Claremont School of Theology (CST) strives to make theological education affordable through its financial aid program and is proud to offer scholarships to nearly all eligible incoming students. CST provides substantial financial aid in three ways: Scholarships, Student Loans, and Student Employment. Our institutional scholarship awards cover 30% to 100% of tuition and coupled with loans and/or student employment, these funds should supplement your efforts to finance your education. Learn more through the links below or contact the Office of Admissions (admission@cst.edu).
contact us
Office of Admission
1325 N College Avenue Claremont, CA 91711
Phone: (909) 447-2504
Admission
admission@cst.edu
Financial Aid
financialaid@cst.edu
2022-2023 FAFSA Form
Use the FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA) FORM to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school.
Financial Aid
Apply for Federal Student Aid
Each year you must reapply for financial aid for the next school year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available online at www.fafsa.gov on October 1st. It is important you include our school code (Title IV code) G01288.
Federal Student Aid Eligibility Criteria
In order to be considered for financial aid, you must:
• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
• Be working toward a degree;
• Be registered with Selective Service;
• Be making satisfactory academic progress;
• Not be in default or owe a refund on a federal grant or federal loan;
• Be enrolled at least half-time (6 units per semester);
• Not have loans in excess of the aggregate limits of the aid programs;
• Not be disqualified based on a conviction for a drug-related offense while you were enrolled in school and receiving federal student aid
Return of Title IV (Federal Aid) – Return of Federal Student Aid
To remain eligible for federal student aid during the semester, the student must be attending classes, taking exams, and completing required course work. Federal Regulations require the College to calculate a return of Federal Title IV student aid (R2T4) for students who withdraw (officially or unofficially) from all classes on or before the 60 percent attendance point in the semester. The calculation required determines a student’s earned and unearned Title IV aid based on the percentage of the enrollment period completed by the student. The percentage of the period that the student remained enrolled is derived by dividing the number of days the student attended by the number of days in the period. Calendar days (including weekends) are used, but scheduled breaks of at least 5 days are excluded from the calculation. Until a student has passed the 60% point of an enrollment period, only a portion of the student’s aid has been earned. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point is considered to have earned all awarded aid for the enrollment period. The unearned portion of federal student aid funds will be returned to the appropriate aid program(s). The funds are returned in the following order:
• Federal Graduate PLUS Loan
• Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan
Students withdrawing from classes are responsible for payment of any balance due after the required return of federal student aid funds. Students are notified in writing of the reason for the return of funds. Earned aid is not related in any way to institutional charges. In addition, the College’s refund policy and return of Federal Title IV funds procedures are independent of one another. A student who withdraws from a course may be required to return unearned aid and still owe the College for that course. Students who stop attending all classes without officially withdrawing will be subject to a return of federal student aid funds at the end of the semester based on the last documented date of academic related activity (or midpoint) as determined by the institution. The responsibility to repay unearned Title IV aid is shared by the institution and the student. For example, the calculation may require the institution to return a portion of federal funds to the Federal Title IV programs. In addition, the student may also be required to return funds based on the calculation. A student returns funds to the Federal Direct Loan program based on the terms and conditions of the promissory note of the loan.
Refund Checks
• Tuition Charges are posted to student accounts, within two days of ADD/DROP day
• Refunds checks should be available approximately 3-4 weeks into each semester
• Any refunds back to students will be processed through CST’s payment vendor bill.com. Bill.com will send an email at the time of disbursement to request students sign up for electronic funds transfer. Student’s who do not enroll in the electronic funds transfer will receive a paper check in the mail a few days later. There will be no in-person check pick-up.Expect the refund amounts to be available around the end of September after all tuition and financial aid monies are posted to student accounts.
2020-2022 Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance (COA)
• Tuition, Fees & Cost of Attendance (COA)
Student Health Insurance
You will need to go through the insurance broker, Gallagher Student Health, and complete the waiver process before Bursar can reverse the medical insurance charge. Waivers will only be accepted online.
Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
All students must maintain satisfactory academic progress towards a degree to receive financial aid. All academic semesters are utilized to determine Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students must maintain the following three (3) mandated criteria to continue to receive financial aid in future semesters:
1. Qualitative (GPA): Qualitative standard is determined by the student’s earned Grade Point Average(GPA). At the end of each academic semester, students must maintain the following cumulative GPA:
• M.A. or M.Div. = 2.8 GPA
• D.Min. and Ph.D. = 3.0 GPA
2. Quantitative Percentage Standard (QPS Ratio): The satisfactory academic progress policy also includes a quantitative measure to determine the number of credit hours attempted and percentage of credit hours completed (passed). The minimum percentage of work a student must successfully complete by the end of each term is 67% of all attempted credit hours. Students receiving a calculated QPS value below 67% are not meeting the satisfactory academic progress requirement.
3. Maximum Time Frame (150% Rule): Students are required to complete their degree within 150% of the credits required for a program of study. A student’s record will be evaluated to determine if they are able to complete a degree within the maximum time frame allowed. When it is determined a student will not complete their program within the 150% credit limit, the student will be suspended from receiving financial aid.
For example:
• M.Div. Program credits required = 72 credits
• Maximum Time Frame Allowed = 72 credits* 150% = 108 maximum credits.
Students who fail to meet the requirements will be placed on Financial aid Warning for one semester. The student will be required to meet with the Dean to develop an academic plan for meeting SAP by the end of that semester. During the warning semester a student is eligible to receive financial aid. However, if at the end of the warning semester the student has not met the requirements of SAP, the student will become ineligible to receive financial aid and placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
SAP Appeal/Petition: The student may submit a petition to retain his/her financial aid for an additional semester. A petition may be submitted in rare cases where a student has suffered undue hardship such as death of an immediate family member, or injury or illness of the student. Petitions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by representatives from the Dean’s Office, Registrar, Financial Aid and the Committee on Academic Programs. In some instances a student may be asked to meet with the committee to answer any questions. Additionally, any information mentioned in the petition is subject to verification. If a petition is granted, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Warning for a second semester. If the petition is not granted, student will become ineligible to receive financial aid and placed on Financial Aid Suspension.
The funds outlined in your Financial Aid Award letter are based on your enrollment.
The number of credits in which a student is enrolled on the day following the published last day to add or drop a class will be used as the official enrollment date for financial aid purposes.
It is important to note that the amount of financial aid awarded may not exceed the Cost of Attendance.
A revised financial aid award letter will be available to you each time any changes occur to your financial aid award. It is not uncommon for students to receive multiple award letters throughout the academic year. All notifications of a revised award letter will be posted on the student portal.
CST Merit Scholarships
Students are automatically considered for institutional merit scholarships upon admission to CST.
Doctoral scholarships are allocated at the discretion of the faculty in that particular discipline.
Merit scholarships are communicated in writing by the admissions office and recorded in a student’s financial aid award letter. Merit scholarship agreements are entered into by the institution and the student, and is governed by the policies noted on the merit scholarship letter and CST catalog.
In general, to retain merit scholarships students must maintain a 2.8 for M.A. and 3.0 for Ph.D./D.Min.) and register at least half time.
Please note, students awarded a Trustees, Presidential, Deans or Korean Leadership scholarship come with their own academic performance and extracurricular activities requirements as outlined on your scholarship letter. The following is a list of institutional aid you may be awarded:
- Presidential scholarship
- Dean’s scholarship
- Korean Leadership scholarship
- Claremont Scholarship – Graduate
- Claremont Scholarship – PhD
CST United Methodist Church (UMC) Grant
The scholarship is awarded to United Methodist students upon entering CST. Renewal of this scholarship is only provided to those who are “certified candidates” in the ordination process. To continue receiving the CST UMC grant, proof must be submitted to the financial aid office prior to 3rd semester.
For more information on Candidacy Process go to: https://www.gbhem.org/clergy/explore-your-call-to-ministry/candidacy/
CST Grant
This is a need-based grant. It was designed to provide additional grant aid to MDIV students who demonstrate very high need. Need is determined by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov and the type of merit scholarship you receive upon admission to CST. You must apply each academic year. As with all types of need-based aid, these awards are renewed annually and adjusted in line with changes on the FAFSA.
Federal Work Study Program
The Federal Work Study program provides jobs for graduate and professional students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay educational expenses. Students may work up to 20 hours per week during school periods and up to 35 hours per week during vacation periods. The amount of the award is based on a student’s need as determined by the Financial Aid Office and available funds. All student employment jobs are located on campus. Please note that most employment opportunities are filled at the beginning of the fall semester.
- Are you Federal Work Study eligible? Email the financial aid office to inquire. Your eligibility will be included on your Financial Aid Award Letter. Be sure to provide a copy of your Financial Aid Award letter to Human Resources and Hiring Supervisor.
- View Job Opportunities
- If there are no positions currently available to match your skill set, you are welcome to share your resume or CV humanresources@cst.edu
- Contact Human Resources to apply for student employment and complete required student employment forms. Sarah Conroy, HR Director and Tia Carrington, HR Generalist are both reachable at 909-447-2564 and humanresources@cst.edu
For more information, visit Human Resources
Federal Direct Student Loans
The Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program is the largest federal student loan program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Education is your lender. The loans available to graduate and professional students are the Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Grad PLUS Loan.
Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible graduate, and professional students, but in this case, the student does not have to demonstrate financial need to be eligible for the loan.
Private Donor Scholarships
CST merit scholarships are typically funded by private donors. Students who are recipients of a merit scholarship funded by a private donor will be notified by the advancement office. You will be required to submit a letter of appreciation and participate in the annual scholarship donor luncheon. For more information visit Alumni/ae wepage
The Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program is the largest federal student loan program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Education is your lender. The loans available to graduate and professional students are the Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Grad PLUS Loan.
Federal Direct Student Loans
The U.S. Department of Education’s federal student loan program is the William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program. Under this program, the U.S. Department of Education is your lender. Types of Direct Loans available to graduate/professional students:
- Direct Unsubsidized Loans are loans made to eligible undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, but eligibility is not based on financial need.
- Graduate or Professional Student Annual Loan Limit $20,500
- Graduate of Professional Student Unsubsidized Aggregate Loan Limit $138,500
- Master Promissory Note Required: Click Here
- Direct PLUS Loans are loans made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. Eligibility is not based on financial need, but a credit check is required. Borrowers who have an adverse credit history must meet additional requirements to qualify.
- Master Promissory Note Required: Click Here
To learn more about Federal Student Loans visit: Federal Student Aid
Federal Direct Student Loan Offer Involves Additional Steps
- Accept your federal loan offer in the student portal.
- Complete an Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment each year you accept a new federal student loan.
- Complete a loan Entrance Counseling.
- Complete an Unsubsidized and/or Graduate PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN).
- Grad PLUS Loan borrowers only: When you apply for a Direct PLUS Loan, the Department will check your credit history. To be eligible to receive a PLUS Loan, you must not have an adverse credit history. If you are determined to have an adverse credit history, you may still receive a Direct PLUS Loan if you obtain an endorser who does not have an adverse credit history. An endorser is someone who agrees to repay the Direct PLUS Loan if you do not repay the loan. In some cases, you may also be able to obtain a Direct PLUS Loan if you document to their satisfaction that there are extenuating circumstances related to your adverse credit history. After you apply, within 48 hours you will receive a credit check correspondence letter approving or denying your loan. The credit check is good for 180 days.
Federal Direct Student Loan Related Links
- Entrance Loan Counseling
- Exit Loan Counseling
- Entrance Counseing Guide (printer-friendly version)
- Exit Counseling Guide (printer-friendly version)
- Student Loan Interest Rates
- Loan Repayment Estimator
- Loan Repayment Plans
- Income Driven Loan Repayment Plans
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness
- Loan Consolidation
- Federal Student Loans – Get Out of Default
- My Debt Ed – Debt Resolution
- Peace Corps and Repayment of Your Student Loan
- National Student Loan Data System for Students
Federal Direct Student Loans versus Private Loans
Federal student loans are made by the government, with terms and conditions that are set by law, and include many benefits (such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans) not typically offered with private loans.
In contrast, private loans are made by private organizations such banks, credit unions, and state-based or state-affiliated organizations, and have terms and conditions that are set by the lender. Private student loans are generally more expensive than federal student loans.
Private student loans can be a good option if:
- You have already completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA to see if you’re eligible for federal grants, work-study and federal loans.
- You have already borrowed the maximum in both subsidized and unsubsidized federal student loans.
- You have good credit or a co-signer who does. Most private student loan borrowers have a co-signer.
- You borrow only what you need.
You can get personalized rates from these well-established lenders and learn more about borrowing private student loans, including NerdWallet’s top-ranked loans for students, parents, independent students, international students and part-time students.
GBHEM Loans – United Methodist
Eligibility
Borrowers seeking an educational loan through GBHEM must meet the following criteria:
- U.S. citizen and permanent resident borrowers must be active, full members of a United Methodist church for at least one year prior to application.
- Non-U.S. citizen borrowers must be a full member of a United Methodist church for at least three years prior to application.
- All borrowers must be at least 18 to complete the application process.
- U.S. citizen and permanent resident borrowers must be enrolled in an accredited school at least half-time in the United States.
- Non-U.S. citizen borrowers must be enrolled in a United Methodist related college, university or seminary at least half time in the United States.
- All borrowers must maintain at least a “C” average (2.0 GPA).
- All borrowers must have a cosigner for the loan who is a citizen of the United States or has legal permanent resident status. The cosigner will be contacted and required to complete a portion of the application. NOTE: Cosigner will be required to provide proof of income, and if the borrower is currently employed, proof of income will be required as well. Acceptable documents for proof of income are your last pay stub, W2 or tax return.
- All borrowers must have all loan funds certified by their educational institution before funds are released to the school. No exceptions.
Learn more about: GBHEM Loans
Scholarships
CST distributes more than $1.5 million in scholarship funds to our students each year. Most institutional scholarships cover between 30% and 100% of tuition and students are automatically considered for these awards unless otherwise noted. You can find information about additional scholarship options, including scholarships from organizations outside of CST, please explore the tabs below.
Outside scholarships helps reduce student loan debt! We encourage students to research every opportunity available.
Students are encouraged to contact their religious communities for potential scholarships. Oftentimes, local churches, mosques and temples support students through special offerings, discretionary funds, and book grants. Additionally, students should explore outside scholarship opportunities beyond their local congregations – including district, conference, and national offices.
There are a multitude of scholarships available for students willing to do the research. We’ve listed here outside scholarship resources and opportunities that match many in our student body. Good luck!
Please send outside scholarship checks to (be sure to include student name, ID, academic year/semester applicable and explanation of educational costs scholarship can cover):
Financial Aid Office
1325 N. College Avenue
Claremont, CA 91711
Outside Scholarships
Christian:
Catholic:
Disciples of Christ:
- Disciples Home Missions
- Disciples Seminary Foundation Contact- Rev. Belva Brown Jordan, DSF’s Interim President, Phone: 909.624.0712, Email: bbrownjordan@dsf.edu
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
- http://www.elca.org/Our-Work/Leadership/ELCA-Fund-for-Leaders
- http://www.elca.org/internationalleaders
Presbyterian Church:
United Church of Christ:
UCC Scholarship Applications are NOW OPEN!!
Apply Online at www.ucc.org/scholarships
The United Church of Christ is pleased to provide a wide variety of scholarships for individuals in the denomination who are engaged in ministry education and leadership development.
Scholarship applications close on March 1, 2021.
For detailed information and to submit an online application, please visit www.ucc.org/scholarships.
If you have questions, please contact gomollj@ucc.org.
Jewish:
Muslim:
- The Islamic Society of North America
- Islamic Scholarship Fund
- Fadel Educational Foundation
- Scholarship for Muslim Women
Unitarian Universalist:
Korean:
Latino/Hispanic:
Native American:
Pacific Islander:
Other:
- US. Department of Labor’s scholarship search
United Methodist – Scholarship Applications are NOW OPEN!
General Board of Higher Education Ministry (GBHEM)
The general application for ALL GBHEM scholarships is available here
The application period is Dec. 15 – March 24
You can only submit one application per year where it will be screened for all possible eligible programs. You may indicate on the first page of the scholarship application which scholarship you would most like to be considered for.
United Methodist Higher Education Foundation (UMHEF):
UMHEF Extends It’s Application Deadline to March 19!
We are hard at work processing applications rolling in for UMHEF scholarships! Applications and all supporting documents must be submitted (or postmarked) by March 19, 2021.
Students, if you are planning to attend one of these United Methodist-related colleges, universities, or seminaries for the 2021-2022 academic year, now is the time to get going on your application. If you are a previous UMHEF scholarship recipient, you must reapply this year to be considered for another award. Learn more about eligibility requirements and begin the application process HERE.
Learn about UMHEF General Named Endowed Scholarships
Learn about the UM Dollars for Scholars Program
John and Nancy Nations Scholarship Fund
Gertrude Boyd Crane Scholarship
Women affiliated with the Oregon-Idaho Conference United Methodist Church, who are pursuing post-graduate studies for a vocation in the church, are invited to apply for the Gertrude Boyd Crane Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Information and the application form can be found on the United Methodist Women page of the Oregon-Idaho Conference United Methodist Church website: APPLY NOW
Conferences
• United Methodist Student Loan & Scholarship Program
• The Board of Ordained Ministry has a few scholarships that are available. Please read the guidelines for each scholarship carefully to see if you qualify to apply. California-Pacific Conference Scholarships
• The Desert Southwest UM Foundation and the Desert Southwest Conference have each partnered with the General Board of Higher Education and Ministries to ensure that qualified applicants from our conference get the maximum scholarship available. Find out more about the new scholarship opportunity by clicking here.
• Desert Southwest – United Methodist Foundation Scholarships
• Pacific North West Seminary Scholarships
International Students
International financial aid & scholarships: https://www.iefa.org/
• International Student & Study Abroad Scholarship Search: https://www.internationalstudent.com/scholarships/
• List of Scholarships for International Students: https://www.edupass.org/paying-for-college/databases/
FINANCIAL LITERACY 2020-2021: CREDIT & PROTECTION YOUR MONEY
The Office of Financial Aid is committed to your financial education. Every year, we partner with Inceptia Financial Avenue to provide students with online courses to help them gain knowledge about money management as graduate students.
This year (2020-2021), you will be required to complete the Financial Literacy course: Credit and Protecting Your Money. This course is approximately 45 minutes long. The Credit and Protecting Your Money course examines components of a credit score in detail, as well as outlines strategies to help you build or repair credit. Just as critical, the course will help you understand the different forms of identity theft and consumer fraud, as well as ways to safeguard your identity and what actions to take if ID theft or fraud occurs. The deadline to complete this course is Friday, APRIL 16, 2021.
Log onto www.financialavenue.org and click on the Sign-Up button. First-time users, use the code: 69o0sk to set up your account. Once your account is set up, you’ll be able to complete the required Credit and Protecting Your Money course.
If you have any technical questions, please contact Financial Avenue by calling 888-454-4668 or via email at customerservice@financialavenue.org. Any other questions, please contact the Financial Aid office at cstfinaid@cst.edu.
Financial Avenue – Financial Literacy User Guide
Frequently Used Forms
- Bookstore Voucher [Word]
- Scholarship Reconsideration Form [Word]
- Name, DOB, SSN Verification [Word]
- In-School Deferment [Word]
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeal/Petition Form