Apply for Financial Aid

The first step is to file your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). It's free to file and you'll need to file each year while you're enrolled. This will help determine your eligibility for aid grants, loans, student employment and some types of scholarships.

Pennsylvania residents should complete the FAFSA by May 1 for potential state aid eligibility through PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency).  After completion of the FAFSA, PHEAA will email you a link to access their GrantUs portal to complete the state grant application. Not a PA resident? Contact your state's higher education assistance agency to explore potential options.

To file your FAFSA, you'll need the following:

• Please use Federal Title IV Code on the FAFSA: Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania 003315
• Student and parent StudentAid.gov accounts (FSA IDs).
• Student and parent Social Security numbers.
• Student and parent prior, prior year federal income tax returns (include Schedule 1, 2 & 3 if applicable) Note: The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is an option within the FAFSA to automatically retrieve and transfer income and tax data from the IRS into the FAFSA. This is the preferred method, if possible.
• Student and parent prior, prior year W-2 forms and other records of money earned.
• Student and parent prior, prior year untaxed income received including: workers’ compensation, child support, payments to tax deferred pension, savings plans, etc.
• Current bank statements & records of stocks, bonds, 529 plans and other investments.

• Once your FAFSA is processed, your financial aid will be determined.
  You'll receive a Financial Aid award notice electronically - so be sure to check your university email often!
• Review your financial aid package to determine how much you still owe and any additional forms our office may still need from you.
• Make sure you provide our office with all requested items, or you'll delay your financial aid.  Check your university email as well as any outstanding requirements on your Banner Student (Self-Service) Portal To-Do-List.
• Submit a FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) Release Form to release your information to those you choose other than yourself such as a parent/supporter helping you pay for college.

If you are offered the Federal Direct Student Loan, you will need to complete the following in order to finalize the loan process: 

• Accept Federal Direct Student Loans on your university account.
• Visit studentaid.gov and log in using your StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID) username/password and complete the following items:
  1.  Entrance Counseling
  2.  Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Additional Financing Options (if needed):

• Direct Parent PLUS Loan - for dependent Undergraduate students only.
• Direct GradPLUS Loan - for Graduate/Doctoral students only.
• State/Private Student Loan - search online for these loans in order to compare lender options.
• Review all scholarships and types of aid that may be available.
• Payment plan offered through the Student Billing Office.

EREG Requirement

Complete the registration to-do list item (EREG) for each semester once assigned.  Failure to complete will prevent aid from being disbursed.  Reminder this must be done each semester.