Requirements for Admission
Admission Standards:
Vincennes University maintains an “Open Door” admissions policy. Admission as a student to Vincennes University leading to a degree or technical certificate requires either:
- a recognized high school diploma, or
- a General Educational Development (GED) diploma.
Applicants with a high school diploma that was not earned through a Graduate Qualifying Exam may be required to complete one of the following to be permitted to register for classes:
- Demonstrate their college readiness by presenting 24 hours of postsecondary credit from a regionally accredited institution.
- Alternatively, these applicants may demonstrate their college readiness by obtaining a minimum score as designated by the U.S. Department of Education on one of the three subtests of the Computerized Placement Tests (CPTs), provided free of charge by VU.
- Finally, these applicants may instead submit achievement of the minimum scores on any of the other tests approved by the U.S. Dept. of Education to document an applicant’s college readiness (view list of tests and required minimum scores).
Vincennes University also welcomes students graduating from non-traditional high schools, including home-schooling programs. Students completing these programs may be asked to supply documentation to the Admissions office including but not limited to an academic portfolio, a curriculum overview, and a detailed transcript (each course briefly described) indicating date of graduation. Vincennes University supports the State of Indiana’s Core 40 high school curriculum. It is strongly recommended that students meet the Core 40 requirements, but completion of the Core 40 curriculum is not required for Admissions.
Applicants who do not meet any of the above criteria may appeal to the Director of Admissions. Vincennes University reserves the right to deny admission or continuing enrollment. Questions should be referred to the Director of Admissions.
Selective Programs
Admission into selected programs, whether associate or baccalaureate degree, is necessarily limited by facilities and other resources. In the same way admission to the University may, from time-to-time, be capped or deferred when our capacity to serve students has been reached.
Entrance into Health Science majors is based upon adequate academic qualifications. All applicants must first be accepted into the University and take the Accuplacer before they will be considered for acceptance to a health science program. These programs of study are Bachelor Degree Nursing, Associate Degree Nursing, Practical Nursing, Funeral Service Education, Health Information Management, Physical Therapist Assistant, and Surgical Technology. Acceptance involves an evaluation of candidates in terms of academic grades, test scores, class rank, and in some instances, personal interview. All applicants for these programs are reviewed by an admission committee composed of the Health Sciences and Human Performance Division Dean and appropriate health program director. Applicants must file all required credentials prior to being evaluated.
Transfer Applicants
Transfer applicants may be admitted with the above credentials or by providing an official transcript (transcripts mailed from another college or university directly to Vincennes University) from each college attended, showing evidence of honorable release for a minimum of 24 transferrable college credit hours. Grades below C- may not be transferred for credit. Students dismissed from another college are normally not eligible for admission until one semester has elapsed. However, applicants with unusual circumstances may warrant special consideration.
Transfer applicants will be considered for freshman through junior status in Vincennes University’s Teacher Education baccalaureate programs dependent on application review and academic credentials as outlined on the respective curriculum pages. Transfer applicants for junior status in Vincennes University’s Nursing, Homeland Security, and Technology baccalaureate programs must submit documentation (an official transcript from the degree-granting institution sent directly to the Registrar of Vincennes University) of a completed associate degree in one of the “feeder” programs designated within the curriculum pages of those programs. Both native and transfer applicants who are within six hours of their associate degree completion may conditionally begin their intended baccalaureate program if the remaining courses are not prerequisites for the courses to be taken in that first semester; conditionally admitted students must complete those remaining credit hours by the end of their first semester as juniors. If the courses involved are sequential and not prerequisites to courses required in the first two semesters of the program, students will have two semesters to complete the missing hours.
Entrance into all baccalaureate programs requires at least a 2.0 G.P.A. in lower division courses. Some programs, like the Teacher Education programs, will require at least a 2.75 G.P.A. for program admission.
Provisional Acceptance
Applicants who do not meet the admission requirements of Vincennes University may appeal to the Director of Admissions. All students who are admitted on a provisional basis will have one semester to produce the requested documentation. Failure to produce the requested documentation may result in the student being unable to register for subsequent semesters. Other provisional admission decisions will be made at the discretion of the Director of Admissions.
Vincennes University reserves the right to deny admission or continuing enrollment. Questions should be referred to the Director of Admissions.
International Applicants
International applicants must submit a high school/secondary school transcript in English that has been authenticated by a recommended third party (go to www.vinu.edu/content/admissions-requirements for recommended providers),one copy of the official sponsor’s statement, a certified copy of the sponsor’s bank statement, and a clear copy of the student’s passport. A Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score is not required for admission. Students who have completed the English as a Second Language (ESL) requirements or who submitted a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of 527 or above (computer-based test of 197 or Internet-based score of 71) must take the College Placement Test before registering for college-level courses. At the current time, the Aviation Technology Center will employ a 500 TOEFL score for unconditional acceptance to the Aviation Maintenance Technology program at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Financial Aid
Purpose
To provide students an opportunity for post-secondary education and to promote academic excellence at Vincennes University, the financial aid program is designed to function as a multipurpose financial assistance service for students. One important purpose of the program is to reward outstanding students for past academic accomplishments and those who seem to have outstanding potential. Another purpose is to provide assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend college. Basic to this philosophy is the belief that the educational opportunities of able students should not be hindered by their financial resources.
Vincennes University provides a variety of financial aid for students in the form of grants, loans, part-time employment, and scholarships.
Eligibility
The eligibility for receiving financial assistance is determined by comparing the cost of attending Vincennes University with the parents’ and the student’s ability to contribute toward his/her expenses. Financial aid is viewed as being supplemental to all other resources to meet these costs. The goal of the Financial Aid Office is to meet the evaluated need of all eligible students.
The evaluated financial need equals the difference between the total estimated cost of attending Vincennes University (including all university charges–room and board, books and supplies, personal expenses, and allowable travel expenses) and the ability of the family to contribute to those educational costs. The factors taken into consideration when evaluating the expected family contribution include parental income and assets, and benefits such as those from Veterans’ Administration, rehabilitation awards from outside agencies, and the student’s assets and expected savings from summer employment. The basis for determining the family contribution is from the U.S. Department of Education Student Financial Assistance Programs’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Each year that a student wishes to be considered for aid, a FAFSA Form must be filed, listing VU as a school of choice. Approved awards for each year will be based upon proper completion of and timely filing of applications and financial statements, availability of federal and/or university funds, eligibility for the individual programs for which the student is applying, and the applicant’s continued enrollment. The amount of assistance may increase or decrease from one year to the next depending upon the educational costs, the financial circumstances of the family, and the level of program funding.
Continued eligibility for the various financial aid programs will require the following: (1) continued enrollment; (2) satisfactory academic standing and the progression toward a degree; (3) properly completed and timely filed applications; (4) all university accounts due and payable being current; (5) satisfactory employment if previous student worker; (6) remain eligible by the individual program guidelines; (7) sign an affidavit that all federal financial aid funds received will be used for the applicable payment period for educational expenses; (8) sign necessary documents for the receipt of aid awards; (9) not be in default on a Federal Family Education Loan Program loan or Federal Direct Loan; (10) not owe a refund on a Federal Pell Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, or Federal Academic Competitiveness Grant previously received.
Selection of Recipients
The criteria for selecting applicants for financial aid varies depending upon the program. Federal Pell Grants will be considered first for all undergraduate students applying for federal aid at Vincennes University. Students are automatically considered for all financial aid programs on a priority deadline basis, and the Financial Aid Office uses the FAFSA in selecting applicants for various programs. The office awards respectively from grants, scholarships, college work study and the Federal Direct Loan Program. Federal Nursing Student Loan recipients are selected based upon evaluated financial need, availability of funds and upon the applicant’s enrollment in Associate Degree or Bachelor Degree Nursing at Vincennes University.
Students Responsibilities
Students receiving financial aid have certain responsibilities under the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal College Work Study Program, Federal Family Education Loan Program (Stafford and PLUS Loans), Federal Direct Loans, and other aid programs. The applicant must, without exception, report any of the following changes to the Financial Aid Office: (1) withdrawal from school; (2) transfer to another school; (3) dropping below half-time status; (4) name change; (5) address change or parents’ address change; (6) joining military service, Peace Corps, or VISTA.
If student loans have been received, an exit interview must be arranged with the Financial Aid Office and the Accounts Payable Office before graduating or withdrawing from Vincennes University. Failure on the aid recipient’s part to make some satisfactory arrangements for the settlement of a campus account by the due date may result in one of the following official actions: (1) a hold placed on the student’s records; (2) refusal of future financial awards.
The financial aid applicant is responsible for obtaining, completing, and filing each year the proper financial aid application, statements, forms, etc. on a timely basis. The applicant has the right to seek and receive full information and counsel from the Financial Aid Office in regard to any financial matter. If the family’s financial circumstances change due to death, divorce, marriage, disability, or long-term unemployment, the applicant may become eligible for more assistance. The applicant must take the initiative in notifying the office of these changes in writing.
Applicants must provide correct information. Knowingly and intentionally misreporting information on financial aid application forms is a criminal offense which could result in indictment under the U. S. Criminal Code.
An applicant for financial aid must return all additional documentation, verification, corrections, and/or new information requested by either the Financial Aid Office or the agency to which you submitted your application or financial statement.
Applicants are responsible for reading and understanding all forms that they are asked to sign and to keep copies of them.
Applicants must accept responsibility for agreements that they sign.
When accepting a Federal College Work Study award, recipients must perform the work that is agreed upon.
Students are also responsible for understanding the school’s refund procedures and policies.
Refunds
A student who completes official withdrawal or is dismissed may receive a refund of registration fees in accordance with the refund policy as found in the “Tuition, Fees, and General Expenses ” section of this catalog. The Bursar’s Office is responsible for refunds.
Students withdrawing before the end of the semester who receive financial aid may have a portion of the university refunds returned directly to the applicable program account. In some cases, students who withdraw during the refund period and who receive financial aid funds will be required to return a portion of the award to the appropriate fund since the semester was not completed.
Costs
Student estimated expense budgets are derived from directly related educational expenses, such as registration fees, room and board, books and supplies, personal and transportation expenses. Budgets are constructed based upon the status of each applicant such as single, married, dependent, independent, etc. Complete student budget data is available from the Financial Aid Office at Vincennes University.
Method of Application
Completing the FAFSA will allow students to apply for all types of assistance. If the CPS Processing Center receives the FAFSA by March 10, Indiana students will also be applying for aid through the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana. Prior to consideration for aid, Vincennes University requires that a student file an application for admission. The FAFSA is considered to be the official application for financial assistance.
Grants
Most grants are awarded on the basis of financial need as determined by the U.S. Department of Education and do not require repayment upon completion of a certificate or degree. The maximum award varies with each grant, usually depending on the availability of funds.
Federal Pell Grants are awarded by the U.S. Department of Education according to its guidelines. The University processes the award notification, called the Financial Aid Notification, and applies the award to the student’s account. Qualified undergraduate students who are enrolled in one or more credit hours are eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants. However, if you are a part-time student, you will receive a reduced amount.
If you change universities during the academic year, your Federal Pell Grant may be used at the new school or campus. If you drop any classes, your Federal Pell Grant may be reduced in amount.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (SEOG) are for students who have an expected family contribution (EFC) of zero and need.
SSACI Grants (Indiana Higher Education Grant) awarded by the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana are awarded to Indiana residents who have demonstrated financial need. You must carry at least twelve credit hours. The grant may be used for a total of eight semesters at a college in the state of Indiana.
State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana Educational Grant must be renewed by reapplying directly to the Commission through use of the FAFSA.
Federal Work Study Program
The Federal College Work Study program is a federally funded financial aid program which is designed to award students employment, the earnings from which must be applied toward educational expenses.
Eligibility for the program is determined by the Financial Aid Office. Placement and employment in the job opportunities are handled by that office also. Total wages that can be earned by the student may not exceed the Work Study award.
Students who have been awarded funds through the Federal College Work Study Program should contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes Campus, at 812-888-4361 after classes begin to apply for available Work Study employment.
Federal Community Service Work Study Program. The community services component of the Federal Work Study Program was authorized by the Higher Education Technical Amendments of 1995 for the community service oriented student. The purpose of the community service work study is to encourage the Federal Work Study recipient to participate in community service activities. If you are a recipient of a Federal Work Study Award, and desire to participate in a community service work study program, please contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes Campus, for further details.
Federal Perkins Loan
This low interest (five percent) loan is made directly to needy students by the college or school that has received federal money for this purpose. If you qualify, you may borrow up to a maximum of $8,000 for the first two years.
Federal Stafford Loans
An entrance/exit counseling session is required for all first-time loan recipients. Loans awarded by the Financial Aid Office must be repaid at a specified time in the future. What makes these loans attractive to the student are their easy repayment terms. While you are in school, no payments have to be made on Federal Perkins and the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan. Upon leaving school, you generally have a grace period before you have to start repayment. In addition, interest rates are lower than standard bank rates; they range from five percent to eight percent.
This loan is available to the student that qualifies based on the level of need as determined by completing the FAFSA. A private lender such as a credit union or bank makes this loan directly to the student. A student can borrow up to $3,500 in federal subsidized and unsubsidized Stafford loans for the first year depending on need. A student can borrow up to an additional $2,000 in a federal unsubsidized Stafford loan depending on need. No interest accrues on the subsidized loan as long as the student is enrolled in at least half-time status. Interest accrues upon disbursement of the unsubsidized loan.
The Higher Education Act–Federal Regulation S-428G(b)(1)–requires that Vincennes University, as well as all colleges and universities throughout the nation, not deliver the first installment of a Federal Stafford loan to any student who is entering the first year of a program of undergraduate education at an institution and who has not previously received a Stafford loan until 30 days after the first day of the student’s program of study.
Federal PLUS Loans
Parents of students who are offered a federal parent PLUS loan should apply at www.studentloans.gov by entering the FAFSA PIN acquired by the parent who signed the FAFSA form. If the other parent wants to apply for a federal PLUS loan, he/she can obtain a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov. PLUS loans are approved or denied by the federal direct loan program on the basis of a credit check. If the application for a federal parent PLUS loan is denied, the student is allowed to request up to an additional $4,000 for that award year.
Federal Nursing Student Loans
These loans are available to students admitted to the Bachelor or Associate Degree Nursing Program. The student must demonstrate need. Maximum loans are $2,500 per year with the interest rate of six percent. Repayment will begin six months after you graduate or drop below half-time status. A portion of the loan may be forgiven if you are employed in certain fields of nursing.
Benefits
Benefits are funds some people are entitled to under special conditions. Like grants, benefits do not have to be repaid.
GI Bill Benefits: If you were honorably discharged from the Armed Forces, education benefits may be available upon application to the Veterans’ Administration.
Child of Disabled Veteran Grants: The Indiana General Assembly legislated this grant program for children of servicemen and other public officers who were disabled or are deceased by a war- or public service-related cause. To be eligible, you must have on file with the Financial Aid Office an approved Remission of Fees form from the Veterans’ Administration regarding your parent’s disability prior to receiving the benefit. Payment of benefits begins with the semester that the Financial Aid Office receives the approved Remission of Fees Form and is not retroactive to prior semesters of attendance. Eligibility lasts for 124 credit hours.
Satisfactory Academic Progress
Vincennes University is required under Title IV of the Higher Education Act to define and administer standards of satisfactory academic progress for students receiving federal financial aid. Recipients must maintain sufficient progress to assure successful completion of their educational objectives as measured by qualitative and quantitative standards. The following policies and procedures reflect the university’s understanding of current Title IV regulations. They will be revised as necessary to ensure continued compliance with those federal regulations.
Qualitative and Quantitative Measures. Non-developmental courses assigned a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, WF, WN, or F contribute to the grade point average (GPA) that determines the qualitative measure. All courses assigned a letter grade of A, A-, B+, B, B-, C+, C, D, F, I, DE, RD, P, CR, W, WF, or WN count in the quantitative measure, as do transfer credits accepted toward degree programs and any repeated courses. Attempted credit hours are those hours in which students are enrolled at the end of the first week of each semester (add/drop week). Quality hours are credit hours associated with non-developmental courses.
After attempting 12 credit hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.8 and complete at least 60% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
After attempting 30 quality hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 1.9 and complete at least 63% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
After attempting 45 quality hours, students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 and complete at least 67% of their cumulative attempted credit hours with passing grades.
Students who do not meet these conditions will be placed on financial aid warning.
Financial Aid Warning. During their next semester of enrollment, students on warning status for the qualitative (GPA) standard must raise their cumulative GPA to at least the minimum relevant to the number of credits attempted, and students on warning status for the quantitative (completion rate) standard must raise their completion rate to at least the minimum relevant to the number of credits attempted. If they do not achieve these standards, students will be placed on financial aid suspension. Students on warning status must sign a contract in which they acknowledge that they understand their status and what they must do to avoid suspension of their financial aid. After they sign this contract, they will receive the financial aid for which they are eligible. Thus, there is no appeal of warning status.
Students will be removed from warning status after they achieve at least the minimum GPA and at least the minimum completion rate relevant to the number of hours they have attempted.
Financial Aid Suspension. Students who, while on financial aid warning status, do not raise their cumulative GPA to at least the relevant required minimum or do not raise their cumulative completion rate to at least the relevant required minimum will have their financial aid suspended. Since this means they will not receive the financial aid for which they would otherwise be eligible, they may appeal their suspension.
To appeal financial aid suspension, students must be able to cite and document significant extenuating circumstances that prevented them from meeting the minimum requirements for satisfactory progress. Significant extenuating circumstances include but are not limited to extended illness, a death in the family, or some other serious personal or familial situation. Examples of acceptable documentation include a death certificate or obituary along with a signed statement indicating relation of the deceased to the student, a diagnostic statement or treatment plan from a health professional, and written statements from a professional third party who is not a relative and who is familiar with the situation. Appeals will not be granted unless significant extenuating circumstances can be documented.
If the appeal is granted, students must agree to an academic plan that will show how they can meet at least the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress, normally, within two semesters. Students whose appeal has been granted and who sign off on an academic plan will receive the financial aid for which they are eligible, as long as they meet the conditions of their academic plan in succeeding semesters. Since the checking of satisfactory academic progress is an automated process, students on an academic plan who have not yet achieved the relevant minimum standards after a subsequent semester will receive a letter of suspension. Their appeal of this suspension can consist of either showing that they have met the interim requirements of their academic plan or citing and documenting significant extenuating circumstances that prevented them from doing so.
If grades of I or RD during a semester of warning are the only reason students have been placed on financial aid suspension, after they submit proof that they have completed the course with a grade other than F, W, WN, or WF, their financial aid will be reinstated as long as the changed grades enable them to meet the relevant minimum cumulative GPA.
Maximum Time Frame. U.S. Department of Education rules allow colleges and universities to provide federal financial aid for a maximum of up to 150% of the credits needed to complete an academic program. For example, students working toward a degree that requires 64 credits, may receive federal financial aid for attempting up to 96 credits (64+32), and students working toward a certificate of completion that requires 30 credits may receive federal financial aid for attempting up to 45 credits (30+15). Once students have surpassed these limits at the completion of a semester or summer term, they will be on financial aid suspension and will no longer be allowed to receive federal financial aid unless they submit an appeal that is subsequently approved. Approvable appeals will cite significant extenuating circumstances as described above, show that the student has two academic programs in progress, or request examination of the student’s transcript for acceptable exclusions.
Exclusions that might make it possible for students who reach the 150% standard to continue receiving federal financial aid for additional credits include the following:
- Up to 30 credits of developmental courses completed or attempted.
- Transfer credits that do not meet any requirements for the degree or certificate toward which a student is working at Vincennes University.
- Credits that are unique to the first degree or certificate already earned from Vincennes University.
- Credits attempted or earned longer than five years ago from the time of initial appeal that do not count toward the current degree or program.
- Credits attempted or earned while dually enrolled in a high school and at Vincennes University that do not count toward the current degree or program.
Notice that federal regulations require us to count credits attempted and not just credits successfully earned. We must count the credits for courses in which students receive a grade of F, W, WF, WN, DE, RD, or I. Except for the exclusions noted above, we must also count the credits for all courses attempted at Vincennes University whether the courses meet current degree requirements or not. We do not exclude any credits attempted or earned by students who simply change major academic programs. Federal regulations also do not allow us to exclude credits from semesters during which students received no financial aid.
Students whose appeals on the 150% standard are approved must sign a document in which they acknoweledge their understanding of the number of credits of eligibility they have remaining toward their current program(s). Only after they have signed the document or otherwise acknowledged their understanding will their financial aid be released.
Developmental Courses. Students may receive financial aid for up to 30 credits of developmental courses. The first 30 credit hours are excluded in determining the maximum time frame. Developmental courses are counted toward the first 12 attempted credit hours that require at least the 60% completion rate with passing grades as described above under “Qualitative and Quantitative Measures.” All remedial course credits after the 30 credit hours will be included in the quantitative measure and the maximum time frame.
Appeals Procedure
The formal process of appealing financial aid suspension is initiated by the student submitting an appeal form and a written letter of appeal to the Financial Aid Office along with any relevant supporting documentation. Letters written by a parent, relative or guardian may not be accepted as the appeal letter, but will be considered along with the formal letter of appeal submitted by the student.
The letter of appeal will be read by members of the financial aid staff. After the formal appeal review, the student will be notified of the decision. If the appeal is approved, as noted above, the student must meet with an academic advisor to formulate an academic plan that will show how at least the minimum standards of satisfactory academic progress can be met, normally, within two semesters. If the student fails to comply with the academic plan, financial aid will be suspended for the next semester of attendance, and the deficiencies must be reconciled before aid eligibility can be reinstated. The decision of the financial aid staff is final unless the student can cite and document additional circumstances that may not have been considered in the initial appeal.
Please note: The Satisfactory Academic Progress policy is subject to change at any time. For information on the current policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes University, 1002 North First Street, Vincennes, IN 47591. Toll Free Number: 1-800-742-9198
Withdrawal from Classes
Since acceptance of the financial aid package indicates the student’s agreement to meet the minimum credit hour requirements for awards, withdrawing from one or more classes may jeopardize aid. In other words, if a student drops below the minimum number of hours required for a certain award amount, U.S. Department of Education regulations might require the financial aid office to reduce the amount of the award. For example, if students who initially received a Federal Pell Grant based on full-time enrollment drop to less than full-time status before the fifth Monday of the semester, the financial aid office would be required to reduce the grant to the amount appropriate for the less than full-time level of enrollment. Since withdrawing from courses affects a student’s completion rate, it might also affect a student’s compliance with the standards of satisfactory acacdemic progress detailed above. For these reasons, before withdrawing from any courses, it would be wise to check with the financial aid office.
Federal regulations also require the financial aid office to recalculate the amount of federal grants or loans allowed to be kept by students who either officially or unofficially withdraw from all courses of a semester. This recalculation might require the university or the student to return all or part of grant or loan funds initially awarded the student back to the U. S. Department of Education. In many cases in which such returns are required, the student will owe the university the amount of the returned funds that had been applied to the student’s account or to a refund of what had been aid in excess of the student’s bill.
Student/Parent Consumer Information
All enrolled and prospective students will be provided the following information in accordance with Federal Requirements:
- Rights under Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA);
- FFEL/Direct Loan deferments for Peace Corps or volunteer service;
- Vincennes University available financial aid assistance;
- Vincennes University institutional information;
- Completion/graduation rate and transfer-out rate;
- Campus Security Report;
- Report on athletic program participation rates and financial support data; and
- Policy on Return of Title IV funds.
Priority Deadline
To qualify for State of Indiana grants and scholarships, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) must be received by the CPS Processing Center by March 10.
For more information contact the Financial Aid Office, Vincennes University, 1002 North First, Vincennes, IN 47591. Toll Free Number: 1-800-742-9198. |