Current Student FAQ

Need-based aid is determined on an annual basis. Therefore, students must to reapply every year by our stated deadlines. This ensures that every student receives the financial aid package that best reflects his or her family’s need.

Students with only Merit Scholarships, Talent Scholarships, Honors Program, or a combination of the three, must only complete the Muhlenberg Scholarship and Aid application. This is to update personal contact information and establish FERPA contacts. Students’ continued eligibility for merit awards and honors programs will automatically be determined.

Merit based aid, Talent Scholarships, and Honors Program awards remain the same every year as long as you maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required to maintain these scholarships. (For example, for Merit Scholarships: first year students need a 2.5 cumulative by the end of the year and a 3.0 cumulative every year after). Talent Scholarships and Honors Program eligibility is determined by the head of the program.

Need-based financial aid awards are recalculated every year.

Students are eligible for their Federal Direct Student Loan every year upon filing the FAFSA. Freshmen are eligible for a total $5,500 loan, sophomores a total $6,500 loan, and juniors and seniors a total $7,500 loan each year.

No, your merit aid is used to shape our incoming Freshman Class. It is calculated from your high school transcript, SAT/ACT scores submitted, and your standing in the admission applicant pool.

Students are always encouraged to research outside scholarships. Outside scholarships awarded to Muhlenberg College students will benefit students to the greatest extent possible. Students are required to report their outside awards to the Office of Financial Aid as soon as they are notified of them. No amount of aid, including outside awards and merit scholarships, can ever exceed Muhlenberg’s cost of attendance. In order to achieve this, the College will first reduce self-help (loans and/or jobs). After that, a dollar for dollar reduction in Muhlenberg College grants and scholarships will occur so that no form of assistance is in excess of a student’s cost of attendance.

Students may also look into alternative loans in order to finance the rest of their education. We cannot recommend any lenders, however, you may Google “Student Alternative Loans” and do research on your own. Once you find a few lenders in which you are interested, we would be more than happy to help answer your questions. The student will need a credit worthy co-signer in order to apply for these loans.

A student’s parent can look at applying for a Federal Direct PLUS (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Student) Loan. This loan is taken out in the parent’s name, through the federal government, and is repaid by the parent. The current interest rate is 8.05% and the processing fee is approximately 4.228%. If the parent is denied the PLUS Loan, the student is then eligible for a $4,000 unsubsidized federal student loan (freshmen and sophomores) or a $5,000 loan (juniors and seniors). You may contact the school for more information or visit our loans tab.

No, you must not be a major in that discipline in order to maintain your talent scholarship. It is asked that you be an active participant in the life of that department or program (i.e.: take a class once a year, participate in a group ensemble, etc).

The following are some reasons that your financial aid offer could be revised:

Outside Awards

Muhlenberg College students on financial aid, including merit scholarship recipients, are required to report their outside awards to the Office of Financial Aid as soon as they are notified of them. No amount of aid, including outside awards and merit scholarships, can ever exceed Muhlenberg's cost of attendance. If necessary adjustments to Muhlenberg financial aid offers will occur only to the self help portion (federal loans, alternative loans, and student employment).

Pell and State Grants

The Pell and State Grants are not considered outside awards. Therefore, students will receive a dollar-for-dollar reduction in their institutional grants if a Pell or State Grant is larger than originally estimated amount. If the Pell or State Grant is less than estimated, Muhlenberg College will attempt to make up the difference. This is only applicable is students have met all application deadlines.

Federal Tax Returns

Financial aid offers are adjusted when necessary, upon receipt of the parent's (for dependent students) and/or student's Federal tax return and W2 Form(s). Any conflicting information will be reviewed and updated. 

Verification

Some students are randomly selected by the Department of Education to have their family's financial information provided on the FAFSA verified.

If you are selected, the Department of Education will require a student to make a correction to their FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrival Tool to repopulate their tax information responses on the FAFSA.

OR, the tax filer may provide a signed copy of their taxes to the Office of Financial Aid. The Office of Financial Aid will notify students of their selection and may request additional information from them.

As a result of the verification process, a student's financial aid offer may need to be adjusted.

Family Enrollment

Students with family members enrolled in another college or university may be required to have an Sibling Enrollment Verification form completed by the family member's college or university. Based upon the information provided on this form, a student's financial aid award may need to be adjusted.

No, Federal College Work Study and Muhlenberg College Employment awards are not directly credited towards a student's direct billable charges. These funds are paid as it is earned and is received by the student through monthly paychecks.