Financial Aid
For Traditional Undergraduate Students
Navigating how to finance your education can be an overwhelming process. That’s why we’re committed to making this process as clear as possible. There’s a big difference between the cost of your education (tuition, books, fees, living expenses, etc.) and what you’re actually expected to pay. That’s where financial aid comes in – it’s meant to reduce the gap!
We recognize there are many terms, deadlines and forms that can make the process confusing, so check out our roadmap below for a step-by-step guide to financing your George Fox education.
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Complete the FAFSA
Why It’s Important
Submitting the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) every year you’re a student allows you to qualify for federal, state, and institutional financial aid, so it’s totally worth your time! It’s available to start filling out sometime in December for the following academic year.
What It Does
The FAFSA calculates a Student Aid Index, or SAI. The SAI figure you receive is not what you’re expected to pay for college, but is an “index” number used to determine your financial need.
Still have some questions? Check out our FAFSA resource page.
Note: When you’re filling out your application, it’ll ask you for a School Code for all of the schools you’re applying to. The school code for George Fox University is 003194.
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Become a Future Bruin
Once you complete your undergraduate application and become fully admitted, George Fox will receive your FAFSA information and will be able to provide your completed financial aid offer.
Prospective students will receive their financial aid offer beginning in mid-November. Returning Bruins will receive their offer in February.
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Review and Accept/Decline Your Financial Aid Offer
Once you’ve reviewed your financial aid offer, you will need to accept or decline your federal student employment and/or loans based on your plans to use them or not. This can be done through your MyGeorgeFox account on the “Accept/Decline Awards” page. We’ve created this instructions page to help you navigate this process.
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Complete Items on Your To-Do List
Our financial aid office will notify you of what forms and documents are required via your MyGeorgeFox To-Do List on the Tasks tile, so be sure you’re continually checking your email! Items are continuously added throughout the year, so write yourself a reminder to check your To-Do list weekly. We recommend completing items on your to-do list by August 1 (fall semester) or December 1 (spring semester).
How do I find my To-Do List?
Go to my.georgefox.edu and log in with your student account. Click the Tasks icon and then individual to do items for further instruction.
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Complete Verification (but not everyone gets selected for this!)
What It Is
Verification is a process every university has to do in order to verify the information you provided on your FAFSA is accurate. Students are chosen totally at random, so there’s no need to worry if you’re selected!
What Happens If You're Selected
We’ll ask you to provide specific verification documents. Your financial aid offer is an estimation until verification is complete. If any changes are necessary, we will send you an updated financial aid offer after the verification is complete.
Each year, the U.S. Department of Education randomly selects approximately 18% of those who complete the FAFSA for a process called verification. This does not mean the selected students did anything wrong; it is just a means of ensuring that the FAFSA was filled out properly.
George Fox University may also select some students for verification that have not been federally selected.
New Students: If you are selected, you will be required to provide specific verification documents. Your offer letter is an estimate until verification is complete. Check your MyGeorgeFox To-Do list or contact your financial aid counselor for details.
Returning Students: If you are selected, all verification documents need to be submitted and verification completed before you will receive your financial aid offer. Check your To-Do list or contact your financial aid counselor for details. Please turn in these documents by May 1.
We know there are a lot of documents, so if you have any questions, contact your financial aid counselor for more information and help!
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Apply for University Scholarships & Grants
Even after you’ve received your financial aid package, there’s a lot of creative ways to fund your George Fox education through scholarships and grants.
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Apply for and Report Outside Scholarships & Grants
While George Fox offers a large variety of scholarship opportunities, there are lots of organizations outside of George Fox waiting to award scholarships to students who apply for them, and George Fox takes any that you win!
Not sure how to navigate this process or even where to start? Check out our Outside Scholarships Page, which exists for this very purpose: to help you figure out how to find and win more money!
Won some outside scholarships and need to let us know you have them? Here’s instructions for how to report those scholarships to us.
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Apply for Loans
We get it: The idea of taking out loans may seem intimidating. But did you know that 75% of graduates who attended a private, non-profit school (like George Fox) graduated with some student loan debt? (Forbes) It’s common, and if done right, can be the best kind of investment in your future.
We can help you consider your options responsibly to ensure that, if taking out loans is part of your financial path moving forward, you’re doing so carefully and considerately. We recommend applying for loans by July 15 (fall semester) or November 15 (spring semester).
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Consider Release of Information (FERPA)
What is it?
The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a federal law designed to protect the privacy aspects of a student’s educational record that are not considered “directory” information.
Why should I fill out a release form?
This gives permission for the financial aid and student accounts offices to communicate via email/phone, etc. to those you specify on the form (like parents or guardians) to release financial aid and account balance information.
Who should I include?
Anyone you would like for us to communicate with who have not already been included on your Payment Selection Form as a guarantor.
Access the form here (Note: You must be logged into your George Fox Gmail account to access this form.)
I’ve figured out all of my finances, but is there ever a way I could lose some of my loans or institutional aid?
Great question! In order to keep the majority of your financial aid, we require that you maintain a good academic standing and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Contact Us
If you have any questions at all, stop by our office on the second floor of the Stevens Center, give us a call at 503-554-2302 or schedule an appointment online. We’re here to help!