Policies

The Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) prohibits the Office of Financial Aid from discussing financial aid matters with anyone other than the student without the student’s written consent.

While most students authorize parental access to financial and income information through the completion of the FAFSA and CSS Profile application, which typically includes parental data, authorization to discuss financial aid matters with other parties (such as relatives or academic advisors) requires completion of a Financial Information Release form with the Office of Financial Aid.

The financial aid office does not disclose Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) information with parents without specific consent by the student.

Please note, this Financial Information Release form is distinct from the FERPA Release form required by the Registrar's Office.

The Pitzer College Office of Financial Aid adheres to the Statement of Ethical Principles and Code of Conduct for Financial Aid Professionals of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA). Pitzer College admits students of any race, color, sex, gender, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, creed, handicap, and national or ethnic origin, granting them all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the College. The College does not discriminate based on race, color, creed, sex, gender, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, handicap, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarships and loan programs, athletic and other College-administered programs, or employment policies.

Rights

As an aid recipient, you have the right to:

• Information about the types of aid available, eligibility requirements and deadline requirements.
• Know what portion of your financial aid must be repaid and what portion is grant or scholarship assistance.
• All records and data submitted with your application for financial aid are confidential and subject to legal requirements concerning disclosure of such information.
• Appeal (based on special circumstances) any financial aid funding that does not fall under the jurisdiction of federal or state regulations.

Responsibilities

As an aid recipient you have the responsibility to:

• Read and understand all forms you are required to sign. You should keep copies of all forms for your records.
• Read and understand the information contained in the Pitzer College Financial Aid Student Guide, which is available, online, at the start of the fall semester.
• Understand the application process and reapply for financial aid on-time each year that you require assistance.
• Complete all paperwork, for loans or employment you accept, by published deadlines.
• Report all new or increased resources, such as outside scholarships, grants, tuition benefits or VA benefits to the Office of Financial Aid. These resources may impact your financial aid package.
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress in order to maintain eligibility for federal, state and institutional funds.
• Complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling & Master Promissory Note before borrowing a student loan for the first time.
• Complete a student loan Exit Interview before graduating, taking a leave of absence, transferring or withdrawing from Pitzer.
• Notify the Office of Financial Aid and your student loan servicer (if you borrow) of any name change, change of address, graduation, transfer, withdrawal or other change in enrollment status.
• Manage your work schedule and monitor your earnings to ensure you do not earn more than your work-study allotment.
• Repay student loans you borrowed.
• Provide truthful and correct information. If funds are advanced on falsified or misreported data, you will be obligated to repay all money received and may be subject to criminal prosecution.

Outcomes

The goal of the Office of Financial Aid is that students who interact with us demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

• Through a variety of forms of communication with our office, students and their families understand that financial aid provides “access” and “choice” to students who need assistance to attend Pitzer College.
• Through information provided by our office from various printed, electronic and social media, students and their family will understand the types, sources and amounts of financial aid available, the applications required and deadline dates.
• By the end of the first semester, the student understands their aid letter and is able to calculate the amount due to the College.
• By the end of the first semester, the student understands their responsibility to reapply each year for financial aid.
• Through years of enrollment the student develops job skills such as regular attendance, advance notification of absence, punctuality and accountability.
• By the time of separation from the College the student understands and accepts her/his responsibility to repay any student loans.

This code of conduct applies to all Pitzer College officers, employees, and agents who have responsibilities with respect to education loans. This code reinforces and reflects Pitzer College’s continuing commitment to conduct financial aid practices with integrity, free from conflicts of interest, in the interest of students, and in compliance with applicable law.

Definition of Lending Institution

For purpose of this code of conduct, lending institution means:

• Any entity that itself or through an affiliate engages in the business of making loans to students, parents or others for purposes of financing higher education expenses or that securitizes such loans.
• Any entity, or association of entities, that guarantees or services education loans.
• Any industry, trade or professional association that receives money from any entity described above.

Limitations Regarding Lending Institutions

Pitzer College prohibits:

• Any revenue-sharing arrangement with any lending institution. Revenue sharing is any arrangement by which a lender pays Pitzer College a percentage of the principal loan taken by a borrower or otherwise compensates Pitzer College as a result of a borrower taking a loan.
• Accepting or soliciting anything of value from any lending institution related to its education loan activity, including but not be limited to: (i) revenue sharing by a lending institution with Pitzer College, (ii) Pitzer College’s receipt from any lending institution of any computer hardware for which Pitzer College pays below-market prices and (iii) printing costs or services.
• Accepting or soliciting staffing assistance from a lending institution, including but not limited to call center staffing or financial aid office staffing.
• Identifying any employee or other agent of a lending institution to students or prospective students of Pitzer College or their parents as an employee or agent of Pitzer College.
• Arranging with a lending institution to provide any opportunity loans, if the provision of such opportunity loans prejudices any other borrower. For purpose of this code, an opportunity loan agreement is an arrangement whereby a lending institution agrees to make loans up to a specified aggregate amount to students with poor or no credit history, or to international students whom the lending institution claims would not otherwise be eligible for its loan programs, in exchange for concessions or promises by the College that may prejudice other borrowers.
• Accepting or soliciting any funds to be used for private educational loans or opportunity pool loans in exchange for providing a lending institution with a specified number of federal loans, a specified loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement.
• Assigning a first-time borrower to a particular lender, or refusing to certify, or delaying certification, of any loan based on the borrower’s selection of a lending institution.

Limitations on College Officers, Employees or Agents

Pitzer College prohibits any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to education loans from:

• Receiving any remuneration for serving as a member or participant of an advisory board of a lending institution, or receiving any reimbursement of expenses for so serving, provided, however, that participation on advisory boards that are unrelated in any way to higher education loans shall not be prohibited by the code. Notwithstanding the above, individuals are not prohibited from serving on a board of directors of a publicly traded or privately held company.
• Consulting or providing other contract services for a lending institution. This article does not prohibit a financial aid officer from consulting for, or serving on advisory board constituted by, the federal government consistent with Pitzer College’s Policy on Conflict of Interest and federal law.
• Owning stock or holding any other financial interest in a lending institution, other than through ownership of shares in a publicly traded mutual fund or similar investment vehicle in which the person does not exercise any discretion regarding the investment of the assets of the investment vehicle.
• Soliciting or accepting gifts or anything of more than de minimus value on his or her own behalf or on behalf of another from or on behalf of a lending institution and receiving any payment or reimbursement by a lending institution to a College employee for lodging, meals, or travel to conferences or training seminars. This provision shall not be construed to prohibit any officer, employee, or agent of Pitzer College who has responsibility with respect to educational loans from conducting non-College business activity with any lending institution, or prevent Pitzer College from holding membership in any nonprofit professional association.

For purpose of this code, “gifts” include any gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan, or other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount, including services, transportation, lodging, and meals. A gift does not include standard materials, activities or programs related to a loan being provided; favorable terms, conditions or borrower benefits provided to a student employed by Pitzer College if comparable terms are provided to all students of Pitzer College; philanthropic contributions to an institution unrelated to education loans; or state education grants, scholarships or financial aid funds.

Member of NASFAA

As members of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), a person employed as a financial aid administrator of Pitzer College will follow the following NASFAA Code of Conduct. 

Most Pitzer financial aid packages include self-help components such as a subsidized loan and work-study. These options provide students with the opportunity to gain employment, establish good credit, and invest in their education.

Each year, as students progress toward their degree, they become eligible for increased loan funds from the Federal Direct Loan program. Pitzer believes that as students advance toward their degree, their personal investment in their education should grow. Therefore, loan eligibility increases each year. Additionally, work-study allocations increase from $2,500 to $3,000 as students move into their second year.

Below are the subsidized loan and work-study limits for the 2026-27 academic year.

During the admission application process, students indicate on their Common Application if they are interested in pursuing need-based aid. Students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid are not considered for institutional aid. However, they may be considered for federal and state aid if eligible.

Domestic Students

Domestic students who started at Pitzer during or after the 2020-21 year and did not indicate an interest in aid during the year they were admitted will not be considered for institutional aid for two academic years of attendance. However, they may be considered for federal and state aid if eligible.

International Students

International students who indicate on their Common Application that they are not interested in financial aid will not be able to change their status and seek financial aid in subsequent years. International students cannot change their financial aid status throughout their time at Pitzer.

For institutional aid purposes, students admitted to Pitzer College as dependent students cannot change their status to independent during their time at Pitzer. 

Institutional financial aid policies regarding dependency may differ from federal financial aid requirements. For institutional aid purposes, no applicant under the age of 24 is considered independent of parental support, except in cases where the student is an orphan, ward of the court, or in a court-appointed legal guardianship.

For federal aid eligibility, Pitzer uses the dependency criteria listed on the FAFSA. Please note that meeting the independent requirements for federal aid does not guarantee independent status for institutional financial aid.

If a student's family circumstances drastically while enrolled at Pitzer, please contact our office directly.

First-year students 

First-time, first-year students have a maximum timeframe of eight full-time semesters to earn their degree or until they attempt 150% of the program requirements (48 credits), whichever comes first. After receiving Pitzer aid for eight full-time semesters, students become ineligible for institutional aid. To complete a degree within this timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester within eight full-time semesters.

Transfer students

Transfers have their semesters of Pitzer financial aid eligibility pro-rated based on their academic standing at the time of admission. For example, a student who enters Pitzer as a second-year has a maximum timeframe of six full-time semesters. This calculation is based on the standard eight full-time semesters required to complete a degree. To complete a degree within any timeframe, students must complete an average of four courses per semester.

New Resource Students

NRS have a prorated timeframe based on the number of courses remaining to reach the 32 required for a bachelor’s degree. For example, a student who enters Pitzer with 10 courses will receive institutional aid for 22 courses. This calculation is based on the standard 32 courses required to complete a degree.

If the student requires more time to complete their degree, the student is responsible for financing the extra cost, including tuition, fees, room, board, books and supplies. For more information, refer to our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy.

Financial aid eligibility may change based on a student's enrollment status. Most students are assumed to be full-time, meaning enrollment in three to five courses. Enrollment in fewer than three courses is considered part-time, which may affect financial aid. Students can change their course enrollment during the first two weeks of the semester. The last day to add or drop a course for a tuition refund or financial aid adjustment is listed on the College’s Academic Calendar. After these dates, the Office of Financial Aid will not make any adjustments to financial aid packages.

Adding a Course: If a student adds a course after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, additional financial aid to cover the increased cost will not be provided.

Dropping a Course: If a student drops a class after the ‘add/drop’ deadline, financial aid will not be adjusted to reflect the reduced coursework. This may impact the student's ability to graduate within their semesters of aid eligibility. For more information, refer to our Satisfactory Academic Policy.

The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects FAFSA submissions for a process called Verification. Verification is a routine part of the financial aid process and is in place to ensure the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA. This process can include verification of your identity.  

If you see this requirement in your Pitzer Hub financial aid checklist you must provide information to our office to confirm your eligibility for Federal Student Aid. Students selected for verification of identity can complete this process in person or through video call.  

Standard Verification Group (V1) Requirements

• Tax filers (student, student spouse, parent, and parent spouse/partner, as applicable) must verify the following:
  • Adjusted gross income
  • Income earned from work
  • U.S. income tax paid
  • Untaxed portions of IRA distributions
  • Untaxed portions of pensions
  • IRA deductions and payments
  • Tax exempt interest income
  • Education Credits
  • Foreign income exempt from federal taxation
  • Family size
• Non-tax filers (student, student spouse, parent, and parent spouse/partner, as applicable) must verify the following:
  • Income earned from work
  • Family size

Custom Verification Group (V4) Requirements

• Verification of Identity Form (available in person at the Office of Financial Aid)

Aggregate Verification Group (V5) Requirements

• Verification of Identity Form (available in person at the Office of Financial Aid).
• All items under Standard Verification Group (V1) as noted above.

Students selected for verification, must complete all verification requirements in order for the Office of Financial Aid to disburse any federal funds.

All verification documents are due before we are able to disburse federal aid to the student's account. Students who do not complete the verification process before the end of the term may have their federal aid cancelled.

Additional information about verification can be found online on the Federal Student Aid website as well.

We understand that the information provided on the FAFSA and CSS Profile may not always reflect a family’s ability to contribute. Federal regulations allow financial aid counselors to use Professional Judgement to adjust certain components of a student’s information through an appeal. There are two categories of appeals: Special Circumstances and Unusual Circumstances.

A student may have both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance. Through an appeal process, financial aid counselors have the ability to review a student’s situation.

Special circumstances pertain to changes in a family’s financial circumstances that justify an adjustment to data elements in the student’s cost of attendance, the family contribution, or the Student Aid Index (SAI).

Special Circumstances Considered

• Recent job loss
• High medical/dental expenses
• Private elementary/secondary tuition for sibling
• Elder care expenses
• Loss of benefits (social security, child support, etc.)

Special Circumstances Not Considered

• High cost of living
• Comparing of other financial aid packages
• Consumer debt
• Expenses/situations that have not occurred
• Results from the Net Price Calculator

These are circumstances pertaining to the student’s dependency status, commonly referred to as a dependency override. The Department of Education has established criteria to determine if a student is required to submit parental data to determine eligibility for federal financial assistance. The Office of Financial Aid can override the Department’s criteria if a student can document circumstances that prohibit the student from obtaining parental information.

Unique Circumstances Considered

• Parental abandonment
• Unaccompanied homeless youth
• Human trafficking
• Incarceration of parent
• Refugee or asylee status

Unique Circumstances NOT Considered

• Parent refusal to contribute
• Parent refusal to provide financial information or participate in the financial aid process
• Parents do not claim the student for income tax purposes

Students and families who have special and/or unusual circumstances should schedule an appointment with their Financial Aid Counselor to discuss their specific situation and determine next best steps. Please keep in mind:

• An Appeal Application or Dependency Override Application, whichever is applicable, is typically required
• Supporting documentation, as outlined on the appeal forms, is required

After reviewing an appeal and documentation, the student's financial aid counselor will present the appeal to the Professional Judgement team which is comprised of the Director, Senior Associate Director, Assistant Director, and Financial Aid Counselor. As a team they decide whether or not to approve an appeal.