<— Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships Home Page.
To return to the page you were viewing,
press the 
, "Back," or "Previous" button on your Web browser.
Page Contents
- How We Communicate With You
- Incoming Freshmen - Estimated Aid Eligibility
- General Eligibility for Financial Aid
- How eligibility is calculated
- How eligibility may be affected
- Notice of ineligibility for financial aid
- Cost of Attendance (COA)
- Standard costs
- Actual expenses
- Adjusting your standard costs
- Standard Costs for California Residents
- Undergraduates Table
- Graduate Students Table
- Teaching Credential Students Table
- Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
- Estimating your EFC and financial aid
- Change in Student's or Parent's Income
- Awarding Process
- Requirements for financial aid awards
- Adjustments to financial aid awards
- Declining A Financial Aid Award
- Procedure for declining or reducing financial aid
- How to decline an estimated Direct Loan
How We Communicate With Students
The Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships sends e-mail notifications to you at the e-mail address you have on record through your SDSU WebPortal account.
These messages direct you to check your AidLink account for important information concerning your financial aid. If for some reason our e-mail to you is returned to us as undeliverable (perhaps because your mail box is full or because your WebPortal address is incorrect) we will use the U. S. Postal Service to send a notice to your physical mailing address.
Even if you do not receive an e-mail message from us, it's a good idea to check your AidLink account often
Incoming Freshmen - Estimated Aid Eligibility
If you are a new incoming freshman, the OFAS will send you an e-mail (or paper) notice containing instructions on how to log on to AidLink to review your Estimated Financial Aid Eligibility. We will send this e-mail alert only if you—
- are eligible for financial aid, and
- have been admitted to SDSU.
- It is used to help you make your decision about which college to attend.
- The Estimated Financial Aid Eligibility is not an official award.
General Eligibility for Financial Aid
How eligibility is calculated:
Maximum eligibility (or financial need) is the amount remaining after your expected family contribution and all other types of financial assistance are subtracted from your cost of attendance.
The basic formula for calculating your maximum eligibility or financial need is—
Cost of Attendance
<minus> Expected Family Contribution
<minus> Other Financial Assistance
<equals> Maximum Eligibility (financial need)
How eligibility may be affected:
The actual amount of aid you may receive could be less than your calculated eligibility for several reasons—
- Funds are not available
- Financial aid program regulations
- You are enrolled less than full time: Initial awards are based on full-time enrollment
- Eligibility for some aid programs may be adjusted if enrollment is less than full time
- You are enrolled less than half time
- The original award may be reduced or canceled because we are required to exclude food and housing, miscellaneous and personal expenses from your cost of attendance
Notice of ineligibility for financial aid:
We send you an e-mail notice directing you to AidLink if you are not eligible for financial aid because you are—
Cost of Attendance (COA)
Your cost of attendance (see tables below) is the estimated amount that it will cost you to attend SDSU during the nine-month academic year.Standard costs: Standard costs reflect a modest, adequate living allowance. They include—
- registration fees
- an allowance for books and supplies
- average living expenses
They do not take into consideration all individual circumstances or discretionary expenses.Actual expenses: Actual expenses may vary according to individual lifestyle, priorities, and obligations.
Adjusting your standard costs:
Certain expenses may be considered, including—
- childcare
- costs related to a disability
- extraordinary medical expenses
To request an increase to your standard costs, complete a Student's Request for a Budget Increase form.
Note: Most approved increases usually will be met with Federal Direct Student and/or Parent PLUS Loan programs.
| Living with Parents |
Living in University Housing |
Living Off Campus |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Fees*
|
$4,902* |
$4,902* |
$4,902* |
Books, Supplies
|
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
Food, Housing
|
$3,810 |
$11,485 |
$10,388 |
Transportation
|
$1,360 |
$1,320 |
$1,690 |
Misc/Personal
|
$2,856 |
$2,657 |
$2,772 |
 |
|
|
|
Total Academic Year |
$14,566 ($7,283 per semester) |
$22,002 ($11,001 per semester) |
$21,390 ($10,695 per semester) |
Note: The information in this table are subject to change without notice. |
|||
| Living with Parents |
Living in University Housing |
Living Off Campus |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Fees*
|
$5,838* |
$5,838* |
$5,838* |
Books, Supplies
|
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
Food, Housing
|
$3,810 |
$11,485 |
$11,532 |
Transportation
|
$1,550 |
$1,506 |
$1,926 |
Misc/Personal
|
$2,856 |
$2,657 |
$2,772 |
|
|
|
|
Total Academic Year |
$15,692 ($7,846 per semester) |
$23,124 ($11,562 per semester) |
$23,706 ($11,853 per semester) |
| Note: The information in this table are subject to change without notice. Amounts are for full-time enrollment for the nine-month academic year. *For education doctorate (Ed.D.) substitute $9,552 for Registration Fees. *Nonresident tuition: add $372 per unit to the fees listed above (not to exceed $11,160 for the fall/spring semesters). |
|||
| Living with Parents |
Living in University Housing |
Living Off Campus |
|
|---|---|---|---|
Fees*
|
$5,550* |
$5,550* |
$5,550* |
Books, Supplies
|
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
$1,638 |
Food, Housing
|
$3,810 |
$11,485 |
$10,388 |
Transportation
|
$1,360 |
$1,320 |
$1,690 |
Misc/Personal
|
$2,856 |
$2,657 |
$2,772 |
|
|
|
|
Total Academic Year |
$15,214 ($7,607 per semester) |
$22,650 ($11,325 per semester) |
$22,038 ($11,019 per semester) |
| Note: The information in this table are subject to change without notice. Amounts are for full-time enrollment for the nine-month academic year. *Nonresident tuition: add $372 per unit to the fees listed above (not to exceed $11,160 for the fall/spring semesters). *Imperial Valley Campus students pay $642 less in campus fees each year. |
|||
Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
Most federal and state financial aid programs are based on the expectation that you and your family will contribute a specific amount to the cost of your education. This amount is determined by a federally approved need analysis. Some of the items considered in determining the EFC are—
- your family's taxed and untaxed income
- assets (except for the family home)
- savings
- family size
- the number of people in your household who are enrolled in college
Estimating Your EFC and financial aid:
You can obtain an estimate of your family's contribution and how much financial aid you may be eligible to receive at a California State University. Simply complete the online form called PAIS (Preliminary Aid Information System) at the CSU Mentor Web site.
Get an early start on the information you'll need to complete the FAFSA, obtain an estimate of your family's contribution, and how much financial aid you may be eligible to receive. Complete the online form called FAFSA4caster on the Federal Student Aid Web site.
Change in Student's or Parent's Financial Situation
If you experience a change in resources, income, or special circumstances not addressed on the original financial aid application (FAFSA), a Student and/or Parent Request for Review form may be submitted to this office.
Special circumstances that may be reviewed
Changes in income or other special circumstances that may warrant review include, but are not limited to—
- loss of a job or a substantial reduction in earnings or other income,
- loss or reduction of child support, spousal support, or public assistance,
- death, divorce, or separation from a spouse since completing the original financial aid application,
- one-time income received last year that will not be received in the current or upcoming year,
- loss due to recent natural disasters (e.g., earthquake, flood, fire) not covered by insurance, or
- significant medical expenses not covered by insurance.
What to do
If you decide to submit a Request for Review—
- Download and print a Request for Review form (parent or student).
- Read the form carefully and closely follow the instructions for your situation.
- Attach the appropriate documentation and a written, signed statement describing the change in income or resources.
- Submit the completed form to this office.
Be detailed and specific and make sure you include documentation as appropriate.
Awarding Process
Awarding begins in February prior to the academic year for which the aid is being requested.
The OFAS will send an e-mail (or paper) notice instructing you to log on to AidLink to review your award.
Requirements for financial aid awards:
- You must be admitted to SDSU.
- You must be eligible for financial aid.
- You must maintain satisfactory academic progress.
Adjustments to financial aid awards:
The OFAS receives information from other SDSU offices, from outside agencies, and from you that may affect your financial aid award.
If any of the information we receive changes your award, the OFAS will send you an e-mail (or paper) notice instructing you to log on to AidLink to review the changes made to your financial aid award.
- We may send several notices as changes occur throughout the year.
- Information received may decrease your eligibility which will reduce the amount of your award accordingly.
- If you received your aid prior to an adjustment, you may have to repay federal or state funds that exceed your revised eligibility.
- Every effort is made to adjust aid before repayment is requested.
Declining a financial aid award
All financial aid awards are assumed accepted except Direct Loans and Perkins Loans. You have the right to decline any or all of your financial aid award.
Procedure for declining or reducing financial aid:
Send a statement to the Office of Financial Aid Scholarships with your name and SDSU Red ID number, indicating the type and amount of aid you wish to decline.
How to decline estimated Direct Loan:
Do not activate your Direct Loan.
