When and how are financial aid and scholarships funds disbursed?

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?

How do I add SDSU to my FAFSA after I applied?

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?

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 University Disbursements Office processes financial aid disbursements that include grants, student loans, and scholarships. Refer to the Student Financial Services Disbursements Office Web site for more information about disbursement, direct deposit, your online student account, and more.

When—

You may have access to your financial aid funds

• seven (7) to ten (10) days after you enroll at least half-time*, but
• not until the Thursday before classes begin each semester (if you signed up online for eRefund direct deposit), and
• not until after the first day of classes if you are receiving your funds by mail (no direct deposit), and
• if all financial aid and cashier’s holds (if any) affecting your aid are cleared.

Disbursement continues throughout the semester as new awards are processed and changes to awards occur.
       * some aid programs and scholarships may require full-time attendance

How You Will Know—

All disbursements are made through the University Disbursements Office.   Check your transaction history online anytime at Student Account Services.  University Disbursements 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 (the quickest way to get your funds)
• mail a check (if you are not signed up for direct deposit) to the address indicated in your SDSU WebPortal account (checks are mailed after classes begin)

eRefund (direct deposits) are processed three times a week, and checks are mailed once a week.

Parent loan checks are mailed directly to the parent when all conditions have been met.

Will the amount of funds 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 funds 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 completing a FAFSA.

When should I apply for financial aid?

As soon after January 1, as possible, of the year preceding your enrollment at SDSU (e.g., if you plan to enroll during the 2008-09 academic year, you should apply for financial aid as soon after January 1, 2008 as possible).
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 postmarked on or before March 2. 

Students attending fall semester only: Submit the FAFSA prior to the end of the fall semester in time to receive aid while you are enrolled.

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.  What do I do 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.

If parents are divorced/separated whose information is on the FAFSA?

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 file must be complete,
• you must be admitted to SDSU

 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, Grad PLUS, 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.

Federal Perkins Loan: This is a low-interest (5%) loan awarded to eligible students with exceptional financial need. Interest and repayment of the loan begins nine months after you leave school or are no longer enrolled at least half-time.
Find more about student and parent loans.

 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 getting 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, you are jeopardizing your eligibility for financial aid.
Find more about academic progress requirements.

Must I tell the OFAS if I received funds from other sources?

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
• 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!