Financial Aid

St. Luke’s College of Health Sciences intends to participate in the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid programs. Once approved, students will be eligible to receive Pell Grants and to participate in various federal student loan programs.

There are different options with grant funding. Federally funded grant programs, such as the Pell Grant, are provided to students based on various financial need indicators and, unlike a loan, do not have to be repaid.  Federal Student Loans are loans issued by the federal government, subject to terms prescribed by federal law, and administered by SLCHS.

This program was established to assist Pennsylvania youth who are or have been in foster care with the financial challenges of accessing higher education. The program offers Pennsylvania residents up to the age of 26 a tuition waiver for undergraduate studies at most colleges and universities in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

If a student is eligible for this waiver, the remaining balance of the student’s tuition and mandatory fees (after all federal and state grants and outside scholarships have been applied), will be eliminated or paid for by the institution. Eligible students are those who self-identify to the college and are subsequently determined as eligible, or those students identified by PHEAA via a waiver listing.

If you are interested in participating in the PA Fostering Independence Tuition Wavier Program or other state or federal grant programs, you should start by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA^®) form and completing the PA State Grant application items in the PA State System.  You will receive access information for the PA State Grant application system from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency after you complete the FAFSA.

For further information on the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program and other financial aid programs, please contact us at FinancialAid@sluhn.org.

Annual Student Loan Summary Notifications Act 121 requires colleges and universities to provide student loan debt information to students on an annual basis. In compliance with this Act, St. Luke’s Financial Aid Office will send out such notification annually in May to appropriate students on an annual basis and it will include:

• An estimate of the total amount of federal loans (or other student loans) disbursed by the institution and borrowed by the student.
• An estimate of the total payoff amount of loan if the loans are to go into repayment as of the date of the annual student loan summary notification.
• The number of years used in determining the potential total payoff amount.
• A link to a federal online aid counseling tool and information on how students can access an online repayment calculator.
• A statement that any estimate or range provided is general in nature and not intended to be a guarantee or promise of actual projected amount.

St. Luke’s College of Health Sciences (SLCHS) is fortunate to have many benefactors who have donated funds earmarked for scholarships to help defray the costs of education. During each student’s Financial Aid interview, SLCHS will provide information about scholarship opportunities available to the student. Students are also encouraged to pursue scholarships outside of those offered by the College.

Students are encouraged to pursue scholarships from organizations outside of the St. Luke’s College of Health Sciences to help defray the cost of their education. Many private clubs and organizations offer scholarships on a yearly basis, including: employers and unions; service clubs and fraternal orders (example: Rotary, Kiwanis); health related organizations; high school or college activity funds; and churches or religious organizations.

The Office of Financial Aid is available to assist students with questions regarding the use of outside scholarship funds, but is not responsible for completing applications on student’s behalf or monitoring students’ ongoing eligibility for and compliance with such awards.