Financial Aid

In-State Tuition Eligibility

Reynolds makes an initial determination of a student’s eligibility for in-state tuition rates (domiciliary status) based on the information the applicant and/or the applicant’s parent, legal guardian, or spouse supplies on the Application for Admission. Applicants certify that they have provided accurate information on behalf of parents, legal guardians, and spouses. The determination is made under the provisions of section  23-7.4 of the Code of Virginia (on file in the Admissions Office). Non-U.S. citizens seeking eligibility for in-state tuition rates must provide immigration and other required documents. Occasionally, Reynolds may require clarification or additional information from the applicant before making the determination.

Students requesting to appeal out-of-state status must submit a completed Application for Re-Classification of Student’s Domicile Status, or visit the Admissions Office. The completed form, with needed supporting documentation, must be submitted at least two weeks prior to the first day of classes of the semester the student is attempting to enroll. The determination will be issued in writing prior to the first official day of classes. Requests for review of domicile and domicile appeals that are received after the first day of classes will be considered for subsequent semesters only. Residency status must be determined prior to the start of the term. Appeals and domicile status changes are not retroactive.  For additional information, visit https://www.reynolds.edu/get_started/steps_for_admission/residency.html. 

Title 38 United States Code Section 3679(c)

The following individuals shall be charged the in-state rate, or otherwise considered a resident, for tuition purposes:

• A Veteran using educational assistance under either chapter 30 (Montgomery G.I. Bill^® - Active Duty Program) or chapter 33 (Post-9/11 G.I. Bill^®), of title 38, United States Code, who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
• Anyone using transferred Post-9/11 GI Bill^® benefits (38U.S.C. § 3319) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the transferor’s discharge from a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
• A spouse or child using benefits under the Marine Gunnery Sergeant John David Fry Scholarship (38 U.S.C. § 3311(b) (9)) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) and enrolls in the school within three years of the Service member’s death in the line of duty following a period of active duty service of 90 days or more.
• A spouse or child using benefits under Survivors’ and Dependents’ Education Assistance (Chapter 35) living in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of their formal state of residence).
• An individual using educational assistance under chapter 31, Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) who lives in the Commonwealth of Virginia while attending a school located in the Commonwealth of Virginia (regardless of his/her formal State of residence) effective for courses, semesters, or terms beginning after March 1, 2019.
• Anyone described above while he or she remains continuously enrolled (other than during regularly scheduled breaks between courses, semesters, or terms) at the same institution. The person so described must have enrolled in the institution prior to the expiration of the three-year period following discharge or release as described above and must be using educational benefits under either chapter 30, chapter 33, chapter 31 or chapter 35 of title 38, United States Code.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is money provided to students to help pay college expenses, including direct educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books, and supplies, as well as cost of living expenses like food, housing, and transportation. Reynolds processes over 10,000 financial aid applications each year. Each year more than 6,000 curricular-and certificate-seeking students receive over $25 million in grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.

This section contains a brief overview of selected financial aid information and is subject to revision without notice. Current details on aid programs, policies, and procedures are available on the Reynolds website at www.reynolds.edu/financialaid. Students needing assistance should contact the Office of Financial Aid. The staff within the Office of Financial Aid can assist students with completing applications, reviewing verification documents and worksheets, obtaining financial aid information, understanding financial aid policies, and will work with students to collect requested documents to ensure timely processing of their financial aid. To receive printed information about financial aid programs and regulations, submit a written request to the Office of Financial Aid at P.O. Box 85622, Richmond, VA 23285-5622 or email finaid@reynolds.edu.

Financial Aid Application Process

1. If new to Reynolds, apply for admission to Reynolds as a degree/certificate candidate. Students must be admitted into an approved curricular program in order to be eligible for financial aid.
2. Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at the US Department of Education’s free website: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.  FAFSA on the web is the best way to apply for aid.

Students do not need to receive an admissions decision before applying for financial aid. Students must complete a new, or renewal, FAFSA that coincides with the new academic year to reapply for financial aid. For more information on the process, please visit our website at: www.reynolds.edu/financialaid and select “Applying for Financial Aid.” It is important that students list Reynolds (federal code #003759) as an institution that will receive their completed FAFSA.

3. Renewal applicants may access their renewal FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa by selecting “Returning User.”

NOTE: Reynolds encourages applicants to apply electronically using FAFSA on the web. The web application will automatically prompt the student to enter all required fields and will question any erroneous data. In addition, the results of a FAFSA completed electronically are received in approximately three to five business days, whereby a paper FAFSA takes approximately four to six weeks.

4. After completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA, applicants will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) from the US Department of Education. If any corrections are necessary, students should correct the information on the web, or on the signed FSS and mail it back to the Central Processor at the address listed on the FSS. Students are randomly selected by the federal government to verify the information that is listed on the FAFSA. Students who are selected for verification will receive a request in their SIS Message Center for additional information from the Reynolds Office of Financial Aid. This information should be returned to the Office of Financial Aid; students will not be awarded financial aid until all requested information has been submitted.
5. Students should promptly respond to any financial aid or admissions inquiries sent by Reynolds. The student should be sure to complete and return other financial aid materials, such as loan applications, if applying for an educational loan. Students must have applied and have ALL requested documents on file, to include Verification materials and FSS corrections, in the Office of Financial Aid on or before the posted deadline for each semester. FAFSAs and incoming documents received on or before the posted deadline will receive priority processing. FAFSAs and incoming documents received after the posted deadline will be processed after the priority applications are completed. (Refer to the Financial Aid Deadlines section.)
6. After a completed FAFSA is received by the federal processor, the results will be sent to the student and to Reynolds. The Office of Financial Aid will use the information from the FAFSA to determine a student’s eligibility, develop an award package and notify the student of the award by email to the VCCS email account and SIS Message Center. It is anticipated that award notifications will be sent beginning in April. All financial aid is awarded assuming full-time enrollment (i.e. 12 or more credit hours) for each of two semesters (fall and spring). If a student enrolls less than full-time, the award amount will be prorated accordingly.

Financial Aid Eligibility Criteria

General Eligibility Criteria

A student’s eligibility for financial aid is determined using the following formula:

  Estimated Cost of Attendance
- Student Aid Index                          
= Demonstrated Financial Need

The federal government, using information reported on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), computes the Student Aid Index (SAI).

The Office of Financial Aid at Reynolds develops a financial aid package that attempts to meet students’ demonstrated financial need. However, because the various funding sources are limited, the amount of financial aid funds awarded may not meet full need. Students should contact the Office of Financial Aid if they believe there are changes in their financial circumstances not covered by information provided on the FAFSA that could have an impact on their financial aid eligibility.

Students admitted as non-curricular, visiting, dual-enrolled or concurrent are ineligible to receive financial aid. Students enrolled in career studies certificate programs that require less than 16 credits to complete are ineligible to receive financial aid. Certain other career studies certificate programs are also ineligible for financial aid. If you have any questions regarding a specific program’s eligibility for financial aid, contact the Office of Financial Aid or see our website at www.reynolds.edu/financialaid.

Program Eligibility

Students may be eligible for financial aid assistance in the form of a grant, loan, scholarship, and/or work-study award. To be eligible for most federal and state aid programs, a student must:

• Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen;
• Be admitted to, and pursuing, an eligible degree or certificate program;
• Have a high school diploma, a General Education Development (GED), or a certificate of completion of homeschooling. 
• Have a valid Social Security number;
• Make satisfactory academic progress;
• Certify on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that federal student aid will be used only for educational purposes;
• Not be in default on a federal student or owe money on a federal grant;
• Register with the Selective Service if required (males only); and
• Be enrolled in eligible credit courses. No financial aid is available for non-credit or audited courses.

NOTE: To be considered for Virginia state financial aid programs, applicants must qualify for the in-state tuition rate and submit the FAFSA.

Financial Aid Deadlines

To ensure the timely processing of financial aid applications (FAFSA), students should complete and submit the FAFSA to the federal processor by no later than April 15 for the fall semester; September 15 for the spring semester; and March 15 for the summer semester. The chart below lists deadlines for the FAFSA and for other information related to the financial aid application process. 

Loan Applications

Students interested in applying for federal student loans must complete the FAFSA and submit a loan request form to the Office of Financial Aid by July 1 if applying for a loan for the fall, October 15 for the spring, and April 1 for the summer. The last day a loan application may be submitted for processing is October 15 for the fall semester; April 1 for the spring semester; and July 1 for the summer semester. Students must also complete an entrance counseling session and master promissory note at studentaid.gov before their loan can be disbursed. In addition, students must maintain enrollment in at least six semester hours in order to remain eligible for a loan.

Federal and State Financial Aid Programs Offered at Reynolds

Disbursement

Students who are receiving financial aid will have their aid applied directly to tuition and fees. Financial aid recipients may use a portion of their award to purchase books and supplies at a campus bookstore if the amount of their financial aid award exceeds the cost of tuition and fees. A student must complete the Bookstore Authorization form on their “To Do List” before using said funds in the bookstore.  Typically, students may begin charging books to their financial aid at least five days prior to the first day of classes. The last day to drop a class with a refund for the second 7-week session is also the last day students may charge books and supplies to their financial aid, if their financial aid award has not disbursed.

A student’s financial aid funds will be disbursed to student financials after the census date has passed for all the classes in which they are enrolled. Refunds will be sent to the student by way of either direct deposit or a paper check via U.S. Mail. Refunds represent the amount of the student’s semester award, minus any funds used to pay tuition and fees or to purchase books and supplies.

All services will be withheld from a student who owes money to Reynolds or who has books and materials outstanding from the Reynolds libraries. This means no transcripts will be issued, the student will not be permitted to re-register, and no other college services will be provided.

Students must pay tuition and fees, or have sufficient anticipated aid by the published payment deadlines or they will be dropped from all or some courses for non-payment. Anticipated financial aid will hold a student’s registered classes if that aid is greater than or equal to the total tuition and fees. Students who want to use financial aid to pay bookstore charges must first register for classes. Students who are not certain if their aid is sufficient to cover their tuition and fees can review the information in the Student Information System (SIS), or contact Office of Financial Aid or a campus Business Office.

Students Attending Two Colleges at the Same Time

Students who are enrolled at two different colleges or universities are not able to receive financial aid at both institutions. A student who is enrolled concurrently at Reynolds and another college must decide which college financial aid will be received and communicate that decision to the financial aid office of that institution.

Students who receive financial aid from two different institutions as a result of concurrent enrollment will lose eligibility for further financial assistance and may be required to repay financial aid funds received at one of the institutions.

For students who attend two schools at the same time, a consortium agreement might be an option. The purpose of a consortium agreement is to allow a student to take courses at one college (host institution) and have those courses count toward their financial aid eligibility at another college (home institution). If approved for a consortium agreement, all courses taken at another college MUST count towards your degree at Reynolds and be approved before any aid at Reynolds can be disbursed. Consortium agreements are done on a semester-by-semester basis for each student.

Impact of Drops/Withdrawals from Course(s)

Students are eligible for a refund of tuition and fees paid for those credit hours dropped during the published drop period. After the published drop period has passed, there will be no refunds. In all cases of dropped courses, any financial aid the student received based on those credits will be canceled, and the student will owe funds to Reynolds and/or the federal government.

To obtain a refund during the published drop period, a student must complete an official Drop form and submit it to the Office of the Registrar or complete the drop process in SIS.

Federal and state financial aid regulations state that a student’s financial aid must be recalculated based on the number of calendar days they attended classes if they officially or unofficially withdraw from all classes on or before completing 60% of the semester or does not complete the entire semester. The calculated unearned portion of the total of Title IV funds awarded a student (Pell Grant, SEOG, Federal Direct Stafford Loan, Federal Direct PLUS Loan, COMA, VGAP, G3 Books and G3 Tuition & Fees) must be returned, according to the provisions of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998. The calculation of the return of these funds will likely result in the student owing a balance to Reynolds and/or the federal government.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

Federal and state guidelines require that institutions monitor students’ academic progress towards the completion of a degree or certificate. Students must make Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) from both qualitative and quantitative measures. SAP is measured by cumulative GPA, completion rate and maximum time frame. In order to be in compliance with SAP, a student must meet all three criteria. Failure to make satisfactory academic progress results in the loss of financial aid eligibility.

Cumulative grade point average (GPA): A student must achieve a minimum grade point average which is listed below. Only non-remedial courses with grades of A, B, C, D, and F are included in this calculation. Transfer credits are not included in this calculation.

Completion Rate:

(Total number of credit hours earned in relation to the number of credit hours attempted) Students must successfully complete two thirds (67%) of the credit hours attempted at the time satisfactory progress is assessed. By law, Reynolds must count developmental, ESL, and all credit courses. Successful completion is considered earned grades of A, B, C, D, P, or S. Courses are not considered successfully completed when grades of F, I, U, W, or R or missing grades are earned. Accepted transfer credits will be counted as both attempted and completed.

Maximum Time Frame:

(Total number of credit hours attempted in relation to number of credit hours necessary to complete the degree or certification program, including transfer credits). Students must complete their program within 150% of the program’s total credit requirements. Developmental credits are not included in this calculation. All non-developmental and transfer credits are included, regardless of whether or not financial aid was received.

Military and Veterans Benefits

reynolds.edu/veterans

Eligible veterans are entitled to receive certain educational benefits. The educational benefits for which an eligible veteran may qualify can only be used for courses taken towards the completion of a degree or certificate program. To receive these benefits, eligible veterans must:

1. Apply to use their GI Bill^® benefits via the GI Bill^® website benefits.va.gov/gibill​.
2. Apply to Reynolds and be accepted into a degree or certificate program.
3. After you register for your classes, submit your Request for Certification (RFC) as soon as possible. This form can be found by signing into MYREYNOLDS. Submitting your RFC informs us that you would like to use your benefits for that specific semester. If your chapter/benefit is eligible we will place an indicator on your account which holds your classes until we receive payment from the VA. If your chapter/benefit is not eligible le for the indicator to be placed on your account, you must either pay your percentage or pay for your classes in full by the established deadline for your classes to be held.
4. Notify the certifying officer if repeating a course or taking a course for no credits.
5. Ensure college transcripts from any institutions previously attended are submitted to the Central Admissions and Records office.
6. Notify the certifying officer if he/she drops or withdraws from classes, or stops attending Reynolds, by submitting a Request for Certification (RFC).

For more information on veterans benefits for educational assistance, contact the veterans certifying officer at veterans@reynolds.edu or (804) 523-6464.

The Virginia State Approving Agency (SSA) is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Our office investigates complaints of GI Bill^® beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email at saa@dvs.virginia.gov.

VA Delayed Payment Compliance

Any student receiving chapters 31, 33, or 35 benefits will be allowed to register and attend class, without being dropped for non-payment, while waiting for payment from the VA.  Reynolds does not impose any penalty, including assessment of late fees, the denial of access to classes, libraries, or other institutional facilities, or require that a covered individual borrow additional funds while awaiting payment of VA funds under chapters 31, 33, and 35.  The student must submit a Certificate of Eligibility (COE) before the first day of class, a written request to use such entitlement, provide additional information necessary to certify enrollment, and may impose a fee for the amount that is different between the VA payments.  Exceptions to this would include students who are not covered at 100% by the VA.  Those students with a balance not covered by the VA will need to pay that balance by the published payment deadline after registering for classes in order to attend those classes. 

Veterans Grievance Procedures Statement

The Virginia State Approving Agency (SAA) is the approving authority of education and training programs for Virginia. Our office investigates complaints of GI Bill^® beneficiaries. While most complaints should initially follow the school grievance policy, if the situation cannot be resolved at the school, the beneficiary should contact our office via email saa@dvs.virginia.gov.  GI Bill^® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).  More information about education benefits offered by VA is available at the official U.S. government website at https://www.benefits.va.gov/gibill/.

Relief, Refund, and Reinstatement

In the event that an active-duty student is unable to continue enrollment, the student shall be eligible for a tuition refund under Reynolds Policy No. 1-2, Tuition Refunds. Students called to active military duty, whose service prevented them from completing their academic program, may be readmitted to such program.

Readmission shall be subject to Reynolds Policy No. 1-20, Effective Catalog Year. The following provisions govern reinstatement to the college upon release or return from services in the uniformed services. The student will be assured an opportunity to be reinstated to their program of study (if available) without having to reapply for admission if they return to the college after an accumulative absence of not more than five years, and they provide notice of intent to return to the college not later than three years after the completion of the period of service. Relevant exceptions to these timelines can be found in the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia.

State Educational Assistance Programs

Information about benefits and eligibility for the programs listed below is available in the Admissions Office:

Senior Citizens Program (Policy 1-33):

Senior citizens 60 years of age or older and legally domiciled in Virginia for one year, as determined by the Application for In-state Tuition of the college application, may take advantage of tuition-free classes. For credit courses, senior citizens must also provide documentation indicating a taxable individual income not exceeding $23,850 for the year preceding the year in which enrollment is sought. Under this provision senior citizens may also register for and audit courses offered for academic credit regardless of income level. In any one term, regardless of income, senior citizens may take up to three courses for auditor enroll in non-credit courses. Requests from senior citizens to register for tuition-free classes will be considered beginning the first day of scheduled classes for each course for which they wish to register. All classes, credit and non-credit, must achieve a minimum enrollment of tuition-paying students, who will be accommodated before senior citizens participating in this program are enrolled. Senior citizens interested in utilizing this benefit should visit any campus Enrollment Services. Requests for tuition refunds will not be granted for senior citizens who enroll and pay for courses prior to the first day of class, in order to utilize the Senior Citizens Program. Additional information about this policy can be found at www.reynolds.edu/policy/student/index.html.

Virginia Military Survivors and Dependents Education Program (VMSDEP):

This program provides education to spouses and children of military members killed, missing in action, taken prisoner, or who became at least 90 percent disabled as a result of military service in an armed conflict. The Virginia Department of Veterans Services (DVS) is responsible for managing the program and collaborates with the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) and Virginia’s public colleges and universities to assist spouses and children of qualified military service members and Veterans in attaining their educational goals.

This institution is approved to offer GI Bill educational benefits by the Virginia State Approving Agency.

Children of Law Enforcement Officers: 

Through this program, children, ages 16 to 25, of Virginia law enforcement officers, firefighters, or rescue squad members killed in the line of duty, may be eligible to receive payment for full tuition and fees.

Scholarships

reynolds.edu/scholarships

Through the generosity of individuals, businesses, and organizations, Reynolds offers scholarships to full-time and part-time students. While individual scholarship funds may have certain criteria or preferences, students may apply for any and all scholarships by completing a Reynolds Common Scholarship Application. The online application is available between December 1 and, the application deadline, March 1. All scholarship awards are subject to availability of funds during the year of award. For the most current listing of available scholarships, visit reynolds.edu/scholarships.  

To apply for scholarships a student must: 

1. Complete and submit an Application for Admission to Reynolds, if not currently attending. 
2. Students are strongly encouraged to complete a Federal Student Financial Aid (FAFSA) form.  
3. Complete and submit a Reynolds Scholarship Application online between December 1 and March 1. (reynolds.edu/scholarships) 
4. Be enrolled in a curricular/degree or certificate program. 
5. Have a minimum 2.0 cumulative grade point average. 

In order for your application to be considered, all parts of the application must be submitted on time through the online scholarship application portal.  If you have accepted an award, a thank you letter must be submitted through the application portal for the award to be disbursed.  If the student’s grade point average falls below the awarded scholarship’s grade point average criteria, the scholarship will not be disbursed the following semester.  The Reynolds Scholarship Office is here to help! Please contact the Scholarship Office at 804-523-5084 or scholarships@reynolds.edu with questions.