Financial Aid FAQs

Loan origination fees are a percentage of the loan amount you have accepted. The loan fee comes out of the loan amount prior to disbursement to Meridian. On your Financial Aid Offer you will see the gross loan amount and then the amount you will receive once the origination fees have been deducted. Do note that you are responsible for repaying the full amount of the loan including the origination fees.

For more information you can visit Federal Interest Rates and Fees | Federal Student Aid

In-school deferments allow students to temporarily stop making or reduce payments on student loans while registered in school at least half-time. You should request the applicable form from your loan servicer.

Complete Section 1: Borrower Information and then email the form to financialservices@meridianuniversity.edu

The Financial Aid Office will complete the bottom of page two; Section 4: Authorized Official’s Certification and return it to you.

Note: Meridian cannot submit the form on the student's behalf. The student must submit it to their loan servicer.

Meridian does not participate in the Federal Work-Study program. Employment at Meridian is not available to current students.

It is each student’s responsibility to make sure that Meridian University and the U.S. Department of Education have the most current and correct address, phone number, and email information. If this information changes, the respective representatives must be notified.

In the event of a legal name change, notify the Meridian Academic Records and Financial Aid Offices. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education requires notification of your legal name change. Call the Federal Student Aid Loan Department at 1-800-848-0978, and go to NSLDS (National Student Loan Data System).

It is important to understand the details of federal loan repayment. To learn more about when repayment starts, how to make your payments, repayment plan options, and more, click the links below to review important U. S. Department of Education webpages.

• Student Loan Repayment
• Repayment Plans
• Extended Repayment Plan
• Income-Based Repayment Plan
• Pay As You Earn Repayment Plan
• Income-Contingent Repayment Plan
• Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan
• Student Loan Forgiveness

Students who register as Continuation Students and are not enrolled in the initial eight-quarter PhD/EdD dissertation period, the four-quarter PsyD Clinical Case Study (CCS) period, or the four-quarter dissertation/CCS extension periods are not eligible for financial aid or in-school deferments on student loans. This includes students in the Fieldwork process. See Doctoral Project Fees and Financial Aid.

In order to qualify for Federal Financial Aid you must be enrolled in half time (4 credits). If you are not enrolled in coursework or have started your Dissertation or Clinical Case Study clock then you will not be able to receive Financial Aid.

If you would like to apply for a private alternative loan, visit the FinAid.org website to find a lender with which you would like to work.

For complete details regarding the terms and conditions of each alternative loan program, contact the lender directly or visit their website.

Note: Meridian does not have preferred lender arrangements, nor does it maintain a preferred lender list.