Policies

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits the Office of Financial Aid from discussing financial aid matters with anyone other than the student without the student’s written consent.

While most students authorize parental access to financial and income information through the completion of the FAFSA and CSS Profile application, which typically includes parental data, authorization to discuss financial aid matters with other parties (such as relatives or academic advisors) requires completion of a Financial Information Release form with the Office of Financial Aid.

The financial aid office does not disclose Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) information with parents without specific consent by the student.

Please note, this Financial Information Release form is distinct from the FERPA Release form required by the Registrar's Office.

The Pitzer College Office of Financial Aid adheres to the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Financial Aid Professionals of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Pitzer College admits students of any race, color, sex, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, creed, handicap, and national or ethnic origin, granting them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. The College does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships and loan programs, athletic and other College-administered programs, or employment policies.

Rights

As an aid recipient, you have the right to:

• Information about the types of aid available, eligibility requirements and deadline requirements.
• Know what portion of your financial aid must be repaid and what portion is grant or scholarship assistance.
• All records and data submitted with your application for financial aid are confidential and subject to legal requirements concerning disclosure of such information.
• Appeal (based on special circumstances) any financial aid funding that does not fall under the jurisdiction of federal or state regulations.

Responsibilities

As an aid recipient you have the responsibility to:

• Read and understand all forms you are required to sign. You should keep copies of all forms for your records.
• Read and understand the information contained in the Pitzer College Financial Aid Student Guide, which is available, online, at the start of the fall semester.
• Understand the application process and reapply for financial aid on-time each year that you require assistance.
• Complete all paperwork, for loans or employment you accept, by published deadlines.
• Report all new or increased resources, such as outside scholarships, grants, tuition benefits or VA benefits to the Office of Financial Aid. These resources may impact your financial aid package.
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to maintain eligibility for federal, state and institutional funds.
• Complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling & Master Promissory Note before borrowing a student loan for the first time.
• Complete a student loan Exit Interview before graduating, taking a leave of absence, transferring or withdrawing from Pitzer.
• Notify the Office of Financial Aid and your student loan servicer (if you borrow) of any name change, change of address, graduation, transfer, withdrawal or other change in enrollment status.
• Manage your work schedule and monitor your earnings to ensure you do not earn more than your work-study allotment.
• Repay student loans you borrowed.
• Provide truthful and correct information. If funds are advanced on falsified or misreported data, you will be obligated to repay all money received and may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Outcomes

The goal of the Office of Financial Aid is that students who interact with us demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

• Through a variety of forms of communication with our office, students and their families understand that financial aid provides “access” and “choice” to students who need assistance to attend Pitzer College.
• Through information provided by our office from various printed, electronic and social media, students and their family will understand the types, sources and amounts of financial aid available, the applications required and deadline dates.
• By the end of the first semester, the student understands their aid letter and is able to calculate the amount due to the College.
• By the end of the first semester, the student understands their responsibility to reapply each year for financial aid.
• Through years of enrollment the student develops job skills such as regular attendance, advance notification of absence, punctuality and accountability.
• By the time of separation from the College the student understands and accepts her/his responsibility to repay any student loans.

This code of conduct applies to all Pitzer College officers, employees, and agents who have responsibilities with respect to education loans. This code reinforces and reflects Pitzer College’s continuing commitment to conduct financial aid practices with integrity, free from conflicts of interest, in the interest of students, and in compliance with applicable law.

Definition of Lending Institution

For purpose of this code of conduct, lending institution means:

• Any entity that itself or through an affiliate engages in the business of making loans to students, parents or others for purposes of financing higher education expenses or that securitizes such loans; or
• Any entity, or association of entities, that guarantees or services education loans; or
• Any industry, trade or professional association that receives money from any entity described above.

Limitations Regarding Lending Institutions

Pitzer College prohibits:

• any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lending institution. Revenue sharing is any arrangement by which a lender pays Pitzer College a percentage of the principal loan taken by a borrower or otherwise compensates Pitzer College as a result of a borrower taking a loan.
• accepting or soliciting anything of value from any lending institution related to its education loan activity, including but not be limited to: (i) revenue sharing by a lending institution with Pitzer College, (ii) Pitzer College’s receipt from any lending institution of any computer hardware for which Pitzer College pays below-market prices and (iii) printing costs or services.
• accepting or soliciting staffing assistance from a lending institution, including but not limited to call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
• identifying any employee or other agent of a lending institution to students or prospective students of Pitzer College or their parents as an employee or agent of Pitzer College.
• arranging with a lending institution to provide any opportunity loans, if the provision of such opportunity loans prejudices any other borrower. For purpose of this code, an opportunity loan agreement is an arrangement whereby a lending institution agrees to make loans up to a specified aggregate amount to students with poor or no credit history, or to international students whom the lending institution claims would not otherwise be eligible for its loan programs, in exchange for concessions or promises by the College that may prejudice other borrowers.
• accepting or soliciting any funds to be used for private educational loans or opportunity pool loans in exchange for providing a lending institution with a specified number of federal loans, a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement.
• assigning a first-time borrower to a particular lender, or refusing to certify, or delaying certification, of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a lending institution.

Limitations on College Officers, Employees or Agents

Pitzer College prohibits any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to education loans from:

• receiving any remuneration for serving as a member or participant of an advisory board of a lending institution, or receiving any reimbursement of expenses for so serving, provided, however, that participation on advisory boards that are unrelated in any way to higher education loans shall not be prohibited by the code. Notwithstanding the above, individuals are not prohibited from serving on a board of directors of a publicly traded or privately held company.
• consulting or providing other contract services for a lending institution. This article does not prohibit a financial aid officer from consulting for, or serving on advisory board constituted by, the federal government consistent with Pitzer College’s Policy on Conflict of Interest and federal law.
• owning stock or holding any other financial interest in a lending institution, other than through ownership of shares in a publicly traded mutual fund or similar investment vehicle in which the person does not exercise any discretion regarding the investment of the assets of the investment vehicle.
• soliciting or accepting gifts or anything of more than de minimus value on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another from or on behalf of a lending institution and receiving any payment or reimbursement by a lending institution to a College employee for lodging, meals, or travel to conferences or training seminars. This provision shall not be construed to prohibit any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to educational loans from conducting non-College business activity with any lending institution, or prevent Pitzer College from holding membership in any nonprofit professional association.

For purpose of this code, “gifts” include any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount, including services, transportation, lodging, and meals. A gift does not include standard materials, activities or programs related to a loan being provided; favorable terms, conditions or borrower benefits provided to a student employed by Pitzer College if comparable terms are provided to all students of Pitzer College; philanthropic contributions to an institution unrelated to education loans; or state education grants, scholarships or financial aid funds.

Member of NASFAA

As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), a person employed as a financial aid administrator of Pitzer College will follow the following NASFAA Code of Conduct. 

Most Pitzer financial aid packages include self-help components such as a subsidized loan and work-study. These options provide students with the opportunity to gain employment, establish good credit, and invest in their education.

Each year, as students progress toward their degree, they become eligible for increased loan funds from the Federal Direct Loan program. Pitzer believes that as students advance toward their degree, their personal investment in their education should grow. Therefore, loan eligibility increases each year. Additionally, work-study allocations increase from $2,500 to $3,000 as students move into their second year.

Below are the subsidized loan and work-study limits for the 2024-25 academic year.

During the admission application process, students indicate on their Common Application if they are interested in pursuing need-based aid. Students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid are not considered for institutional aid. However, they may be considered for federal and state aid if eligible.

Domestic Students

Domestic students who started at Pitzer during or after the 2020-21 year and did not indicate an interest in aid during the year they were admitted will not be considered for institutional aid for two academic years of attendance. However, they may be considered for federal and state aid if eligible.

International Students

International students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid will not be able to change their status and seek financial aid in subsequent years. International students cannot change their financial aid status throughout their time at Pitzer.

For institutional aid purposes, students admitted to Pitzer College as dependent students cannot change their status to independent during their time at Pitzer. 

Generally, no applicant under the age of 24 is considered independent of parental support for institutional aid purposes, except in cases where the student is an orphan, ward of the court, or in a court-appointed legal guardianship.

For federal aid eligibility, Pitzer uses the dependency criteria listed on the FAFSA. Please note that meeting the independent requirements for federal aid does not guarantee independent status for institutional financial aid.

If a student's family circumstances drastically while enrolled at Pitzer, please contact our office directly.

First-year students 

First-time, first-year students are eligible to receive Pitzer aid for a maximum of eight full-time semesters or 36 courses (whichever comes first). To complete a degree within this timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester over eight semesters.

Transfer students

Transfers have their semesters of Pitzer financial aid eligibility pro-rated based on their academic standing at the time of admission. For example, a student who enters Pitzer as a second-year has a maximum timeframe of six fulltime semesters. This calculation is based on the standard eight full-time semesters required to complete a degree. To complete a degree within any timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester.

New Resource Students

NRS have a prorated timeframe based on the number of courses remaining to reach the 32 required for a bachelor’s degree. For example, a student who enters Pitzer with 10 courses will receive institutional aid for 22 courses. This calculation is based on the standard 32 courses required to complete a degree.

If the student requires more time to complete their degree, the student is responsible for financing the extra cost, including tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies. For more information, refer to our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

Financial aid eligibility may change based on a student's enrollment status. Most students are assumed to be full-time, meaning enrollment in three to five courses. Enrollment in fewer than three courses is considered part-time, which may affect financial aid. Students can change their course enrollment during the first two weeks of the semester. The last day to add or drop a course for a tuition refund or financial aid adjustment is listed on the College’s Academic Calendar. After these dates, the Office of Financial Aid will not make any adjustments to financial aid packages.

Adding a Course: If a student adds a course after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, additional financial aid to cover the increased cost will not be provided.

Dropping a Course: If a student drops a class after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, financial aid will not be adjusted to reflect the reduced coursework. This may impact the student's ability to graduate within their semesters of aid eligibility. For more information, refer to our Satisfactory Academic Policy.

The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects FAFSA submissions for a process called Verification. Verification is a routine part of the financial aid process and is in place to ensure the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA. For the 2024-25 academic year, there are three verification statuses. 

Most students are selected for verification during their first FAFSA submission, however, verification can happy at any during the school year. Students selected for verification will receive an email from the Office of Financial Aid outlining additional documents required for verification. Any additional documents will also be posted to MyCampus2 Portal.

Standard Verification Group (V1) Requirements

• Tax filers (student, student spouse, parent, and parent spouse/partner, as applicable) must verify the following:
  • Adjusted gross income
  • Income earned from work
  • U.S. income tax paid
  • Untaxed portions of IRA distributions
  • Untaxed portions of pensions
  • IRA deductions and payments
  • Tax exempt interest income
  • Education Credits
  • Foreign income exempt from federal taxation
  • Family size
• Non-tax filers (student, student spouse, parent, and parent spouse/partner, as applicable) must verify the following:
  • Income earned from work
  • Family size

Custom Verification Group (V4) Requirements

• Identity & Statement of Educational Purpose Form (available at the Office of Financial Aid)

Aggregate Verification Group (V5) Requirements

• Identity & Statement of Educational Purpose Form (available at the Office of Financial Aid).
• All items under Standard Verification Group (V1) as noted above.

Students selected for verification, must complete all verification requirements in order for the Office of Financial Aid to disburse any federal funds.

All verification documents are due before we are able to disburse federal aid to the student's account. Students who do not complete the verification process before the end of the term may have their federal aid cancelled.

Additional information about verification can be found online on the Federal Student Aid website as well.

We understand that the information provided on the FAFSA and CSS Profile may not always reflect a family’s ability to contribute. Federal regulations allow financial aid counselors to use Professional Judgement to adjust certain components of a student’s information through an appeal. There are two categories of appeals: Special Circumstances and Unusual Circumstances.

A student may have both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance. Through an appeal process, financial aid counselors have the ability to review a student’s situation.

Special circumstances pertain to changes in a family’s financial circumstances that justify an adjustment to data elements in the student’s cost of attendance, the family contribution, or the Student Aid Index (SAI).

Special Circumstances Considered

• Recent job loss
• High medical/dental expenses
• Private elementary/secondary tuition for sibling
• Elder care expenses
• Loss of benefits (social security, child support, etc.)

Special Circumstances Not Considered

• High cost of living
• Comparing of other financial aid packages
• Consumer debt
• Expenses/situations that have not occurred
• Results from the Net Price Calculator

These are circumstances pertaining to the student’s dependency status, commonly referred to as a dependency override. The Department of Education has established criteria to determine if a student is required to submit parental data to determine eligibility for federal financial assistance. The Office of Financial Aid can override the Department’s criteria if a student can document circumstances that prohibit the student from obtaining parental information.

Unique Circumstances Considered

• Parental abandonment
• Unaccompanied homeless youth
• Human trafficking
• Incarceration of parent
• Refugee or asylee status

Unique Circumstances NOT Considered

• Parent refusal to contribute
• Parent refusal to provide financial information or participate in the financial aid process
• Parents do not claim the student for income tax purposes

Students and families who have special and/or unusual circumstances should schedule an appointment with their Financial Aid Counselor to discuss their specific situation and determine next best steps. Please keep in mind:

• An Appeal Application or Dependency Override Application, whichever is applicable, is typically required
• Supporting documentation, as outlined on the appeal forms, is required

After reviewing an appeal and documentation, the student's financial aid counselor will present the appeal to the Professional Judgement team which is comprised of the Director, Senior Associate Director, Assistant Director, and Financial Aid Counselor. As a team they decide whether or not to approve an appeal.

• Leave of Absence – leaving the College by dropping all classes for the semester with the Registrar’s Office and providing an intended date of return to Pitzer.
• Official Withdrawal – leaving the College by dropping all classes for the semester with the Registrar’s Office with no intent to return to Pitzer.
• Unofficial Withdrawal – receiving all unearned grades for the semester and not notifying the Registrar’s Office of the intent to withdraw.

If a student intends to withdraw from all courses during a semester, they must contact the Registrar’s Office. The Registrar will provide either a Leave of Absence Form or a Withdrawal Form. Both forms require the student to contact the Office of Financial Aid as part of the Leave/Withdrawal process.

Students who take a leave of absence or withdraw from the College and have borrowed a Federal Direct Loan, Federal Perkins Loan or a Pitzer College Loan must complete an Exit Counseling session prior to leaving campus.

Financial aid recipients who withdraw from courses during the first ten days of each semester may have their financial aid revised for the semester IF their overall enrollment status changes (i.e. changing from full-time to part-time, etc.).

After the ‘add/drop’ deadline (the tenth day of the semester), enrollment status and financial aid awards are “locked.” If the enrollment status changes before ‘add/drop’, the student’s financial aid award will be adjusted and a revised aid letter will be posted to the student’s portal. Course adjustments after the ‘add/drop’ deadline do not result in changes to the financial aid award for the semester. It is important to contact the Office of Financial Aid prior to withdrawing/adding courses to understand how possible changes could impact their award for the semester.

Leave of Absence

Students who need to take a leave or withdrawal after the semester has started, should schedule an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid to understand the impact to their financial aid award for the current semester and subsequent semesters. Students who are enrolled full-time, receive institutional aid and take a leave of absence or withdraw during the semester will use the equivalent of one semester of financial aid. Students have a limit to the number of semesters they can receive aid and a leave or withdrawal during a semester may affect the student’s ability to receive financial aid for additional semesters. Refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy below for additional information.

Unofficial Withdrawal

Students who cease attending classes and do not complete the formal withdrawal process through the Registrar’s Office are considered to be unofficial withdrawals. At the end of each semester, the Registrar’s Office provides the Office of Financial Aid with a “Zero Credit” report which reflects students who were registered for the semester and failed to complete any units (received only W, F or I grades). The Office of Financial Aid will review this report to determine if a Return of Title IV process is required.

Students who receive Title IV federal student aid are subject to federal Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) regulations. Title IV federal student aid is awarded with the expectation that the student will attend classes for the entire semester and “earn” the award. When a student stops attending classes prior to the end of the semester, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of federal funds the student was originally scheduled to receive.

Students who withdraw from all classes on or before the semester is 60% complete, must have any “unearned” Title IV federal student aid be returned to the U.S. Treasury, even if the student is not entitled to a refund of tuition. Students who withdraw from all classes at the 60% period, earn all financial aid awarded for the term.

The withdrawal date used for R2T4 calculations is the date indicated on the official withdrawal record. If there are multiple dates on the form, the earliest date is used. This earliest date is considered to be the student’s notification of their intent to withdraw. If the student withdraws without notifying the Registrar’s Office (unofficial withdrawal), the 50% point in the semester or the last date of academic related activity will be used as the student’s last date of attendance

To determine the withdrawal date for an unofficial withdrawal, the last date of an academic-related activity may be used. Academically related activities include, but are not limited to, attending a class where there is an opportunity for direct interaction between the instructor and students.

Recognized as Academically Related

• Exams, quizzes or tutorials
• Computer-assisted instruction
• Completion of an academic assignment, paper or project
• Participating in an online discussion about academic matters
• Initiating contact with a faculty member to ask a question about the academic subject

 Not Considered Academically Related

• Student’s self-certification of attendance that is not supported by school documentation
• Living in Pitzer College housing
• Participating in the school’s meal plan
• Participating in academic counseling or advising

The Registrar’s Office sends email notifications to select offices once an official withdrawal is processed. This notification provides the last date of attendance for the student. The Office of Financial Aid will then determine if the student’s days of attendance in the term result in the student earning all of the aid awarded for the term. If not all aid is earned, the Office of Financial Aid will calculate the amount to be returned to the federal aid programs. Award adjustments are processed for students who do not earn 100% of the disbursed aid. Revised awards are then posted to the student’s account.

The following formula is used to determine the percentage of earned aid vs. unearned aid:

• The percent earned is equal to the number of calendar days enrolled, including the withdrawal date, divided by the total calendar days in the payment period (less any scheduled breaks that are at least 5 days long).
• The payment period is the entire semester. The percent unearned is equal to 100% minus the percent earned.
• If the percent earned exceeds 60% the student is considered to have earned 100% of the aid disbursed for the term.

The amount of Title IV aid earned by the student is determined by multiplying the percentage of Title IV aid earned by the total of Title IV program aid disbursed, plus the Title IV aid that could have been disbursed to the student or on the student’s behalf. If the R2T4 calculation results in a credit balance on the students account, the credit balance will be disbursed as soon as possible and no later than 14 days after the R2T4 calculation.

Calculation Example #1:

• Fall Semester 2023 – Start Date 8-28-2023 – End Date 12-15-2023 – total days in semester: 105
• Student withdraws from all courses 10-16-2023 – total days enrolled: 50
• Enrolled days: 50 divided by the total days in semester: 105 = 47.6% of federal financial aid earned

 Calculation Example #2:

• Fall Semester 2023 – Start Date 8-28-2023 – End Date 12-15-2023 – total days in semester: 105
• Student withdraws from all courses 11-13-2023 – total days enrolled: 78
• Enrolled days: 78 divided by the total days in semester: 105 = 74.3%. Since this percentage exceeds 60%, 100% of federal financial aid earned

Pitzer is required to return funds for students who have received more Title IV aid than was earned. The funds must be returned to the same federal program and must not exceed the amount of the initial disbursement. Funds must be returned as soon as possible but  no later than 45 days after determining the student has withdrawn. The order of return of funds is as follows:

• Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan (other than Direct PLUS Loans)
• Subsidized Federal Direct Loan
• Federal Direct PLUS Loan
• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal SEOG

Institutional funds are prorated based on the Pitzer Refund policy. The Pitzer Tuition Refund policy is based on the R2T4 policy. Students earn a percentage of institutional dollars at the same rate they earned federal student aid based on the number of days enrolled in the semester.

Post-Withdrawal Disbursements (PWD)

In compliance with federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid will determine if all eligible aid has been disbursed as of the withdrawal date. If not and the student meets the federal criteria for a post-withdrawal, the student will be notified of their eligibility within 30 days of determining the student’s date of withdrawal. A PWD will first be used toward any outstanding charges before any funds are returned to the student.

If the student has an outstanding balance on their account for current award year tuition/fees charges, Pitzer College may automatically credit a PWD of funds to the student’s account. Otherwise, Pitzer College must obtain the student’s written authorization before crediting the PWD for other educationally related institutional charges.  

• Grant Funds: If the student does not have an outstanding balance on their account or the amount of the post-withdrawal disbursement is greater than the balance, Pitzer must directly deliver any grant portion of the post-withdrawal disbursement to the student within 45 days of the date of our determination the student withdrew. 
• Loan Funds: If the post-withdrawal disbursement includes loan funds, Pitzer may not credit the students account and the student (or the borrower) may not receive the proceeds as a direct disbursement without first notifying the borrower and confirming they still wish to receive the loan disbursement. Pitzer must send the notification within 30 days of our determination that student withdrew and allow the borrower at least 14 days to respond. The student may choose to decline some or all the loan proceeds to reduce indebtedness. If no response is received within 14 days of notification, the loan will be cancelled. 

Student Notification of Return to Title IV Funds

A notification letter outlining the amount of aid returned to the federal and institutional program(s) will be mailed to the student’s permanent address for students who officially withdraw from the College. Students who withdraw in a term and take a Leave of Absence will be notified via their campus email address. Pitzer College will return funds on the student’s behalf to the appropriate federal and institutional aid program(s). The student is responsible for all charges and overpayments to their Pitzer student account that result from a Return of Title IV calculation.