Awarding Federal Student Aid

Student Aid Report

Once a student completes the FAFSA, they will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that summarizes the data from the FAFSA and determines the student’s official Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Receiving your SAR

The student will receive a copy of their SAR within a few days of submitting the FAFSA if an email address was supplied on the FAFSA. The email will contain a secure link to access your SAR online.
If an email address was not provided on the FAFSA, the student will receive a paper copy of their SAR in the mail approximately four weeks from the date the FAFSA was submitted.
If additional information is needed from the student, the EFC may not appear on the SAR.

Reviewing your SAR

After receiving your SAR, carefully review the information for mistakes. If you believe your information is incorrect, you may fix any mistakes by writing the correct answers on the Information Review Form located on the back of the SAR. Once the Information Review Form is complete, you can:

Contact the CSU Office of Financial Aid to determine if the corrections may be submitted electronically, or
Mail the form to the address designated on the SAR.

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the total amount needed to attend college each year. Each school determines its annual average COA using a formula established by Congress. A student’s eligibility for financial aid will be based not on individual preferences and spending habits, but on standard budget allowances.

A student’s cost of attendance will include:

Tuition and fees
Books, supplies, loan fees and miscellaneous personal expenses
Room and board expenses
Dependent care
Costs related to disability

The cost of attendance for students attending CSU does include expenses related to direct and indirect costs students may incur. The figure used to determine the indirect cost allowance is the national average obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Associate Degree	Bachelors Degree	Graduate Degree (non-active duty military)	Graduate Degree (active duty military)
$11,895	$23,595	$9,620	$9,250
The amount above is based on graduates successfully completing 61 credit hours at the tuition rate of $195/per credit hour (effective 09/01/2008).	The amount above is based on graduates successfully completing 121 credit hours at the tuition rate of $195/per credit hour (effective 09/01/2008).	The amount above is based on graduates successfully completing 37 credit hours at the tuition rate of $260/per credit hour (effective 09/01/2008).	The amount above is based on graduates successfully completing 37 credit hours at the tuition rate of $250/per credit hour (effective 09/01/2008).
NOTE: The amounts listed above are direct cost a student will incur while attending CSU, and based on the fact that the student will be required to take all required credit hours associated with that particular degree. In addition to the direct cost, CSU uses national averages on other indirect costs a student will have while attending CSU that will be used in formulating an annual budget for FSA. Any amount listed is subject to change, and notification will be sent to all students when a change occurs via electronic means.

Student Award

After the student has completed the FAFSA and receives their Academic Evaluation Report with an “accepted” status, he/she will then be provided with instructions for logging into the Financial Aid Portal. From this point, the process will usually be complete within 7 to 10 business days. This process may take longer for students chosen for verification and/or other issues that require additional documentation.

The student will provide information required in the awarding process in the Financial Aid Portal. Once the award is generated, the student will be notified via email and at that time the student will review their award notification and have the ability to accept, adjust or decline the offer of award.

Enrollment Status Requirements

The number of credit hours enrolled during an 8-week term affects the amount of Federal Student Aid (FSA) the student will receive. Students must be at least at half-time status and enroll in consecutive terms. Students not meeting the attendance standard indicated above in one or all of their courses will result in a reduction of their enrollment status. If a student does not meet the minimum enrollment status, FSA will not be disbursed. Please refer to the chart below for enrollment status classifications.

	Undergraduate (Associate and Bachelor Degree Programs)	Graduate (M.S and MBA Programs)
Full-time	6 credits +	3 credits +
3/4 time	4 to 5 credits	N/A
Half-time	3 credits	N/A

Military Students Applying for Financial Aid

Military Tuition Assistance (TA) is an education benefit paid to eligible members of the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard. TA provides funding to students up to $250 per semester hour and up to $4,500 per fiscal year. Students using TA may also apply for FSA. FSA eligibility will be dependent upon the student’s cost of attendance and demonstrated financial need.

Students in the U.S. Army must register through the GoArmyEd portal. These students must select only CSU courses listed with start dates that match the Term Course Schedule (pdf) and are labeled “8-Week Term.” In addition, such students must make certain to enroll only in the courses offered in the Term Track (A or B) selected on their initial enrollment using FSA. Students will not be allowed to switch between Track A and B and must remain on one track throughout their program.

Veterans Education Benefits

Student using veterans’ education benefits may also apply for FSA. For FSA purposes, veterans' education benefits are treated as resources (not income) and are included as financial assistance for the unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loans. Students receiving GI Bill/Veterans' Benefits must include those benefits received during their education on their FAFSA. Please contact our Office of Financial Aid for more information.