Federal Disclosure Requirements

Mercer University is required by federal law to provide information at various times of the year to the University community. Please review the following information, and use the links provided to obtain additional details.

Financial Assistance

At its simplest level, financial aid is money provided to help bridge the gap between your family's own resources and the amount needed to pay for the cost of attending Mercer University. The primary responsibility for meeting the cost of a Mercer education rests with the student and his/her family. Eligibility for financial aid is based on Mercer University's Cost of Attendance minus the amount the Federal Government expects your family to contribute towards that cost. The formula for determining this contribution, as written into federal law, takes into account your family's income and assets. Financial aid administered by Mercer may only be used for educational purposes (e.g. tuition, room, board, books, supplies, etc.).

Most financial aid programs at Mercer are awarded on the basis of need, although some assistance is awarded in recognition of academic merit and achievement. Some aid is gift aid (grant and scholarship), some is in the form of Institutional Aid and Endowments, some you must earn (work-study), and some is in the form of long-term loans (you must repay) designed to extend the financing of your education beyond the years of enrollment. Our primary objective is to assist as many students as possible and to provide access to Mercer University for all qualified individuals.

To receive federal funds administered by the Office of Student Financial Planning, you must have a high school diploma (or equivalent), be enrolled as a regular student (e.g. not a special admit, transient or audit student) in a degree-granting program at least half-time (six hours), have a valid social security number, be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen and be making satisfactory academic progress toward completion of your degree. You must not owe a refund on any federal grant and must not be in default on any student loan previously received. You must be registered with the Selective Service and the Immigration and Naturalization Service if required by law to do so. You must not have been rendered ineligible for federal aid as a result of a drug conviction. Suspected cases of fraud or abuse will be reported to the US Office of Inspector General.

Contact Information for Financial Assistance

For more information, contact the Office of Financial Planning:

• National Number: (800) Mercer U
• Georgia Number: (800) 342-0841
• Atlanta Campus: (678) 547-6444; http://atlanta.merceraid.com
• Macon Campus, Ryals Hall: (478) 301-2670; http://www.merceraid.com/macon
• Regional Academic Centers: (478) 301-5381; (800) 392-2830; http://centers.merceraid.com
• School of Law: (478) 301-2064; http://www.law.mercer.edu/admissions/financialaid.cfm
• School of Medicine: (478) 301-2539; (478) 301-2853; http://medicine.mercer.edu/Admissions/Financial Aid/finaid_contact

Tuition and Fees

Tuition rates, facilities and technology fees, miscellaneous fees, health insurance premiums, and housing rates are available for all undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs based on campus location:

• Atlanta Campus: http://www.mercer.edu/bursar/newrates.htm
• Macon Campus / School of Law / School of Medicine: http://www.mercer.edu/bursarm/maconrate.htm
• Regional Academic Centers (Douglas, Eastman, and Henry County Centers): http://www.mercer.edu/bursarm/extedrate.htm

Tuition Refund Policy

A student who FORMALLY RESIGNS from school prior to the last day of the drop/add period for any term of enrollment will be entitled to a 100% credit of tuition and fees charged for the current term.

A student who FORMALLY RESIGNS from school after this date may be entitled to a prorated credit of the tuition and fee charges if certain criteria are met as described in this policy. The criteria for the Mercer Institutional Refund Policy are based upon federal mandates established by the Federal Return Policy  which took effect at all of the Mercer campuses on August 15, 2000, replacing all existing refund policies throughout the University.

Review the Refund Policy at http://www2.mercer.edu/StudentLoans/Tuition+Refund+Policy.htm for more information.

Housing Rates

• Atlanta Campus: http://campuslife.merceratlanta.org/housing.html
• Macon Campus: http://www.mercer.edu/studentaffairs/Housing/rates.shtm

Meal Plan Rates

• Atlanta Campus
• Macon Campus: http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSS/Mercer/MealPlans/

Books and Supplies

• Macon Undergraduate Campus: http://www.merceraid.com/macon/coa.htm

Return of Title IV Funds

A calculation for the return of federal funds will be completed within 30 days of the school’s determination that a student has ceased attendance without proper notification. Any financial assistance disbursements that must be returned to their original source of funding will then become immediately due and payable by the student to the University and in some cases to the U.S. Department of Education.

The following resignation calculation will be used to determine the prorated amount of tuition and fees to be credited to the student’s account and the amount of financial aid to be returned to their source programs:

• The total number of calendar days attended by the student = Percentage to the total number of calendar days in the term of enrollment be retained.

The total number of calendar days includes all days beginning with the first day of classes and ending with the last day of exams for the student’s official program of study, excluding scheduled breaks of at least five consecutive days or more.

When the percentage to be retained is equal to or greater than 60% NO tuition credit or refund of Title IV funds is required by the Mercer Institutional Refund Policy or the Federal Return Policy.

• Total tuition and fees for the term of enrollment X (100 – percentage to be retained) = Total tuition and fees to be credited to the student’s account.
• Total amount of Title IV Financial Aid disbursed X (100 – percentage to be retained) = Total Title IV Financial Aid to be returned**

** In most cases the University is required to return only the portion of Federal Financial Aid that has been paid toward institutional charges.

Any funds refunded to the student prior to resignation could be repayable by the student to the University or the U.S. Dept of Education. Should the University be required to return federal financial aid funds in excess of those retained for tuition and fees then the student would be immediately responsible for payment back to the University for the full amount of this excess refund.

• Total amount to be returned to Non-Title IV funds = Total tuition and fees to be credited to the student’s account less the total Title IV Financial Aid to be returned.

Federal Title IV financial aid funds must be returned in the following order:

1. Loans:
   • Federal Unsubsidized
   • Federal Subsidized
   • Federal Perkins
   • Federal PLUS
2. Grants (& Other):
   • Federal Pell
   • FSEOG
   • Other Title IV (excluding College Work Study earnings).

Non-Title IV financial aid funds will be returned in the following order:

1. Mercer institutionally funded
   • Loans
   • Grants/Scholarships
2. Mercer Endowment funded
   • Loans
   • Grants/Scholarships
3. State
   • Other Loans
   • Other Grants/Scholarships
4. Student/Parent Payments

For more information or to refer to the entire Refund Policy, go to http://www2.mercer.edu/StudentLoans/Tuition+Refund+Policy.htm.