To comply with the Higher Education Act of 1965, we are required to disclose specific consumer information about the university and the availability of student financial aid to prospective and current students.
Carson-Newman is committed to providing access to information that will allow students, parents, counselors, and other constituents to make informed decisions about postsecondary education. Information about the university, that include its religious affiliation, enrollment, and student services, can be found under the “General Information” section of COLLEGE NAVIGATOR.
Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs
College of Professional Studies
Constitution Day and Citizenship Day is observed each year on September 17 to commemorate the signing of the Constitution on September 17, 1787, and to recognize all who have become U.S. citizens, whether by coming of age or by naturalization.
Starting in 1940, this national holiday was originally known as “I Am An American Day” on the third Sunday in May to recognize and celebrate American citizenship. In 1952, Congress repealed that joint resolution and passed a new law to morph “I Am An American Day” into “Citizenship Day,” and the date was changed to September 17 to commemorate the formation and signing of the Constitution as well. In 2004, Congress changed the designation of this day to “Constitution Day and Citizenship Day.” Now, it is commonly referenced by the shorter name, “Constitution Day.”
Senator Robert C. Byrd, a West Virginia Democrat and the United States Congress’ unofficial constitutional scholar, believed that American primary, secondary, and post-secondary students lack significant knowledge regarding the United States Constitution. In December 2004, Senator Byrd offered an amendment that was passed by both the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate in an attempt to increase students’ knowledge about the Constitution.
The legislation requires that all educational institutions that receive federal funds implement educational programs related to the United States Constitution on September 17 of each year to align with the historical commemoration of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day. Click here to visit the official Constitution Day website.
Disability Services
David Humphrey, Director of Students with Disabilities and Case Manager
Carson-Newman University has articulation agreements with the following institutions:
Tennessee Transfer Pathways and Articulation Agreements
Carson-Newman University has established transfer pathways agreements for students who complete an associate degree from a Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) institution prior to beginning their enrollment at Carson-Newman University. Students who follow the prescribed pathway will streamline their educational journey and satisfy many components of their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree without taking additional unnecessary coursework. Following an articulation agreement or transfer pathway prior to admission will allow a student to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from Carson-Newman University upon completion of REL 101, REL 102 and LA-102, remaining courses required for the major, upper level and senior college credit requirements, and elective hours required to reach the 120 hours required for graduation from Carson-Newman.
Additional information on transfer pathways can be found on the Admissions website at this link: C-N Transfer Admissions and at TN Transfer Pathway
Participating institutions are listed below:
Tennessee Reverse Transfer
The University participates in the Tennessee Reverse Transfer program. This program allows a student who completes a minimum of 15 hours at a participating Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) community college and who enrolls at Carson-Newman University before completing an associate degree to transfer their credits earned at Carson-Newman back to the community college. A reverse transfer potentially allows these students to be awarded an associate degree by their community college while also meeting bachelor’s degree requirements at Carson-Newman. For more information, see C-N Transfer Admissions
Carson- Newman University is a member of the National Council for State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (NC-SARA). This membership allows Carson-Newman to offer distance learning programs to students residing outside of Tennessee, however this agreement does not guarantee professional licensure in other states for students completing Carson-Newman University’s academic programs that lead to professional licensure.
Carson-Newman University’s academic programs that lead to professional licensure in the state of Tennessee include undergraduate and graduate teacher licensure programs, undergraduate and graduate nursing programs, and graduate counseling programs. These programs have been developed to satisfy the licensure requirements in the state of Tennessee, and the University makes every effort to ensure that state licensure or certification information is current; however, state requirements may change. Students who reside in or plan to be employed in other states will need to meet the requirements for licensure in those states.
NC-SARA and the U.S. Department of Education Rule § 668.43 (a)(2)(v) requires institutions to make public whether a program will fulfill educational requirements for a specific licensure or certification required for employment in an occupation if the program is designed to or advertised as meeting such requirements. The document below provides information about whether each Carson-Newman academic program that leads to licensure in the state of Tennessee may meet the licensure requirements in other states. Each state’s professional licensing board makes final licensing decisions regarding individual licensure. Please visit our Academics page for additional information on each program.
Professional Licensure General Information Disclosure.pdf
Student complaints relating to consumer protection laws that involve distance learning education offered under the terms and conditions of the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement (SARA) must first be filed with Carson-Newman to seek resolution.
Complainants not satisfied with the outcome of Carson-Newman’s internal process may appeal, within two years of the incident about which the complaint is made, to the Tennessee Higher Education Commission at https://www.tn.gov/thec/bureaus/student-aid-and-compliance/postsecondary-state-authorization/request-for-complaint-review.html.
For purposes of this process, a complaint shall be defined as a formal assertion in writing that the terms of SARA or the laws, standards or regulations incorporated by the SARA Policies and Standards (http://www.nc-sara.org/content/sara-manual) have been violated by the institution operating under the terms of SARA.
For a list of SARA member States, please visit the NC-SARA website (http://nc-sara.org/sara-states-institutions). Students residing in non-SARA states should consult their respective State of residence for further instruction for filing a complaint.
To see an overview of the process: SARA Student Complaint Process: StudentComplaintProcedure.pdf
The university’s values statements, student learning goals, goals for the liberal arts core, the quality enhancement plan and the university strategic plan (Vision 2020) can be found at University-Wide Goals
Links
Adult & Graduate Programs
FAFSA Information
Carson-Newman is committed to making private education affordable. Our Financial Aid representatives will customize a plan for each student.
The first step in the process is completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Carson-Newman’s FAFSA code is 003481.
Learn more about the process and begin your application
Get the myStudentAid Apple app
Get the myStudentAid Google Play app
Undergraduate Aid
Adult & Graduate Aid
Study Abroad
Enrollment in a program of study abroad approved for credit by Carson-Newman may be considered enrollment in Carson-Newman for the purposes of applying for federal student financial aid. Students must still meet other federal eligibility requirements.
Disbursement Dates
The Financial Aid Office disburses financial aid payments to the Student Accounts Office on the dates listed below after all required paperwork is complete. Paperwork not completed before the scheduled disbursement dates will result in a delay. Disbursements outside of the following schedule will only be processed on Thursday of each week.
The Financial Aid Office will email you when loans are posted to your account. If an email address is not available, the notice will be sent via mail. You may reduce or reject the loan within 14 days.
Credit Balance Refunds
When financial aid disbursement(s) create a credit balance, the Office of Student Accounts will issue a refund check within 14 calendar days of the disbursement date as reflected on your statement of account. Checks will be mailed to parent borrowers of the Parent PLUS Loan if indicated on the application. All students will be notified by Student Accounts and may pick up checks or request that checks be mailed. To pick up checks, present a valid photo ID at the Student Accounts window in the Fite Administration Building during regular business hours.
The Carson-Newman Financial Aid Handbook is designed to answer common questions for financial aid recipients and to outline students’ specific rights and responsibilities regarding financial aid. Terms and conditions of awards are outlined in the handbook. Terms and conditions of awards are subject to change without notice based on change(s) in federal, state, NCAA, or university policies. Contact the Financial Aid Office (financialaid@cn.edu) for any additional questions.
Carson-Newman University Financial Aid Office 1646 Russell Ave. Jefferson City, TN P 865-471-3247 E financialaid@cn.edu
Students convicted of a federal or state offense of selling or possessing illegal drugs may not be eligible for federal student aid (grants, loans and work study). Students who answer “Yes” to question 31 on the FAFSA will be sent a worksheet by the federal processing center to determine if the conviction affects eligibility for aid. Also, if the Financial Aid Office is notified that a student has been convicted of possession or sale of illegal drugs during the academic year, all federal student aid will be suspended immediately.
Convictions only count if the offense occurred during a period of enrollment for which the student was receiving federal student aid. Also, a conviction that was reversed, set aside or removed from the student’s record does not count.
The chart below illustrates the period of ineligibility for federal student aid funds depending on whether the conviction was for sale or possession and whether the student had previous offenses. (A conviction for sale of drugs includes convictions for conspiring to sell drugs.)
Students regain eligibility the day after the period of ineligibility ends or when they successfully complete a qualified drug rehabilitation program. Further drug convictions will extend ineligibility. Students denied eligibility for an indefinite period can regain aid only after successfully completing a rehabilitation program or if a conviction is reversed, set aside or removed from the student’s record so that fewer than two convictions for sale or three convictions for possession remain on the record. In such cases, the nature and dates of the remaining convictions will determine when the student regains eligibility. It is the student’s responsibility to certify to the Office of Financial Aid the date of conviction and if he/she has completed a drug rehabilitation program.
In compliance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) of 2008, the following Code of Conduct was written in respect to the Title IV Stafford Loan program. Financial Aid employees are prohibited from the following:
Conflicts of interest in respect to loans.
Revenue sharing arrangements with any lender.
Soliciting or accepting gifts from a lender, guarantor or servicer. Gifts include “gratuity, favor, discount, entertainment, hospitality, loan or any other item having a monetary value of more than a de minimus amount,” including services, transportation, lodging and meals. A gift does not include the following:
Receipt of any fees, payments or any other financial benefits for consulting services by anyone with responsibilities in respect to education loans.
Assigning first-time borrower’s loans to a particular lender and not delaying certification of any loan regardless of the lender or guaranty agency the borrower selects.
Accepting any funds to be used for private education loans in exchange for the institution providing concessions to the private lender.
In general, Carson-Newman University Financial Aid employees hold themselves to the following standards:
Refrain from taking any action for his or her personal benefit.
Refrain from taking any action he or she believes is contrary to law, regulation or best interests of the students and parents he or she serves.
Ensure that the information he or she provides is accurate and unbiased and does not reflect any preference arising from actual or potential personal gain.
Remain objective in making decisions and advising the institution regarding relationships with any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
Refrain from soliciting or accepting anything beyond nominal value from any entity (other than an institution of higher education or a governmental entity such as the U.S. Department of Education) involved in the making, holding, consolidating or processing of any student loans, including anything of value (including reimbursement of expenses) for serving on an advisory body or part of a training activity of or sponsored by any such entity.
Disclose to his or her institution in such manner, as his or her institution may prescribe, any involvement with or interest in any entity involved in any aspect of student financial aid.
Statement of Ethical Principles
Carson-Newman University puts the best interest and needs of our students and their families first. Click for the NASFAA (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) Statement of Ethical Principles, which has been adopted by the Carson-Newman University Office of Financial Aid as a participating member of NASFAA.
University Code of Professional Conduct
All Carson-Newman employees are held to very high standards in order to provide the best service to our students and their families. Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner by practicing good customer service and recognizing confidentiality in the position. Employees are expected to conduct themselves in a manner appropriate to a Christian institution and to be a worthy example in moral conduct and behavior for students of the University.
Initial Eligibility & Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP) Initially, to be eligible to receive financial assistance, students must be enrolled in an eligible program. Financial assistance is considered renewable up to 150% of the approved program of study, provided the student satisfies the standards of Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (FASAP) as outlined below.
A student will be considered as making satisfactory progress in receiving financial assistance provided that:
Quantitative FASAP In addition to the above, students must earn 67% of Attempted Credit Hours to qualify as listed below:
Maximum Timeframe
Zero Term GPA (0.00) If you have a 0.00 GPA in a term, the Registrar will determine if you completed and earned all F’s in your classes. If the Registrar determines that you stopped attending every class, you will be processed by the Financial Aid Office as an unofficial withdrawal. Refer to the “Withdrawal from Carson-Newman” section for more information. FASAP Evaluation Process (Process Illustration)
If your financial aid exceeds your student charges, a book credit will be available to you. If you have initiated an authorization with Student Accounts, or if you are a Federal Pell Grant recipient, your available book credit will be sent electronically to the bookstore when the e-confirm process begins each semester. There is no e-confirm process in summer, so your credit will be sent in advance of the summer term. If you choose to obtain books through another method/place or wish to opt out of this process, please contact Student Accounts directly.
We encourage prospective students to discover the wide range of scholarships available for today’s college students. There are many free scholarship searches, and our financial aid representative will be happy to help you in your exploration. Contact the Financial Aid Office (financialaid@cn.edu) for more information. Current C-N students will also find scholarship information here.
Tips for Scholarship Searches
As a student financial aid recipient, you have the right to:
As a student financial aid recipient, it is your responsibility to:
For federal aid to pay for a course in your major, minor, or other degree requirement, if must be part of your approved Course Program of Study (CPos) and must count in the evaluation of your approved program using the degree evaluation tool. You need to make sure all courses count when you meet with your academic advisor and plan your schedule for each semester.
First: Officially Declare Your Major and Minor
It is essential that your major and minor are officially declared and noted in your student record. If you have been planning to declare or change a major or minor, but have not yet done so, you should consult with your academic advisor immediately to make the official declaration.
Second: Assumptions About Financial Aid Offers
Financial aid offers are based on the assumption that undergraduate students will enroll full-time and graduate students will enroll at least half-time in eligible coursework during the fall and spring semesters.
Third: Keep Your Eligibility
Remember that dropping or not attending your courses can negatively impact your eligibility for current and future aid. It is important that your discuss your Course Program of Study with your advisor when your enroll for next semester’s classes. if your current coursework is not correct, work with your advisot to make the appropriate changes to your major or minor.
Why is this important?
Taking courses that are not required to completed your program could result in your receiving less or no federal aid or in owing money back. Taking classes that are not in your Course Program of Study for your officially declared major and/or minor may result in a reduction of your overall financial aid offer since courses that are not eligible cannot be counted toward your full-time status. In other words, the full-time Cost of Attendance (COA) requirements for undergraduates says that you must be enrolled in at least 12 eligible credit hours. For example, if 9 of your 12 hours are in your Course Program of Study, but 3 of your hours do not count toward your major or minor, your COA will reflect that you are not a full-time student (only 3/4 time), which could reduce your state and university aid. Remember: We cannot award aid in excess of your Cost of Attendance.
What types of aid are affected by this?
Federal Aid (Examples: Pell Grant, FSEOG, Teach Grant, Direct Loans, and Work-study) may only be paid for eligible courses that count toward your program. state, university Aid, and other aid (TSAA Grant, HOPE Scholarship, C-N Grant, and Alternative Loans) are currently not subject to the same regulatory restrictions. However, your Cost of Attendance will be reduced for courses that are not counting towards the program of study; which can result in a lower about of state, university, and private aid that you may receive.
How does this affect Cost of Attendance?
The Cost of Attendance is an estimate of your cost to go to school for a specific amount of time (semester or year) and is based on your enrollment status, and we cannot award aid in excess of your Cost of Attendance. Enrollment status for financial aid is based on eligible courses only. If you are in 12 hours that count towards your program of study, you will be considered a full-time student for cost of attendance purposes. If you are enrolled in 12 hours and only 9 hours are required toward your officially declared program of study, your federal aid will be reduced to 3/4 time based on 9 hours, as will your Cost of Attendance. However if your Cost of Attendance allows, you may still be eligible for a full-time university grant/scholarship and/or TN state grant/scholarship. Federal Direct Loans require 1/2 time attendance (at least 6 credit hours). If you are enrolled in 6+ hours, but only 3-5 hours are required for your program of study, you will not be eligible to receive a Federal Direct Loan.
If your federal aid has been reduced due to enrollment in coursework that does not apply towards your outstanding requirements in your program of study, you should contact your academic advisor to discuss your academic options. Otherwise, if you have questions regarding financial aid, contact our office located in Butler Welcome Hall or by emailing financialaid@cn.edu.
Not all students will be selected for the verification process. For those who are selected, Carson-Newman’s Office of Financial Aid is here to help.
Verification is a process used to confirm certain information you provided on the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Some students are selected by the U.S. Department of Education randomly or because FAFSA data was incomplete, estimated, or inconsistent, while others may be selected by our office based on conflicting information.
If you are selected for verification, Carson-Newman is required to collect documentation from you to confirm or correct the information reported on your FAFSA. If selected, you will receive a letter detailing the documentation needed from you to complete the process. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the aid for which they qualify.
Regardless of why you were chosen, our office will work with you to collect the proper documentation. Carson-Newman may issue you an award letter with tentative aid, but we will not be able to apply aid to your student account until verification is complete. Please understand that your financial aid is subject to change as a result of verification.
Not all students will need the same documentation, so pay special attention to your letter. Please do not send documents unless requested. Generally, however, you will need at least the following:
It is important that all documents requested be returned as quickly as possible to avoid delays. If you have amended your tax return(s), we will need a copy of the original and the amended version. If you have requested an extension for filing your tax return(s), please send a copy of the extension until you are able to provide that filed tax information. Completing this process as soon as possible cannot be overstressed. We want to be able to give you accurate financial aid, rather than tentative aid that is subject to change. Please understand that all information will be kept confidential in our office. Once your file has been reviewed, it may be necessary to correct your FAFSA information. If we have corrected information while you are in verification, please do not correct your FAFSA back to what you originally filed, as this will create further delays.
All documents and forms may be mailed or faxed to the Office of Financial Aid.
For questions about the verification process, please contact the Office of Financial Aid by phone at (800) 678-9061, (865) 471-3247, or by email at financialaid@cn.edu.
As a student employed in the Federal Work Study program at Carson-Newman, many questions and answers regarding your work study employment may be found in the Student Employment Handbook as it outlines the terms and conditions of the Federal Work Study program. Terms and conditions of student employment are subject to change based on change(s) in Federal or University policies. Feel free to contact our office with any questions.
The Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship (TELS) HOPE funding requires a student to meet certain renewal GPAs at each renewal benchmark:
-OR-
Cumulative GPA of 2.75-2.99 AND a semester GPA of at least a 3.0 in the preceding term of receiving the award (provisional status)
The TELS HOPE GPA may not be the same as your Carson-Newman University GPA, so use the following Excel calculator to determine your estimated TELS HOPE GPA:
HOPE GPA Calculator (Excel Version)
Students without Excel may review the calculation process below:
Official TELS HOPE GPAs will be calculated by the University and are completed at the end of every semester for every Tennessee HOPE eligible student. Students are notified via email when the official calculation indicates a student is no longer eligible for lottery funding. Students that have lost HOPE Lottery funding are eligible to regain at the next benchmark by meeting the renewal GPA requirements.
The TELS HOPE Lottery funding eligibility ends when a student has attained a baccalaureate degree OR has attempted 120 semester hours OR 5 years have passed from initial enrollment at any post-secondary institution—whichever occurs first. Exceptions may be available to students with documented medical disabilities. Students enrolled in a program of study greater than 120 hours may receive the award for up to 136 attempted hours OR the number of hours required to earn degree, whichever is less. Most undergraduate degree programs at Carson-Newman University require 120 semester hours, so funding ceases at 120 attempted hours.
Part-time degree seeking students qualify for limited aid. Each student that will be enrolling for less than 12 credit hours each term should notify our office as soon as possible (financialaid@cn.edu) so that we may more accurately reflect aid that you are eligible to receive. In generating your Award Letter, we may have assumed full-time attendance. Your student bill will then be incorrectly listing full-time aid with part-time charges, giving you the impression that you may not owe for your registered courses.
At the census date each term (last day to make a schedule change), our office will adjust aid downward based upon your actual enrollment if less than full-time.
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Please be aware that after the census date, you should take care to NOT change your schedule unless you consult with our office first. This is extremely important for TN HOPE Scholarship recipients. TN HOPE recipients that fail to contact our office before making a schedule change after the census date could forfeit TN HOPE Scholarship funding.
Below are some important aid programs and the amounts that you may qualify based on attendance each term. If you have other programs not listed, please contact our office so that we may assist you: Undergraduate Students, seeking first degree:
Graduate Students: (University Merit Scholarships, Need-based Grants, and Endowments are not available for Graduate Students regardless of hours enrolled)
1/2 time attendance
(5-6 hrs)
Updated Information as of November 2014 and Proposals available here. Although the Development, Relief, and Education of Alien Minors (DREAM) Act has never been passed into law by Congress, certain eligible young immigrants may now be eligible to apply for temporary relief called “deferred action.” Deferred action for childhood arrivals (DACA) provides individuals who are not in lawful immigration status and entered into the United States as minors a two-year grant of deferred action. The DACA does not provide a pathway to citizenship, nor does it confer lawful immigration status upon recipients. It does allow for work authorization, application for social security numbers, and potentially obtaining a driver’s license, depending upon the state of domicile. DACA Qualifications:
DACA Recipients and Financing College: In certain states, undocumented immigrants are eligible to pay in-state tuition rates at public universities. The good news is that Carson-Newman’s tuition and fees are the same regardless of state residency. However, DACA recipients are currently ineligible to receive federal student aid as they do not currently fit into any of the U.S. Department of Education’s categories for eligible noncitizens. Additionally, undocumented students are also ineligible for most state financial aid programs.
Carson-Newman does award merit aid to undocumented students upon acceptance even though students may not qualify for federal and state aid. Additionally, DACA recipients should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The student must have a Social Security number to complete the FAFSA online. This FAFSA will be used by Carson-Newman solely to determine if an undocumented student may also qualify for Carson-Newman need based aid. In comparison to public colleges who may charge out-of-state tuition, the cost of attending Carson-Newman is many times more affordable.
DACA students should also explore sources for outside funding. Students may be eligible for private scholarships, depending upon eligibility requirements. Students should conduct free scholarship searches in pursuit of funding. Important Considerations for DACA Recipients:
What’s Next?
The Office of Financial Aid encourages you to take the time to learn financial basics. If you are a young adult just beginning your college education or ready to graduate with your degree, learning how to manage your money should be a priority in your life. We want you to become financially educated. With the help of the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), CashCourse is available to Carson-Newman Students.
Start now by clicking the link below:
In university programs and activities, Carson-Newman University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran’s status.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from discrimination in educational programs and activities which receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX specifically states that “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal assistance.” Sexual harassment of students, which includes sexual violence, is a form of sex discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Under the guidelines provided by Title IX, sexual violence refers to physical sexual acts perpetrated against a person’s will or where a person is incapable of giving consent due to the victim’s use of drugs or alcohol.
Carson-Newman University understands its obligations under Title IX to protect students in connection with all academic, educational, extracurricular, athletic and other programs it sponsors whether those programs take place on campus or off campus. Carson-Newman University expects its students to refrain from sexual misconduct at any time and at any place.
Those who have a complaint regarding sexual assault, stalking, domestic violence, dating violence or other violations of the Sexual Misconduct Policy should contact the Campus Title IX Coordinator, who will initiate an investigation in accordance with the complaint and grievance procedures outlined in the Student Handbook. More information is provided in the Discrimination and Harassment Section of the Student Handbook.
Carson-Newman University Title IX
The Title IX Coordinator for Carson-Newman University is also the Assistant Vice President for Student Services and Dean of Students.
Title IX Coordinator — Shelley Ball
Maddox Student Activities Center, Office 2009-C
2130 Branner Ave., Jefferson City, TN 37760
Office: (865) 471-3238
Email: sball@cn.edu
Entrance and Exit Counseling are designed to help student borrowers understand the benefits and responsibilities of Direct Loans, terms of any loan received, and loan repayment information associated with Direct Loans.
Direct Loan Entrance Counseling
Both the entrance counseling and Master Promissory Note are required for loan disbursement. Use the Student Loans link below to complete this process for Federal Direct Stafford Loans or Direct PLUS Loans.
Direct Loan Exit Counseling
Federal regulations require all student loan borrowers to participate in Stafford Loan exit counseling whenever dropping below half-time enrollment status, transferring, withdrawing or graduating. Use the Student Loans link below to complete exit counseling.
Important Links
Convictions
Possession of Illegal Drugs
Sale of Illegal Drugs
1st Offense
1 year from date of conviction
2 years from date of conviction
2nd Offense
Indefinite Period
3+ Offenses
