Financial Aid at Orion Institute (Perrysburg, OH)
Financial aid is available at the Orion Institute for those who financially and/or academically qualify. You should begin this process as soon as possible to ensure that your application gets processed in time. There are several financing opportunities you can explore, including through the U.S. Department of Education, WIA, BVR, veteran’s benefits, or sometimes through your place of employment.
Frequently Asked Questions (Orion Institute)
Available Aid
The Orion Institute is approved to participate in Federal Title IV financial aid programs. Currently, funds are available through the Pell Grant, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan, FSEOG, and DIRECT PLUS Loan programs.
In addition to federal aid programs, The Orion Institute is an approved training provider for Ohio Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs, the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation, and is approved by the state- approving agency for veteran’s benefits. Information about eligibility requirements and application procedures for these programs are available from the agencies that administer them.
A limited number of institutional grants are available from the Institute for students with extreme financial need and a demonstrated track record of academic excellence at the Orion Institute. Applications for institutional grants are available from the Director.
Before You ApplyComplete your income tax return. You don’t have to file your income tax return before you fill out the FAFSA, but it’s a good idea to do so. A lot of the requested information is the same, and you may be able to use the time-saving IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Create an FSA ID. When you start your FAFSA on the Web application, you will set up your account by creating a FSA user ID and password. These will become your online identifiers for all federal student aid programs. You will need to provide your own email address and password (parents will create their own account using a different email address and password). Set up your user ID and password before you start your FAFSA (www.fsaid.ed.gov).
Note: The FSA ID replaces the FAFSA PIN as of May 10, 2015. If you already have a FAFSA PIN, you can create a new FSA ID and link that to your existing PIN.
How to Apply
To apply for most forms of financial aid, prospective students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students must submit new financial aid applications for each academic year. Forms are available on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov and should be submitted as soon as possible. As part of the FAFSA application, students and parents (if applicable) must provide income information. In many cases, students and parents may be able to retrieve their tax information from the IRS and transfer it to their FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Students and parents are highly encouraged to use this option hen applicable. Students and parents can sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) electronically using their Department of Education FSA username and password. “Free Application for Federal Student Aid” (FAFSA) must include the The Orion Institute Title IV school code: 037764
Priority is given to financial aid applications received at least 30 days prior to the first day of classes. Applications received fewer than 30 days before the first day of class will be considered after all priority applications have been processed. It is not necessary to have the financial aid application process completed prior to starting classes; however, the Orion Institute will not assume eligibility for any student who has not received and returned a signed estimated financial aid award notification prior to signing an enrollment agreement.
What happens then?
After your FAFSA has been processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). If you complete the FAFSA on the web and provide an electronic signature and e-mail address, your SAR will usually be sent within 1-2 days. Your SAR will be sent to the e-mail address you reported on the FAFSA. If you send a paper FAFSA application to the FAFSA processor, allow 2 to 3 weeks to receive your SAR.
Entrance Counseling
All federal Direct loan borrowers are required to complete an entrance counseling requirement. We recommend that you complete this requirement online. The entrance counseling session provides you with information about your rights and responsibilities as a borrower. After reading the information, you will be quizzed on your knowledge.
The Orion Institute Financial Aid Office will be notified when you have completed your online entrance counseling. You will not receive any disbursements of your federal Direct loan until you have completed your entrance counseling requirement.
Go to the Direct Loan website at http://StudentLoans.gov/.
Right upper corner: Click “Green” Log In Button
Log in with your FSA Username and Password.
Click on “Complete Entrance Counseling.” Follow the prompts until you reach the School and Loan Information screen.
For School State, select OHIO.
For School Name, select THE ORION INSTITUTE.
Work through the entrance counseling information, responding to the quiz questions along the way. When you have finished, the Financial Aid Office at The Orion Institute will be notified.
If you have questions about the Entrance Counseling process, you can call Direct Loan Applicant Services at (800) 557-7394 or contact the Orion Institute Financial Aid Office (419) 874-4496.
NOTE: If you have not already done so, please also complete your federal Direct loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Mastery Promissory Note
All federal Direct loan borrowers are required to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). We recommend that you complete this requirement online. You will be asked to provide two references.
The Orion Institute Financial Aid Office will be notified when you have completed your online entrance counseling. You will not receive any disbursements of your federal Direct loan until you have completed your Master Promissory Note (MPN) requirement.
Go to the Direct Loan website at http://StudentLoans.gov/
Right upper corner: Click “Green” Log In Button
Log in with your FSA Username and Password.
Click on “Complete Master Promissory Note (MPN).” Follow the prompts until you complete, sign and submit.
Loan Exit Counseling
Upon ceasing enrollment or graduating from The Orion Institute, and prior to beginning repayment, federal DIRECT and Graduate PLUS loan borrowers are required to complete an exit counseling session. The exit counseling session provides information about borrower rights and responsibilities regarding loan repayment.
There are several ways to complete the exit counseling requirement:
In-person exit counseling sessions by making an appointment with the financial aid office at The Orion Institute.
Go to the Direct Loan website at http://StudentLoans.gov/.
Right upper corner: Click “Green” Log In Button
Log in with your FSA Username and Password.
Click on “Complete Exit Counseling.” Follow the prompts until you reach the School and Loan Information screen.
For School State, select OHIO.
For School Name, select THE ORION INSTITUTE.
Work through the Exit Counseling information, responding to the quiz questions along the way. When you have finished, the Financial Aid Office at the Orion Institute will be notified.
If you have questions about the Exit Counseling process, you can call Direct Loan Applicant Services at (800) 557-7394 or contact the The Orion Institute Financial Aid Office (419) 874-4496.
For questions about your individual student loans, you should contact your lender or the current holder of your loan.
To determine the holder of your loan, you should consult the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). Please note that private (non-federal) education loans are not included in NSLDS.
If you encounter difficulties with your lender, you may wish to contact the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Ombudsman. The Ombudsman provides borrowers with information and guidance to resolve concerns about their student loans. As an advocate, the Ombudsman can research problems and determine if you have been treated fairly. Here is the contact information for the Ombudsman’s office:
U.S. Department of Education
Federal Student Aid Ombudsman
830 First Street, N.E.
Washington, D.C. 20202-5144
(877) 557-2575
http://www.studentaid.gov/repay-loans/disputes/prepare
If you plan to re-enroll at Healing Arts Institute or another college or university, please notify your lender. You may need to complete an in-school deferment request to postpone repayment. You should continue to make monthly payments until you are officially notified of approval of your deferment request.
- Student financial aid office duties will be conducted in an ethical and professional manner and in keeping with organizational policies and procedures as well as relevant federal, state and accreditation requirements.
- Student financial aid office will provide counseling for students and parents and/or spouse who desire assistance in financial planning to meet educational expenses.
- Neither the school nor the financial aid office will enter into any revenue sharing arrangements with any lender.
- The financial aid office will not steer borrowers to particular lenders or delay loan certifications.
- The financial aid office will not offer funds for private loans to students in exchange for providing concessions or promises to the lender for a specific number of FSA loans, a specific loan volume or a preferred lender arrangement.
- The financial aid office staff will not accept gifts from a lender, guaranty agency or loan servicer other than gifts distributed from vendors to conference or workshop attendees.
- The financial aid office staff will not accept compensation for any type of consulting arrangement or contract to provide services to or on behalf of a lender relating to education loans.
- The financial aid office staff is prohibited from accepting compensation to serve on an advisory board, commission, or group established by a lender or guarantor except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses.
- Student financial aid office will only provide truthful and accurate statements, descriptions, and explanations regarding the school student services division.
- Student financial aid office staff will work to ensure that students are fully informed and able to make appropriate enrollment decisions without undue pressure.
- Student financial aid office staff will only assist prospective students in the areas that fall within the purview of their position and will not assist prospective students in admissions testing or alter or falsify any enrollment documents or required test scores.
- Student financial aid office staff will not make explicit or implicit promises of employment or exaggerated statements regarding employment or salary prospects to prospective students.
- Student financial aid office staff will participate in relevant training provided by the school, state federal and/or professional associations to enhance their skills as financial aid advisors.
- Student financial aid office staff will not assist prospective students in providing false or misleading information on any application.
- Student financial aid office staff will not discredit other schools or influence any student to leave another school by: falsely imputing to another school dishonorable conduct, inability to perform contracts, or questionable credit standing; making other false representations; falsely disparaging the character, nature, quality, value, or scope of another school’s program of instruction or services; or demeaning another school’s students.