SDSU-OFAS: Print page - FAQs


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	FAQs — Frequently Asked Questions
	When and how are financial aid and scholarships funds disbursed? How much money will I need before I receive my financial aid? Will the amount of funds I receive be the same as on my initial award? How do I apply for financial aid? When should I apply for financial aid? Does SDSU have a deadline for applying for financial aid? What is SDSU's Federal School Code? I did not list SDSU on my FAFSA. How do I add SDSU? Do I have to apply for financial aid every year? Which parent's information is on the FAFSA if divorced/separated? Do I have to be a US citizen in order to receive financial aid? When will I find out how much financial aid I am receiving? How can I have my family’s loss of income considered? Does SDSU participate in loan programs? How do I apply for student loans? Do I have to complete a promissory note in order to receive a student loan? What is Loan counseling? How do I apply for work study? I received aid for the semester, then droped units. What happens? What happens if I completely withdraw after receiving financial aid? What happens if I don't pass some of my classes? Must I tell the OFAS if I received funds from other sources? When and how are financial aid and scholarship funds disbursed? The Student Account Services processes financial aid disbursements that include grants, student loans, and scholarships. Refer to Student Account Services Web site for more information about disbursement, direct deposit, your online student account, and more. When— Direct deposit (eRefund) usually begins the Thursday before classes start. You must be enrolled at least half time. (The amount you receive may be less if you are not enrolled full time.) You must clear all financial aid and cashier holds, if any, affecting your aid. Parent loan checks are mailed to the parent borrower after classes begin. Disbursements continue throughout the semester as new awards are processed or changes to awards occur. Note: Direct deposit is the only way to receive financial aid and scholarship funds that are available to you after your awarded funds have paid your university charges of registration fees, nonresident tuition and on-campus housing. Sign up online at Student Account Services. How You Will Know— Check your transaction history online anytime at Student Account Services. They will send you an e-mail when they: release your funds to pay university charges of registration fees (and housing) directly deposit funds to your bank account How much money will I need before I receive my financial aid? When you arrive on campus, bring enough money with you to cover your expenses until financial aid funds are released. Aid is released only by direct deposit to your bank account. You will not pick up funds on campus. Plan a budget and make sure you have enough resources for expenses throughout the semester. Books and supplies: You must have money when you purchase your books ($500 - $800). Financial aid funds cannot be transferred to the campus bookstore. Fees: Know how much it will cost to register for classes and for other university charges such as on-campus housing and meals. Food: Living on campus: If you are living in on-campus housing, bring money to buy food until your meal plan begins on the first day of class. Release of financial aid funds: When your funds are released depends on when you applied, when you submitted required documentation, when you were awarded, and when you enrolled in classes. TIP: Apply before March, submit requested documentation no later than May and activate your loan(s) at least one month before you need the funds. Will the amount of money I receive be the same as on my initial award? If your award is made prior to the first few weeks of a semester, it is made based on the assumption that you are enrolled full time. However, your check will be disbursed based on the number of units in which you are actually enrolled at the time of disbursement. If you are enrolled less then full time at the end of the add/drop period, your award will be adjusted to reflect the number of units enrolled. You may be billed if you were disbursed funds for more units than your final units at census. Find more about how financial aid is awarded. How do I apply for financial aid? Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at FAFSA on the Web. Find more about how to apply. When should I apply for financial aid? As soon after January 1, as possible for the following academic year. Find more about how to apply. Does SDSU have a deadline for applying for financial aid? All students: Submit the FAFSA anytime after January 1, but in time to receive aid before your last day of enrollment for the semester or for the academic year (fall and spring semesters). We recommend that you apply before March 2. First time Cal Grant applicants: Submit the FAFSA on or before March 2. The university has a limited amount of grant and work study funds which are awarded to eligible students on a first come, first served basis. If your federal tax returns will not be completed in time to apply early, you may use estimated income tax information. We may later request a copy of your tax returns to verify income information. Don't wait until it's too late: Financial aid funds, including student loans, must be disbursed during the semester of your award— for fall, before the last day of fall final examinations for spring, before the last day of spring finals. To ensure that your aid funds will be available before the end of the semester— provide the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships (OFAS) with documents that OFAS may request to verify your eligibility and/or clear any hold(s), and activate your loan(s). If you wait, funds cannot be disbursed until the OFAS determines that— your semester grades have been posted to your academic transcript, and you completed the required number of unites to qualify for the funds awarded. Find more about how to apply. What is SDSU's Federal School Code? 001151 I did not list SDSU on my FAFSA. How do I add SDSU? Correct the information online at FAFSA on the Web, or call the Central Processor at (800) 433-3243 and have them send your FAFSA information to us. Our Federal School Code is 001151. Do I have to apply for financial aid every year? Yes. The only way you will receive financial aid is if you reapply every year. Whick parent's information is on the FAFSA if divorced/separated? Use the information of the natural or adoptive parent with whom you lived the most in the past 12 months. If you lived with neither parent, or lived with each parent an equal number of days, use the parent that provided the most financial support to you over the past 12 months. If that parent remarried— you must include that stepparent's financial information on the application your parent and stepparent must report themselves as married on the FAFSA Do I have to be a US citizen to receive financial aid? You must be one of the following to receive financial aid— US citizen US national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island) US permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Alien Registration Receipt Card) If you're not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) showing one of the following designations to be eligible— "Refugee" "Asylum Granted" "Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole" "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, (Status Pending)" "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980) You are not eligible for financial aid if— you only have a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you are in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only you are in the United States on an on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only you are in the United States on a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations) When will I find out how much financial aid I am receiving? The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will send an e-mail instructing you to go to AidLink to view your award. Before we send the alert message— your financial aid application must be complete, you must be admitted to SDSU Find more about how financial aid is awarded. How can I have my family’s loss of income considered? If you (student or parent) experience a significant loss in income or other change in circumstances since submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you may submit a Request for Review form to this office. Changes that may be considered after submitting a FAFSA are: Decrease in income due to loss of a job or substantial reduction in earnings, child support, public assistance or other resource. Significant changes such as death, divorce, or loss due to a natural disaster. See "Change in Student's or Parent's Financial Situation" for more details. Does SDSU participate in loan programs? SDSU participates in the Federal Perkins Loan and the Federal Direct Loan Programs. The Direct Loan program includes subsidized, unsubsidized, and Parent PLUS Loans. Subsidized loans: The federal government pays the interest on the loan while you are enrolled at least half-time, and for up to 6 months after you are no longer enrolled at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans: You are responsible for the interest on the loan as soon as the funds are disbursed to you. Grad PLUS loans: You are responsible for the interest on the loan as soon as the funds are disbursed to you. Parent PLUS loans: Parents are responsible for the interest on Parent PLUS Loans, as they are not subsidized. How do I apply for student loans? Your financial aid award will include the loans and amounts you qualify to borrow. Until you activate them, they will be in an estimated status. Find more about student loans. Do I have to complete a promissory note to receive a student loan? Yes, you must complete a promissory note for your first loan. Once you complete the E-MPN (Electronic Master Promissory Note), it may be used for up to 10 years of loans. We will direct you to complete a new promissory note if needed. What is Loan counseling? If you are receiving your first Direct Loan at SDSU, you must complete loan counseling before your funds can be disbursed. The option to complete loan counseling will be available when you check your award on AidLink. Loan Counseling tells you about the loan you are borrowing as well as explains the expectations of the student borrower. How do I apply for work study? If you were not awarded Work Study and would like to see if you qualify, please call our office, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. at (619) 594-6323. Find more about work study. I received aid for the semester, then dropped units. What happens? If you drop units after your financial funds have been disbursed you may have received full-time funds you were not entitled to receive. You will need to repay any overpayment. We will notify you of your revised eligibility. University Cashiers will send you an electronic billing notice for the amount due. Find more about dropping units. What happens if I completely withdraw after receiving financial aid? You may have to pay back some of the financial aid you received. SDSU will notify you if you must repay. In some cases, you may be entitled to receive a refund of registration fees that may be used to help repay any aid that you may owe. Find more about how withdrawing will affect your aid. What if I don't pass some of my classes? Federal regulations require that students adhere to standards of satisfactory academic progress in the pursuit of their degree or certificate. If you do not complete the units in which you are enrolled, and do not maintain a minimum cumulative GPA, you are jeopardizing your eligibility for financial aid. Find more about academic progess requirements. Must I tell the OFAS if I received funds fom another source? Yes! It is important that you notify our office about any funds you receive from sources other than our office. When we calculate your eligibility, we must take into consideration all sources of assistance you receive. Examples of other funding sources include, but are not limited to— fellowships and stipends research or teaching assistantships tuition remission private scholarships AmeriCorp grants Veterans Educational Benefits alternative (private) loans These types of assistance affect your eligibility for financial aid. Unreported resources could result in an overaward, which you must repay immediately. Don't put yourself in this predicament!