Understanding the Financial Aid Process
Baylor University is committed to using the Principles & Standards of the College Cost Transparency Initiative in its student financial aid offer.
To begin the financial aid offer process, we create an annual cost of attendance (COA), which is also referred to as a budget. The COA represents a realistic estimate of the costs associated with attending Baylor University. The COA components are considered either costs payable to Baylor (billable) or costs paid to others (non-billable).
- Costs Payable to Baylor: Baylor will bill students directly for costs such as tuition, fees, books from the Follett Access program, campus housing and meal plans. These costs are also known as billable costs.
- Costs Paid to Others: These costs are estimated and may vary depending on a student’s enrollment. These costs are also known as non-billable costs since they do not appear on a student's bill. These costs can include books, transportation, personal expenses and off-campus housing and meals.
The COA varies depending on your enrollment status (full-time, three-quarter-time or half-time) and your housing status (on/off campus or with parents). Unless indicated otherwise, we have awarded your aid based on full-time enrollment and have determined your housing status based on your academic level. Returning current students (Sophomore through Senior) will default to an off-campus housing designation, unless your housing designation in the prior year was set to something other than on-campus or off-campus housing (i.e. living with parents, living in military housing, etc.)
Current students may update their housing status by using the Housing Status form, which is available from April 1 - May 15 for the following fall term and from October 1 - November 15 for the following spring term. If you miss this window, contact Baylor One Stop. Incoming and first year students can contact Campus Living and Learning for housing information.
All forms of financial aid will be adjusted to stay within the student's total cost of attendance, regardless of whether the aid is from a federal, state, institutional, or external source. This is so financial aid eligibility is consistently calculated for all students. This policy aligns with federal regulations on financial aid eligibility. As an exception, students who have been awarded a Federal Pell grant may exceed their COA by the amount of their grant, only after Federal Direct Loans, Plus Loans, State Aid and Private Loans are canceled.
You can request an increase to your COA if your actual costs for housing is higher than the average, by submitting a Cost of Attendance Adjustment appeal. Please have a copy of your current lease agreement ready to upload, and a designation of your portion of the rent, as that will be required when submitting the appeal for consideration.
Most financial aid is based on demonstrated need, which is derived from the results of your CSS Profile and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The CSS Profile is used to determine eligibility for the university's need-based grant and scholarship programs. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for Federal and State financial aid. In both cases, a formula is used to determine demonstrated financial need for each application allowing us to put together a students financial aid offer that will consist of Federal, State and Baylor funds.
We use need and merit (admission criteria) to provide a variety of financial aid programs to help meet the annual cost of attending Baylor. Actual financial aid amounts vary according to your need and academic achievement.
As a reminder, receipt of additional funding (e.g. Veteran Affairs benefits, outside scholarships, increase in academic scholarships etc.) may require adjustments to your financial aid offer. Incoming students who are selected for verification or have unsatisfied requirements in BearWeb will receive an estimated financial aid offer. You will receive a revised financial aid offer if the estimated aid changes as a result of the verification process. Aid will not apply toward your semester charges until the verification process is complete.
You can learn more about our financial aid programs under the Types of Aid tab. Also, read your financial aid offer notification carefully. You may accept or reject all or parts of your financial aid; however, if you decline aid, a substitute may not be available.
You may accept or reject your aid in BearWeb
Academic Year Definition
At Baylor, a Standard Academic Year (SAY) and a Borrower Based Academic Year (BBAY) are used based on the type of student and/or program of enrollment.
A Standard Academic Year (SAY) is a fixed period that generally begins and ends at the same time each calendar year. Baylor uses a SAY for our undergraduate and traditional graduate students with the standard academic year beginning in the fall semester through the end of the spring semester. Students are typically packaged for financial aid for fall and spring terms at the same time, with aid disbursing for the intended term within 10 business days prior to the start of the term in most cases. If graduating in December, the student will be packaged for fall only. For students attending summer, summer is designated as a trailer, which means that it would be added to the end of the SAY. If you enroll in summer, the financial aid office will automatically calculate eligibility for summer aid and notify students through BearWeb of any eligible aid.
With some of our graduate programs, such as our online graduate programs, Baylor uses a Borrower Based Academic Year (BBAY). Beginning and ending dates for a BBAY depend on the period of enrollment and progress. Using a BBAY allows the academic year to begin at any point the student enrolls, and to end when the student completes the calendar period associated with the BBAY.
Special note on loan resources: Annual limits associated with federal Direct Subsidized, Direct Unsubsidized, and Direct PLUS Loans, will be based on the SAY or the BBAY used for the student population and/or program.
Impact of Enrollment Hours on State and Institutional Financial Aid
The amount of financial aid awarded to students is partially based on enrollment hours, or how many courses you are enrolled in per term. The Student Financial Aid Office may adjust your financial aid—including Pell Grants, institutional aid, and state or federal programs—based on your enrollment level as of the financial aid freeze date. This date is one day after the last day to receive a tuition refund for the full-term. In summer, your freeze date is based on the latest class in which you attend at least one day. Adjusting your enrollment hours, such as dropping courses, can impact your financial aid. For questions about your financial aid offer and how your aid will be affected by a drop in hours, contact Baylor One Stop.
For information on how dropping courses could affect your federal aid, visit our Return of Federal Funds page.
State of Texas Financial Aid
If you drop enrollment hours in a term, and your costs of attendance (COA) budget is reduced, federal regulations require a reduction in financial aid, which may include state loans, to keep you within your available COA budget.
If you drop below ½ enrollment time or drop all of your courses at the University, you may be required to start repayment of state loans like the College Access Loan (CAL). You will receive an Exit Counseling notification from our office if your enrollment drops and you will need to start repayment. If you drop below ¾ enrollment time, you may need to return a portion of aid you have received, like the Tuition Equalization Grant (TEG). If you drop all of your courses, return of state grant funds will be calculated based on how much of the semester you attended. After the 60% point in your enrollment period, all State funds will be 100% earned and will not need to be returned.
Institutional Financial Aid
The specific terms and conditions of Baylor institutional funds can be found in the Financial Aid Dashboard in BearWeb, under the Award Offer tab. Clicking on the name of the fund will show a pop-up with the terms and conditions and other helpful information. If you drop below full-time enrollment before the University add/drop period, your merit-based scholarship and need-based grants will be returned to the University.
If you drop all courses you are taking at the University, a portion of your merit-based and need-based aid will be returned to the University based on the number of days you attended. After the 60% point in your enrollment period, all institutional funds will be 100% earned and will not need to be returned.
Generally, private loans are not subject to return, as a third party administers these loans. If you drop enrollment hours in a term, and your costs of attendance (COA) budget is reduced, federal regulations require a reduction in aid, which may include private loans, to keep you within your available COA budget. You can contact your lender for more information on the terms and conditions of your private loan.