Applying for Financial Aid

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) provides grants, loans, and work-study funds for college or career school.  It is part of the U.S. Department of Education and is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation.

General Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for financial aid consideration, you must:

  1. Be a U.S. citizen or provide documentation of permanent resident or refugee status.

  2. Be enrolled at least half-time in a degree at the University. Full-time enrollment is a minimum of 12 credits per term. Half-time enrollment is a minimum of 6 credits per term.

  3. Be registered with the Selective Service, if eligible.

  4. Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on any federal education loan.

  5. Be making satisfactory academic progress toward your degree and be in good academic standing if you are a continuing student.

  6. If you are an endowed scholarship recipient, you must maintain a specified cumulative grade point average, generally a 2.85 minimum. Most University scholarship and grant programs require that you enroll as a full-time student (12 credits or more) each semester to be eligible. Students eligible for a Federal Pell Grant may receive limited Federal Pell Grant assistance for less than half-time study.

NOTE: International, non-degree seeking or visiting students are not eligible for financial aid.

* Students eligible for a Federal Pell Grant may receive limited Federal Pell Grant assistance for less than half-time study.

Application Priority Deadlines

Complying with these deadlines will insure the fairest evaluation of your financial aid application if you are eligible for institutional and federal campus-based funds. In addition, complying with these suggested deadlines should insure that funds are disbursed to your student account prior to the billing due date.

Fall Term

  •   Undergraduate freshman March 1
  •   Continuing Undergraduate April 1
  •   New Transfer Student May 1

Spring Term

  •   Suggested deadline is November 15

Summer Term - is a separate process, please contact the financial aid office for more information.

  •   Suggested deadline is April 1

Other grant and scholarship organizations will have separate application filing deadlines. Please check directly with those agencies for details.

  • Pennsylvania State Grant May 1

Financial Aid for the Summer Term

 There are various options for financial aid for the Summer Term.