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   Graphic links to home page           —> Financial Aid Steps —> You are here —> Step One - Apply for Aid
Scholarships
Steps to Financial Aid: The 1)Apply 2)Documents request 3)Application review 4)Award 5)Disbursement of funds
Grants: Free financial aid money
Loans: Loans available to SDSU students
Work Study: Federally subsidized work to help students with the cost of education
Funds Disbursement: How students receive financial aid money
Academic Progress: Importance of maintaining approved grades and unit levels to receiving aid
Enrollment: How enrollment levels affect financial aid awards
Teaching Programs: Financial aid help specifically for teaching students
Veterans Programs: Financial aid help specifically for veterans and their families
Guide to Financial Aid
Foster Youth
  Step One - Applying for Aid
 


Page Contents

 

How to Apply

The application form: 
Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the standard form used to apply for ALL financial aid: grants / work study / student and parent loans.

  • Go to "FAFSA on the Web" at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov to apply for financial aid.
  • To be considered for all types of state and federal aid, complete the FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible (see Deadlines below).
  • SDSU's Federal School Code is - 001151.

The Federal Student Aid PIN: 
The PIN is an identifier and serves as your electronic signature. It enables you to

  • complete, sign, and submit your FAFSA online, and
  • access your personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems.

Apply for a Federal Student Aid PIN.

New SDSU students: 
Apply for aid now. Do not wait until you are admitted to the university.

  • Your application for financial aid will be reviewed at the same time your application for admission is being processed.
  • After you are officially admitted to the university and your financial aid file is complete, you will be able to view your award notice on AidLink.
  • Check AidLink and your e-mail regularly for—
    • additional information you may be required to provide, and
    • messages from this office.

Allow several weeks processing time from when you are admitted to when you are awarded.

Continuing SDSU students: 
You must reapply each year for aid.

Deadlines

  • All students: Submit the FAFSA anytime after January 1, but in time to receive aid before the last day of the semester for which you are attending during the academic year.
  • First time Cal Grant Applicants: Submit the FAFSA postmarked on or before March 2.

Deadline hints:

Apply early!

  • Funds are awarded throughout the application period. However, the university has a limited amount of grant and work study funds and make awards on a first come, first served basis. 
  • If your federal tax returns will not be completed in time to file early, you may use estimated income tax information. We may later request a copy of your tax returns to verify income information.
  • To ensure that you receive aid at the beginning of the fall semester, we encourage you to apply before May.
  • For summer aid, apply as early as possible after January 1.


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Application Process for Cal Grant Applicants

Applying for new Cal Grants:
 Link to more in-depth information about Cal Grants.

  • Submit the FAFSA online or by mail postmarked by March 2.
  • Submit the GPA Verification Form to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) postmarked by March 2.
    • If you are not currently enrolled at SDSU, check with your current high school or college about the GPA Verification Form prior to March 2.
    • If you are enrolled at SDSU and have completed less than 24 semester college units as of January, contact your high school about completing the GPA Verification Form before March 2.
    • If you are enrolled at SDSU, have completed at least 24 semester college units, and have a current academic year FAFSA on file with SDSU as of January, SDSU will automatically verify your GPA for CSAC.
  • You must list your state of legal residence on question #18.
  • You must list a California college or university when listing the schools that you want to have access to your FAFSA information.

Renewal Cal Grant applicants:
Once selected for a Cal Grant, the award may be renewable.

  • You must maintain financial aid eligibility.
  • You must refile the FAFSA each year.
  • You are not required to file by the March 2 deadline.
  • The GPA Verification Form is not required.

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The Student Aid Report (SAR)

Within two weeks of filing the FAFSA, the federal processing center will send a SAR to you by e-mail or mail.

If all information is correct:

  • Keep the SAR for your records. 
  • The Central Processing System (CPS) will send us your application electronically if SDSU is listed as one of the schools to receive your record.

If you need to make corrections:

  • Online: Make corrections using your Federal PIN Number at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
  • On paper: Make corrections and send the SAR to the Central Processing System (CPS) by mail.

General Financial Aid Eligibility Requirements

For an in-depth discussion about eligibility, go to Step 4 - How Financial Aid is Awarded — Eligibility for Financial Aid.

Requirements for receiving financial aid from SDSU:

You must —

  • be a United States citizen, permanent resident, or other eligible noncitizen,
  • be admitted to a degree or credential program at SDSU,
  • have a high school diploma or its recognized equivalent,
  • maintain satisfactory academic progress,
  • demonstrate aid eligibility according to federal and state regulations, and
  • reapply for aid each year.

When Parents Must Provide Information on the FAFSA

Your parent must provide information on the FAFSA if you answer "No" to all of the student status questions in Step Three of the FAFSA. Parent information is required even if you do not live with or receive any financial support from your parent(s).

The Federal Need Analysis formula requires that this information be collected and used to measure your parents' ability to assist you with your educational costs.
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Types of Aid Available

Grants:

Money you do not have to pay back.

Loans:

Borrowed money you must repay with interest.

  • Federal Perkins Loan
  • Federal Direct Student Loans
  • Federal Direct Parent Loans

Federal Work Study (FWS):

Money you earn while enrolled in school to help pay your educational expenses.

Scholarships: 

Money awarded to students who demonstrate certain qualities such as academic or athletic accomplishments, musical or artistic ability, or specialized fields of study.  Scholarships do not need to be repaid.

There are three Scholarship application filing periods at SDSU—

  1. Fall: Mid-August through Mid-October
  2. Spring 1: Mid-November through Mid-February
  3. Spring 2: Mid-March through April

Applications for SDSU-based scholarships are available—

  • online at the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, Scholarships Web page, and
  • at individual SDSU departments.

Other information available on the SDSU Scholarships Web pages—

  • useful links to other sites including free scholarship search sites, and
  • other scholarships available that are not endowed through SDSU.

Other Resources:

Financial assistance through defined scholarship programs, fellowships, and traineeships.

Other Financial Assistance: 

Financial assistance provided through sources other than the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships, such as—

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