Earlham School of Religion

228 College Avenue, Richmond, IN 47374 • 1-800-432-1ESR

Financial Information

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Types of Aid

Cooper Scholar Program

In honor of ESR’s founding dean, Wilmer Cooper, and his wife, Emily Haines Cooper, the ESR Board of Advisors established the Cooper Scholar Program. These scholarships are funded from endowed gifts. Wil Cooper envisioned ESR as a place where the most gifted leaders from all branches of the Society of Friends would come for study. Therefore, Cooper Scholar awards are made to students from many yearly meetings.

Cooper Scholars sign a moral obligation covenant agreeing to contribute four volunteer hours of service to the ESR community for each of the 27 semester hours covered by the scholarship. In addition, they agree to remain in good academic standing and heed the advices and requests of ESR on personal and moral concerns.

Grant: Full tuition for one year or 27 semester hours of study at ESR. Successful M.Min/M.Div. students may have their award renewed for a second year. For M.A. students, the award is available for one year or 27 semester hours only.

Cooper Scholar awards are granted primarily to Quaker students who have been identified as promising leaders and ministers by their Monthly and Yearly meetings. Thus, membership within the Religious Society of Friends, and recommendations from their respective meetings are the chief determining factor of eligibility.

Cooper Scholar recipients will meet the following criteria:

Eligibility

Nomination and Selection

Each prospective Cooper nominee must be recommended by both his or her monthly and yearly meetings. The monthly meeting nomination is of primary importance. Normally a small group of two or three persons appointed by monthly meeting Ministry and Counsel (or its equivalent) will meet with the student to discern his or her leading and call to ministry and to study at ESR.

When the monthly meeting is clear to recommend a member as a nominee for a Cooper Scholarship, it should communicate its recommendation to ESR and to an appropriate group or weighty Friend within the yearly meeting who knows the prospective student’s call to and gifts for ministry. This group or individual should also provide a letter of recommendation to ESR. Cooper Scholars will be selected by the ESR Admissions Committee from among those nominated.

Nominations should be sent to:

Director of Recruitment and Admissions
Earlham School of Religion
228 College Avenue
Richmond IN 47374

International Student Cooper Scholarship

Grant

Full tuition plus a stipend totaling $10,000 per academic year. See Cooper Scholar above for additional information.

Eligibility

Quaker student from outside of the United States, with a preference to those affirming an intention to serve the Religious Society of Friends as pastors.

Note: International students who do not receive an International Student Scholarship must document financial sponsorship or the ability to pay least 60% of the cost of one year’s study. They are eligible for ESR’s need-based aid.

Minority Student Cooper Scholarship

Grant

Full tuition for up to two years. See Cooper Scholarship above for additional information.

Eligibility

African-American or Hispanic member of a Christian denomination, with preference to those affirming an intention to serve as pastors.

Need-based aid

Grant

Except in cases of exceptional need, grants are offered up to 40% of tuition.

Eligibility

Any residential degree-seeking student taking at least 6 credits per semester, who does not receive one of the full-tuition scholarships. The student must also maintain acceptable academic progress as described in the Student Handbook. Students who fall below this standard will be placed on probationary status, with aid, for one semester. If, at the end of that semester, the student remains on probation, aid will be denied until acceptable progress is made. Students with mitigating circumstances can appeal in writing to the Business Manager.

Financial Need

Total Cost of Attendance (See Expense Norms below) at ESR less your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) less any outside aid received. The amount of aid granted is determined by financial need and the funds available for distribution.

Federal Student Aid (FSA)

Through Earlham College, ESR participates in the Federal Direct Loan Program and the Perkins Loan Program. Before applying for FSA, ESR councils students to carefully consider their ability to repay loans. The Business Manger can assist you in this determination.

Loan amount

Determined by the Business Manager, using Federal guidelines. Calculations are based on information received in your ESR Financial Aid application and from your FAFSA.

Eligibility

Available to degree-seeking students enrolled in at least 6 credits. Stafford Loans can be used for living expenses after tuition fees have been paid. Perkins Loans are available to students with exceptional need, as calculated using Federal guidelines.

Non-ESR sources of aid

ESR encourages students to utilize all other resources of financial aid. The Business Office will cooperate with any outside agency as they attempt to coordinate aid. For confidentiality reasons, a written request from the student is required before ESR will release a student’s aid application, or information contained therein, to an outside agency.

Some sources students should explore are: