Financial Aid for Adult Undergraduate Students

We’re here to help: Financing Your Undergraduate Degree

Whether you’re finishing your undergraduate degree as a full-time or part-time student, we can help. For more than 20 years, we’ve helped adult students — many in the same situation that you’re in — set themselves up for success with the tools and information to craft a personalized plan and finance your degree.

2024-25 FAFSA is open.
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Adult Undergraduate Degree Seekers

Adult undergraduate students who register for at least six (6) credit hours through Avila’s Institute for Professional Studies may be eligible for financial aid. All aid applicants must be accepted for admission and enrolled in courses prior to awards being offered. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form must be completed with Avila University’s school code (002449) reported on the application.

Once your FAFSA is filed, a financial aid award notification will be sent via email to your Avila account and the email address reported on the FAFSA.  You can access, view, and accept/decline awards on the myAU portal. Review and return the documents requested by the Financial Aid Office.  All documents must be received before the disbursing of aid.

Financial Aid, including loans, must be fully processed, and loan checks or disbursing dates must be on record at registration time to be considered as reducing the balance due. If this is not the case, you will be responsible for the due date for payment. The proceeds must be applied to any balance due when loans are involved.

Employer’s Tuition Reimbursement Program

Avila offers the Promise to Pay (Employer Reimbursement) deferred payment plan through the student’s MyAU portal for students who participate in a company tuition reimbursement program. The following guidelines apply:

a) The student agrees to pay Avila University a fee of $40 per term/semester for the privilege of paying tuition and fees after the beginning of the term/semester.

b) The student shall be solely responsible for paying Avila University the amount which represents the tuition, fees, and other charges for those courses for which he or she is registered. Said payment shall be paid in full by the student within 45 days of completing those courses even if the employer should fail to reimburse for any reason.

c) Should the student withdraw from any classes, he or she agrees to pay any balance due in accordance with the withdrawal and payment policy as published in the Avila University catalog.

d) With regard to any classes not covered by the Employer’s Tuition Reimbursement Program, the student shall pay the tuition, fees, and any other charges owed to Avila University in accordance with the normal payment policies of Avila University. Payment is due and payable 2 weeks before the term/semester begins.

e) The student is responsible for remitting payments on time in accordance with the terms of this agreement. The student understands that delinquent accounts will result in the discontinuation of further enrollment and the release of transcripts until accounts are paid in full.

Here is a link to the Business Office policies Tuition, Fees, and Housing Costs | Avila University | Kansas City

Outside Scholarships and discounts

Outside scholarships include funding from sources outside Avila University, the State of Missouri, or the federal government. Awards from companies, foundations, civic and religious organizations, and employer tuition benefits are common examples of outside scholarships. Outside scholarships can affect a student’s aid eligibility, so they must be reported to the Financial Aid Office. Outside scholarships help meet a student’s college costs, so we must consider these awards when determining eligibility for other aid programs. If we have to adjust other sources of aid — which may be required under state and federal regulations — we always reduce need-based loans or work-study before reducing any gift aid, like need-based scholarships or grants.

KC Scholars
Amount: up to $5,000 per year for up to 5 years, and you can enroll full-time or part-time.

Since May 2017, KC Scholars has awarded 424 Adult Learner Scholarships, and over 30 awardees have already completed an associate’s or bachelor’s degree. Applicants must be at least 24 years old during college enrollment in Fall 2020 and have previously earned at least 12 college credits.

Bright Horizons
Avila University partners with Bright Horizons/EdAssist to provide employers and students with significant tuition discounts. Check with your employer if you’re eligible for Bright Horizons/EdAssist discounts.  The tuition discount for Children’s Mercy Hospital employees is 25%, and for all other partner employers, it is 10%.  The student must provide proof of employment with the partner employer to Avila’s Business Office when first enrolling at Avila and each fall thereafter to receive the discount.

Where to mail outside scholarships

If you have received a scholarship from an outside donor, please use the following address:

Avila University
Business Office/Outside Scholarship
11901 Wornall Rd. Kansas City, MO 64145

Please request that outside scholarship checks are made payable to Avila University
Be sure to give your donor your student identification number and ask them to include it with your award. It’s helpful if the donor includes a letter explaining the award terms when they send the award check to campus.

Avoid Scams

Every year students and their families lose money to scam artists posing as legitimate scholarship funding agencies. To avoid being defrauded, be cautious about suspicious scholarship offers.

It might be a scam if:

  • You have to spend money to get money. Legitimate scholarship providers don’t charge application fees, “redemption” fees, or up-front taxes; nor do they ask students to make investments.
  • They want a bank account or credit card information. Trustworthy donors won’t ask for a credit card number to “hold” your award.
  • It’s guaranteed. No one can guarantee that you’ll receive a scholarship, and any promise of a money-back guarantee is a red flag.
  • You can’t find the information anywhere else. Scholarship agencies don’t keep information secret; they want to award scholarships. If a service promises to provide funds no one else knows about, be suspicious. 
  • You win a contest you don’t remember entering. If you receive a message saying you’ve been selected for an award or you’re a finalist in a competition you’ve never heard of, it might be a scam.
  • It sounds too good to be true. Trust your instincts. If you’re suspicious about an offer, you probably have a good reason.

Will you need a Student Loan?

While there are a lot of scholarship opportunities available to you, many students will need to take out a student loan from either the Federal government (Federal Direct Loans) or from private sources such as a bank or financial institution. Before you take out a loan, make sure you understand who is making the loan and the terms and conditions of the loan, as loans must be repaid. Click here for more student loan information and resources.

Payment Methods


Avila University offers several ways to pay your bill.  Please see the Business Office’s information for payments and payment plans Tuition, Fees, and Housing Costs | Avila University | Kansas City

Need More Assistance? Contact Us

Michael Pepple

Director of Financial Aid Phone 816.501.3782

Paula Tarwater

Financial Aid Coordinator Phone 816-501-3781
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