Financial Policies and Financial Aid

Required Financial Forms

Financial Responsibility Agreement (FRA)

All students are required to review, sign, and submit the electronic Financial Responsibility Agreement in order to register at St. John’s College. The form is located online on your mySJC student portal. Select Forms tab (top menu) > Finance Office Forms (left menu) > complete FRA form.

Students will not receive their academic schedule or Dorm key without an authorized Financial Responsibility Agreement on file.

Student Refund Direct Deposit Designation

Direct Deposit designation for student refunds is located on the mySJC student portal Annapolis Finance Info page. Students are required to designate an existing domestic bank account to facilitate the release of student account refunds that may arise. *Please note, this direct deposit designation is not linked to the student employment direct deposit designation. Students will be asked to provide direct deposit designation for payroll purposes at the time of hire if they are eligible for work study.

FERPA Permissions

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) protects your educational information. Student information is considered confidential and will not be released, with certain exceptions as outlined in FERPA and college policies, without the student’s written permission. FERPA permissions grant rights to your parents, guardians, or any other person(s) with whom you wish to share your SJC financial/billing information. You can grant permissions only for a certain period of time or only for certain types of information. Submission of a FERPA form is strongly recommended once you are admitted. The form can be left blank. The form is located online on your mySJC student portal. Select Student tab (top menu) > FERPA Permissions tab (left menu) > complete Define New Permissions link (bottom of page).

Students are ONLY permitted to register and attend classes if payment obligations are fulfilled. It is the students’ responsibility to verify that their accounts are correct, that payments are made by the deadlines established and that financial aid documentation has been submitted with all appropriate support. The college adheres to provisions of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and requests all students complete the electronic FERPA permissions. Prior to registration, the college will share financial information with parents or financial sponsors of newly admitted or enrolled students. Upon registration the student must complete the FERPA in order for the college to continue to communicate financial information with the parent or financial sponsor. Once the FERPA is complete the college reserves the right to send financial information to the student and all individuals named on the FERPA.

The college has set up the mySJC student website to allow students to access their accounts. Students are encouraged to share their log-in with parents and other financial supports who may, from time to time, desire access to their account. It is the student’s responsibility to review their online account and notify student account staff should a question arise.

The financial responsibility of the student has implications beyond payment of tuition and fees. Failure to meet financial responsibility can impact a student’s participation in, or consideration for, various internships, summer scholarships, or fellowship programs made available to enhance the student experience. Each student is required to read and sign the Financial Responsibility Agreement prior to registration.

Students are billed by semester: Fall / Spring / Summer (GI). Fee Statements may be viewed and forwarded accordingly through the mySJC portal. Notice of semester fee statement release dates are sent to the students’ college email account (freshman personal email addresses) and, in compliance with FERPA, to designated parents/guardians/sponsors.

Semester fee statements are available online no later than:

  • June 30 for the Fall Semester
  • November 7 for the Spring Semester

Payment in full deadlines:

  • Payment in full for the Fall Semester is due by August 1
  • Payment in full for the Spring Semester is due by December 1

Payment Methods

The college accepts cash, money orders, and checks made payable to St. John’s College. Please include the student’s name and ID number on all correspondence. Remittances can be made at the finance office located in the Hodson House (second floor).

Checks should be mailed to:

St. John’s College
P.O. Box 69183
Baltimore, MD 21264-9183

Credit Card Payments

Credit card payments for tuition and fees can be made on the student portal: Annapolis Finance Info page. Select the Make a Payment / Enroll in a Payment Plan link. Credit card remittances not pertaining to student accounts are forwarded by the Finance Office via Square upon request. Credit card convenience fees are the responsibility of the payor.

One-Time payment (EFT)

Electronic fund transfers can be made on the student portal: Annapolis Finance Info page. Select the Make a Payment / Enroll in a Payment Plan link. EFT fees are the responsibility of the payor.

Monthly Payment Plan

Students who wish to make payments in monthly installments may enroll in SJC’s monthly payment plan. Enrollment is only accessible via the student portal. The 5-month plan term runs from July–November for the fall semester and December–April for the spring semester. Payments are automatically deducted on the 1st of each month. If you enroll after July 1 your first payment will satisfy the 7/1 budget and the 2nd payment will automatically be withdrawn on August 1. Payment plans are integrated in real time with adjustments to your student account. The enrollment fee is $60 per semester, payment plans do not roll forward from one semester to the next. Students will need to re-enroll each semester if they wish to use the Monthly Payment Plan.

International Payments

International payments are processed online through: paymytuition.com, Payment Portal wire options, or​​​​​​ flywire.com.

Late Fees

St John’s College fall tuition is due in full by August 1 and spring tuition is due by December 1. Students will not receive their schedule without an authorized Financial Responsibility Agreement on file.

Any student account balance remaining as of the 1st of each month will be assessed a non-refundable late fee equal to $300 or 10% of the outstanding balance, whichever is less. SJC will assess the late fee directly to the student’s account. SJC’s late fee is in addition to any late fee assessed directly by the payment plan.

St. John’s College complies with the Veterans Benefits and Transition Act of 2018 (38 USC 3679(e)).

NOTE: A Covered Individual is any individual who is entitled to educational assistance under Chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment, or Chapter 33, Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits.

  • We permit any Covered Individual to attend or participate in the course of education during the period beginning on the date on which the individual provides to the educational institution a certificate of eligibility for entitlement to educational assistance under Chapter 31 or 33 (a “certificate of eligibility” can also include a “Statement of Benefits” obtained from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) website e-Benefits, or a VAF 28-1905 form for chapter 31 authorization purposes) and ending on the earlier of the following dates:
  1. The date on which payment from VA is made to the institution.
  2. 90 days after the date the institution certified tuition and fees following the receipt of the certificate of eligibility.
  • We will not impose any penalty, including the assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or the requirement that a covered individual borrow additional funds, on any covered individual because of the individual’s inability to meet his or her financial obligations to the institution due to the delayed disbursement funding from VA under Chapter 31 or 33.

Collection Agency Fees

Failure to pay student account bill or any monies due and owing St. John’s College upon voluntary or involuntary withdrawal or graduation, may result in the referring of the delinquent account to a collection agency. Students are responsible for paying the collection agency fee, which is calculated on a fee-based percentage up to a maximum forty percent (40%), as well as reasonable attorney’s fees necessary for the collection of the delinquent account. The delinquent account may be reported to one or more of the national credit bureaus.

Refunds

All refunds are issued in the name of the student, with the exception of refunds resulting from Parent Plus Loans, which are prepared in accordance with the Parent Plus Loan application. Refunds resulting from federal loans or grants are automatically refunded after the date of disbursement following federal guidelines.

Direct electronic deposits are made to an existing domestic bank account. Direct deposit designation is entered on the payment portal. See the Annapolis Finance Info page on the student portal for further details.

Written refund requests for refunds are to be forwarded to annapolis.studentaccounts(at)sjc.edu.

Outstanding Refund Checks

A $25 fee will be charged for the reissuance of a lost or expired refund check.

Tuition and Fees – Undergraduate Program

See current tuition and fees.

Student Deposit

All incoming freshmen, re-admitted students, and Santa Fe transfer students are charged a $200 student deposit. This deposit will remain intact for as long as the student is enrolled at Annapolis. It will be returned, less any outstanding balances/fines/fees, when a student leaves the college.

SJC Manuals Fee

All students are billed in the fall semester or upon readmission a non-refundable charge of $180 for the manuals printed by the college for use in classes in the fall semester or upon readmission. Students are issued their manuals at registration.

Student Activity Fee

The $290 student activity fee is charged each semester. A portion of the fee is allocated to the Delegate Council, which determines for which activities the funds are to be used. The assistant dean of the college, however, retains ultimate authority over its disbursement.

Health Insurance

It is the policy of the college that all students have acceptable health insurance. Prior to the start of each academic year or the first part of an academic year for which a student registers, students are billed for student health insurance. US citizens and permanent residence students, who have private health insurance in place, can waive the St. John’s College Student Health Insurance plan provided their coverage meets the established waiver requirements. The waiver link is provided on the Annapolis Finance Info page on the student portal. Once the waiver submission is approved, the charge will be removed from your fee statement. If you do not have comparable health insurance, or do not complete the online waiver form by the posted due date you will automatically be enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan.

International students do not fall under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act, but are still required to have active health insurance as a requirement of the college. All international students will be enrolled in the health insurance plan that the college has secured on their behalf. This plan cannot be replaced with any other insurance coverage. The Student Health and Wellness can answer questions about coverage.

Tuition Insurance

The college’s withdrawal policy provides for a partial refund of tuition through the first three weeks of the semester, regardless of the reason for withdrawal. On or after the 22nd day of the fall or spring semester, no refunds are made. In addition to the refund schedule referenced on page 31, the college offers the Tuition Refund Plan, through A.W.G. Dewar, which covers up to 60% of tuition and activity fees for physician documented withdrawals at any time during the semester.

Current costs are located at sjc.edu/admissions-and-aid/financial-aid/tuition-costs. No additional application is required, but a student may electronically waive this coverage. Should a student wish to waive the coverage, they should go to tuitionprotection.com/sjcannapolis. The link is also provided on your student portal. Waivers must be submitted and approved no later than semester registration. Failure to waive the coverage by the deadline will result in a charge to the student’s account. For more information contact A.W.G. Dewar directly at tuitionprotection.com/sjcannapolis or call 617-774-1555.

Graduation Fee

Graduating seniors are assessed a $110 graduation fee for their cap, gown, hood, diploma, and commencement activities. Diplomas are ordered approximately 45 to 60 days before the commencement date. Failure to meet final academic requirements and/or financial requirements of the college in the senior’s last semester may lead to a delay in degree conferral. The graduation fee applies whether or not a student plans on attending commencement.

1Card Balances

Upon exiting the college, credit balances (in excess of $25.00) on a student’s 1Card will be used to offset any outstanding Student Account balance.

Undergraduate Financial Aid Application Procedures and Deadlines

The application process for financial aid outlined below is similar for entering freshmen and returning students. A new financial aid application is required by February 1st of each year. The standard procedure for applying for financial aid is as follows:

  1. Applicants for college and federal aid must file the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. File the FAFSA at studentaid.gov. International students must file the CSS Profile electronically online at cssprofile.collegeboard.org.
  2. Aid recipients must comply with federal and institutional verification requirements. If selected for verification by the Department of Education when you complete the FAFSA, we may require additional documentation, including Federal Tax transcripts, which are obtained from the IRS after you file. The Financial Aid Office will notify you of any additional documentation required for your application.
  3. Residents of Maryland must apply for state scholarships. The deadline is March 1;
  4. Students applying for and receiving financial aid from St. John’s are required to notify the Financial Aid Office of any loans, scholarships, grants, gifts, employment, or other financial benefits for which they become eligible. The office must also be informed of any change in their or their family’s financial situation, or change of name, marital status, or address;
  5. Funding for St. John’s Grants is provided by many endowments and annual gifts to the college. If requested to do so, recipients of these funds are required to write a note of appreciation to the appropriate donor.

Freshmen

The FAFSA should be completed between October 1 and February 1. The earlier your aid application is received and your application for admission is approved, the better your chance that your financial need can be met. Candidates for admission applying prior to February 1 have a significantly higher chance of receiving all the funds for which they are eligible than those applying later. Financial aid awards are made to freshmen on a rolling basis starting in late December or early February. You must be accepted for enrollment before an award is made.

Returning Students

Applications from returning students are due by February 1. The FAFSA should be filed by late January to allow time for processing in order to meet the February 1 deadlines. Applicants for Maryland State Grants must file the FAFSA prior to March 1. Late applicants have a lower percentage of need met through grant assistance, and Federal Work Study positions are generally not available for applicants filing after February 1.

Graduate Institute Financial Aid Application Procedures and Deadlines

St. John’s College Grants are awarded only to full-time students who have demonstrated need, as long as funds are available. Special packaging of financial aid is available to full-time teachers through the Teacher Grant Program and the National Educator’s Grant. The National Educator’s Grant is not based on financial need, but students must complete the National Educator Grant application, which is available on our website. The Hodson Trust Teacher Fellowship provides a grant of at least 70% of the cost of the summer program to primary and secondary teachers who show financial need, and are from Maryland, Virginia, DC, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, or New York. Applicants must follow the application procedures for need-based aid. In addition, the VA Yellow Ribbon Program is available to veterans of Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts. Students who want to apply for need-based college funds (St. John’s Grant or Teacher Grant) and/or federal aid must follow this procedure:

  1. File the FAFSA at studentaid.gov. The code for Annapolis is 002092 and for Santa Fe 002093. You must fill out a new FAFSA prior to the fall term of each academic year, even if you have received aid in a prior year.
  2. Applicants for Teacher Grants must file the Teacher Grant Application in addition to the FAFSA. The application is available in the Graduate Institute section of our website at sjc.edu.
  3. If any further documentation is required to finalize your application, you will be contacted by the Financial Aid Office.

Continuing or returning students who need financial aid should apply for it as early as possible each year, and no later than the following filing dates:

Term Financial Aid Form Financial Aid Filing Date $300 Advance Deposit Deadline
Fall FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA February 1 May 1
Spring FAFSA/Renewal
FAFSA
September 1 October 1
Summer FAFSA/Renewal FAFSA February 15 March 15

Applicants who have been approved for admission after the above filing dates and who wish to be considered for financial aid should submit their applications as early as possible, but in no case later than three weeks prior to enrollment. Financial aid applications will be processed on a rolling basis, but awards cannot be made until the admissions application is approved and all financial aid documentation is received. Since funds are limited, applications should be submitted as early as possible to have the best chance of securing an award. Applicants are notified of their aid award within three weeks of the approval of their admissions application or of the completed submission of the required financial aid documentation, whichever is later.

Receipt of a financial aid award does not constitute enrollment in a given semester. Students must preregister with the Graduate Institute Office and submit the advance deposit in order to secure a place in the class and the financial aid award for a given semester. Failure to submit an advance deposit by the deposit deadline for any semester will jeopardize the financial aid award for that semester. See sjc.edu/graduate-programs for further information.

Withdrawal Refund Policy

Determination Date of Withdrawal

A student considering withdrawal prior to the end of the semester may initiate the withdrawal process by notifying the appropriate office. Undergraduate students should contact the Office of the Registrar and graduate students should contact the Graduate Institute Office to obtain a withdrawal form. (See also Withdrawal.) At this point the student has officially indicated the intent to withdraw and the day the Official Notice of Withdrawal Form is obtained will be the date of withdrawal used for the calculation of return of Title IV Funds (Federal financial aid) and any institutional refund.

A student may rescind the intention to withdraw by simply contacting the appropriate office, and not returning the Official Notice of Withdrawal. If a student wishes to reverse a decision to withdraw after the Official Notice of Withdrawal has been submitted, the student must provide a written notification. If a student who rescinded an intention to withdraw does not complete the semester, the official date of withdrawal will be the later of the date the withdrawal form was obtained or the last date of class attendance.

If a student does not notify the appropriate office of the intention to withdraw, the date of withdrawal used for the calculation of return of Title IV Funds (Federal financial aid) and any institutional refund will be the midpoint of the semester. A date earlier or later than the midpoint may be used if the college can verify the last day the student attended class or handed in an assignment. If a student withdraws because of circumstances beyond the student’s control, the college will determine the date of withdrawal.

Institutional Refunds

The refund schedule for the summer GI sessions is established and communicated with the release of summer Fee Statements. If a student withdraws prior to the end of the semester, a refund of tuition will be made according to the following schedule. The student’s withdrawal date is established as outlined above in the Refund Policy. The schedule below is used to determine the percentage of fees (tuition, activity fee, room, and meal plan charges) that will be refunded.

INSTITUTIONAL REFUND SCHEDULE
DAYS ENROLLED REFUND AMOUNT AMOUNT CHARGED
21 Days 80% 20%
22 Days No Refund 100%

The same schedule will be used to calculate the cancellation of non-federal financial aid: the “refund amount” percentage provides the percentage of aid to be cancelled and the “amount charged” percentage corresponds to the revised aid the student will receive. For example, a student withdrawing within the first seven days of school would receive 10% of non-federal aid that had been awarded.

A student who is expelled or asked to withdraw for academic or disciplinary reasons will receive no refund of tuition, fees, room, board, or deposits.

Return of Title IV Funds

If a student who has received Title IV Funds (Federal financial aid) leaves the institution prior to completion of 60% of the semester, a calculation must be performed to determine the amount of unearned aid that must go back to the Title IV programs. No return of Title IV funds is required after 60% (approximately 9 weeks of a 16-week semester). The withdrawal date will be established as described in Section I of the Refund Policy.

The percentage of Title IV aid earned by the student (i.e., the amount of Federal aid the student is permitted to keep) is the same as the percentage of the semester completed. This percentage is computed by dividing the total number of calendar days in the semester (including week-ends but excluding scheduled breaks of more than five days) into the number of calendar days completed by student. For example, a student enrolled for 14 of 112 days would have earned 12.5% of Title IV aid for the semester. In this example, 87.5% of the Title IV aid would be unearned. The institution is responsible for returning to the Federal aid programs the amount of unearned Title IV aid.

Federal regulations specify the order in which unearned funds are to be returned to aid programs.

The order is:

  1. Unsubsidized Stafford Loans;
  2. Subsidized Stafford Loans;
  3. Perkins Loans;
  4. Federal Plus Loans;
  5. Pell Grants;
  6. SEOG.

Federal Work-Study funds are not involved in this determination: a student may keep money earned through the Federal Work-Study Program.

If the total amount of unearned aid exceeds the amount the school is required to return, a student may need to return federal grant funds that have been received for off-campus living expenses, up to 50% of the amount received for the semester. Student loans and PLUS Loans received for off-campus expenses do not have to be returned at the time of withdrawal but must be repaid in accordance with the terms of the loan. The Financial Aid Office will notify a student if a return of Federal grant funds is required.

Sample cases of refund calculations are available in the Financial Aid Office.