Applying for Financial Aid

To receive federal financial aid, you’ll need to complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). After submitting, some students’ FAFSAs are selected for verification, and some are not. If your FAFSA is selected for verification, you’ll receive a notification via email. The notification will tell you how to submit the required documents to verify the information you gave in your FAFSA.

Once we have received the FAFSA information and any required verification or clearance documentation, we’ll send you a Financial Aid Package Notification. This notification will ask you to review your package, accept the awards that you would like to receive, and complete the remaining documents necessary for you to receive the aid. (For example, loans require a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling.) Keep in mind that you do not have to accept all of the awards offered to you, and if you accept loans, you also accept the responsibility of paying those loans back. All documents must be submitted within 10 days from the date you are notified.

Your Federal Financial Aid package is based on your computed Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number, with consideration to the estimated cost of attendance for the academic year, and any other specific financial aid program requirements. A financial aid package can include a variety of combinations of gift aid and self-help aid. Your federal financial aid package is also based on need and award limits, so it is possible that not all of your tuition, books, course materials, supplies and equipment will be covered through the Federal Program alone. CSU Global will be able to determine your eligibility once you apply.

Once you’ve been offered financial aid, the next step will be to review your financial aid package and choose which financial aid funding you would like to accept. You can login to the Student Portal to find specific instructions on how to accept the amount of aid you want to receive. If you are eligible, the Pell Grant is automatically accepted. For all other types of federal aid, please keep in mind that you do not have to accept the entire amount offered if you do not need it. Your acceptance is an acknowledgement that you want to receive the financial aid offered to you. When you accept a loan, you also accept the responsibility of repaying that loan.

Once your financial aid has been awarded, you can log in to the Student Portal to find specific instructions on how to accept the amount of aid you want to receive.

Loan Entrance Counseling

If you decide to accept a direct federal loan, the Department of Education requires you to complete Loan Entrance Counseling first. Loan Entrance Counseling gives you important information regarding your rights, responsibilities, and obligations for the student loans you borrow.

To complete your counseling, go to https://studentaid.gov and click on “Loan Entrance Counseling” underneath the “Loans and Grants” menu item. In order to use the loan counseling site, you will need to login with your Federal Student Aid ID issued by the Department of Education. If you do not have this ID, you will need to set one up by selecting “Create Account”.

Master Promissory Note

If you receive the direct federal loan, you must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). MPNs do have expiration dates so keep in mind that you may have to complete another MPN during your time with CSU Global.

Your MPN includes instructions for deferment, repayment, and interest. After you accept your loan, you will receive information on how to complete your MPN online. The Borrowers’ Rights and Responsibilities form and disclosure statement will be provided with your MPN.

The disclosure statement is a reminder that you will be receiving a loan that must be repaid. It includes:

• Loan principal amount
• Origination fee
• Insurance premium fee
• Cumulative principal debt for loans made by your lender
• Actual interest rate
• The name and address of your lender
• Net amount of each scheduled disbursement
• Expected date of each disbursement

Reapplying for Financial Aid

You must reapply for federal financial aid every academic year. To reapply, find the most current FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov, complete it, and submit it. Privately awarded financial aid may require additional documentation to continue to receive scholarships and loans. Carefully review your individual financial aid terms and conditions to make sure you’re in compliance with eligibility and academic standing while you’re receiving financial aid.

Financial aid awards are divided into disbursements that coincide with the terms in the trimester. Disbursement of funds will not happen until all of your required paperwork has been completed, the drop/add period for the term has passed, and you have met the disbursement criteria for the fund source.

• Federal Pell Grant – Funds can be disbursed even if your enrollment status is less than half-time.
• Federal Loans – Loans will not be disbursed until you are enrolled in at least half-time status for the semester. For undergraduate students, attendance in at least 6 credit hours is required. For graduate students, attendance in at least 3 credit hours is required.

The individual plan and schedule for disbursement is detailed in the student portal.

Credit Balance

If your financial aid exceeds all of your expenses for a term, a credit balance will be created in the amount that is due back to you. Credits are processed through BankMobile Vibe and are provided to students based on the refund preference the student has selected which includes, direct deposit into personal checking or savings account, deposit into a BankMobile Vibe bank account, or check mailed to the student’s address on file. Students should visit RefundSelection.com and use their personal code to select a refund preference. Students may complete the BankMobile Vibe opt out form if they prefer to have a check mailed directly to their address from the school, however, this requires additional processing time. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the mailing address and account on file are accurate.

Loans and some other types of financial aid require you to repay the borrowed amount with interest after you graduate, or after a change in student status. For many student loans, a grace period of 6 months is typical, but each student loan (federal and private) is different. Contact your lender for specific repayment expectations for your loan. Please visit http://studentaid.ed.gov/repay-loans for current federal loan repayment information.

Note: Grants and scholarships generally do not have to be repaid if you graduate from your degree program in good academic standing.

You have a choice of several repayment plans that are designed to meet the different needs of individual borrowers. The amount you pay and the length of time you have to repay your loans will vary, depending on the repayment plan you choose.

The Federal Student Aid website has information about the various repayment plans available, as well as calculators to help you estimate repayment amounts under each of the different plans. For repayment options and expectations for private loans, contact the specific lender.

Loan Exit Counseling

You should complete Loan Exit Counseling when you have either dropped below half-time, withdrawn from the university, or graduated from your program. Loan Exit Counseling is provided through https://studentaid.gov.

Loan Exit Counseling provides important information regarding your rights, responsibilities, and obligations for student loans you’ve borrowed. It will prepare you for repayment, and provides you with important information about your loan history. You’ll be able to view all federal student loans that you have borrowed throughout your education, and you’ll also receive estimated repayment information.