costs & FINANCIAL AID
Mid-America Christian University believes that any person with academic ability and motivation to learn should not be denied an education because of financial need. Therefore, the University attempts to help students and their families meet the cost of higher education through a combination of grants, scholarships, loans, employment opportunities, and other sources of aid. The Student Financial Aid Office administers programs in accordance with federal, state, and private agency guidelines as well as funds provided by the University. Funding may be based on financial need or may be based on academic, athletic, or other talent merit.
Finally, we recognize that a college education is a significant investment; an investment of money, certainly, but also of trust. The Student Financial Aid Office stands ready to assist in helping you identify and apply for financial aid to make a MACU education affordable.
All students seeking financial aid of any type must complete the FAFSA, available after January 1.
MACU’s FAFSA priority filing date is two weeks prior to each start date. See Academic Calendars for start dates.
We would like to encourage you to file these forms as early as possible since scholarship dollars go fast. Accurate financial information will allow us to give you the best possible award.
One Big Beautiful Bill Act Update
The One Big Beautiful Bill ACT (H.R.1), signed into law on July 4, 2025, enacts changes for Federal Student Aid. These changes will be effective for the 2026-27 (July 1, 2026) academic year. These changes will not impact the current 2025-26 academic year. Changes include new loan limits, elimination of Federal Graduate PLUS Loan, and loan proration is required for all students enrolled less than full-time. The Office of Financial Aid is closely monitoring the changes and their implementation.
Key Loan & Borrowing Changes
- Graduate PLUS Loans: Eliminated entirely, requiring graduate and professional students to seek private loan alternatives.
- Parent PLUS Loans: Now capped at an annual limit of $20,000 and a lifetime limit of $65,000 per dependent student.
- Graduate Unsubsidized Limits: Graduate students are limited to $20,500 per year, with a new lifetime aggregate limit of $100,000.
- Undergraduate Limits: Annual and aggregate limits for undergraduate Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans remain unchanged.
- Loan Proration: Students enrolled less than full-time (under 6 credits for undergraduates, under 6 credits for graduates) will have their loan eligibility prorated based on enrollment intensity.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) includes specific “legacy provisions” (grandfathering rules) designed to protect continuing students from the sudden loss of funding when the law takes effect on July 1, 2026. These provisions allow eligible current students and parents to continue borrowing under old, pre-OBBBA loan rules for a limited time.
Legacy Provision Eligibility Criteria
To qualify for grandfathering under the legacy rules, a borrower must meet strict federal requirements:
- Prior Borrowing: The student or parent must have received a disbursement for any federal Direct Loan before July 1, 2026, for the student’s current degree program.
- Continuous Enrollment: The student must maintain continuous enrollment in the exact degree program they were in when they first borrowed.
- No Preparatory Coursework: Students who are only provisionally or conditionally accepted into a graduate program do not qualify.
Time Limits on Legacy Status
Grandfathered protections are temporary. Legacy status expires at whichever milestone comes first:
- Three academic years following the July 1, 2026 implementation date.
- Degree program completion.
- A break in enrollment, such as a withdrawal or skipping a period of enrollment, immediately voids legacy status.
How Legacy Status Impacts Specific Loans
| Loan Type | Pre-OBBBA Rule (Legacy Status) | New OBBBA Rule (New Borrowers) |
| Graduate PLUS Loans | No cap; can borrow up to the full cost of attendance. | Eliminated entirely; no new loans allowed. |
| Parent PLUS Loans | No cap; can borrow up to the full cost of attendance. | Capped at $20,000 annually / $65,000 lifetime per student. |
| Graduate Unsubsidized | Old aggregate limits apply. | Capped at $100,000 aggregate lifetime limit. |
| Professional Unsubsidized | Old aggregate limits apply. | Capped at $200,000 aggregate lifetime limit. |
Please reach out to the Office of Financial Aid if you have any additional questions.
5-Step Guide to Financial Aid
- Apply for an FSA ID
- Do not share your Department of Education FSA ID with anyone! Obtain the Federal Student Aid ID at studentaid.gov.
- Complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA
- Use your 2024 tax information. Use your FSA user ID to electronically sign the FAFSA www.fafsa.gov (MACU’s school code: 006942)
- MPN and LEC
- If you use Federal Student Loans, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). You will also need Loan Entrance Counseling https://studentaid.gov/
- Authorization of Funds
- To sign your authorization fill out the form on this page.
- Alternate Funding Options
- Begin the search at the following sites: www.careeronestop.org www.fastweb.com www.scholarships.com
Types of Financial Aid
Grants
Grants are available from the federal government, the state of Oklahoma and from MACU. By submitting the FAFSA, you will be given eligibility consideration for all federal and state grants. Many grants are based on your financial need. Grants are considered gift aid and they do not need to be repaid. Please speak with your admissions counselor for information on upcoming deadlines.
Available Grants
Grants are funds provided by federal and state sources. Grants do not have to be repaid.
Federal Pell Grant
Pell Grants are awarded by the federal government to students who are found eligible after completing the FAFSA. A Pell Grant is applied directly to your student account and does not have to be repaid. The amount is determined according to eligibility and the number of hours in which you enroll. Pell Grants are not available to students who have already completed a bachelor’s degree.
Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
The SEOG is a federal grant administered by the University. The SEOG is applied directly to your student account and does not have to be repaid. Students who complete before deadline and who are eligible for a Pell Grant have first priority for the SEOG. Eligibility is determined by the results of the FAFSA. The amount is subject to change based on availability of funds. To qualify for SEOG, the FAFSA must be completed by March 1.
Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
OTAG is a grant awarded by the State of Oklahoma. Eligibility is determined by the results of the FAFSA and by the OTAG residency requirements. OTAG is applied directly to the student’s account and does not have to be repaid. For best consideration, you should complete and submit the FAFSA to the federal student aid application system as soon as possible after Oct. 1 and at the latest completed by Dec. 1.
Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant (OTEG)
OTEG is a grant awarded by the State of Oklahoma. Eligibility is determined by the results of the FAFSA and by the OTEG residency requirements. OTEG is applied directly to the student’s account and does not have to be repaid. For consideration, you should have your FAFSA completed by March 15 (fall semester) or Oct. 15 (spring semester).
“OK Promise” Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP)
OHLAP is a grant awarded by the State of Oklahoma and the student must be enrolled in the program throughout high school. Eligibility is determined by the results of the program enrollment and by the OHLAP agency requirements. OHLAP is applied directly to the student’s account and does not have to be repaid.
Federal Work-Study
Under the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program, you work part-time to earn money for your education. It is available to students who demonstrate financial need.
Work-study jobs may relate to your course of study or involve community service. Often the jobs are on campus. You’ll earn at least minimum wage.
Financial Aid Enrollment Status Classifications
Full-Time Student
A student who is enrolled as follows:
- Traditional Undergraduate Program and enrolled in 12 or more semester hours of coursework;
- Adult and Graduate Studies Undergraduate Program and enrolled in 6 or more semester hours in 10 weeks; or
- Adult and Graduate Studies Graduate Program and enrolled in 6 or more semester hours in 12 weeks.
Three-Quarter-Time Student
A student who is enrolled as follows:
- Traditional Undergraduate Program and enrolled in less than 9-11 semester hours of coursework
Half-Time Student
A student who is enrolled as follows:
- Traditional Undergraduate Program and enrolled in less than 6-8 semester hours of coursework;
- Adult and Graduate Studies Undergraduate Program and enrolled in less than 6 semester hours in 10 weeks; or
- Adult and Graduate Studies Graduate Program and enrolled in less than 6 semester hours in 12 weeks
Quarter-Time Student
A student who is enrolled as follows:
Traditional Undergraduate Program and enrolled in less than 3-5 semester hours of coursework.
Scholarships
NOTE: Institutional scholarships are only available for students taking traditional 16-week classes.
Scholarships are gifts you do not have to pay them back. Scholarships can be based on need or merit or both. You may receive scholarships from colleges, organizations, or foundations. Different scholarships are available for different types of students. Scholarships may be based on your grades, what you want to study in college, whether you are male or female, or your after-school activities.
ACCELERATED EVENING/ONLINE STUDENTS: If you are a student taking accelerated evening/online classes, MACU has compiled an extensive list of scholarships available to MACU students. Please click here to access that website and search for scholarships!
Student Loans
Loans have to be repaid, even if you don’t finish school!
Student loans, unlike grants and work-study, are borrowed money that must be repaid, with interest, just like a car loan or other loan. You cannot cancel this loan because you didn’t like the education you received, quit in the middle, or didn’t get a good job after school.
Net Price Calculator
What does Net Price mean? – Net Price is the amount a student pays to attend an institution in a single academic year AFTER subtracting scholarships and grants the student receives. Scholarships and grants are forms of financial aid that a student does not have to pay back.
What is a Net Price Calculator? – Net Price calculators are available on a college’s or university’s website and allow prospective students to enter information about themselves to find out what students like them paid to attend the institution in the previous year after taking grants and scholarship aid into account.