If your scholarship has been reduced or terminated, you may submit a written appeal for consideration to the office of financial aid. The following circumstances are considered strong basis for appeal:

1. Death of a close family member
2. Documented illness or injury which impaired your ability to perform in the classroom.
3. Extraordinary circumstances which caused you to have one poor quarter or quarters during the 2007-2008 academic year.

When submitting an appeal, the following documentation is necessary for consideration:

1. A personal statement detailing your circumstance and how it caused your overall grades to suffer. Included in your statement should be your plan to maintain a 3.0 GPA during the 2008-2009 academic year. The personal statement should be thorough and sincere.
2. For appeals based on lengthy illness or injury, documentation of the situation is mandatory.

Example: Your appeal is based on having Mononucleosis during the fall term, which caused you to miss your classes often and as a result, your grades suffered.

In addition to your personal statement, you will need to submit medical documentation to support your appeal. If you received a medical withdrawal from the University, you must provide a copy of that form as well.

Scholarship appeals will be reviewed by the office of financial aid and students will be notified by letter the result. One of the following outcomes is possible:

The appeal is approved and the student is placed on scholarship probation for one year. You will retain your scholarship at 100% funding. A 3.0 GPA for the 2008-2009 academic year is necessary to retain your scholarship if you are placed on probation. Failure to meet this requirement will result in a significant reduction or the suspension of your scholarship in subsequent years.

The appeal is approved and the initial reduction of the scholarship is changed to a lesser amount. In this case, a 30% reduction might be changed to a 15% reduction.

The appeal is denied and the initial decision remains.

Frequently Asked Questions:

I’m not sure if I have a special enough circumstance to appeal my scholarship reduction. Is it ok to send in an appeal anyway?

The appeal process was set up to allow students with special circumstances the opportunity to have their decision reconsidered. Appeals that are not based on a special condition will not be considered. If you are unsure as to whether or not you have grounds for an appeal, please contact the financial aid office.

How long does my personal statement have to be? Does it need to be typed?

We are looking for two things. First, we need to know the circumstance which caused your grades to suffer. Second, we are interested in your overall plan to maintain a high level of excellence in the classroom from this point forward. The University, your specific college and the office of financial aid expect you to take your time and submit a thorough appeal. The length is not as important as the content. Handwritten appeals will be accepted, but they must be legible. Typed appeals are preferred.

Is it ok to send my appeal via email?

You may send your appeal via email as a word attachment. Please note—your appeal will be considered incomplete until we receive all necessary documentation.

What if my appeal is denied? What can I do about financial aid? Will I ever be able to get my scholarship back again?

If your appeal is denied, the first thing you need to do is make certain you have filed a FAFSA for 2008-2009. It is possible that you might qualify for need-based funding which will replace a percentage of your lost scholarship.

We want you to succeed at Ohio Northern and realize that maintaining a high level of academic excellence can be challenging. If your scholarship is reduced or removed, and you are able to attain a 3.0 GPA during the 2008-2009 academic year, we will notify you about reinstating your scholarship.