Graduate Financial Aid

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Graduate student financial aid eligibility is contingent upon the category assigned the student. Programs available for funding of graduate study include the Federal Family Education Loan Program, Federal Perkins Loan Program, Tuition Equalization Grant, Federal Work Study Program, and Institutional Scholarships.

Wayland Baptist University provides student access to financial aid records for at least five (5) years after the student has departed from the institution or for whatever period is required by federal law or regulations by the rules of a respective state student loan guarantee corporation, whichever is longest.

Degree-Seeking

A student in this category who has been granted full admission to the graduate program may be eligible for the programs listed above. Annual loan limits for Direct Loans will be determined by term enrollment. A student enrolled in graduate-level courses is eligible for graduate loan limits. A student enrolled in undergraduate leveling coursework is eligible for fifth-year undergraduate loan limits provided the student has not met their undergraduate aggregate loan limit. For leveling course enrollment, three (3) hours is less than half time, six (6) hours is half time, and nine (9) hours is full time. A period of 12 consecutive calendar months is allowed for completion of leveling coursework imposed by the Graduate Admissions Committee as a degree requirement. Loan limits for students enrolled in graduate and leveling classes concurrently are determined by majority enrollment.

Conditional degree-seeking, non-degree post-baccalaureate or postgraduate students are not eligible for Federal or State financial aid.

Teacher Certification

Non-degree post-baccalaureate students who are enrolled for the purposes of teacher certification may be eligible for Federal financial aid as a fifth-year undergraduate provided the student has not met their undergraduate aggregate loan limit. For teacher certification course enrollment, three (3) hours is less than half time, six (6) hours is half time, and nine (9) hours is full time. These students must be accepted into the graduate program as non-degree seeking students and be fully accepted into the Teacher Certification program in order to receive Federal financial aid.

Baptist General Convention of Texas (BGCT) Ministerial Financial Assistance Program

Baptist students taking courses at Wayland who reside in the state of Texas may be eligible for financial assistance from the BGCT.

All Ministerial Financial Assistance recipients must meet the following requirements:

1. Submit a completed application including all necessary documentation.
2. Enroll in one of the following: Master of Arts in Christian Ministry, Master of Arts in Theological Studies, Master of Divinity, or Master of Divinity/Master of Business Administration.
3. Be an active participant in a BGCT church or new student from outside Texas with membership in a Baptist church in the first year of participation and an active participant in a local church affiliated with the BGCT in subsequent years.
4. Complete MNST 5300 - Foundations in Ministry  unless the student received credit for MNST 3300  or its equivalent as an undergraduate. If MNST 5300  is awarded credit but the equivalent undergraduate coursework does not indicate a Baptist Heritage component, the student will need to take THST 5351 - Baptist History .
5. Master of Divinity students will also complete seven hours in Spiritual Formation or Christian Spirituality. Other degrees will complete three hours.
6. Renew application each academic year.

Enrollment Definition

A graduate student enrolled in graduate level courses (5000 level) in a 16-week term must be enrolled in at least nine (9) hours per term to be considered full-time and six (6) hours per term to be considered half-time. A graduate student enrolled in graduate level courses (5000 level) in an 11-week term must be enrolled in at least six (6) hours per term to be considered full-time and three (3) hours per term to be considered half-time. Undergraduate enrollment definitions will apply to students enrolled in undergraduate leveling coursework and non-degree post-baccalaureate students completing Teacher Certification.