Sources of financial assistance available to students attending Thomas Aquinas College include Pell Grants, California State Scholarships (Cal Grants), local and national scholarships, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, Canada Student Loans, and Veterans Administration benefits.

Since the College receives no federal campus-based funds or contracts, some federal aid that is normally available to college students elsewhere is not available to those who attend Thomas Aquinas College. The College does, however, enable students to access student-based federal student aid (Pell Grants, Direct Student Loans, and Direct Parent PLUS Loans).

The College also has its own institutional aid program that is funded through contributions made by benefactors of the College. This program provides institutional work-study and need-based grants. Institutional aid is given only for the purpose of assisting with the direct costs of tuition and housing & food.

Each financial aid request is reviewed carefully in an effort to arrive at an accurate determination of need for financial assistance. This process takes into account the family’s income, assets, family size, number of students in college, and other pertinent information. The College does its best to address each family’s individual circumstances while maintaining equity and fairness.

After the College determines that a student has financial need, a financial aid package is assembled in this order: (1) outside grants which the student has received or is expected to receive (e.g., Pell Grants, state grants, Veterans Administration benefits), (2) self-help aid in the form of a student loan, (3) self-help aid in the form of work-study awarded by the College, and (4) a tuition grant from the College.

 

Types of Aid