Financial Aid

Need-Based Scholarships and Grants

State and Federal Aid

Student Loans

Student Employment

Need-Based Scholarships and Grants

General Information
Eligibility
Federal Verification Process

General Information
For most students, a financial aid package consists of gift assistance (grant or scholarship) and a student loan. In addition, a part-time employment opportunity is offered to most students who have demonstrated financial need and reside on campus. Recipients may accept or reject any portion of the offer.

Financial aid is renewed on the basis of need and satisfactory academic progress. A financial aid application must be filed each year in which renewal is requested, and priority for Mills scholarship consideration is given to those applicants who meet the published application deadlines. The amount of a student's financial aid will be reviewed annually and may be adjusted to reflect any significant change in financial circumstances.

The number of semesters of eligibility for entering first-year students is limited to eight semesters. For transfer students, the number of semesters of eligibility is established by the initial graduation date defined by the M Center upon entrance to Mills. Financial aid eligibility continues only to this expected date of graduation.

Mills offers need-based scholarships supported in large part by the Marie Dawn Simms Scholarship Fund.

Eligibility
Eligibility for need-based financial aid depends on a student's financial need, which is defined as the difference between estimated expenses and estimated resources. Financial need for each applicant is determined after a careful review of the information submitted as part of the financial aid application (see required forms under Aid Application Forms and Deadlines).

In establishing eligibility, expenses related to attendance are considered: fees payable to the College, plus an allowance for books, supplies, and personal expenses. Living expenses, such as rent, food, and transportation, are considered in determining financial need for commuters. Expenses are also considered for students who live at home with parents or relatives, but the cost of attendance is lower than for those living elsewhere. Since many of the elements in the cost of attendance are estimates, it is possible for a student to spend more or less than anticipated during any given year.

If no award is made, it could be because the financial information indicates that it would be possible for all the expenses to be met by the student and her family, because a student's overall academic and personal record was not competitive with other applicants, or because the student did not meet the appropriate deadline for application for financial aid. The awarding of Mills scholarships may also consider academic achievement and promise as well as financial need. All factors that have influenced a student's record are carefully considered.

Mills institutional funds (scholarship, loan, and work-study) are awarded only to full-time students pursuing their first undergraduate degree. Although institutional financial aid is not available for part-time study, students may apply for government financial assistance.

Students pursuing a second baccalaureate degree are eligible to apply for merit scholarships and government student loans.

Federal Verification Process
Federal verification is a process mandated by the federal government in which students and/or parents are required to provide secondary documentation to support data reported on the FAFSA. Approximately 30 percent of students are selected by the federal government for this verification review and are notified of their selection on their Student Aid Reports.

Students selected for federal verification are required to submit to Mills a signed copy of the student's prior year federal tax return (and parents' prior year federal tax returns if the student is dependent and provided parent data on the FAFSA). Students must also complete either a dependent or independent verification worksheet (based on their FAFSA-determined status), which is available on the Mills College financial aid website. The tax forms and the Federal Verification Worksheet should be submitted to the M Center within 30 days of the request date. Failure to submit the requested documentation will result in the withdrawal of the student's financial aid award for the academic year. A revised award letter will be mailed and/or the student will be notified if her financial aid award changes as a result of the verification process.

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State and Federal Student Aid

Federal Grants
California State Grants

Federal Grants

Federal Pell Grant
This is a federal program for undergraduates with exceptional financial need who have not received a baccalaureate degree. A student's eligibility for a Pell Grant is determined by the information provided on the student's FAFSA each year. Amounts range from $976 to $5,350. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen.

Federal Supplementary Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
This is a federally funded grant program for undergraduates who have not received a baccalaureate degree. Funding is very limited. Applicants with exceptional financial need who file for financial aid at Mills are considered. These federal grants range from $100 to $4,000 per year. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen.

Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant
This is a grant for undergraduate Pell recipients enrolled in an eligible program who have successfully completed a rigorous secondary school program of study as determined by the state or local education agency and recognized by the Secretary of Education.

First academic year undergraduate students must not have been previously enrolled as a regular student in an undergraduate education program and must have graduated from high school after January 1, 2006. The award is up to $750 for first academic year undergraduate students.

Second academic year undergraduate students must have graduated from high school after January 1, 2005, and have at least a 3.0 GPA for the first academic year of their eligible program. The award is up to $1,300 for second academic year undergraduate students.

National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (SMART Grant)
This is a grant for undergraduate Pell recipients who are enrolled in the third or fourth academic year of an eligible program. An eligible program for the National SMART Grant is one that leads to a bachelor's degree in an eligible major. Students must be pursuing an eligible major in physical, life, computer, or environmental science; engineering; technology; mathematics; biopsychology; or a critical-need foreign language. Students also must have at least a 3.0 cumulative GPA. The award is up to $4,000 for each of the third and fourth academic years.

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California State Grants
Any California resident who intends to apply to the College for financial aid should also apply for a Cal Grant. The current eligibility deadline for the Cal Grant application is March 2 in order to be considered for the following academic year. The application for a Cal Grant consists of two documents: the FAFSA and the Cal Grant GPA Verification form. The postmark filing deadline for both documents is March 2 preceding the academic year in which the student is applying. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen.

Cal Grant A
These grants are available to California residents from middle-income and low-income families to assist with tuition. Cal Grant A recipients are selected on the basis of financial need, GPA, and other criteria. Recipients whose computed financial need exceeds the state grant will be considered for other types of aid. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen.

Cal Grant B
These grants are available to California residents from very low-income families. The program is designed generally for disadvantaged students but is not entirely so restricted. To qualify, a student must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. permanent resident, or an eligible non-citizen.

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Student Loans

Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
Mills College Loan
Private Loans

Funds for the loan programs described below come from the federal government or from private lending institutions. All applications are made through the M Center, which must certify to the lender a student's enrollment and eligibility for the loan.

Federal Perkins Loan
This long-term federal loan program is funded jointly by the federal government and Mills College. The borrower must be enrolled in a degree program. Funds are very limited and are awarded to students with the highest financial need. The maximum annual loan limit for individual undergraduate students is $4,000, with a maximum aggregate loan limit of $20,000. No interest accumulates for this loan as long as the borrower is enrolled at least half time in a degree program. Repayment, with a 5 percent interest rate, begins nine months after the student graduates or is no longer enrolled at least half time in a degree program. Depending on the amount of the loan, repayment may extend up to 10 years.

Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
This government program provides loans of up to $3,500 a year for first-year students, up to $4,500 a year for sophomores, and up to $5,500 a year for juniors and seniors, with an undergraduate aggregate limit of $23,000. These loans are available from banks, savings and loan associations, and other lending institutions. The borrower must be enrolled in a degree program. Students must demonstrate financial need as determined by Mills and in keeping with government regulations in order to qualify. Repayment begins six months after the borrower graduates or drops below half time, and payments are made in installments over a period of up to 10 years with a standard repayment plan. Students who plan to borrow through the Federal Stafford Loan program must complete all Stafford Loan requirements no later than November 15 for the fall semester and no later than April 15 for the spring semester.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are available to students who do not qualify for the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, or who qualify for only a portion of the annual Subsidized Stafford Loan maximum. This program is available to students who have first applied for other financial aid, including the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan. Unlike the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, however, interest for the Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan begins to accrue immediately, and the borrower must make monthly or quarterly interest payments (depending on lender policy), or have the interest added to the principal. No repayment of the principal is required when the student is in school at least half time, or during grace or deferment periods.

Regular monthly payments begin six months after the student graduates or drops below half time. A student does not have to demonstrate need for a Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan except to the extent that total financial aid (including the unsubsidized loan) cannot exceed the student's cost of attendance for the given academic year. Undergraduate annual borrowing limits for this program, including any Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans, are as follows:

The aggregate borrowing limit is $31,000 for dependent undergraduates (including Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan amounts) and $57,500 for independent undergraduates (including Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan amounts). Students who plan to borrow through the Federal Stafford Loan program must complete all Stafford Loan requirements no later than November 15 for the fall semester and no later than April 15 for the spring semester.

Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
This federal loan program enables parents of dependent students to borrow for what they find to be an unrealistic family contribution or to cover a student's need (which may not have been met by other financial aid). Parents who have no adverse credit history may borrow up to the full cost of attendance minus other financial aid. Repayment typically begins after the final disbursement of the loan, and payments are made in installments over a period of up to 10 years.

Mills College Loan
This long-term student loan program, funded by Mills College, is designed for students with financial need who have exhausted their borrowing eligibility through government student loan programs. Borrowers must be registered full time and be in good financial standing with the College.

No interest accumulates on this loan while the borrower is enrolled full time at Mills or, subsequently, in a degree program at another institution of higher education. Repayment with an 8.5 percent interest rate begins nine months after the borrower ceases to be enrolled full time. The annual borrowing limit is $2,500. Depending on the amount of the loan, repayment may extend up to five years.

Private Loans
Private loans may assist with college expenses that may not be covered by federal loan programs or other financial aid. Private loans are offered by a number of lenders but typically are credit based and have higher interest rates and fees than federal loans. Private loans which must be certified by the College can be certified for a maximum of the student's estimated cost of attendance, as indicated on the student's financial aid award letter, minus other aid the student will be receiving for the academic year.

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Student Employment

General Information
Applications for Student Employment
Resident Assistants
Off-Campus Employment

General Information
Students who live on campus and have demonstrated financial need are given priority for part-time employment on campus. Payment for hours worked is funded through the Federal College Work-Study Program and/or institutional funds. On average, students offered on-campus jobs work 12 to 15 hours a week. The wide range of part-time jobs includes office work, data entry, reception and library duties, computer support, lifeguarding, and instructor assistant opportunities. Campus jobs enable students to earn up to $4,500 a year. Students who are eligible to work on campus are paid for hours actually worked. The amount that can be earned will depend upon individual eligibility and program funding. All employment is contingent upon the student's job performance, and all student employees must meet the standards established by the employer.

Applications for Student Employment
All students seeking employment on campus must file a financial aid application. If on-campus work eligibility is awarded, the student must pick up her student employment agreement from the M Center and present this form to prospective employers as proof of eligibility to work on campus. Campus job listings are available at Career Services in the Division of Student Life. Students may use these listings to contact employers for an interview.

Resident Assistants
Resident assistants are paraprofessional staff members who work in the residential community to promote responsible community living. Hiring preference is given to students who have completed one full academic year. Applications and information are available through the Division of Student Life.

Off-Campus Employment
Off-campus employers also offer part-time job opportunities; these are posted in Career Services in the Division of Student Life.

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