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Financial Aid Counselor, SGU

The Financial Aid Counselor – Basic Sciences (New Students) provides direct financial aid counseling and support exclusively to new students enrolled in the Basic Science programs at St. George’s University School of Medicine (SOM) and School of Veterinary Medicine (SVM).

This role is dedicated to ensuring new students and their families receive exceptional, student-centered service as they navigate the financial aid process. From application and loan packaging to enrollment adjustments, credit counseling, and financial literacy education, the Counselor equips new students with the knowledge and tools to make informed borrowing decisions and enter SGU with confidence.

The Counselor is part of a cross-functional “pod” team—consisting of a Recruiter, Admissions Officer, and Admissions Coordinator—that works collaboratively to deliver a seamless and supportive student experience from recruitment through enrollment.

This position reports to the Associate Director, Financial Aid - Advisement.

Essential Functions

Student Counseling & Advisement (New Students)

+ Serve as the primary financial aid contact for new SOM and SVM Basic Sciences students, ensuring prompt and clear communication.

+ Provide individualized counseling on federal and private loans, eligibility requirements, application processes, disbursements, and renewals.

+ Deliver credit counseling to help students understand credit scores, creditworthiness, and loan approval implications.

+ Provide debt management education, helping students make responsible borrowing decisions and plan for repayment.

+ Guide entrance loan counseling in compliance with federal requirements.

+ Counsel students on budgeting and managing financial obligations to SGU and lenders.

+ Ensure all new student inquiries are addressed within 24–48 hours with documented responses in Banner (RHACOMM) and Salesforce.

Application Processing & Aid Packaging

+ Review financial aid applications (including ISIRs) and resolve conflicting information for new students.

+ In conjunction with the Enrollment and Financial Aid Operations team, package federal and private loans in compliance with DOE regulations and lender requirements.

+ Review and identify cost of attendance adjustments and financial aid revisions for enrollment changes.

+ May certify private loan eligibility for incoming students and ensure regulatory compliance.

Financial Literacy & Student Journey Integration

+ Deliver financial literacy programming for new students via one-on-one meetings, group sessions, and orientation presentations.

+ Present at new student orientations, webinars, and welcome events to explain financial aid policies, responsibilities, and timelines.

+ Monitor completion of federal/private loan requirements and ensure compliance for all new students before matriculation.

+ Provide proactive outreach at key enrollment milestones, ensuring new students remain fully informed and supported.

Collaboration & Compliance

+ Collaborate closely with the pod team to provide consistent, student-first support across all touchpoints.

+ Partner with Registrar, Bursar, and Student Affairs to resolve enrollment, billing, or clearance issues for new students.

+ Maintain strict compliance with Title IV, FERPA, and lender regulations.

+ Stay current on financial aid regulations, loan servicing policies, and student support best practices.

Operational Support & Reporting

+ Monitor reports to ensure accuracy of aid processing and enrollment status for new students.

+ Support audit readiness by maintaining thorough, accurate documentation.

+ Assist in office-wide communication campaigns and compliance reporting.

+ Serve as a resource to loan servicers and lenders to ensure a smooth onboarding experience for new students.

Pod Overview – Cross-Functional Student Support

The Financial Aid Counselor is an integral part of a student support “pod” designed to ensure seamless service for new students:

+ Recruiter – Engages and supports prospective students during initial interest and application stages.

+ Admissions Officer – Serves as the primary ongoing contact with students, guiding them through the admissions process, answering questions, and ensuring consistent communication.

+ Admissions Coordinator – Focuses on collecting and following up on outstanding documents such as transcripts, forms, and other required paperwork.

+ Financial Aid Counselor (this role) – Ensures new students receive personalized financial aid guidance, loan counseling, and financial literacy education.

Together, the pod delivers a high-touch, student-focused experience, ensuring that each new SOM and SVM Basic Sciences student receives comprehensive support from recruitment through successful enrollment.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

+ In-depth knowledge of Title IV aid programs, private loan processes, credit counseling, and debt management.

+ Strong counseling skills, with ability to build rapport and deliver outstanding student service to new students and families.

+ Proficiency in Banner (RHACOMM), Salesforce, NSLDS, COD, and Microsoft Office 365; advanced Excel preferred.

+ Strong organizational and analytical skills with attention to detail.

+ Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present to individuals and groups.

+ Professional discretion with sensitive financial and personal data.

+ Commitment to financial literacy, debt management, and proactive student support.

Other Duties

+ Provide coverage for core functions as needed to ensure uninterrupted service to applicants and students.

+ Perform other duties and special projects assigned by leadership.

This description is not intended to be all-inclusive. This position may perform other related duties as required to meet the ongoing needs of the department/institution.

Qualifications

+ Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred.

+ 1–3 years of financial aid experience, preferably in higher education.

+ Experience with credit counseling, debt management, or private loan counseling strongly preferred.

+ Familiarity with Title IV, NSLDS, COD, and private lender requirements.

Hours & Travel

+ Standard work week: 37.5 hours, Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.

+ Flexibility to work evenings and weekends during peak enrollment periods.

+ Occasional travel for admissions events, orientations, or new student initiatives.

Key Outcomes

The Financial Aid Counselor – Basic Sciences (New Students) will be measured by their ability to:

+ Student Service Excellence: Provide new SOM and SVM students with a positive, supportive, and responsive financial aid experience, consistently reflected in student satisfaction and feedback.

+ Effective Counseling: Ensure new students demonstrate clear understanding of their borrowing responsibilities, creditworthiness, financial aid options, and repayment obligations through proactive one-on-one and group counseling.

+ Compliance & Accuracy: Maintain 100% compliance with Title IV, FERPA, DOE, and lender regulations, minimizing errors and audit findings in aid processing, packaging, and documentation.

+ Pod Integration: Actively collaborate with the pod (Recruiter, Admissions Officer, Admissions Coordinator) to deliver a coordinated and seamless onboarding experience, with no gaps in communication or support.

+ Responsiveness & Documentation: Respond to student inquiries within 24–48 hours, with accurate and complete documentation in Banner (RHACOMM) and Salesforce.

+ Financial Literacy Engagement: Deliver impactful financial literacy programming at orientation, workshops, and individual sessions, with measurable improvements in student awareness and confidence.

+ Operational Efficiency: Monitor aid reports and caseloads to ensure timely processing, escalate issues when necessary, and contribute to continuous improvement of financial aid workflows for new students.

The anticipated salary range for the Financial Aid Counselor, SGU is $55,000 to $61,000 per year. The final salary offered may vary and will be determined based on factors such as job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and education of the successful candidate. This information is provided per NYS local law.

We Are

• Student Centric: We approach every task with a focus on supporting our students to achieve their lifelong learning goals in a safe, vibrant and welcoming environment.

• A Global Community: We are one team with an international outlook welcoming the strength in our diversity and the value each of us brings to what we do.

• Accountable: We take responsibility for our actions by being responsive, resourceful and respectful in delivering on our commitments with integrity and the highest ethical standards.

• Collaborative: We support and empower one another through open communications, cooperation, sharing knowledge and taking time to always listen and show we care.

• Committed to Excellence: We take pride in our ongoing pursuit for continuous improvement through creativity, rigor and best practices to produce meaningful outcomes.

About University Support Services, LLC

University Support Services LLC (USS) is an affiliate of St. George's University (SGU), a leading provider of international medical education. SGU students and faculty come from 151 countries to the island of Grenada, located in the West Indies. Our purpose is to support SGU to deliver best in class education for all SGU students. We put a special focus on the growing global need for diverse high-quality medical and healthcare professionals. USS is pivotal in positioning SGU as a premiere medical degree institute through its student-facing as well as functional support teams.

USS is an equal opportunity employer. As such, it is company policy to fill positions with qualified candidates regardless of race, color, sex (including sexual orientation and gender presentation), age, religion, ancestry, national origin, citizenship status, pregnancy, marital status, medical condition, genetic information, disability, status in the Uniformed Services of the United States (including veteran status) or status as a victim of domestic violence, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification. This policy protects applicants and employees from discrimination in the hiring process.