Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility for Federal financial aid requires that a student:
1) be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen;
2) be admitted to a degree-seeking program at MIIS;
3) be enrolled in at least six credits (i.e. half-time);
4) not be in default on a student loan;
5) remain in good academic standing.

No. All eligible students are entitled to borrow non-need-based unsubsidized direct loans of up to $20,500 per year based on total cost of attendance.

All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.studentaid.gov. To receive a customized offer, you should also submit the MIIS Financial Aid Application found in your Middlebury Financial Aid Portal. For more information, please visit How to Apply for Financial Aid.

Yes. The FAFSA asks for prior-prior year tax information so you should have already filed for the tax year requested on the FAFSA.

The Student Financial Services office determines a standard budget, called the Cost of Attendance (COA) that is applied to all students. The budget includes direct costs (such as tuition and fees) and indirect costs (such as living expenses). Aid is offered to cover the full cost of attendance based on this budget.
 

For online students, your initial financial aid offer will include aid to cover direct costs (tuition and fees) only. You can request additional aid to cover living expenses, as well. 

We do not have a formal deadline to apply for federal financial aid. If you plan to accept loans to cover the cost of tuition, we recommend that you apply at least two months prior to the start of classes.

Yes. You must submit the FAFSA every year to receive an offer of federal loans and work-study. You do not need to reapply to receive your Middlebury Institute scholarship each year.

You must be an eligible non-citizen to apply for federal financial aid. International students are eligible to apply for a private education loan to cover their cost of attendance. For more information about financial aid options for international students, please visit our For International Students page.

Assuming all disbursement requirements are complete and your registration is confirmed:
1) in-person students will receive loans accepted for living expenses within the first two weeks of the semester. 
2) online students will receive financial aid disbursement for living expenses after the second week of classes.

Yes. You may return loan funds within 30 days of the date of disbursement to the Middlebury Institute and we will return the loan to your loan servicer to reduce your debt. To return loan funds, please contact us.
 

Additionally, you have 120 days from the date of disbursement to return or pay back all loan funds directly to your loan servicer to fully cancel any accumulated interest or fees.

The cost of attendance reported on your financial aid offer is based on the average living expense in the area for a student with a roommate. If your situation is such that you have expenses far above average, contact our office to complete a Financial Aid Petition Form.

Yes. Students who have accepted federal loans may request a one-time increase to their loan eligibility for up to $2000 for the purchase of a laptop or other technology expenses. To request the increase, please contact us.