Financial Aid is available to those who qualify and our team of financial services professionals can help you navigate the process and find the right program for you.
School Code for FAFSA
041698 (For All Campuses)
Email: financialaid@sui.edu
Sacramento Ultrasound Institute is dedicated to assisting all students in securing financial aid for their desired program. We actively participate in a range of federal and state financial support initiatives.
Our financial aid offerings aim to bridge the gap for students who might find it challenging to cover the full cost of their education. Our Financial Aid department is ready to address any queries or concerns students might have regarding financial assistance.
A significant portion of the financial aid we offer stems from federal programs overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. This encompasses the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Loans, Federal Parent Loans for Undergraduates (PLUS), and Federal Work-Study (FWS). Beyond these federal and state aids, students can explore payment plans and private educational loan options for any remaining balances.
While the primary onus of covering educational expenses lies with the student and their family, we ensure that all financial aid is granted based on genuine need, without any discrimination based on gender, age, race, color, religion, creed, sexual orientation, or national origin.
“Need” is determined by the discrepancy between the annual Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) for that same duration. To be considered for both federal and state aid, students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA evaluates income and assets to determine the EFC.
The FAFSA can be completed online at www.fafsa.gov.
The parent of a dependent student will also need an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically throughout the PLUS Loan process.
Students must apply for financial aid every year. The FAFSA must be received by a deadline published annually by the California Student Aid Commission to be eligible for the Cal Grant. This deadline can be viewed on the FAFSA website.
The school uses the ISIR data to prepare the student’s Financial Plans. Federal and state aid may not cover the total cost depending on the student’s program. Students can pay the unfunded balance with a payment plan (in full required before graduation) or a private education loan.
Talk to your campus financial aid advisor to determine the best option.
To be considered for federal financial aid, a student must:
Most financial aid forms require that a student have need, defined as Cost of Attendance minus the EFC, as calculated from the FAFSA data. Direct Unsubsidized loans, PLUS loans, and private education loans are not need-based, but eligibility is based on the Cost of Attendance, less other aid.
Financial aid from federal programs is not guaranteed from one year to the next. Each student must reapply every year. The award year for most financial aid programs runs from July 1 to June 30 of the following year, but aid is awarded based on the academic year defined for the student’s program of study.
Some student applications are selected for a process of verification. Students who receive financial aid must provide documents supporting the FAFSA information.
Selected students will be notified of their verification status and supporting documents required by the Financial Aid Office. Students must verify and resolve any flags or comment codes before financial aid is disbursed.
Federal financial aid programs include the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Direct Subsidized Loans, Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and PLUS Loans. The Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant and the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship are additional federal aid programs.
This grant is designed to assist students with the greatest need. Federal Pell Grants are only awarded to undergraduates who have not earned a bachelor’s or professional degree or equivalent. The student’s need determines eligibility, the cost of attendance, and the amount appropriated annually by Congress to fund the program. Pell Grants are gift aid and are not repaid.
This grant is available to students with exceptional financial need, defined as students with the lowest EFC, and given to Federal Pell Grant recipients. The amount of the grant and the number of students who may receive this grant depend on the availability of funds determined annually by Congress and the U.S. Department of Education
The funds are awarded proportionally across Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts’ campuses and program start dates. The grant amounts vary; the average grant amount is $300 for an award year. FSEOG awards are gift aid and are not repaid.
The Federal Work-Study Program provides part-time employment to students who need the earnings to defray their education costs. Students may work on or off-campus for a qualified public, private, or community service organization.
Eligibility is based on financial need and the availability of funds. The school will attempt to place students in jobs related to their study program, and work schedules will be arranged according to class schedules.
Congress and the U.S. Department of Education provide the funding that determines the school’s allocation amount and the number of students who may receive these funds.
There are two types of Direct Loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized. Students must have financial needs to receive a Subsidized Direct Loan. The federal government pays the interest on Subsidized loans that accrue during specific periods, including while the student is in school or on an approved deferment status.
Financial need is not a requirement for an Unsubsidized Direct Loan. Students must pay the interest accrued on Unsubsidized Direct Loans while in school or choose to capitalize the interest (add it to the loan principal). The interest rates for Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans are set annually and can be found here: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/interest-rates. Congress establishes the annual loan limits, which vary by student dependency status, study program, and school year.
The net amount of loan funds disbursed to the student is less than the gross amount by the origination fee, determined annually and found on the website listed above. The funds for Direct Loans come from the government and are repaid to the government via loan services. Federal student loans must be repaid. Students or parents who default on their student loans will lose their ability to receive federal aid in the future and can have their tax refunds taken, and wages garnished.
PLUS Loans are loans parents can obtain to help pay for education for their dependent undergraduate children. Financial need is not a requirement for a PLUS Loan. The limit to a PLUS Loan amount is the Cost of Attendance, less other aid. Parents must pay the interest accrued on PLUS Loans while the student is in school.
The interest rates for PLUS loans are set annually and can be found here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/types/loans/interest-rates. The parent’s net loan funds are less than the original gross amount fee, determined annually and on the website above. The funds for all Direct Loans come from the government and are repaid via loan service companies.
PLUS Loans are credit-based; parent borrowers will have a credit check as part of the application process and cannot have adverse credit. If a parent is denied based on adverse credit, they can obtain an endorser for the loan. Any student’s parents can apply for a PLUS Loan (biological or adoptive, or current stepparents, if their information would be included on the FAFSA). The PLUS parent borrower does not have to be the custodial parent.
Students may be eligible to receive the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant (IASG) if they:
Students eligible for the Iraq Afghanistan Service Grant will have a flag and associated comment on their Student Aid Report. IASG awards are gift aid and do not require repayment.
A Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while performing as a public safety officer is eligible to receive the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) award. The CFH is a maximum Pell Award, and all other need-based aid is awarded using a 0 EFC (maximum eligibility). The student must:
The student remains eligible for the Children of Fallen Heroes (CFH) award in subsequent years as long as the student is Pell-eligible, has a Pell-eligible EFC, and is otherwise qualifying.
For purposes of the CFH award, a public safety officer is:
CFH awards are gift aid and are not repaid.
Students who have never received a Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loans must complete Entrance Counseling before disbursement. Online entrance counseling is available at www.studentloans.gov. Counseling must be completed in a single session and can take 20 to 30 minutes. Additional Financial Awareness counseling is also available on this website; this counseling is optional.
PLUS Credit Counseling is required if the U.S. Department of Education has informed the parent applying for the PLUS Loan that they have an adverse credit history and the parent borrower has obtained an endorser or documented to the satisfaction of the U.S. Department of Education that there are extenuating circumstances related to their adverse credit history.
PLUS Credit Counseling can be completed voluntarily at any time. The PLUS Credit Counseling requirement is fulfilled if finished voluntarily. The parent borrower is determined to have an adverse credit history by the U.S. Department of Education within 30 days of completion.
Exit Counseling is required for all Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan borrowers. The online exit counseling is available at www.studentloans.gov. Counseling must be completed in a single session and can take 20 to 30 minutes. Exit counseling should be completed shortly before the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled on at least a half-time basis. Students who withdraw without notice will be emailed exit counseling information and a link to the online exit counseling.
Applications for Veterans benefits may be obtained by contacting the Veterans Administration. Approval of training benefits to be awarded is the responsibility of the Veterans Administration. Additional requirements are placed upon the institution and the applicant to achieve and maintain VA eligibility and utilize their VA benefits.
Applicants eligible for VA benefits to Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts must comply with the items included in this section and all Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts’ institutional policies. Students may check their GI Bill® eligibility at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
GI Bill® is the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) registered trademark. More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill.
Before being accepted by Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, any VA-eligible applicant must provide Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts with an academic transcript or other official documentation of all previous training.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts will review each submitted transcript or official documentation to determine if any prior training may be utilized as transfer credit into a program. Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts will document the review in writing, and a copy of the determination will be given to the applicant.
The transcripts, other official documentation, the written Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts review, and determination will become part of the student’s official Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts academic record and subject to all educational records policies and regulations.
If transfer credit is granted to a VA-eligible applicant, the replaced program’s portion is not allowed for VA benefits certification. The program’s applicable part is not billable to the student, VA, or other agencies.
VA-eligible students must maintain Satisfactory Progress in their program to maintain benefits eligibility. Students not receiving a minimum grade of C in any course will be referred for remediation a maximum of three times.
VA Benefits will be terminated if the student is expelled from the program. For more information, please read our Academic Probation/Remediation policy in the Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts catalog.
Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts does not determine any eligibility for VA benefits. The eligible applicant must complete all VA applications and requirements with the VA and receive VA approval before Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts accepts any expected VA funds as part of a tuition payment plan.
The VA requires all VA-eligible applicants to receive a copy of the Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts Catalog, including the Addendum and Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts documents such as required disclosures.
You may withdraw from the school after the cancellation period (described above) in writing to the Program Director and receive a proportional refund if you have completed 60 percent or less of the scheduled days in the current payment period in your program through the last day of attendance. The refund will be less a registration not to exceed the specified amount and less any deduction for books accessed and equipment and materials not returned in good condition within 45 days of withdrawal for applicable students. If the student has completed more than 60% of the period of attendance for which the student was charged, the tuition is considered earned, and the student will receive no refund.
The date of the student’s withdrawal shall be deemed the last date of recorded attendance to determine a refund under this section. A student is considered withdrawn from a program of instruction (date of determination) when any of the following occurs:
For programs beyond the current “payment period,” if you withdraw before the next payment period, all charges collected for the next period will be refunded. Any portion of the tuition paid from the proceeds of a loan or third party should be repaid to the lender, third party, or, if appropriate, to the state or federal agency that guaranteed or reinsured the loan. Any amount of the refund over the unpaid balance of the loan shall be first used to repay any student financial aid programs from which the student received benefits, proportionately the amount of the benefits received. Any remaining amount shall be paid to the student.
If the student has received federal student financial aid funds, the student is entitled to a refund of monies not paid from federal student financial aid program funds.
All federal aid is paid in two disbursements over an award year. The first financial aid disbursement usually occurs within the first 30 (thirty) days of the program’s start date.
Each disbursement after the first is contingent upon students meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements. In addition, students must complete both the clock or credit hours and the weeks in the payment period to receive the subsequent disbursement in non-term programs.
For term programs, SAP is monitored at the end of each term. In non-term programs, SAP measurements are completed at the scheduled end of each payment period when the student’s scheduled clock or credit hours have elapsed, regardless of whether the student attended them. Gurnick’s SAP policy is available at www.gurnick.edu/financial-aid/.
Pell, FSEOG, IASG, Direct Loans, and PLUS Loans are disbursed once per pay period. Federal Work-Study funds must be earned as the student works and are received as wages through the Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts’ payroll office.
Cal Grants are disbursed by quarter; each grant comes in three (3) payments.
Before a financial aid disbursement, the Financial Aid Advisor must check the student’s status to ensure that the student is not in LOA status. For PLUS loans, the Financial Aid Advisor will check the parent’s status with NSLDS to confirm that the parent is not in default nor owes a refund of federal grant funds before each disbursement.
All students who receive financial aid must complete their program within 150 percent of the expected program length, as measured in either credit hours for term programs or calendar time for non-term programs. If they exceed the maximum timeframe, they are subject to the loss of financial aid, which can be appealed following the procedure outlined below.
Students who are academically expelled from one program and wish to transfer to another program at Gurnick Academy must submit a written appeal according to the terms outlined below. Admission to the new program requires the program director’s approval and the director of financial aid. If the appeal is granted, the student will be admitted to the new program on an Academic Plan status and must follow the terms of the academic plan.
Appeal and Reinstatement
Students who have lost financial aid eligibility for failure to maintain satisfactory progress will be notified in writing of the cancellation of financial aid. Students with mitigating circumstances wishing to appeal the revocation of financial assistance may write to the Financial Aid Office. Mitigating circumstances may include but are not limited to illness or injury of the student or immediate family member, death of a relative, or other extraordinary circumstance. The Director of Financial Aid and Campus Program Director will evaluate the appeal and determine whether the student may continue receiving financial aid on an Academic Plan status.
The student’s appeal must include the following:
If an appeal is granted and financial aid is reinstated, the student will receive assistance on an Academic Plan status. A student with this status must regain SAP standing by the point specified in the academic plan; the terms will be included in the notice forwarded to the student when the appeal is granted. The terms will generally require students to meet or exceed the attendance requirements, pass all courses with a “C” or better, and may include additional required elements, such as tutoring. Each month the student’s progress will be reviewed based on the Academic Plan. At the end of the payment period, if a student fails to meet the requirements of the Academic Plan, they will become ineligible for financial aid.
The Academic Plan is structured to assist the student in regaining SAP status by a projected time, generally not to exceed the Maximum Timeframe.
Students are limited to one appeal during their education at Gurnick Academy of Medical Arts, regardless of the reason or other circumstances. If a student regains SAP status, they can appeal one additional time.
CREDIT BASED PROGRAMS
The refund will be issued 30 days from the start date of the credit balance on the student’s account.
TERM-BASED PROGRAMS
All withdrawals, incompletes, and repetitions are considered when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress. Incompletes and withdrawals are not considered credits completed. Transfer credits are counted as both attempted and earned but do not affect the GPA. Nontraditional awarding of credit, including credit by exam and credit for life experience, are counted as both attempted, and credits earned but do not affect the GPA. Satisfactory progress standards apply to all students, regardless of enrollment status (full-time, 3/4 time, 1/2 time, or less than 1/2 time). All credit hours for which a student has incurred a financial obligation are considered.
Students are considered good if they have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) and meet the quantitative measure. The required pace or percentage of credit hours completed versus the hours attempted must be at least 67%. Accountability starts with the student’s entry date at the institution.
Students who do not meet the required standards of SAP will receive a Warning notice. While on Warning status, students are eligible to receive financial aid. Students that are still below standards for a second term will have their aid canceled. Students may appeal the loss of financial assistance under the above appeal policy.
All withdrawals and incompletes are considered when determining Satisfactory Academic Progress but do not impact the GPA. Transfer hours reduce the length of the scheduled program hours at Gurnick but do not impact the SAP measurements except for the Maximum Timeframe. All hours for which a student has incurred a financial obligation are considered.
NON-TERM PROGRAMS
Students are considered good if they have at least a 2.0 cumulative grade point average (GPA) at the end of each payment period (qualitative measure). They must also meet the quantitative measure to ensure the student can graduate by the scheduled maximum timeframe, 150% of the program expressed in calendar time. The required pace or percentage of clock hours completed (quantitative measure) is determined as follows: a student must complete a minimum number of scheduled hours of each payment period that varies by the program under the attendance policy. This information can be found in the chart below.
Satisfactory Academic Progress is reviewed at the scheduled end of each payment period in all non-term-based programs, both clock and non-term credit hours. If a student is not meeting either or both of the SAP requirements at the scheduled end of a payment period, the student’s financial aid eligibility is terminated and subject to appeal as outlined in the policy above.
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PROGRAM
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MINIMUM HRS TO BE COMPLETED
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HOURS IN THE PAYMENT PERIOD
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These programs are offered in credits hours, and the payment periods are defined in credit hours.
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Disbursements for non-term programs are made following the SAP evaluation and the disbursement review. Students must meet the SAP requirements and complete the clock or credit hours and weeks in the payment period for the scheduled disbursement.
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PROGRAM
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WEEKS IN THE PROGRAM
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MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME (WEEKS)
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PROGRAM
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CREDIT HOURS IN THE PROGRAM
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MAXIMUM TIMEFRAME ATTEMPTED CREDITS
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Students who receive Cal Grants and withdraw from the academy must have a calculation similar to the Return of Title IV calculation to determine the portion of Cal Grant funds unearned. The Cal Grant earned is based on a pro-rata calculation of hours completed compared to the hours scheduled in the term.
The U.S. Department of Education requires a “Return of Title IV Funds” (R2T4) calculation for all recipients of federal financial aid who withdraw from school, officially or unofficially. This policy is separate from the institutional tuition refund policy described elsewhere in the catalog. The R2T4 calculation determines the proportion of Title IV funds that the school and the student must return to the federal government and what amounts can be retained on the student’s account.
A brief description of the calculation follows. For further information or a more detailed version of the calculation, please see the Financial Aid Office.
Funds will be returned in the following order:
a) Unsubsidized Stafford Loans;
b) Subsidized Stafford Loans;
c) PLUS Loans;
d) Pell Grants;
e) FSEOG;
f) IASG.
Students are responsible for returning the balance of the unearned aid after subtracting the amount returned by the school. The student returns loan funds during loan repayment; the R2T4 calculation will show any grant funds the student must return immediately. Students who do not repay the amount of any grant overpayment due are reported to NSLDS, and the debt is referred to the USDOE for collection.
Students should be aware that the institution’s return of funds to the federal government, as required by the R2T4 calculation, may result in a higher balance due to the school from the student.
The U.S. Department of Education requires a “Return of Title IV Funds” (R2T4) calculation for all recipients of federal financial aid who withdraw from school, officially or unofficially. This policy is separate from the institutional tuition refund policy described elsewhere in the catalog. The R2T4 calculation determines the proportion of Title IV funds that the school and the student must return to the federal government and what amounts can be retained on the student’s account.
A brief description of the calculation follows. For further information or a more detailed version of the calculation, please see the Financial Aid Office.
Funds will be returned in the following order:
a) Unsubsidized Stafford Loans;
b) Subsidized Stafford Loans;
c) PLUS Loans;
d) Pell Grants;
e) FSEOG;
f) IASG.
Students are responsible for returning the balance of the unearned aid after subtracting the amount returned by the school. The student returns loan funds during loan repayment; the R2T4 calculation will show any grant funds the student must return immediately. Students who do not repay the amount of any grant overpayment due are reported to NSLDS, and the debt is referred to the USDOE for collection.
Students should be aware that the institution’s return of funds to the federal government, as required by the R2T4 calculation, may result in a higher balance due to the school from the student.
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