FINANCIAL AID2019-2020

Dear Parent:

We are committed to offering a robust program of scholarships and grants to assist families in making a St. Bonaventure education affordable.

Our efforts have been noticed. U.S. News and World Report ranked us in 2019 as the best college value in New York state — the second-best value in the North.

People often stumble upon college sticker prices without fully investigating how generous aid packages can be. For example, our top merit-based academic scholarship is almost four times larger than New York state’s new Excelsior Scholarship — and there are no requirements to live and work in New York for four years upon graduation. These scholarship awards, coupled with other forms of aid, make St. Bonaventure a great investment that will pay dividends throughout a student’s professional and personal life.

The following pages detail our merit-based scholarships, which are awarded on the basis of a three-year cumulative high school average (freshman through junior year) and SAT or ACT scores, as well as a sample aid scenario to assist families in the decision-making process.

We recognize that you will likely have many questions related to financing a college education as you determine which school is the best possible fit. We believe this financial aid brochure will provide you valuable information, including a link to our Net Cost Calculator that determines how much a St. Bonaventure education costs after subtracting scholarships and grants.

Best wishes as you continue the college exploration process. Please contact our Office of Financial Aid at (800) 462-5050 if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Christopher CartmillDirector of Financial Aid

OUR COMMITMENT TO HELP

THE AFFORDABILITYOF A ST. BONAVENTURE EDUCATION

in New York state*

No. 1Best Value

Selecting the right university is important. Over a lifetime, the benefits of a quality education will far exceed its costs. But we realize that cost is also an important consideration, so we encourage ALL students to apply for financial aid. Our generous aid packages make a St. Bonaventure education a tremendous value and a great return on your investment.

in the North*

No. 2Best Value

96%of St. Bonaventure students receive

some type of financial assistance

20%higher graduation

rates than the national average

* U.S. News & World Report (2019)

SBU MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS• St. Bonaventure offers freshman merit scholarships ranging from

$7,500 to $25,000 per year*.• For entering freshmen, these awards are based on secondary

school academic performance during the first three years of high school (as calculated by our Admissions Office) and the highest available combination of standardized test scores (SAT or ACT).

• Merit scholarships are renewable for up to four years.• A $7,500 award is available to almost all incoming students who

aren’t eligible for one of the merit scholarships listed below.

This table lists sample academic ranges for our merit scholarships. If your grade test profile does not appear here, please go to www.sbu.edu/calculator.

SAT (ACT) H.S. GPA PER YEAR 4-YEAR TOTALPresidential Scholarship

1360+ (30+) 95+ $25,000 $100,000

Friars Scholarship

1360+ (30+) 84 to 94 $23,000 $92,000

1270-1350 (27-29) 87+ $23,000 $92,000

1170-1260 (24-27) 93+ $23,000 $92,000

Provost Scholarship

1220-1260 (25-27) 78 to 89 $21,000 $84,000

1130-1210 (23-25) 84 to 92 $21,000 $84,000

1030-1120 (20-22) 90+ $21,000 $84,000

SBU Achievement Grants

1080-1120 (21-22) 81 to 86 $17,000 $68,000

1030-1070 (20-21) 81 to 89 $17,000 $68,000

980-1020 (18-19) 84 to 89 $17,000 $68,000

* Students choosing to live off campus will have their merit scholarship reduced by 25%.

THE BOTTOM LINEAlmost everyone at SBU will receive financial aid. A financial aid package is the sum of all types of aid being offered to offset direct and indirect college costs such as:

• Grants and scholarships: aid that does not have to be repaid.

• Loans: a source of financial aid that must be repaid.

• Work Study awards: students can be employed at the institution. (Work Study does not get credited to the student bill. Many students use for personal and incidental costs.)

For families who file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the aid package may also include need-based grants from federal, state, and institutional resources. St. Bonaventure uses the federal methodology to make decisions that are based on demonstrated financial need.

FAFSA? WHAT’S THAT?The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is filled out annually by current and prospective college students to determine eligibility for need-based federal and institutional financial aid – Federal Pell grants, Federal Direct Loans, PLUS loans, and work study programs. You can file your FAFSA starting October 1. For maximum award consideration, make sure your FAFSA is filed no later than February 1. The FAFSA calculates your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC.

NET COST CALCULATORWe’re committed to making “the bottom line” manageable for you. Our Net Cost Calculator is a tool to help estimate your cost of attendance. You can find SBU’s Net Cost Calculator at www.sbu.edu/calculator.

HOW THE EFC IS DETERMINED

The Expected Family Contribution is based largely on four factors: income, assets, household size and number of children in college. The EFC is the same no matter the college to which you may be applying, and it is used to determine the eligibility for both federal and St. Bonaventure need-based aid.

See the four examples below:

AID SCENARIOS*Parent Earnings $30,000 $60,000 $90,000 $120,000

Family Members 4 4 4 4

Number in College 1 1 1 1

Student’s SAT score 1220 1220 1220 1220

Student’s GPA 92 92 92 92

Tuition/Room/Board/Fees* $48,560 $48,560 $48,560 $48,560

SBU Academic Aid $23,000 $23,000 $23,000 $23,000

New York state TAP $5,165 $1,500 $500 --

Federal Pell Grant $6,195 $1,950 -- --

Institutional Grant -- $4,250 $2,750 --

Federal Stafford Loans $5,500 $5,500 $5,500 $5,500

Federal Work Study $2,500 $2,500 $2,500 --

Total Aid Package $42,360 $38,700 $34,250 $28,500

* Based on 2019-20 tuition/room/board/fees

Our dedicated financial aid staff will help you map out a plan to pay the remainder of your bill, your out-of-pocket cost.

• If you have circumstances not adequately reflected by the FAFSA and the Expected Family Contribution (e.g., loss of employment, education loan payments, one-time retirement distribution artificially inflating your income, or unreimbursed medical expenses), you should submit a Special Conditions Application, which is available on the web at www.sbu.edu/financialaidlinks or through the Office of Financial Aid.

• Your financial aid is reviewed annually and requires you to file (by February 1 for returning students) the FAFSA each year. A St. Bonaventure award is renewed if you are making satisfactory progress toward a degree, have a documented financial need, meet academic requirements and (for resident grant recipients) continue to live on campus with housing charges.

• If you receive aid from another organization, you are required to report these scholarships to the financial aid office. But, unlike some schools that reduce their grants or scholarships dollar for dollar, your aid is not affected at all unless the outside scholarship plus your other aid exceeds your calculated need (as determined by the FAFSA). If it’s necessary to make an adjustment to the financial aid package, we will reduce self-help aid first (e.g., Federal Work Study or loans with the highest interest rates). Start your scholarship search online or with your school guidance office.

• If you receive other SBU scholarships such as Army ROTC, HEOP, Tuition Exchange, or employee Tuition Remission, you are ineligible for institutional merit or need-based awards. Athletic grants may also affect eligibility for these awards.

OTHER IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

• The Princeton Review has consistently recognized St. Bonaventure as one of the nation's best colleges.

• College Consensus ranked St. Bonaventure 13th overall in the North for regional universities in 2019.

• Career preparation begins freshman year through our Career and Professional Readiness Center (www.sbu.edu/cprc).

• In the National Survey of Student Engagement, which measures student involvement in key educational practices, our students rate Bona’s well above the national average in categories such as ▸ enriching educational experience ▸ supportive campus environment ▸ student-faculty interaction

Graduates are quick to say why St. Bonaventure has given them a competitive edge: quality academics, caring professors, a close-knit campus community committed to service, a Franciscan tradition that values compassion, integrity and diversity, and a loyal alumni base that opens doors the world over.

Our graduates call it “The Bonaventure Advantage.”

THE VALUE OF A ST. BONAVENTURE EDUCATION

OTHER IMPORTANT FINANCIAL AID INFORMATION

COLLEGE SEARCH & FINANCIAL AID TIMELINESeptember 1 Make plans to attend SBU on-campus Admission events. Apply to SBU online @ www.sbu.edu/apply or www.commonapp.org.

October 1 File FAFSA SBU code: 002817 File at fafsa.ed.gov

February 1 For maximum award consideration, make sure your FAFSA is filed no later than 2/1.

By April 1 Apply for TAP (NYS residents only) SBU code: 0695 File at hesc.com

May 1 Deposit by 5/1 to secure your place at SBU.

WE’RE HERE TO HELP

Individualized attention is a high priority throughout the enrollment process and for the duration of your time at St. Bonaventure. There are several opportunities for you and your family to receive assistance:

• Your SBU Admission counselor will work with you to explain the financial aid process and make sure you are on track to complete the necessary paperwork in a timely manner.

• Help is available through the Office of Financial Aid during an individual visit, or by calling 716-375-2020 or 1-800-462-5050.

• Financial aid sessions are conducted at Admission events throughout the year.

SBU OFFICE OF FINANCIAL AID3261 W. State Road

Box 2449St. Bonaventure, NY 14778

Fax: 716-375-2087www.sbu.edu/finaid

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