Master of Education

Tuition
Tuition in the M.Ed. program for 2009-10 is:

Teacher candidates should anticipate various fees (not included above), including modest expenses for formal testing required for admission to the program (MAT or GRE) and licensure (PRAXIS II), liability insurance, verification of CPR and/or first aid proficiency, TBI background check, and any other licensure requirements mandated by the State of Tennessee. Modest student fees also accompany certain courses in the program.

Students should also anticipate book expenses, estimated at an additional $2,000 for the entire program.

Financial Aid Information

• Apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Brochures are available to assist you in requesting a pin and completing the process online.
   
• You must apply for federal financial aid each year. All awards are based on a full-time enrollment status.
   
• It is important to use the correct year's FAFSA when applying. Graduate and ADCP students beginning their programs in Fall 2008 or Spring 2009 should complete the 2008-2009 FAFSA now in order to be awarded for terms in this academic year, and the 2009-2010 FAFSA after January 1, 2009, for subsequent terms.
   
• In addition to filing the FAFSA, each student must complete a Milligan College Financial Aid Application and return it to Student Financial Services. You will be requested to complete this application each year.
   
• Graduate students are generally eligible for federal student loans only (Perkins, Stafford and Graduate PLUS Loans).
    
• When you begin your program in the summer, you are awarded for summer, fall and spring for the academic year. This means that your financial aid eligibility for the academic year is disbursed in three disbursements at the beginning of each term.
   
• If your program begins in Fall or Spring, you are awarded for two semesters in your academic year. The financial aid is disbursed in two disbursements, one at the beginning of each semester.
   
• Financial aid awards are adjusted if the student drops or adds credit hours during the drop/add period.
   
• AVAILABLE SCHOLARSHIP: Teacher Diversity Grant Program
   
• AVAILABLE GRANTS:

Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program
The TEACH Grant program provides grants of up to $4,000 per year ($8,000 maximum for Graduate students) to students who intend to teach in a high-need field in a low-income elementary or secondary school.  In exchange for accepting this grant, the student must agree to serve as a full-time teacher in a high-need field (defined in the law) in a low-income public or private elementary or secondary school for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing degree or withdrawing from the program.  If the student fails to comply with these requirements, the grant is converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan with interest accruing from the date each grant was disbursed.

The student must meet the following conditions to apply for a TEACH grant:

• Complete the FAFSA

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen

• Be enrolled as an undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, or graduate student at least half-time

• Be enrolled in coursework that is necessary to begin a career in teaching or plan to complete such coursework

• Maintain cumulative 3.25 GPA or score above the 75^th percentile on a college admissions test

• Sign a TEACH Grant Agreement to Serve for each year the TEACH Grant is received

The student must meet the following conditions upon graduation to retain the grant:

• Teach full-time as a highly qualified teacher (defined by each state) for at least four academic years within eight calendar years of completing coursework or withdrawing from program

• Teach in a low-income school.  See www.tcli.ed.gov for a listing of eligible schools

• Teach in an area of high need – currently includes bilingual education and English Language Acquisition, foreign language, mathematics, reading specialist, science, and special education

• If the TEACH Grant recipient does not meet these requirements, the grant is converted to a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan that must be repaid with interest charged from the date of each TEACH grant disbursement.

Additional information regarding the TEACH Grant is available at www.teach-ats.ed.gov.

Military Veterans can obtain Troops to Teacher benefits information from:
Mike Schroeder, Director, 710 James Robertson Pkwy., Fourth Floor, Andrew Johnson Tower, Nashville, TN  37243; 1-800-286-5301; 615-532-4869; Mike.Schroeder@state.tn.us; http://www.state.tn.us/education/lic/troop.shtml.

• AVAILABLE LOANS:

Federal Perkins Loan
Federal Perkins Loans are need-based and must be repaid. This low interest (5%) loan requires you to begin repayment 9 months after you cease half-time enrollment status. No interest or repayment is required while the student is enrolled in at least half-time enrollment status. This loan requires that Entrance Loan Counseling be completed for all borrowers and Exit Loan Counseling for all borrowers who are graduating or not returning to Milligan. After signing a Federal Perkins Loan Master Promissory Note, one-half of your annual Federal Perkins Loan award will be credited to your student account each semester. Click here for more details.

Federal Stafford Loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized
Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Stafford Loans must be repaid. The Subsidized loans are need-based and the government pays the interest while the student is in college. The Unsubsidized loan is available to all students and the interest accrues while the student is in college. These loans require Entrance Loan Counseling for all first time borrowers and Exit Loan Counseling for all borrowers who are graduating, not returning to Milligan, or have dropped below at least a half-time enrollment status. Your loan funds will be received by the college via electronic funds transfer (EFT). Stafford loans are disbursed in two equal disbursements for the academic year. You will receive a notification indicating the amount of loan that has been credited to your account and a notice giving you the opportunity to reduce and/or cancel the loan in writing within 14 days of receiving your notification. Please refer to information regarding loan terms, interest, repayment and deferments listed in another section of this booklet. Click here for more details.

Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) and Graduate Students
A Federal PLUS Loan is a credit-based loan for parents of undergraduate students and for graduate students. It must be repaid. Graduate students may benefit from using the PLUS loan as opposed to an alternative loan because students may not qualify for an alternative loan based on credit history, or the interest rate may be higher than the 8.5% PLUS Loan interest rate. The Graduate PLUS Loan requires Entrance Counseling for all first-time borrowers and Exit Loan Counseling for all borrowers who are graduating, not returning to Milligan, or who have dropped below at least half-time enrollment status. If you need assistance in determining the amount to borrow, please contact Student Financial Services. If you borrow through the PLUS Loan Program, your loan funds will be received by the college, via electronic funds transfer (EFT) and the proceeds will be disbursed directly to the student's account in two equal disbursements for the academic year. Click here for more details.

Payment of Your Account
We encourage you to arrange for your tuition payment as early as possible and to keep copies of your forms. Keep an eye on deadline dates and be sure any office you work with is advised of any changes in your address.

• Tuition, fees, and all other costs for each semester are due and payable on the due date listed on the statement. If financial aid has been awarded, you pay only the portion of the bill outstanding after deducting financial aid.
   
• Students may pay their student account balance online at www.milligan.edu/sfs using e-check, credit card or savings account information. We accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express.
   
• If you are receiving tuition reimbursement from your employer, you must present a letter from your employer stating the company's reimbursement policy. Please have your name listed on this information. You can mail this information to the Student Financial Services Office or bring it with you to orientation. If we do not have the information at the beginning of the term, you are responsible for paying your tuition before beginning classes.
   
• Milligan College also offers a special payment plan for students who desire to pay educational expenses in monthly installments. This plan can be used to pay expenses not covered by financial aid. This is an interest-free payment plan available through Tuition Pay. You can contact Tuition Pay at 1-800-635-0120 or you can enroll online at www.tutionpay.com.
   
• Credit refunds are mailed to students weekly after the drop/add period (usually the third week of classes) of each semester to allow Student Financial Services to verify the enrollment of each student receiving financial aid and make any adjustments necessary based on enrollment status.

Contact Information:

Student Financial Services
PO Box 250
Milligan College, TN 37682
Ph: 800-447-4880 or 423-461-8949
Fax: 423-929-2368
SFS@milligan.edu

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