJ Dreamer, the NJ
  Alternative Financial Aid Application. Students must complete the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the New Jersey alternate financial aid application by April 15, 2026 (or by September 15, 2026 if not currently receiving state aid) for Fall, and February 15, 2027 for Spring.

  Students are required to meet satisfactory academic progress and course engagement standards in order for the award to be applied.

  The State is not responsible for funding the award in the event of fraudulent, inaccurate, or misleading information.

  VERIFICATION

  The U.S. Department of Education may select you for a process called “verification.” This means you will need to prove that your FAFSA is correct by supplying the University with additional documentation.

  As part of the “verification” process, you may have to provide signed copies of your 2024 federal income tax transcript, documentation of family size, number of family members enrolled in post- secondary education at least half time, etc. The University will be unable to process your application until this information is received. Other documents may be required. Aid will not be granted until the “verification” process is completed.

  If you received federal financial aid because you reported incorrect information, you will have to repay any portion of aid you should not have received. Also, any person who intentionally makes false statements or misrepresentations on a federal aid application is violating the law and is subject to fine, imprisonment or both.

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 4

  Course Extensions

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  Students completing course extensions need to keep in mind that they are not eligible for new aid or loan deferments. Course extensions are much like incomplete grades at other schools in that they provide the student with additional time to complete course requirements. Financial aid may pay for course extensions. The request must be in writing and there must be financial aid available to cover the charges.

  Loan Deferments and Enrollment Certification

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  If you are enrolled half time per semester in a degree program taking Thomas Edison State University Guided Study and online courses, you may be eligible to have payments deferred on previous loans. Only Thomas Edison State University online and/or Guided Study courses may apply to deferments (not TECEP®, e-Pack® or PLA). All courses must be approved by an
  academic advisor and applied to the degree program being pursued to qualify for a deferment. Enrollment in Online and Guided Study courses are reported to the National Student Clearing House 15-20 days after the start of the term.

  Certificate Programs

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  Thomas Edison State University offers undergraduate and graduate level certificates as well as noncredit professional certificates. Students who are matriculated and pursuing an undergraduate or graduate certificate as well as a degree may have some financial aid eligibility if the courses in the certificate program can also be applied to their degree program. Students enrolled in only these certificate programs and not in a degree program would not be eligible for Federal financial aid, but may have Veterans' Education benefits eligibility. Many of the University’s professional certificates are eligible for Veteran Educational benefits, but they are not eligible for Federal financial aid funds such as the Direct Loan.

  Financial Aid for Attendance at Other Schools

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  Students currently enrolled at Thomas Edison State University may receive financial aid for courses at other regionally accredited institutions when there are no Thomas Edison State University credit earning options available to complete a degree requirement. Students wishing to take advantage of this policy must first gain approval from the Thomas Edison State University academic advisement staff. The course(s) must be financial aid eligible at the other institution in order to apply to the consortium agreement. Students must first request an Ad Hoc Consortium Agreement form from the Thomas Edison State University Office of Financial Aid or may download it from www.tesu.edu. Part I of the form must be completed by a Thomas Edison State University advisor. Part II of the form must be completed by the institution you will be attending. You will be responsible to pay that institution’s tuition costs according to its policies and procedures. Once the agreement is finalized, your financial aid will be processed. You cannot receive aid for the same term at both schools. Please be aware that if you are also awarded aid at another school during the 2026-2027 award year, you must stay within your annual aid limits. If you are awarded at Thomas Edison State University after another school disburses your aid, and receive in excess of your entitlement, you will have to repay the excess disbursements.

  Credit Earning Option at Different Institutions

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  Other credit earning institutions from which students can earn and transfer credit into Thomas Edison State University, such as Statistics.com or Study.com, are not accredited. Therefore, they are not eligible for Financial Aid nor can Thomas Edison State University award aid for credits earned there. Students who opt for this credit earning option are responsible to these institutions for any charges incurred there.

  Engagement in Coursework

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  One of the requirements for eligibility of federal financial aid funds and New Jersey National Guard Tuition Program (NJNGTP) is that the student be engaged in academically related activity (such as Discussion Board, assignments, tests). Failure to do so could jeopardize your aid or eligibility for the term. AI generated content is not considered academically related activities for Federal FA eligibility. A last date of engagement will be used to calculate Return of Title IV funds. (See Return of Title IV section)

  Please be aware that the Residency Waiver Fee is a charge that
  is not covered by Financial Aid.

  Class Standing for Financial Aid Programs

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  Below is a table listing class standing according to the number of credits completed.

  Credits Earned	Grade Level
  0-29	1
  30-59	2
  60-90	3
  91+	4

  Financial Aid and Credits Needed for Program Completion

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  Financial aid can be awarded only up to the number of credits needed for completion of a student’s academic program. For example, if a student is in an undergraduate program of study that needs 120 credits to complete the degree, and the student has completed 117 credits that go towards that degree, then the student in this example would only have financial aid eligibility for 3 credits and would not be eligible for a loan (6 credits needed per term). If the student had completed 114 credits towards the degree, then that would leave 6 credits remaining and could get a student loan for one term (provided they were guided study or online classes). Or if the student is registered for 6 credits, but only 3 credits go towards the degree, the student would not be eligible for loans that term, and possibly only a partial Pell.

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 5

  Financial Aid Programs and the Academic Year (2)

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  BORROWER BASED ACADEMIC YEARS (BBAY)

  Pertaining to students in all TESU graduate programs: Federal student loans have annual limits based on an academic year. An academic year for purposes of loan awarding is generally
  based on the standard academic year (SAY) which is our July through June terms. Typically, a student borrows their annual limit within that traditional academic year. Alternatively, BBAY
  allows the academic year to begin at any point that the student enrolls and ends when the student completes the calendar year. For example, a student starting November 2024
  and awarded $20,500 would not be able to borrow a new $20,500 until November 2025. All TESU graduate student loan borrowers will be awarded financial aid based on a BBAY.

  Financial aid will pay for a repeated course only once if it is to improve a grade of D or better. Grades of repeated courses are considered in the overall cumulative average. They do not replace the lower grade. Incomplete grades will default to Fs if sufficient work is not provided. If a student changes majors, all courses taken at the University are still used for academic progress calculations. Please not that the Financial Aid Policy regarding grades differs from the Academic Policy and may be more conservative.

  Appeals

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  Students who do not meet the satisfactory academic progress requirements will be denied additional financial aid. If, because of a mitigating circumstance (such as loss of income, death in the family, etc.) a student falls below the required standards, he or she may appeal by explaining the circumstances to the Financial Aid Appeals Committee within 30 days of notification concerning his or her academic performance. All appeals should sent to finaid@tesu.edu. Students will be notified via email of the decision.

  If an appeal is granted, the student must complete all class work in the appealed semester with a term GPA of 2.0 or better to be considered for further aid. An appeal term is sometimes also referred to as being in a probationary status.

  To be removed from appeal status, the student must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and a two thirds completion rate. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid after the results of the appealed semester are posted. For Graduate students, the required term and overall GPA is 3.0.

• Financial Aid Policy and Procedures - Page 6

  Institutional Refund Policy

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  REFUND POLICY FOR FULL-TIME FLAT-RATE TUITION

  Students who drop below 9 credits (online, Guided Study, ePack) before day 1 of the term are recalculated at the part-time per-credit rate.

  Students in the Full-Time Flat-Rate Tuition option: Withdrawals are not refunded after the term begins unless the student is withdrawing from all courses registered in that term.

  GUIDED STUDY AND ONLINE COURSES REFUND SCHEDULE

  (Less than 9 credits and not under Full-Time Flat-Rate) Withdrawal requests must be postmarked, emailed or fax dated according to the following schedule for the corresponding
  tuition refund.

  12 Week Term Refund Policy

  ► Withdrawals before the first day of the term = 100 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals between the first and the seventh day of the term = 75 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals between the eighth and 14th day of the term = 50 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals between the 15th and 21st day of the term = 25 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals after the 21st day of the term = No refund

  8 Week Term Refund Policy

  Applies to all W. Cary Edwards School of Nursing and Health Professions undergraduate programs, and graduate 8 week courses.

  ► Withdrawals before the first day of the term = 100 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals between the first and 14th day of the term = 50 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals after the 14th day of the term = No refund

  4 Week Term Refund Policy

  ► Withdrawals before Session Day 1 = 100 percent tuition refund

  ► Withdrawals before Session Day 7 = 50 percent tuition refund

  Return of Title IV Funds

  In order for students to retain 100 percent of their federal Title IV funds, they must be enrolled through 60 percent of the semester. Students who totally withdraw, drop out or stop engaging before this period may only receive a prorated portion of their financial aid for that semester. The financial aid percentage is determined by dividing the number of completed days by the total days in the semester. The number of completed days is calculated by subtracting the start of the semester from the day that the school determines the date the student stopped engaging. The earned percentage is multiplied by the amount that the student was eligible to receive to determine the amount of aid that the student has earned. If a student withdraws prior to the term’s scheduled disbursement, they are not eligible for any of that term’s aid.

  If financial aid is disbursed prior to the student’s withdrawing from school, the excess financial aid disbursement is returned; the student is billed for any funds owed to the University and is notified on how the calculation was performed. If financial aid is not disbursed when the student withdraws from school, the student is notified of the amount of financial aid that has been earned. The earned financial aid is subsequently disbursed, if formally accepted and any excess money that is owed to the student is disbursed within 14 days. Funds are returned in the following order: unsubsidized loans first, subsidized loans second, and the Pell grant last.

  The aforementioned refund and repayment policy does not apply to you if you withdraw from some classes but continue to be enrolled in other classes for the same semester. This only applies when you:

  • Fail to register for the period of enrollment for which you were charged; or
  • Withdraw, drop out, take an approved leave of absence, are expelled or otherwise fail to complete the period of enrollment for which you are charged.

  Withdrawal Process

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  Your withdrawal request should be completed online through myEdison or a withdrawal form emailed to registration@tesu.edu is acceptable.

  Your email must contain your course name, number and mentor’s name as well as your name and student identification number. The email date will constitute your official withdrawal date. Failure to withdraw as stated above will result in the forfeiture of any refund and may result in a failing grade.

  Student Rights and Responsibilities

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  You have the right to ask the University the following:

  • The names of its accrediting or licensing organizations;
  • About its programs;
  • What is the cost of attending, and what is its policy on refunds to students who drop out;
  • What financial assistance is available, including information on all federal, state, local, private and institutional financial aid programs;
  • What are the procedures and deadlines for submitting applications for each available financial aid program;
  • What criteria are used to select financial aid recipients;
  • How the University determines your financial need. This process includes how costs for tuition and fees, books and supplies, and personal and miscellaneous expenses are considered in your cost of education;
  • How much of your financial need, as determined by the institution, has been met;
  • How and when you will be paid;
  • To explain each type and amount of assistance in your financial aid package;
  • What the interest rate is on any student loan, the total amount you must repay, the length of time to repay and what cancellation or deferment provisions apply;
  • To reconsider your aid package if you believe a mistake has been made, or if your enrollment or financial circumstances have changed;
  • How the school determines whether you are making satisfactory progress and what happens if you are not; and
  • What services and information are available for people with disabilities.

  It is your responsibility to do the following:

  • Review and consider all information about a school’s program before you enroll;
  • Pay special attention to your application for student financial aid; complete it accurately and submit it on time to the right place. Errors may delay or prevent you from receiving aid;
  • Meet all deadlines for applying or reapplying for aid;
  • Provide all additional documentation, verification, corrections and/or new information requests made by either the Office of Financial Aid or the agency to which the application was submitted;
  • Read, understand and keep copies of all signed forms; comply with the provisions of any promissory note and all other signed agreements;
  • Notify the University of any change in your name, address or attendance status (half-time, three- quarter or fulltime). If you have a loan, you must also notify your lender
    of these changes; and
  • Understand the University’s refund policy.

  Drug Abuse Prevention

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  Upon request, Student Special Services will refer you to agencies in your area that offer drug abuse counseling. Contact the University’s Special Services Coordinator at (609) 984-1141, ext. 3445 for assistance.