Full-time Student Scholarships
Domestic students enrolled full-time (12-15 credits per semester) in the MDiv, MA, MAPL, and MAML programs are automatically eligible for ULS scholarships to cover tuition. Domestic students enrolled in the STM or DMin programs are automatically eligible to receive up to 6 credits per semester in ULS scholarships to cover tuition.
Part-time Student Scholarships
Students enrolled for 3 to 9 credits in the MDiv, MA, MAPL, and MAML programs are automatically eligible to receive ULS scholarships to cover tuition at the current rate of $2,400 per 3-credit course. STM and DMin students are eligible to receive up to 6 credits per semester in ULS scholarships and will be responsible for any tuition costs over and above that amount at $2400 per 3-credit course.
International Student Scholarships
ULS recognizes the invaluable contributions that our international students contribute to the life of the Seminary. However, due to limited funding, international students will need to provide proof of sufficient resources to cover their studies and will not receive tuition scholarships during their first year of study. After their first year of study, international students can be considered annually for ULS scholarships on a case-by-case basis not to exceed 2 courses per year ($2400 per 3-credit course).
‍Faculty/Staff Full Tuition Scholarships
Employees of ULS are eligible for ULS scholarships for up to 3credits or 1 course per semester at the current rate of $2400 per course.
‍Affiliate Student Scholarships
‍ELCA Affiliate students are eligible to receive ULS tuition scholarship funds for up to six courses during their time at ULS (18 semester credit hours). To be eligible, students must be admitted to ULS as an Affiliate Student, complete the in-house financial aid application, pay the required Affiliation fee, and have the Theological Review Panel Report (TRP) and Entrance Decision on file. A reduction or cancellation of ULS scholarship funds will occur for students receiving outside tuition support. Note: Students may choose to take less than 6 courses and still be eligible for the ULS scholarship, however, will not receive the Certificate in Lutheran Studies.
ULS Housing Scholarships
Full-time residential students living on either the Gettysburg or Philadelphia campus will receive a housing scholarship in the amount of 50% of their rental rate which will be applied to their student account at the beginning of the semester. The full rental cost minus the 50% scholarship will be reflected on the student’s statement. If a student drops below full-time enrollment status (<12 credits), the student will be responsible for the full rental fee on the 1^st of the month immediately following the ineligible enrollment status. No housing funds will be provided for part-time or Distributed Learning students.
Outside/Private (Non ULS) Assistance
Outside financial assistance including scholarships (Fund For Leaders), congregational or synodical support, and/or vocational rehabilitation grants can affect award offers. Because the sum of all financial aid support may not exceed the student’s total COA, ULS scholarship funds and/or federal loans will be adjusted or canceled for students that receive outside assistance. Students should notify the Financial Aid Office of any/all expected assistance at financialaid@uls.edu to avoid the possibility of having to return refunded aid that was disbursed. Donors wishing to designate funding for housing, living, books, etc., would simply needs to indicate this when submitting payments to the Student Billing Office, so it may be properly designated.  

ULS supports veterans and/or spouses and dependents of veterans of the United States military by offering VA Educational Benefits through Chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill), Chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill),and Chapter 35 (Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance Bill), to eligible individuals enrolled in approved programs. Students pursuing VA benefits must apply for benefits at va.gov/education/,and submit a copy of your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) to the ULS Registrar’s Office at registrar@uls.edu and/or Financial Aid Office at financialaid@uls.edu.A School Certifying Official will certify your enrollment at the beginning of each academic semester for which you are enrolled. (Note: Chapter 33 students are now required to complete monthly enrollment verification via the text, telephone, or email options selected by the student through the VA website).

Students interested in Federal Direct Graduate student loans must be enrolled at least half-time (≥ 6 credits) in a degree-seeking program and must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) here. To avoid delay of the financial aid department receiving your ISIR (FAFSA information), students should add the ULS Federal School Code G03291 when completing their FAFSA.  

A Master Promissory Note and loan Entrance Counseling must be completed before an initial loan can be disbursed. Students selected by the Department of Education for Federal Verification must submit additional documentation before disbursement. (See the ULS Financial Aid Policy for more details). Loan Exit Counseling is required upon graduation or when a student’s enrollment status drops below half‐time enrollment (< 6 credits) or withdraws completely. Loan offers are subject to annual and aggregate loan limits. Please see www.studentaid.gov to review your current outstanding loan balance or to find detailed information on loan guidelines and repayment options.

‍*ULS students on internship, or who are completing their project required for their degree will be considered as enrolled at least half-time and are eligible to borrow federal student loans for up to two consecutive semesters.

Federal Graduate Unsubsidized Loan

Eligible students should indicate their desire to pursue loans on the in-house ULS Financial Aid Application. Graduate federal direct loans are unsubsidized and will begin accruing interest (set by the federal government annually) at the time of disbursement. A 1.057% loan fee will be immediately deducted from each disbursement. Loan offers are subject to annual and aggregate loan limits. Students may reduce or decline the maximum eligible amount (usually $20,500/academic year) offered on their award with the knowledge that they can borrow any remaining eligible amount throughout the fall or spring semesters should an emergency arise.

Federal Graduate PLUS Loan

Federal Graduate PLUS loans are credit-based and may be applied for when a student has exceeded their lifetime aggregate loan eligibility ($138,500 combined total). PLUS loan interest rates are higher than that of other federal unsubsidized loans and a loan fee of 4.228% will be immediately deducted from each disbursement. Students may apply for a PLUS loan on-line by visiting studentaid.gov.

Federal Verification

Federal verification is a process used by institutions to confirm that data reported on the student’s FAFSA form is accurate. Students are randomly selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education and must provide certain documentation verifying information entered on the FAFSA before current or future federal aid can be processed. After submitting your FAFSA, you might see a note on your Student Aid Report (SAR) indicating that you have been selected (in Group V4 or V5). Students selected will receive a notification from the Financial Aid Office along with the appropriate forms and list of required documentation that must be submitted to satisfy the federal verification flag.

Enrollment Census occurs immediately following the add/drop deadline each semester. After this point in time, the Financial Aid Office works in consultation with the Student Billing Office, to verify student registrations and eligibility for offered funding. On or about the second week following the Enrollment Census, financial aid is disbursed to student accounts. Students with outstanding balances after disbursement may make payments through Henry or directly to the Student Billing Office.

Refunds
Remaining credit balances, if any, from federal student loans and/or outside support will be refunded to eligible students within two weeks after the funds are applied to student accounts. Not all students will have a credit balance and not all anticipated credit balances will occur at the same point in the term. Aid and expenses such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, and other miscellaneous student account charges will vary from student to student based on enrollment, on‐campus purchases, and housing for students living on campus. Please monitor your financial aid and refund status via the Henry account portal.

ULS is required to return a calculated amount of Title IV funds for students who borrow federal graduate unsubsidized or PLUS loans and withdraw before completing at least 60% of the semester for which they are enrolled. These unearned Title IV funds must be returned to the Department of Education within 45 days from the determined withdrawal date. This could result in a student owing a balance to ULS and/or the federal government. The withdrawal date will be the date the student submits an official withdrawal notice to the Registrar, or the last date of attendance for students who cease attending without officially withdrawing. Official withdrawals from all courses after the 60% point in the semester will be considered to have earned 100% of the federal aid received for that term. The return of Federal Title IV Funds is based on the number of days in the semester and the number of days that a student attends. The percentage of unearned aid to be returned is equal to the number of days remaining in the semester, divided by the number of calendar days in the semester.