Tuition & Financial Aid

Noorda-COM students who need financial assistance to pay their tuition and fees and/or funds to assist with their living expenses, will be able to apply for private educational student loans, set-up a payment plan to pay tuition and fees each semester, apply for scholarships, and/or pay cash.

Private Student Loans

Students can seek private student loans from a variety of banks.  Students will need to do their due diligence in finding the best student loan product to meet their needs. ELMSelect is a tool available to students to compare loans.  This tool provides a neutral lender and product comparison tool you can utilize when making the decision to borrow.  ELMSelect is powered by ELM Resources, a not-for-profit mutual benefit organization.

Scholarships

Students are encouraged to search for scholarships using available scholarship search tools, as well as, reviewing various organization websites to identify possible opportunities. The Noorda-COM Office of Financial Aid will post scholarship opportunities that may be of interest to our students.

External Scholarship/Forgivable Loan Opportunities:

• American Association of Colleges of Osteopathic Medicine (AACOM)
  • https://choosedo.org/financial-aid-and-scholarships/
• American Osteopathic Foundation (AOF)
  • https://aof.org/
• Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP)
  • https://thedo.osteopathic.org/2015/06/becoming-a-military-physician-the-basics/
  • Contact the Noorda-COM Office of Financial Aid for local contacts for the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, and Veteran Affairs
• Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC)
  • https://abcardio.org/scholarships-and-awards/
• National Health Services Corps (NHSC)
  • https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/scholarships/index.html
• Northwest Osteopathic Medical Foundation (Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington residents)
  • https://www.nwosteo.org/what-we-do/scholarship/

• Public Health Scholarships ~ Miscellaneous sources
  • http://www.publichealthonline.org/scholarships-and-grants/

Scholarship Searches:

• fastweb
  • https://www.fastweb.com/
• finaid
  • https://finaid.org/
• The Best Colleges
  • https://www.thebestcolleges.org/college-scholarships-for-minority-students/

Veteran Education Benefits

Noorda-COM is approved by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the certification of students eligible to receive VA educational benefits.  We are aware and committed to working with veterans and active-duty service members to ensure student success.

We are unable to assist you with determining your eligibility for benefits.  You are required to contact the VA to determine eligibility.  Noorda-COM is responsible for certifying your enrollment status to the VA, which will result in you being paid your benefits.

School Certifying Official (SCO):

Christina Twelves, MPA
Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine (Noorda-COM)
Office of Financial Aid
1712 South East Bay Blvd., Building 5, Suite 300
Provo, UT 84606
385.378.5178
cftwelves@noordacom.org

Getting Started

Follow the steps below to begin the process of determining your eligibility for receiving VA educational benefits and to have your enrollment certified with VA.

1. Visit https://www.va.gov/education/how-to-apply/ to apply for VA education benefits or if you have previously used your benefits at a different institution, to complete a Request for Change of Program of Place of Training (VA Form 22-1995 is available via the ‘Manage Benefits’ tab).
2. Once you are notified by the DVA of your eligibility to receive educational benefits, submit the following documents to the SCO via the Office of Financial Aid:
   • Noorda-COM’s Student Request for Certification of Benefits Form
   • Certificate of Eligibility ~ Form 22-0557 (provided by VA after the processing of your benefits application)
   • Copy of your DD-214, if applicable
   • Copy of your class schedule for the semester for which you are requesting certification

NOTE:  You will not need to submit transcripts unless specifically requested to submit unofficial copies.  The Office of Financial Aid will request copies of all academic transcripts submitted to Noorda-COM during the admission process; we will request copies from either the Office of Admissions and/or the Office of the Registrar to complete your VA education benefits file.

1. Every Semester:  Once you complete Steps 1 and 2 for your initial semester of eligibility, you will need to submit the following documents to the SCO via the Office of Financial Aid each semester you wish to have your enrollment certified for benefits:
   • Noorda-COM’s Student Request for Certification of Benefits Form
   • Copy of your class schedule for the semester for which you are requesting certification

If you are returning to Noorda-COM after an absence and wish to be certified for the upcoming semester, you will need to only complete the Noorda-COM’s Student Request for Certification of Benefits Form  to the Office of Financial Aid.

Student Responsibilities

To comply with the laws governing the DVA education benefits, it is your responsibility as a student to notify your SCO of your status with the College, which includes when you:

1. Add or drop a class(es)
2. Change your address
3. Withdraw from your program
4. Retake a course

These reporting requirements are in addition to the DVA requirements shared with you when you applied for your educational benefits.

Only courses that are required for your degree program are eligible for certification.  If you have any questions, please contact your SCO.

GI Bill ® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA).  More information about education benefits offered by the VA is available on the official U.S. government website.

A student’s financial aid eligibility is determined based on enrollment status, satisfactory academic progress, and cost of attendance.

Enrollment Status

At Noorda-COM our programs define full-time at 9 or more semester credits and half-time enrollment at 4.5 – 8.5 semester credits for the fall and spring semesters.  Students who enroll for the summer term may be eligible for financial aid if they are enrolled in 3.5 or more credits.  The course(s) a student is taking during the summer must be required for the completion of their degree to be eligible for financial aid.  Students must submit a Request for Financial Aid Form to determine summer eligibility at least 30 days before the semester begins.

A student must be enrolled in required courses for at least half-time each semester to receive and/or maintain eligibility for student financial aid.  A student enrolled in less than half-time in a semester will not be eligible for financial aid for that semester/term.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements are used to ensure a student is progressing through their program at a pace necessary to successfully complete the program within progression limits.  A student must meet all SAP requirements to maintain eligibility for financial aid. If a student is not meeting SAP, they will be notified and advised of their options.  Students are required to be aware of the SAP requirements to maintain eligibility and can become informed of these requirements by reviewing the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards.

Each year the Office of Financial Aid will review the academic progress of all students.  If a student is not meeting SAP, they will be notified and provided instructions as outlined in the Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards Policy.

Cost of Attendance

The cost of attendance is the cornerstone of establishing a student’s financial need, as it sets a limit on the total aid a student may receive for a given period of enrollment. Please see the Cost of Attendance section for more details.

The institution will disburse funds that are available and ready for disbursement the week prior to classes beginning each semester.  Tuition and fees will be paid using the students financial aid funds.  Before any funds can be paid to a student’s tuition and fee account the student must be properly enrolled and they must meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.  Once tuition and fees are paid and if the student has remaining funds available, the Office of the Bursar will process a refund for students to use for educational purposes, including their individual living expenses (e.g., room and board, transportation, personal expenses, and health insurance). Students who are due a refund will receive their funds as a direct deposit into their designated bank account (ACH deposit) or by check.  Refund checks are typically made within fourteen (14) days of funds being received and disbursed to the student’s tuition and fee account.

If financial aid funds are not available to pay a student’s tuition and fees on time, or if the student has an outstanding balance owed to the institution after their aid has paid, the student will need to contact the Office of Student Accounts to identify their payment options and due dates.

Due to students receiving their refunds after classes begin, students are encouraged to budget accordingly to make sure they have funds for miscellaneous educational and living expenses until the refunds are released during the first two (2) weeks of the semester.

Disbursement frequency/Academic Year:  At Noorda-COM students will be enrolled in a fall and a spring semester each academic year.  Therefore, student financial aid will be disbursed as two (2) payments.  In the rare instance that a student is enrolled during the summer term, is eligible for summer aid, and has secured summer funding, a third disbursement will occur for the summer enrollment period. Students enrolled in the summer term may not be eligible for financial aid; a case-by-case review of eligibility will be completed upon the request of the student using the Request of Financial Aid Form for the summer term.

NOTE:  Students must complete the Noorda-COM financial aid process, be in receipt of an award letter outlining their financial aid awards, complete all requirements (e.g., Entrance Counseling, Master Promissory Notes (MPN), etc.), receive credit approval from private lender, meet all SAP standards, and be properly enrolled in courses at the level they requested aid for prior to the start of the semester before aid can be disbursed.  It is the student’s responsibility to follow-up with any requests they may receive from the Office of Financial, their lender, and/or scholarship provider in a timely manner to prevent delays with the processing and disbursement of financial aid funds.

STEP 1

Prior to matriculation, admitted students must confirm funding has been secured.  Student will apply for a private student loan with the lender of their choice.  Students will be required to submit the Funding Statement Form to the Office of Financial Aid no later than 90 days prior to their first semester of each academic year.

STEP 2

Once you have an approved private student loan the lender will require the Noorda-COM Office of Financial Aid (OFA) to ‘certify’ the loan amount.  This process is required to ensure that the loan does not exceed the student’s cost of attendance for the academic year.  The lender will contact Noorda-COM OFA directly.

STEP 3

The private student lender will send the loan funds to Noorda-COM the week before courses begin.  The loan funds will be applied to charges on the student’s account for tuition and fees.

STEP 4

If there is a balance owed, the student will need to pay the balance or secure a payment plan through the Office of the Bursar before classes begin or by the published deadline announced through the Office of the Bursar.  If there is a credit balance after the student loan is applied to the student’s account, the Bursar will generate a refund to the student during the first week of class or within 10 days of the funds being received by Noorda-COM.

FINANCIAL WELLNESS

The Office of Financial Aid is committed to the success of each of our students. We encourage students to utilize all available resources in the process of managing their financial affairs and planning for their future.  As an osteopathic medical student, the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) requires each student to attend at least 2 financial wellness workshops.  Workshops that meet the COCA requirement will be scheduled throughout each academic year and students will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid.  We encourage our students to exceed this minimum and attend a variety of sessions while enrolled at Noorda-COM.

A variety of Financial Wellness resources and learning opportunities will be provided to students while attending Noorda-COM.  These resources will include in-person workshops, webinars, modules, videos, articles, and websites.  These resources will focus on debt management, credit, repayment/forgiveness programs, and financial planning.

POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) applies to all Noorda-COM students.  These standards are to be used when reviewing a student’s academic progress whether they received financial aid (federal and/or private) or not.  The SAP standards for the purpose of the review by the Office of Financial Aid must be at least as strict as the institution’s academic progress policy set by each program.  Students are expected to pass their courses and progress through their program within a designated timeframe.  The SAP Policy outlines the standards which will be measured and how academic progress will be monitored.

For programs greater than one year the SAP review will occur at the end of the spring semester once all grades have been posted by the Office of the Registrar.  In some instances, if a student enrolls in summer courses their SAP review will occur at the end of the summer term once grades have been posted.  Students enrolled in a program that is one (1) year or less in length will be reviewed at the end of each term (e.g., fall, spring, and summer).  Currently, Noorda-COM does not offer any 1-year programs.

It is the student’s responsibility to review and understand the Noorda-COM Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy.  Students are strongly encouraged to review the SAP Policy prior to each academic year to remain up to date on what is expected of them academically to maintain their financial aid eligibility.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy 

Professional Judgment Procedure
The Financial Aid Administrator has the authority to exercise professional judgment, both before and after a student is awarded, if a student can document an extenuating circumstance warranting a change to data elements that may impact a student’s eligibility. Professional judgment may not be used to change the needs analysis formula (Cost of Attendance – Financial Resources = Need). The following are examples of extenuating circumstances graduate students experience that may qualify for a professional judgment adjustment to be considered:

• Adjustment to cost of attendance based on documented additional allowable expenses
• Satisfactory academic progress appeals to reinstate aid on probation
• Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance or accounted for in the need analysis formula under the Income Protection Allowance

In most instances, changes to income will not have an impact on the type or amount of aid that a Graduate /Professional student is offered and/or receives.

To request that aid be reviewed due to these or similar extenuating circumstances, the student must write a letter explaining in detail the reason for the request. Students are encouraged to talk with the Director of Financial Aid regarding their unique circumstance to identify if they would benefit from submitting a professional judgment request. Appropriate documentation will be required to document the student’s extenuating circumstance. For example, if a student is claiming excessive medical expenses, he/she may be required to produce a statement from their insurance company outlining claims and payments. Students will be notified of what reasonable documentation they will need to produce after the written appeal request has been reviewed.

The student must be currently enrolled to request a professional judgment review. Requests must be received by the Office of Financial Aid no later than 1 month prior to the last day of classes for the current academic year. All decisions are made on a case-by-case basis after reviewing the student’s individual circumstances. The student should be aware that while the college will attempt to make a final decision promptly, there may be instances where additional information is required which may delay the decision. The decision of the designated Financial Aid Administrator is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.

The 1998 Reauthorization of the Higher Education Act of 1965 requires all postsecondary institutions to make a good faith effort to distribute voter registration materials to each degree or certificate seeking student who is physically in attendance at the institution.  For more information on voter registration and state requirements, use the links below:

Utah Residents

Voter registration information is available on the Utah Lieutenant Governor Elections website using the website listed below.

https://elections.utah.gov/

Deadlines:  The application to Register to Vote must be received by your county clerk’s office no later than 5:00pm eleven (11) calendar days before the election.  Students should check the link above or their local election office for any changes to posted deadline dates.

Residents of Other States

Voter registration information for each state can be accessed through the U.S. Election Assistance Commission website below.  You must follow the state-specific instructions listed for your state.

https://www.eac.gov/voters/national-mail-voter-registration-form/

Deadlines:  The deadline for registering to vote varies by state and may vary for online registration, mail-in registration, and in-person registration.  Also, the voter registration options available for each state will vary and students will need to plan to register to vote early to avoid delays and missing deadlines.