https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for Federal and University financial aid programs at Creighton University, you must be
- a citizen, a national or permanent resident of the United States,
- in good academic standing,
- in financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education, and
- a high-school graduate or equivalent pursuing a degree on at least a half-time basis (six hours).
Students from a foreign country may qualify for consideration of a limited number of Creighton funded scholarships.
NOTE: With the exception of the Pell Grant, Federal Direct Student Loans, and Parent Loan to Undergraduate Students (PLUS), eligibility for Federal and University aid will not normally extend beyond the prescribed course length, normally four to five years (eight to ten semesters) depending on the curriculum. First award priority will be to students enrolled on a full-time basis (at least 12 hours per term).
Students who have a previous baccalaureate degree and are pursuing a second baccalaureate degree are only eligible to apply for loan or employment assistance. Normally, University and Federal grants and scholarships are not extended to students seeking a second baccalaureate degree.
Application Procedures
Freshmen, Transfer and Returning Students
- Complete the “Application for Undergraduate Admission.” Forward all parts of the application to the Admissions Office. Creighton cannot make a financial aid commitment until you have been granted acceptance by the University.
- Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) found here. The FAFSA will be available on October 1 each year. All processed FAFSA’s should be on file at Creighton by January 15 for priority consideration. Applications received after January 15 will be considered as funding allows. Creighton's school code for the FAFSA is 002542.
- If requested, submit the Creighton Verification Form and provide an IRS tax transcript or tax return for the required tax year to the Office of Financial Aid by April 1. A statement of non-filing can be accepted by the Financial Aid Office from students who do not file a tax return.
Award Notification Procedures
You need to access your N.E.S.T. account at least weekly to see: what forms are needed and/or have been received, if there are special documents needed, to see if your aid application file is complete, and accept your aid award.
Many Creighton forms are available for download from our Office’s general website found at the Financial Aid website (listed above) under "Commonly Used Forms."
New undergraduate students will receive a preliminary award notification prior to our Office receiving tax documents and the CU Verification Form. This is an email that will include an electronic version of your award information. It will also be viewable in your student portal and in your N.E.S.T. account. Instructions on how to accept your award will be provided in the award packet.
Once the requested documents have been received, your FAFSA data will again be reviewed for accuracy. If a modification to your original award is needed, you will be notified by an e-mail sent to your preferred e-mail address. Revisions can be viewed in your student portal or your N.E.S.T. account. Be sure to check both your e-mail and N.E.S.T. frequently for updates.
Returning undergraduate students are notified of their award by an e-mail to your Creighton e-mail address. Awards are ready only once all requested documents have been received and reviewed. Awards will only be displayed in N.E.S.T. and no paper award notification is sent. Be sure to check your N.E.S.T. account often to see the status of your aid application.
Disbursement and Use of Awards
All financial aid advanced by Creighton University must be used to pay tuition, fees, and University room and board charges before any other direct or indirect educational costs. With the exception of Federal Work-Study, all financial aid awards will be deducted from University tuition, fees, room and board charges in the fall and spring semesters. One-half of the aid award will be deducted in the fall, and the remaining half in the spring. Changes in enrollment status from full-time (12 hours or more) to less than full-time may impact the type and amount of aid disbursed in a semester. Federal Work-Study will not be deducted since the student must earn his/her award. Students on Federal Work-Study will receive bimonthly paychecks and may use them to meet their personal or institutional expenses.
Summer School Financial Aid
Financial aid during any summer term is normally limited to Federal Pell Grant or Direct Loan eligibility. University scholarships and other aid programs are not available. The Financial Aid Office has an institutional Summer Aid application which must be completed on the Financial Aid website under Types of Aid every spring. Funding received during summer terms may affect aid funding for ensuing fall/spring terms.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
For all students in an undergraduate program, Creighton University administers a time frame for checking satisfactory progress of not more than one academic year which includes Summer, Fall, and Spring terms regardless of the semester in which the student entered.
Creighton University’s minimum academic progress requirements are as follows:
At the end of each spring semester, students must have a cumulative pass rate of at least 75 percent for all hours completed versus attempted and have a cumulative grade point average at least equal to the grade level requirement. The minimum GPA requirement is 1.75 for freshmen status and 2.0 for all other grade classifications. Failure to meet these standards will cause immediate termination from all Federal aid programs and University need-based aid programs.
Satisfactory progress will be monitored on a cumulative basis each year at the end of the Spring Semester. Grades of “F”, “NP”, “UN”, incompletes and withdrawals will not count as credits earned, but will count as credits attempted.
Baccalaureate Degree seeking students in Arts and Sciences, Business, Nursing or College of Professional and Continuing Education may receive financial aid for a total of 170 credit hours attempted or until the degree is acquired, whichever comes first. Students in College of Professional Studies seeking an Associate Degree may receive financial aid for a total of 85 credit hours attempted or until the Associate Degree is obtained, whichever comes first. Eligible students in College of Professional and Continuing Education seeking a certificate may receive financial aid for a total of 50 credit hours attempted or the course work required to complete the academic program, whichever comes first.
Transfer Students
All accepted transfer hours will be counted as part of the satisfactory academic progress requirements. Students must maintain the required GPA and the 75 percent completion rate of hours attempted versus hours completed.
Termination
Financial aid termination will occur if the student fails to meet either the required GPA or 75 percent of the cumulative hours attempted. No federal or other need-based aid will be awarded to a student in termination status.
Reinstatement of aid eligibility will occur when the student meets the minimum GPA and 75 percent of the cumulative hours attempted. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the Financial Aid Office of possible reinstatement of eligibility.
Appeal
If extenuating circumstances have affected a student’s progress, a written appeal must be received by the Financial Aid Office within 30 days of the date of the termination notification.
The following circumstances may qualify for a legitimate appeal:
- Student illness requiring physician’s care.
- Major illness or death in the student’s immediate family (spouse, mother, father, sister, brother, child, grandparent).
The appeal may be submitted by the student and along with appropriate documentation. Appeals will be reviewed and a written response sent to the student within 10 days of the decision. Creighton University reserves the right, at any time, to review any individual case should the situation warrant.