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Applying for Aid

How To Apply For Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid is easy! Follow these five simple steps to receive the maximum financial support for your educational journey at CSU.

First Time Freshman

Returning/Continuing Students

Transfer Students

Graduate Students

SFS Financial Aid Timeline

High School Senior Year

Month	Task
Get Started!	CSU admissions application opens August 1st -> Apply here. Review enrollment checklist (deposit, orientations, housing).
Sept. – Nov.	Apply for local scholarships with high school counselors, places of worship, extracurricular activities and community organizations. Apply for Palmetto Fellows Scholarship with your High School if you meet criteria and are a South Carolina Resident.
December	File FAFSA application for the new year! Ex. if starting in Fall 2025, complete 2025-2026 FAFSA. School code: 003419 Applying for FAFSA maximizes your federal and state aid!
January	Check for outside scholarships and/ or departmental scholarships specific to your major.
February	Submit FAFSA by the priority deadline of February 15!
March	Carefully review Financial Aid Award Notification and Accept/Decline offers in Financial Aid Live portal (FA LIVE). Note: only student loans require to accept/decline offer. Start submitting all required documents listed in FA LIVE.
May 1	Accept your admission and commit to CSU! Apply for Federal Parent PLUS loan or private student loan if needed. Complete Entrance Loan Counseling and sign Master Promissory Note (MPN) if you accepted Federal student loans. Links found in FA Live portal.

Summer After High School Graduation

Month	Task
June	Estimated bill for Fall is available! Compare financial aid package to cost. Determine any out-of-pocket expenses after subtracting financial aid. Determine if federal student loans are needed by accepting or declining them on FA LIVE. Payment Plan enrollment opens! To enroll, go to MyCSU > Student Accounts tab.
July	Notify SFS of any private/outside scholarships for the upcoming Fall semester. If needed, enroll in payment plan under Student Accounts in MyCSU portal by first day of class to avoid being dropped.
August -First Day of Class!	Review that all required documents under FA Live are submitted and marked as “received.” If awarded Federal Work Study, student can start applying for on-campus jobs. For more info: CSU Student Employment Enroll in direct deposit to receive your financial aid refund directly to your bank account! To sign up go to MyCSU> student account tab> payments, e-bills… link> account > sign up for direct deposits. Fall aid will disburse and refunds start processing after the first or second week of school (end of drop/add period).

Welcome Back!

Month	Task
August	Review Financial Aid Live (FA LIVE) for any pending documents! Ensure outstanding balance is paid on or before 1st day of class on the MyCSU portal. Balance Due – First Day of Class! During add/drop week, review if you meet renewal requirements for federal, state, and merit aid based on credit hours enrolled. Review Academic Calendar and CSU Scholarships for more info.
Sept. – Nov.	Apply for new local scholarships , places of worship, extracurricular activities and community organizations. Contact program dept. for scholarships specific to your major!
December	Complete FAFSA for the upcoming academic year. You must file every year to receive federal and need-based state aid. For upcoming year, continuing students must file 2025-2026 FAFSA – application opened Dec. 2024 for academic year starting Fall 2025-Spring 2026. School code: 003419 Estimated bill for Spring is available! Spring Payment Plan enrollment opens! To enroll, go to MyCSU > Student Accounts tab.
January	Review your credit hours earned and GPA after Fall semester is completed for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Jan. 15th -> last date to submit SC Residency and/or Certification Form to receive SC Tuition Grant! During add/drop week, review if you meet renewal requirements for federal, state, and merit aid based on credit hours enrolled.
February	Start planning for summer session (optional or if needed). Continuing students must submit new FAFSA by Priority Deadline: February 15! Summer students must verify 2024-2025 FAFSA is submitted to receive aid School code: 003419
March	Advisement and Pre-registration for Summer & Fall Semester Opens! Financial Aid Offer available for all new Undergraduate students – Upcoming year only. Accept/Decline awards on FA LIVE. Complete required documents on FA LIVE for upcoming year. March 15th -> deadline for current Spring Payment Plan enrollment.
April	Financial Aid Offer available for summer session – Continuing & Transfer students only! Accept/Decline awards on FA LIVE. Continuing students must be registered to receive an offer.
May	Financial Aid Offer available for Fall – Continuing & Transfer Students! Accept/Decline awards on FA LIVE. Complete required documents on FA LIVE for upcoming year. New transfer students do not require registration. Apply for Federal Parent PLUS loan or private student loan if needed. Apply for local scholarships, places of worship, extracurricular activities and community organizations. Contact program dept. for scholarships specific to your major!
June	Estimated bill for Fall is available! Compare financial aid package to cost. Determine any out-of-pocket expenses after subtracting financial aid for upcoming Fall semester. Fall Payment Plan enrollment opens! To enroll, go to MyCSU > Student Accounts tab.
July	All students must review required documents under Financial Aid Live portal for new academic year (2025-2026). Federal Work Study, if awarded, student can start applying for on-campus jobs. For more info: CSU Student Employment. Notify SFS of any new outside scholarships for the upcoming academic year! If needed, enroll in payment plan under Student Accounts in MyCSU portal by first day of class to avoid being dropped. Direct deposit. To receive your financial aid refund directly to your bank account, go to MyCSU > student account tab > payments, e-bills… link > account > sign up for direct deposits! Fall aid will disburse and refunds start processing after the 1st-2nd week of school (end of drop/add period).

Welcome Back!

Month	Task
August	Login into Financial Aid Live for any pending documents. Ensure outstanding balance is paid on or before first day of class on the MyCSU portal. Enroll in payment plan, if necessary! To enroll go to Student Accounts in MyCSU portal by first day of Class to avoid being dropped. Apply for a PLUS Loan for Graduate or Professional Student.
Sept. – Nov.	Apply for available scholarships. Contact program dept. for scholarships specific to your major!
December	File FAFSA for the upcoming year! Ex. Fall 2025-Spring 2026, complete 2025-2026 FAFSA. Application is needed for GRAD PLUS Loan!
January	Spring Semester Begins!
February	Summer graduate students must verify to file 2024-2025 FAFSA to receive federal aid.
March	Carefully review Financial Aid Award Notification and Accept/Decline offers in Financial Aid Live portal. Summer term only! Complete required documents on FA LIVE.
April	Promptly review all required documents have been submitted.
May	Apply for a PLUS Loan for Graduate or Professional Students. For the upcoming academic year (2025-2026). Apply for local scholarships, places of worship, extracurricular activities and community organizations. Contact program dept. for scholarships specific to your major! Review Financial Aid Award Notification and Accept/Decline offers in Financial Aid Live portal – for the new academic year. Complete required documents on FA LIVE.
June	Review estimated bill for Fall and compare financial aid package to cost. Determine any out-of-pocket expenses after subtracting/applying financial aid. Fall Payment Plan enrollment opens! To enroll, go to MyCSU > Student Accounts tab.
July	Apply for Federal GRAD PLUS loan or private student loan if needed for new academic year! Complete entrance loan counseling and sign Master Promissory Note (MPN) if you accepted Federal student loans. Links found in Financial Aid Live portal. Review that all required documents under Financial Aid Live are submitted and marked as “received.” If needed, enroll in payment plan under Student Accounts in MyCSU portal by first day of class.

Program	Date	Task
Graduate PLUS Loan	May	Complete a loan application on studentaid.gov to receive aid for the academic year.
South Carolina Tuition Grant	August 1 January 15	Deadline to complete FAFSA for the current academic year. Last day to submit SC Certification & Residency forms. Go to Financial Aid Live to complete the docs.
Federal Work Study	February 15	FAFSA Priority Deadline
Private/Alternative Loan	July April December	Apply with your preferred student loan lender for the full academic year. Apply with the lender to receive aid during the Summer. Transfer students who are starting in January must complete the application with the lender.
Parent PLUS Loan	May	Complete loan application in studentaid.gov to receive aid for the academic year.
Pell Grant + Student Loans	December	FAFSA Application required. Application opened Dec. 2024 (FAFSA 2025-2026).
CSU Merit Scholarships	August	All CSU merit scholarships are reviewed after the admission application and documents have been uploaded. Notification is sent to the student via email and is included in the Financial Aid Offer.