Financial Aid

Scholarship Programs

The University offers qualified students an institutional tuition scholarship for up to 80% of tuition cost, depending on affiliation, residency, community service, and income. APU’s scholarship grants are similar to Pell Grants in that they do not have to be repaid.

General Qualifications

Character, potential, dedication of purpose, academic achievement, and special abilities are considerations for awarding an institutional tuition scholarship. To receive an APU Institutional Scholarship Program grant students must first apply for external financial aid that may be available to them from employers, Federal and State programs, foundations, and private scholarships. To maintain an APU scholarship a student must demonstrate progress toward completion of an academic program and complete the term for which the grant is awarded. Only one of the following Institutional Scholarship Program grants may be awarded per academic term. The amount of the grant is based on financial need (see table below). Recipients must meet the specific qualification for the following APU Scholarship Options.

American Pathways University Strategic Alliance (APUSA) Scholarship

Specific qualification: Affiliation. Students having a current staff or client affiliation with a listed APU Strategic Alliance organization and otherwise qualify for the University’s Institutional Financial Aid Program are eligible to apply to the APU Office of Financial Aid for a scholarship of up to 80% of the cost of tuition, depending on financial need. (Students who become post-clientele after matriculating at APU may preserve their affiliation status for a scholarship by maintaining continuous progress toward completion of an academic program.)

Higher Education Leadership Program (HELP) Scholarship

Specific qualification: Residency. Students living in the service area of the University and otherwise qualify for the University’s Institutional Financial Aid Program are eligible to apply to the APU Office of Financial Aid for a scholarship of up to 55% of the cost of tuition, depending on financial need.

American Pathways University Community Service (APUCS) Scholarship

Specific qualification: Community Service. Students living outside the University’s service area and otherwise qualify for APU’s Institutional Financial Aid Program may apply to the Office of Financial Aid to perform regular volunteer service for a listed APU Strategic Alliance organization and if accepted are eligible to apply for a scholarship of up to 55% of the cost of tuition, depending on financial need.

Table Of Financial Need And Scholarships

APU Institutional Financial Aid is a percentage of tuition expenses based on financial need. (The parenthetical percentages indicate the maximum amount of institutional financial aid when the University is not the financial aid payer of last resort. An external financial aid Payer Of Last Resort (POLR) must pay the unfunded balance of tuition and other qualifying expenses not paid by the University and other financial aid sources.)

Annual Income           APUSA Scholarship         HELP Scholarship            APUCS Scholarship

(Affiliated)                           (Unaffiliated Resident)                       (Non-Resident Com. Service)

<$20,000                                80%  (64%)                              55%  (44%)                              55%  (44%)

<$25,000                                70%  (56%)                              50%  (40%)                              50%  (40%)

<$30,000                                60%  (48%)                              45%  (36%)                              45%  (36%)

<$35,000                                50%  (40%)                              40%  (32%)                              40%  (32%)

<$40,000                                40%  (32%)                              35%  (28%)                              35%  (28%)

>$40,000                                30%  (24%)                              30%  (24%)                              30%  (24%)

Changes to the foregoing may be made by the University without prior notice. Please verify the currency of this information with the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid.

Financial Aid Application

Students seeking Institutional Financial Aid must initiate a three-step application process. Available financial aid will be applied from the date of the initial application as follows:

1.     External Financial Aid Application. The Financial Aid Office will help students assess possible external sources of educational financial aid and provide information for making application for such aid. Upon determination of the amount of available external financial aid, a student’s account will be adjusted to reflect application of the maximum amount (see below) of the appropriate APU Scholarship Option (see above) to the unfunded balance (as determined by Nos. 1 and 2 below) from the initial date of application.

2.     Institutional Scholarship Application. After the student applies for external financial aid (a copy of the application must be provided to the Office of Financial Aid), an initial APU scholarship will be granted for the minimum amount (see below) of the appropriate Scholarship Option (see above) for which a student qualifies.

3.     Institutional Scholarship Award. Pending the availability and amount of external financial aid, an APU scholarship grant will be awarded for the maximum amount (see below) of the appropriate Scholarship Option (see above) for which a student qualifies, adjusted annually based on documentation of financial need (i.e., IRS Form 1040 AGI or similar documentation).

Qualifying and Remaining Eligible for APU Financial Aid

To qualify and remain eligible for APU financial aid, a student must meet the following requirements:

1. Personal and academic qualifications: Character, potential, purpose, achievement, special abilities.
2. Specific program qualification: Affiliation (APUSA), Residency (HELP), Community Service (APUCS).
3. Application for external financial aid: Employer, Federal & State, foundations, private scholarships.
4. Annual documentation of financial need: IRS Form 1040 AGI or similar documentation.
5. Progress toward completion of an academic program (Degree Plan) & completion of the grant term.
6. Maintenance of the minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA).
7. Not in default on a student loan, owe repayment of a grant, or have unpaid bills to the University.