Grants, Loans & Scholarships

If you're on this website, chances are pretty good you're more interested in the cooking, baking or managing "the house" than in crunching numbers. Not to worry. The following is a pretty thorough, and yet relatively simple, run-down of various types of aid available to help you with tuition.

Now, of course, the following is not a comprehensive list of available financial aid, but we'd love for you to contact one of our admissions representatives at any time for personal assistance and to discuss your options at length.

Grants & Loans

Grants are provided by the government based on need and do not have to be repaid. The loans listed here require repayment at low interest rates. Your Chef's Academy financial aid analyst will help you determine which best fit your situation and can help you apply for them.

Federal Pell Grant

This is a federal student aid program that does not require repayment. Awards are based on enrollment status and financial need. Yearly amounts may vary based on federal appropriations. Students must file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply for a Federal Pell Grant.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

This program is for students who demonstrate exceptional financial need, and repayment is not required.

Indiana Frank O'Bannon Grant

Formerly called the Indiana Higher Education Award Grant, this program is for Indiana residents only. Interested students must submit a FAFSA by March 10 and establish continuous Indiana residency by December of the prior calendar year.

21st Century Scholars Program

If you applied for the 21st Century Scholars Program in 7th or 8th grade, you can now take advantage of it for tuition assistance. Interested students must submit a FAFSA by March 10 of each year for continued participation.

Institutional Loan

The Harrison College Institutional Loan program is available for students of The Chef's Academy who still have a financial need after all Title IV funding have been exhausted. To be eligible students must maintain continuous and uninterrupted full-time enrollment each term and can receive up to $4,000 or $6,000 in an academic year depending on their program of study.

Federal Loans

Federal Subsidized Stafford Loans

The Stafford Loans are part of a program that provides low-interest loans to qualifying students enrolled in The Chef's Academy at least half-time. Loan amounts vary according to financial need and grade level. The government makes interest payments while the student is enrolled at least half time and including six months after school. After that the student must repay the loan.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

The Stafford Loans are part of a program that provides low-interest loans to qualifying students enrolled in The Chef's Academy at least half-time. This is a loan program and must be repaid. This loan may be used in conjunction with the Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan (see above). Interest payments are the responsibility of the student while he/she attends school but can be deferred until after graduation if the student chooses.

Federal PLUS Loans

Federal PLUS loans are for parents of dependent students who wish to borrow funds to help pay for their children's education. This is a loan and requires repayment.

Credit-Based Loans

Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan

The Sallie Mae Smart Option Student Loan is an ideal solution for students who still need funds after they have maximized free money and federal loans. With this loan, students can borrow up to the full cost of their education, less other aid received. The Smart Option Student Loan helps students save money, build good credit, and pay off their student loan faster.

The Smart Option Student Loan offers several benefits*:

Pricing that rewards good credit
Applying with a creditworthy cosigner may help you qualify and/or receive a lower interest rate
The borrower may apply for cosigner release after successful completion of their education
A 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction is available for automatic debit
A 0.25 percentage point interest rate reduction is available if the borrower provides a valid e-mail address and elects to receive all servicing communications via e-mail

*Learn how to earn these benefits

PNC Solutions Loan

The PNC Solution Loan may be your answer to meeting the rising costs of a college education.

The variable interest rate is based upon the LIBOR index plus a margin of 4% to 10.75% based on creditworthiness, and is adjusted quarterly
Loan origination fees are based on the creditworthiness of the student borrower and the cosigner (if any), and range from 0% to 6% of the total loan amount (requested loan amount plus the origination fee)
Use the funds for any education-related expense
Apply up to 60 days after the school term
Receive a preliminary decision within minutes of applying online

Learn more about PNC Solutions Loan

Charter One TruFit Loan

The Charter One loan is flexible. It offers three repayment options, and also gives you the option of releasing your cosigner after you've made 36 on-time payments in a row.

Competitive rates
Flexible repayment options, including the ability to defer payment until after graduation
The ability to finance up to the cost of education
Easy qualification with minimal income requirements

Learn more about Charter One TruFit Loan

The Chef's Academy Financial Services Code of Conduct

The Chef's Academy is committed to the highest standards of professional conduct. As such, we have developed a sound framework to guide financial aid professionals in their every day administration of student financial aid.

The Chef's Academy does not have any form of revenue sharing arrangement with any lender.
The Chef's Academy does not steer borrowers to any particular lender or delay any loan certifications based on the student's choice of lenders.
The Chef's Academy bans the offer of funds for private loans to students in exchange for providing concessions or promises to the lender for a specific number of FSA loans, a specified loan volume, or a preferred lender arrangement.
The Chef's Academy will not accept any items from a lending institution in exchange for advantage sought by the lending institution.
The Chef's Academy employees are prohibited from taking anything of more than nominal value from any lending institution. This includes a prohibition on trips for financial aid officers and other college officials paid by lenders.
The Chef's Academy employees are prohibited from receiving anything of value for serving on the advisory board of any lending institution.
The Chef's Academy will ensure that employees of lenders never identify themselves to students as employees of the colleges. No employee of a lender may ever work in or provide staffing assistance to The Chef's Academy in its financial aid office.
The Chef's Academy's trademark or logo will not be used by a lender in their marketing information given to students.
The Chef's Academy employees are not able to 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 Chef's Academy employees cannot accept compensation for service on an advisory board, commission, or group established by lenders or guarantors, except for reimbursement for reasonable expenses.

Scholarships

Scholarships are outright gifts that you do not have to repay. There are thousands of scholarships available to students based on criteria such as need, academics, place of residency or selected major. Your financial aid analyst will be happy to help you find the best matches for you. If you choose to search on your own, please keep these tips in mind:

Watch for scams. A scholarship application should only cost you the electricity to turn on your computer, the stamp to mail the application in, and the time it takes to write essays and/or request letters of recommendation. If you are ever asked to send money in order to apply for a scholarship, don't do it! Here is more information about scholarship scams.
Pay attention to deadlines. Scholarships have various deadlines throughout the year. It's important to know what the deadline is for the particular scholarship you are applying for.
Avoid the self-doubt pitfall. There are thousands of scholarships out there. Several of them go unclaimed because people don't even bother applying for them because they don't think they are eligible. Don't cut yourself out of the running by simply not taking the time to research and apply for a scholarship.

Imagine America

The Imagine America Scholarship, offered by the Imagine America Foundation. Each year, three graduating seniors from every high school in the United States and Puerto Rico are eligible to receive a $1000 Imagine America scholarship.

ProStart Scholarship

This scholarship is open to the members of the teams who participate in the ProStart competition at the state level. The ProStart high school program offers a two-year career based training and competition opportunity to aid in students' dreams of a profession in the culinary arts. Based on his/her placement in the competition, the members of the winning team(s) will receive $500, $750 or $1000 to be used in pursuit of a degree at The Chef's Academy.

Skills USA Scholarship

This scholarship is open to individuals who participate in the USA Skills competition at the state level. USA Skills is a program which partners industry leaders in a variety of service industries. The organization's purpose is to help students gain the skills needed to improve his/her career goals in a desired field, as well as help employers build a well trained team. Based on his/her placement in the competition, the winner(s) of the state competition will receive $500, $750 or $1000 to be used in pursuit of a degree at The Chef's Academy. It must be used in the same year in which the student graduates high school.