Financial aid at Trinity comes in four forms—Merit Awards, need-based Grants, Loans, and Campus Employment. Merit awards and grants are outright gifts to the student and do not have to be repaid. Merit awards are based on academic achievement or special talent, whereas a need-based grant requires that a student demonstrate need. A loan is money the student may borrow with the understanding that it must be repaid. Most loans allow the student to begin repayment six months after graduation. Campus employment permits a student to earn income to help with living expenses while enrolled in college.

Merit awards and grants, however, may come from private foundations, as well as from the state and federal governments. While loan and work programs are primarily funded through federal resources, Trinity also funds various self-help assistance programs.

When a student’s family demonstrates financial need, the Office of Financial Aid will prepare a financial aid package to assist the family with educational expenses. Each award package will be tailored to address the individual needs of the student and will consist of a variety of aid programs.

For students who qualify for gift aid, federal grants, state grants, and possibly a Trinity Merit Scholarship are the first awards applied to a student's award package. Additionally, if a student's eligibility is not met through gift aid, federal loan, employment opportunity, and Trinity loan assistance may be offered. The actual amount of gift aid and loan/employment assistance can vary according to the student’s eligibility for certain assistance programs, level of achievement, and level of funding for each program. Aid funded by Trinity University will be capped at tuition.

REMINDER: Since you will be awarded financial aid based on need and the availability of funds, your expected family contribution (EFC) may be more or less than your balance owed to the university.

YOUR AWARD PACKAGE

Your financial aid "package" will consist of one or a combination of the following awards: Scholarships, Grants, Loans, and Federal Work Study.

• Scholarships and grants are gift aid and do not have to be repaid.
• A loan is money that you will borrow and will repay upon completion of your studies.
• Work-study is campus employment that enables you to earn income to help with your living expenses while you are enrolled.

Although every applicant will be considered for all forms of financial aid available, you may not necessarily receive all forms of financial aid. The criteria for selection of aid will vary with the level of funding for each program and the program guidelines.

For each term of enrollment, full-time status is at least 12 semester hours per term for undergraduate students. Financial aid may be adjusted if enrollment status drops below full-time attendance at the end of the add/drop period. Undergraduate students in their final term must be enrolled in at least 12 semester hours to be considered full-time for financial aid purposes. Students in their eighth and final term of undergraduate studies, regardless of the number of hours enrolled, if eligible, will receive their academic scholarship amount (per term) up to their cost of tuition. If you withdraw from Trinity University and you received financial aid, you may owe a refund to federal programs or to Trinity University. For more information, please contact the Office of Financial Aid (210-999-8315).

Aid funded by Trinity University will be capped at tuition.