Student Financial Services

Financial Aid
Fuller Theological Seminary is committed to equipping men and women for ministry and provides over 5 million dollars in need-based and merit-based student scholarships and fellowships each year. We also participate in Federal Work-Study and the Federal Student Loan programs. Your choice of degree program and your enrollment plans will determine your eligibility for financial aid.
Apply for Financial Aid
Please select the appropriate Financial Aid Year from the tabs below.
The 2021–2022 financial aid year comprises Fall 2021 quarter through Summer 2022 quarter (September 27, 2021–September 2, 2022)
Applying for Direct Unsubsidized Loans
U.S. Citizen or Permanent Residents must complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA. Fuller's Federal School Code for the FAFSA is G01200. There is no deadline for completing the FAFSA, but keep in mind that our team will not be able to offer your loans until you complete the FAFSA. Once your FAFSA data is confirmed without errors, and no supplemental documentation pending, and you are admitted into a program eligible for Federal Financial Aid you will be able to view your award in your student portal 24-48 business hours. If you have questions about how to apply for Summer 2021 aid, contact finaid-processing@fuller.edu.
Applying for a Direct Grad PLUS loan
Grad PLUS will not appear in your student portal until the following steps are complete:
- Log on to Federal Student Aid's Student Loan site
- Click on "Sign In." To sign in, you will need Your FSA ID (used to sign the FAFSA).
- Select "Apply for Aid" tab, then “Apply for the Grad PLUS loan” from the drop down menu. Complete the Grad plus online application and credit check. Log in and click the 2021-2022 Award year from the dropdown menu.
- Then Click the authorize button, and scroll down to select our school to be notified. You will enter our state "CA" and our school "Fuller Theological Seminary."
- Scroll down and input the "Loan amount requested." You may also opt and check the "I would like to borrow the maximum Direct Plus." For the loan period for Fall through Summer, it will begin in September 2021 and end in September 2022.
- You will finish up with some personal information, then submit your application for approval.
- After completing the credit check, if approved, please complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) for a PLUS Loan and add Fuller’s school code G01200
- Once you have been approved and completed your Grad plus MPN.
- After this, your loan will be set to disburse within 7-14 days.
Applying for Federal Work Study
Federal Work Study will not appear in your student portal until you submit a request. To request Federal Work Study eligibility, you must submit a request using the following form: Federal Work Study Request Form - Google Forms. For some students, accepting a work-study position will replace a portion of their student loan eligibility. If you have questions about this, please email fws@fuller.edu.
Universal Scholarship Application
Both new and returning students are eligible to complete this application to identify scholarship opportunities they are eligible for. Go to scholarships.fuller.edu to apply!
Note: you must be accepted into a program and login with your FullerID in order to complete the Universal Scholarship Application.
FAQs
Loans
Fuller encourages you to seek out other funding sources before borrowing, but if you do need student loans to help fund your education you should be smart about what you borrow. Remember that acquiring excessive student loan debt can prevent you from pursuing ministry options that would otherwise be available to you. We believe that the more you know about your loans the better you will be at managing them. Below is some information that can help you get to know more about how loans work at Fuller.
Work Study
Federal Work Study (FWS) is a form of Federal Financial Aid awarded to students on a first-come-first-serve basis. This type of Federal Financial Aid is awarded through an allocation received annually by the U.S. Department of Education. The objective of Federal Work Study is to allow students to grow in their field of study through work opportunities, ideally in a community centric role.
Federal Work Study is awarded to students by request who demonstrate financial need and meet other eligibility criteria. To request Federal Work Study eligibility, you must submit a request using the following form: Federal Work Study Request Form - Google Forms. For some students, accepting a work-study position will replace a portion of their student loan eligibility. Please allow five business days to receive a response.
Federal Work Study students have the option to work on campus or off campus. Once Federal Work Study eligibility has been approved, students may search and apply for available jobs at Fuller posted on the Quad. If an off campus job is available and approved to be used with FWS funds, the student must identify a supervisor for this position. To inquire about an off campus position you are interested in, please contact the SFS office.
In order to maintain FWS eligibility, enrollment at least half time in a quarter is required. The exception to this rule is the Summer quarter. The student is still subject to need, and hours can be restricted if the student is over-awarded or if federal funds are limited. For FWS employees not planning to enroll at least half time, but plan to continue working through the Summer, SFS must have the following form completed on file: Federal Work Study Letter of Intent (Summer quarter only) - Google Forms
For more information, please contact fws@fuller.edu.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress
To be eligible for institutional and federal financial aid, you must maintain academic achievement in accordance with the Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (FASAP). Fuller’s FASAP policy is designed to meet federal regulations and is stricter than the regular Satisfactory Academic Progress policy. In most cases, if you maintain a 2.5 or greater GPA and complete your courses, you should have no trouble with the FASAP policy. Student Financial Services measures your academic progress during the fifth week of each quarter based on Cumulative GPA and Completion Rate.
CUMULATIVE GPA
You must maintain a cumulative 2.50 grade point average or better after attempting 16 units at Fuller.
COMPLETION RATE
You must successfully complete a certain percentage of your attempted coursework based upon your program of study.
Students in Certificate, Master's, M.Div., SIS Th.M., Psychology Ph.D. and Psy.D. programs:
- All students who have attempted at least 24 units must successfully complete 75% of all coursework.
- Students who have attempted less than 24 units must successfully complete 60% of all coursework.
- Students in Intercultural Studies Ph.D, D.Miss., Theology Ph.D. and Th.M., and D.MIN. programs:
- Students must complete 75% of all attempted coursework.
COMPLETION RATE FORMULA
The completion rate formula is the total of all earned units divided by the total of all attempted units.
(Total of all earned units) / (Total of all attempted units) = (Percentage of successfully completed units)
- Grades that indicate successful completion: A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, C-, P, SA, and CR. These grades count as attempted units and earned units.
- Grades that do not represent successful completion: Incomplete (I), F, H1, H2, H3, NS, NC, Extensions (IE, IX), and Withdrawals (W). These grades count as attempted but not earned units.
- Drops (DD, DP, DR), In Process (IP), and Report Delayed (RD) grades do not count as attempted or earned units.
- Transfer units count as attempted units and earned units.
- Federal regulations require that all of your Fuller coursework be included in the calculation, even if it is from a different degree program, from many years ago, or a repeated course.
FASAP WARNING AND FASAP PROBATION
You will first be placed on Financial Aid Warning if you fail either the Cumulative GPA or Completion Rate measurements. You will remain eligible for all institutional and federal financial aid if placed on Financial Aid Warning. If, by the following quarter's evaluation, you are still failing FASAP you will be moved from Financial Aid Warning to Financial Aid Probation.
In Financial Aid Probation your eligibility for all institutional and federal financial aid will be suspended. You will not be eligible until you successfully pass both measurements during the next quarter's evaluation, or until you submit an approved FASAP petition and academic plan.
Eligibility is measured during the fifth week of the quarter.
FASAP PETITION
You may submit a FASAP petition for one or more of the following reasons:
- A death in the family
- Accident
- Illness
- Other performance factors that were outside of your control
If you meet one or more of the reasons listed above and wish to petition, you must submit ALL of the following written documentation to Student Financial Services within 30 days of the date on your suspension letter. In order for your petition to be considered, it must include each of the following items:
- A detailed letter explaining the mitigating circumstance that affected your ability to make Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress.
- An academic plan that has been created and approved with your academic advisor.
- Documentation of illness or medical condition. You must provide a letter from your attending physician stating the condition will no longer hinder your ability to make satisfactory academic progress. The letter must also include the dates the condition occurred. The dates must coincide with the period you failed to make satisfactory academic progress.
The Student Financial Services Policy Review Team will review the petition and notify you of a decision within 30 days of submission. Decisions of the Policy Review Team are final.
Additional Resources
Some of the most popular and useful websites for online financial aid information are listed below. Most of these links will take you away from the Fuller Seminary website, and the seminary is not responsible for the content of these external sites.
GENERAL FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION
- FinAid.org - An extremely helpful website with general information
FEDERAL WEBSITES
- FAFSA on the Web - Complete the FAFSA online
- Federal Student Aid - Perhaps the most comprehensive and helpful of all U.S. Department of Education websites.
- Federal Student Aid ID Request - Request or renew your Federal Student Aid ID for use on U.S. Department of Education websites.
- National Student Loan Data System - A database listing your federal loan history and contact information for loan lenders/servicers.
- Selective Service - Register or verify your registration with the Selective Service
SCHOLARSHIP SEARCHES
LOAN SERVICERS
Aspire Resources Inc.
Phone: 855/475-3335
Web site: www.AspireResourcesInc.com
CornerStone
Phone: 800/663-1662
Web site: www.MyCornerStoneLoan.org
Direct Loan Servicing Center (ACS)
Phone: 800/848-0979
Web site: www.myedaccount.com
Department of Education Student Loan Servicing Center (ACS)
Phone: 800/835-4611
ESA/Edfinancial
Phone: 855/337-6884
Web site: www.edfinancial.com/DL
FedLoan Servicing (PHEAA)
Phone: 800/699-2908
Web site: www.myfedloan.org/
Granite State - GSMR
Phone: 888/556-0022
Web site: www.gsmr.org
Great Lakes Educational Loan Services, Inc.
Phone: 800/236-4300
Web site: www.mygreatlakes.org/
MOHELA
Phone: 888/866-4352
Web site: www.mohela.com
Nelnet
Phone: 888/486-4722
Web site: www.nelnet.com
OSLA Servicing
Phone: 866/264-9762
Web site: www.osla.org
Sallie Mae
Phone: 800/722-1300
Web site: go.salliemae.com/content/edServicing/federalLoans/
VSAC Federal Loans
Phone: 888/932-5626Web site: www.VSACFederalLoans.org
FINANCIAL AID SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS POLICY
The official policy can be seen here.
Office Hours
Monday–Thursday
8 am – 5 pm (Pacific Time)
Friday
10 am – 5 pm (Pacific Time)