Financial Information

Tuition and Fees (2020-21 Rates)

All charges are subject to change at the beginning of any semester or term.

Undergraduate Tuition

Fees (Per Semester)

** The Student Services Fee partially funds the operations of departments related to student services. These include:

1. Mabee Learning Center (library, listening center, media center);
2. Student Services (career planning and placement, testing, special services);
3. Recreation and Wellness Center (RAWC);
4. Campus Police;
5. Yahnseh yearbook and OBU Bison newspaper;
6. Recreational Facilities.

***Summer term tuition and fees published in this catalog reflect charges for Summer 2020.

Special Fees

Course-Related Fees

College of Business

College of Fine Arts

Division of Music

Division of Art and Design

Division of Communication Arts

*Fee may not be required or fee may be less than stated for topic courses.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

College of Nursing

*Course changes with new curriculum.

**Fee may be less than stated.

College of Science and Mathematics

*Fee may not be required or fee may be less than stated for topic courses.

Honors

Tuition for Special Students

Housing and Meals

Housing

All single student residence halls and apartments are air conditioned and equipped with internet access.

Residence Halls

Two students are normally assigned to each room. Private rooms will be assessed an additional charge as noted below, subject to availability. Students living in residence halls must have a 150 block, 220 block or Unlimited Meal Plan during the fall and spring semesters and a 32- or 44-meal plan during January term. All residence halls are closed during official University holiday periods. Students who will need housing during holiday periods should so indicate when applying for housing assignments.

Apartments

The standard apartments are two-bedroom apartments equipped with a kitchen occupied by four upperclass students. The Apartment Village features apartments with four individual bedrooms, two shared bathrooms, full kitchen and shared living room, with some of the units including a washer and dryer inside the apartment. All apartment rates cover utilities. Students living in apartments must have a 60 or 80 block apartment meal plan, or they can upgrade to a standard 150 block, 220 block, or Unlimited Meal Plan for an additional charge.

Married Student Housing

A limited number of apartments for married students and/or students with children are available. Information and applications are available at the Residential Life Office. Residents pay utilities including gas, electricity and telephone. Cable TV and computer network services are included. A deposit of $25 is required with application and an additional deposit of $75 is required before occupancy.

All rates are subject to change at the beginning of any semester or term.

Meals

The meal plans include a block of meals for use in the Laura Scales Cafeteria and a specified amount of Bison Bucks. Unless noted in the plan description, plans include one retail meal trade per day (Monday-Friday) which allows a student to use one meal to purchase select items from the Bison Grill or Chick-fil-A on the first floor of the Geiger Center. Bison Bucks can be used like cash at any of the Geiger Center food service locations. All unused meals and Bison Bucks expire at the end of each term.

All students living in a residence hall are required to have one of the standard Block plans or the Unlimited plan. Students living in on-campus apartments are required to have an Apartment Plan or can add a Block or Unlimited plan for an additional charge.

For students living off campus, a Block or Unlimited Meal Plan is available for purchase (contact the cashier’s office to purchase a Block or Unlimited Meal Plan) as well as the small Block Plans. These plans allow one retail meal trade per day (Monday through Friday) but do not have Bison Bucks. The meals can be used throughout the year but will expire if not used by the end of the Spring term.

All rates and plans are subject to change at the beginning of any term. Meal plans are not subject to refund except upon withdrawal from school.

Bison Express

Bison Express is a declining balance account which can be added to a student ID card to be used at all Geiger Center food service locations. All students have the option of purchasing Bison Express dollars. Unused amounts may be carried forward from one term to the next and unused amounts are refundable upon departure from the University. Bison Express may be purchased at the Cashier’s window in Thurmond Hall.

Room Rates

Summary of Charges

The following charges are typical for most full-time on-campus OBU students, but costs may vary depending on the room and/or meal plan selected by the student. In addition to the charges shown below, students should plan for personal expenses to cover clothing, laundry, books, supplies, etc.

*Charges shown are for a four-week summer term. Rates are adjusted proportionally for longer or shorter periods.

**Charge for standard dormitory housing and Block Meal Plan.

***Summer term tuition and fees published in this catalog reflect charges for Summer 2020.

University Policy concerning payment of tuition and fees: All charges for tuition, fees, room, and board are due and payable at the beginning of the term. Undergraduate Fall or Spring charges not covered by payments or by financial aid (as certified by the Office of Student Financial Services) may be paid under a Semester Installment Plan. Transcripts and/or a diploma will be withheld if an account is not paid in full. Also, enrollment for a subsequent semester is not allowed until all previous term account balances are paid in full.

Fall and Spring Undergraduate Installment Plans

Three-Payment Plan: Payments for enrollment costs, less verified financial aid, are due as follows: fall semester - September 1, October 1 and November 1. Spring semester - February 1, March 1 and April 1. For any month the minimum payment is late, a late payment fee of $23 is charged.

Four-Payment Plan: Payments for enrollment costs, less verified financial aid, are due as follows: fall semester - August 1, September 1, October 1, and November 1. Spring semester - January 1, February 1, March 1, and April 1. For any month the minimum payment is late, a late payment fee of $23 is charged.

Five-Payment Plan: Payments for enrollment costs, less verified financial aid, are due as follows: fall semester - July 1, August 1, September 1, October 1 and November 1. Spring semester - December 1, January 1, February 1, March 1 and April 1. For any month the minimum payment is late, a late payment fee of $23 is charged.

January Term: All charges are due the first day of class. Any balance not paid by the end of the term may be subject to finance charges.

Summer Term: One-half of all undergraduate charges not covered by financial aid must be paid by the first day of class. The remainder of charges must be paid by the first day of the third week of class for four-week terms and by the first day of the fifth week of class for eight-week terms.

Prepayments Required

New undergraduate students must make a $125 enrollment guarantee deposit. The new student enrollment guarantee is not refundable after May 1 for the fall semester or November 1 for the spring semester.

Actions taken if student account payment deadlines are not met:

1. Students who have not met minimum payment requirements, i.e. made appropriate payments or have loan applications filed with financial aid and approved by the Department of Education, by the fourth week of the fall or spring terms, may be withdrawn from school.
2. Interest charge of 1 1/4% per month is assessed on the balance owed beginning on November 30 for the Fall term, February 28 for the January term, April 30 for the Spring term, and July 31 for the Summer term.
3. Students will not be allowed to enroll in a subsequent semester until their accounts are paid in full.
4. Students who do not meet the payment guidelines for the semester installment plan may be denied eligibility to participate in the semester installment plan in future semesters.
5. Transcripts and/or a diploma will be withheld if an account is not paid in full.
6. Collection agencies are employed to pursue past due accounts.

Withdrawal Refunds

If an undergraduate student withdraws from school or decreases hours after classes begin, applicable refunds will post to the student account for tuition and fees based upon the following schedule. Refunds for tuition and fees are based upon the date the student notifies the Academic Center IN WRITING OR IN PERSON. The following percentages apply:

1. Withdrawal from full fall or spring term: Beginning with the first day and continuing for the first week after classes begin, credit is 100%; second week, 80%; third week, 60%; fourth week, 40%. No credit after the fourth week of classes.
2. Withdrawal from the January term and four-week summer term: Within two academic days after classes begin, credit is 100%; within three academic days, 80%; within four academic days, 60%; within five academic days, 40%. No credit after five academic days of the January or four-week summer term.
3. Withdrawal from eight-week terms: Within five academic days after classes begin, credit is 100%; within six academic days, 80%; within seven academic days, 60%; within eight academic days, 40%. No credit after eight academic days of the eight-week summer term.

Refunds for housing are prorated on a daily rate based upon the date the student notifies Residential Life IN WRITING OR IN PERSON or officially checks out of campus housing, whichever is later. Meals are refunded according to the following schedule based upon the date the student notifies Residential Life IN WRITING OR IN PERSON. The following percentages apply:

Before Resident Halls Open - 100%
Two weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 85%
Four weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 70%
Six weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 55%
Eight weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 40%
Ten weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 25%
After ten weeks from the day Resident Halls Open - 0%, no refund

Dropping a Course or Withdrawing from the University After the Deadline (Retroactive Drops/Withdrawals)

1. The maximum time period for submitting a petition to drop a course after the deadline is six months after the end of term of the pertinent enrollment.
2. After published drop/withdrawal deadlines have passed, a student may petition to drop/withdraw retroactively under the following or similar conditions:
   1. Written verification from a recognized professional (e.g., physician) that the student was physically prevented from dropping or withdrawing prior to the published deadline due to illness, injury, or personal emergency of the student or a member of the immediate family.
   2. Written verification from an appropriate representative or publication of the University proving that the student was given misinformation as to the correct deadline for dropping a course or withdrawing from the University thus prompting the petition for retroactive drop/withdrawal.
   3. Written verification from the instructor of record that, due to a registration error, the student never attended the class (verification may state that the student neither submitted assignments nor completed examinations). The same verification is required for a petition to withdraw from an online course.
3. Reasons similar to those listed below will not result in approval for petitions to retroactively drop a course or withdraw from the University:
   1. Student’s lack of knowledge or misunderstanding of the deadline (when no documented misinformation has been provided by the University).
   2. Student waited to get the results of an exam or other assignment.
   3. Student’s grades have declined since the deadline.
   4. Student does not need the course for graduation.
   5. Different deadlines existed at a previous school.
      
      NOTE: This is a representative list of reasons not an exhaustive list.
4. Exceptions to allow a student to retroactively drop a course or withdraw from the University are permitted within a specific time period and require involvement of the student, a university committee, and the faculty member(s) as described below.
   1. STUDENT: A student must obtain a Petition for Retroactive Drop/Withdrawal from Course(s) from the OBU website or from the Office of the Registrar and return the completed petition to the Office of the Registrar with supporting documentation and the signature of the student’s academic advisor and the instructor of record for the class(es) for which the student is requesting withdrawal. The signatures of the advisor and the instructor(s) of record do not indicate endorsement of the petition but only serve to document that they have been apprised of the student’s intent to petition.
   2. COMMITTEE: Petitions for exceptions to the deadline for dropping courses or withdrawing from the University will be reviewed by the Enrollment Management Committee or a subcommittee thereof. The committee may reach one of two decisions:
      1. Approve the petition and determine the circumstances beyond the student’s control clearly occurred prior to the published drop/withdrawal period. In this case, the Registrar will change the affected grade(s) to “W.”
      2. Deny the petition.
         The Committee will inform the academic advisor, Dean of the College, and the instructor of record of its decision.
   3. DEADLINE: The maximum time period for submitting a petition to drop a course after the deadline is six months after the end of term of the pertinent enrollment.
5. Enrollment Management Committee (review committee)
   1. The committee will determine by a majority vote whether the student’s circumstances merit the granting of an exception to the drop/withdrawal deadline and whether the circumstances call for a drop/withdrawal that is retroactive to the automatic “W” period.
   2. The key question in determining whether to approve the petition are (1) did the circumstances described prevent the student from dropping the course(s) within the published drop/withdrawal deadline, and (2) why did the circumstances described affect only the course(s) requested to be dropped.
   3. The decision of the committee is final. Members of the committee have full authority to act on the petition as representatives of faculty and administration. No appeal exists for the decision of the committee. Students whose petitions have been denied may request an additional review by the committee if new documentation or information regarding the petition is properly submitted.

Return of Title IV Funds Federal Financial Aid

Students who receive Title IV federal aid (Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Grant, TEACH, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal PLUS Loan), but withdraw before completing 60% of the term for which they have been funded are subject to the return of Title IV funds as well as the institutional refund policy. According to the federal policy, only the amount of federal financial aid earned (determined by the withdrawal date) may be retained by the student. The amount of earned aid is not related to whether the student has or has not paid the bill with the University. Any federal financial aid which is not determined to be earned aid, must be returned to the appropriate Title IV programs. The calculation of the return of federal financial aid and the refund of institutional awards per the OBU policy, may result in the student owing a balance to the University. Specific details of the federal formula used for the return of Title IV funds are available in the Student Financial Services Office. Additionally, if a student withdraws before the Oklahoma State Regents issues a reimbursement check to OBU for any Oklahoma state grants, the full amount of the state grant(s) will be reversed from the student’s account as they are no longer eligible for the grant and OBU will not be reimbursed.

Financial Aid

The Office of Student Financial Services is provided to help eligible students obtain financial assistance and financial planning to attend OBU. Aid is available in the form of scholarships, grants, loans, part-time employment, and various educational assistance programs. Assistance is offered to help students and their parents plan the best approach to obtain a college education. The goal of the Student Financial Services Office is to ensure that no eligible student is denied the opportunity to study at OBU because of insufficient financial resources.

Paying for college can be challenging, but it does not have to be overwhelming. We do our best to make an OBU education affordable for students who want that education and can meet its demands. Therefore, our objective is simple - to identify every resource available in hopes of making an OBU education a reality. Although paying for a college education is primarily a family responsibility, a variety of financial assistance programs are available to supplement family resources and ease the financial burden of those experiencing financial hardships. In reality however, for most families who for whatever reason have not been able to save for college, borrowing through student and parent loan programs may be a necessity. More information is available at www.okbu.edu/financial-aid.

OBU Scholarship Programs

The numerous academic, competitive, and performance scholarships offered by the University are listed below. Students must be enrolled on a full-time basis (at least 12 credit hours per semester) and admitted as a degree seeking undergraduate student in order to receive these awards and may receive only one academic scholarship unless otherwise noted. Academic scholarships are awarded and lost on an annual basis rather than a semester by semester basis. However, all awards are credited to the student’s account at the rate of one-half the annual amount per fall/spring semester. All OBU scholarships are awarded on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Scholarships will be evaluated at the end of the spring term and are renewable as long as the student maintains the cumulative GPA required by the respective scholarship. OBU scholarships may be retained for a maximum of eight semesters or the completion of an undergraduate degree, whichever comes first.

Renewal awards are determined by using the student’s cumulative GPA prior to the start of the fall semester. Grade point averages are not rounded for the purposes of scholarship renewal eligibility. In the event a scholarship is lost due to an insufficient cumulative GPA, it may be reinstated once the student reaches the required minimum at the beginning of an academic year. Summer course work will be accepted toward scholarship renewal eligibility for the following fall semester. Reinstatement must be requested in writing by the student.

OBU Scholarships require a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average unless otherwise stated in the scholarship description.

In cases of mitigating circumstances, the student may appeal the loss of a scholarship by submitting a letter of appeal to the Director of Student Financial Services.

Transfer Student Academic Scholarships

Scholarships are awarded based on current college transcript and admission to the university.

Other Scholarship Awards - Requires Full-time Enrollment

Departmental Scholarships of various amounts are awarded to students majoring in Art, Music, Theatre, Communication Arts, Nursing or a ministry vocation. Students are eligible to apply for a limited number of scholarships awarded by the OBU department of their major.

OBU Bison Grants and/or OBU Endowed Scholarships of various amounts are awarded to students based on the amount of unmet need with consideration of other financial aid the student receives.

Church Partnership Program is designed to encourage Baptist youth to attend OBU by forming a direct financial partnership between Baptist churches, Baptist associations and the University. The program will match up to $1,000 provided by participating churches or associations for a possible $2,000 annual award. The annual award will be divided equally between the fall and spring semesters. To apply, request an Agreement Form from the OBU Student Financial Services Office.

Church Staff Dependent Scholarships of $1,000 are awarded annually to the spouse or children of paid professional denominational ministers who are currently serving in a Southern Baptist church position or as employees of the BGCO, SBC, or missionaries appointed by the SBC North American or International Mission Boards. Application is made by submitting an official employer letter designating the professional Southern Baptist staff position of the student’s spouse or parent.

MK Scholarships of $1,000 up to half-tuition are awarded annually to the children of SBC International Mission Board and North American Mission Board missionaries. OBU guarantees MKs a total amount of OBU scholarships of at least half of the tuition. The MK may be awarded more than the $1,000 minimum if it needs to be increased to reach the guaranteed amount. Scholarship is applicable for Fall and Spring semesters only and requires full-time enrollment.

Mary June Tabor Church Music Scholarships of $1,000 or more provide financial aid for students preparing for full-time church music ministry. A recipient must be pursuing a music degree, with preference for those enrolled in the B.M. in Church Music; must enroll for and attend monthly meetings of the Worship Studies Forum (MUCL 1060); must maintain a 2.00 grade point average in at least 12 semester hours during the fall and spring terms; must submit a Request for Renewal each year; and must maintain a Christian lifestyle appropriate for ministry and in accordance with The Green Book.

Acteens who complete the requirements listed below may earn a scholarship ranging from $200 per year for one level to $800 per year for five or more levels of achievement. The scholarship is available for a maximum of eight semesters of full-time enrollment.

To apply for this scholarship, please contact the Financial Aid Office at OBU.

Challengers who complete the requirements for Mission Challenge awards may earn a four-year scholarship to OBU. The following schedule is used in the awarding of these scholarships:

Request special application form from the OBU Student Financial Services Office.

Concurrent Scholarships are available to High School Juniors and Seniors. This scholarship reduces the tuition rate to $125 per credit hour for a maximum of six hours per semester. Any special fees must be paid by the student.

Activities Scholarships - Requires Full-time Enrollment and 2.0 GPA

Athletic Scholarships* are available to students who demonstrate exceptional ability in the University’s varsity programs. These scholarships may include tuition, fees, books, housing and meals. To apply, the student should contact the coach of the applicable sport.

*Athletes who receive OBU athletic aid are ineligible for other OBU scholarships unless they meet one of the following criteria for an academic scholarship to be exempt: 1) ranked in the upper 20 percent of the high school graduating class; 2) achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5; 3) minimum sum ACT score of 100; 4) minimum sum SAT score of 1140. If student does not qualify under these criteria then they will need to complete 24 hours and have a minimum GPA of 3.3 in order to receive an academic scholarship. If student meet any of the above requirements, they are eligible to receive an Academic Scholarship but will not receive any other OBU scholarships.

Student Government Association Scholarships are awarded annually to the SGA president and vice president. The president receives $1,000 and the vice president receives $500 during the year they are serving in these SGA positions.

Instrumental Ensemble Scholarships of $250 to $1,500 per year are available to students, regardless of major, who are selected for participation in an OBU Instrumental Ensemble: MUPR 1659 - Symphonic Winds , MUPR 1669 - OBU/Shawnee Community Orchestra , and MUPR 1679 - Bison Jazz Orchestra . An audition and registration in the course are required. Interested students should contact the Coordinator of Instrumental Studies prior to enrollment.

Choral Scholarships are available to outstanding vocalists, regardless of major, who are selected for membership in OBU’s auditioned choral ensembles: MUPR 1619 - University Chorale , MUPR 1629 - Bison Glee Club  and MUPR 1639 - Bisonette Glee Club . An audition and registration in the course are required. Interested students should contact the Director of Choral Activities prior to enrollment. 

Aid Based on Demonstrated Need

Funds in this category may be combined with any other funds or resources, but most programs have maximum limits that prohibit excess above the cost of education.

Financial need is the difference between the cost of attending OBU and the student’s available resources. For part of the student’s resources, his/ her parents are expected to make a reasonable contribution toward educational expenses, unless it can be clearly established that the family is financially unable to provide support, or unless the student is an independent student by federal aid definition. OBU uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) analysis to determine the expected family contribution. FAFSA may be completed online at www.fafsa.gov.

A student must complete the form designating OBU as the institution to receive the results. Once OBU receives the FAFSA results and all supporting documents, a determination will be made of financial aid available to the student.

The University participates in the following student aid programs:

LOANS:

Federal Direct Stafford Loan
Federal Direct Parental Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS)
Federal Direct Graduate (PLUS) Loans

GRANTS:

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
TEACH Grant
Oklahoma’s Promise
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (for Oklahoma residents only) (OTAG)
Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant (for Oklahoma residents only) (OTEG)

WORK:

Federal College Work Study Employment

Benefits From Other Government Agencies

The University is fully accredited to participate in programs offered by the Veterans Administration, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Vocational Rehabilitative Services. Students should contact the appropriate agency for applications or information on eligibility requirements.

The “Aid” Package

All applicants will be considered for eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Supplement Educational Opportunity Grant, TEACH, Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (Oklahoma residents), Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant (Oklahoma Residents), Federal Work Study, and any other aid administered through the OBU Student Financial Services Office for which an applicant may qualify. In this way, the applicant may be awarded an aid package, consisting of a loan, grant, scholarship, and work study eligibility or any combination of these. The type and amount of aid the applicant will receive is determined by three factors:

1. need as shown by the FAFSA need analysis;
2. the availability of funds; and
3. the applicant’s academic progress.

In no case will a student receive financial aid which exceeds the cost of attendance defined by the Student Financial Services Office.

Renewal of Aid

To be considered for renewal of financial aid, renewal FAFSA applications and supporting documents must be submitted each year. The awarding of renewal aid will be subject to the same consideration used in awarding previous financial assistance.

Measurable Academic Progress

Funds received through any Title IV student assistance program available at OBU are subject to cancellation in cases where measurable academic progress is not maintained. For financial aid purposes, academic progress toward a degree is defined as follows:

1. Enrollment in a program of study leading to a baccalaureate degree with a sufficient number of credit hours to be a full-time student.
2. Completion of minimum of 67% of overall credit hours attempted with a cumulative overall grade point average of at least a 2.0 for students with 60 or more attempted hours or a 1.75 for less than 60 hours.

Each student’s academic records will be checked following completion of the spring term. Students failing to maintain this standard of measurable academic progress will be placed on “Financial Aid Suspension.” The student will not be allowed to receive any type of financial assistance, including PLUS loans until the student meets SAP requirements or has an approved suspension appeal.

When the requirements for a baccalaureate degree have been met or when the student has attempted a total of 192 credit hours, aid will no longer be available, even if the student is otherwise eligible.

Students may request a copy of the “Oklahoma Baptist University Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy” in its entirety from the OBU Student Financial Services Office or online at okbu.edu/finaidforms.

Employment

The pursuit of studies should be the principal interest of university students. Students are discouraged from attempting to maintain full-time employment in addition to a full-time academic schedule. It is recommended that students engage in no more than 20 hours of employment per week if they are enrolled as full-time students (12-16 hours). In keeping with this recommendation, campus employment will generally be limited to 20 hours a week.

The University offers various student work opportunities. On-campus and off-campus jobs are arranged directly with the employer; however, job opportunities are posted on the online Career Portal located at Hireobugrads.com. Students desiring to work will consult the Career Portal.

Maximum Amount of OBU Funds a Student May Receive

1. OBU funds are those which are provided directly by the University and those funds awarded to students who are selected under the scholarship policy of the institution. (Includes endowed scholarships.)
2. Enrollment costs are defined as those paid to the University for services such as tuition, fees, and room and board. Enrollment costs specifically do NOT include books and supplies, off-campus living expenses, transportation costs, miscellaneous personal expenses, and any of the service fees or penalties incurred after the initial enrollment (traffic tickets, library fines, equipment rental, etc.).
3. If a student receives two or more scholarships funded by OBU, he/she may use such gifts as long as the total is not more than the cost of enrollment (tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board).
4. If a student is eligible to receive any funds based on need, and the amount of such funds is regulated by the OBU Student Financial Services Office, any OBU awards plus the funds based on need may cover the calculated cost of education (tuition, fees, books, room and board, and miscellaneous personal expenses) as long as these expenses are determined to be college-related. Under no circumstances will OBU funds be awarded for any expenses beyond the cost of enrollment (tuition, fees, on-campus room, and meal plan).
5. OBU scholarships (endowed or otherwise) are limited to a maximum of eight semesters and require full-time enrollment.
6. Athletes who receive OBU athletic aid are ineligible for other OBU scholarships unless they meet one of the following criteria for an academic scholarship to be exempt: 1) ranked in the upper 20 percent of the high school graduating class; 2) achieve a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5; 3) minimum sum ACT score of 100; 4) minimum sum SAT score of 1140. If student does not qualify under these criteria then they will need to complete 24 hours and have a minimum GPA of 3.3 in order to receive an academic scholarship. If student meets any of the above requirements, they are eligible to receive an Academic Scholarship but will not receive any other OBU scholarships.

Other Important Financial Aid Facts

1. Any expense for operating a car (purchase, insurance, gas, etc.) while attending college is not a justifiable expense in determining financial aid eligibility unless the student uses the vehicle in a job that nets income for college expenses. Any other non-essential item is also considered to be unjustifiable in calculating financial need.
2. Students must be officially accepted for admission by OBU before assistance can be awarded.
3. All OBU scholarship funds require certain grade point averages for renewal eligibility. Grades are checked at the end of the spring semester for renewal eligibility unless otherwise specified. For specific details, contact the Student Financial Services Office.
4. In all aid programs, the availability of funds determines the number and size of awards given each year.
5. Students enrolled in diploma courses through the School of Christian Studies are not eligible to receive federal aid (Title IV funds) administered through OBU for those courses.
6. Financial aid resources are limited. Many students have unmet financial need. Therefore, in no case will it be possible for a student to receive financial aid in excess of his/ her cost of education. Should a student receive an excessive amount of financial aid, it may be necessary to reduce one or more sources of aid in order to resolve an over awarding of funds.