Please read these items carefully as they detail the conditions students must meet and maintain to be eligible for Federal, State, Institutional and other types of financial aid.
- Students must be enrolled in a total of 6 hours or more to be eligible for most financial aid, including loans.
- Initial awards are estimated based on half-time enrollment (6 credit hours) for students not yet registered.
- Financial aid for students with more than 6 credit hours is based on actual schedule.
- Disbursement of aid will be made when the minimum attendance in 6 credit hours is reached.
- Example: if student is enrolled in 3 credits in the first sessions (A/C/F Sessions) and 3 or more credits in the second session (B Session), aid will disburse in B Session once 6 credit hours is reached.
- Awards will be adjusted based on final enrollment/session.
- If a student reduces enrollment or withdraws after financial aid disburses, they may be required to repay some or all financial aid.
- To be eligible for Pell Grant during the summer term, students must be enrolled in summer courses.
- While other types of aid require 6 or more credits of enrollment, Pell may be paid for 1 credit hour or more of enrollment. Pell Grant amounts are determined by the number of credits for which a student is enrolled as seen below (Percentage of a full time term award).
Credit Hours |
Enrollment Category (Old) |
Enrollment Intensity (New) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 (or more) | Full-Time | 100% |
| 11 | 92% | |
| 10 | Three-Quarter Time | 83% |
| 9 | 75% | |
| 8 | 67% | |
| 7 | Half-Time | 58% |
| 6 | 50% | |
| 5 | 42% | |
| 4 | 33% | |
| 3 | Less-than-Half-Time | 25% |
| 2 | 17% | |
| 1 | 8% |
- Pell is calculated based on the credit hours of enrollment. Adjustments to enrollment through June 25th may impact eligibility/amount of Pell grant and repayment may be required if credit hours are reduced.
- Pell Grant will be applied in Session B for students with enrollment in multiple sessions including the B session.
- For additional information, see our Summer Financial Aid page.
- Students attending another Florida public college or university for Summer must apply at Florida Shines as a transient student.
- Courses taken at another institution must be approved by your advisor for transfer credit towards your degree. Enrollment and cost of attendance must be verified with your host school before financial aid can be disbursed
- You must have the following to be considered for Financial Aid:
- a current valid Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- a complete financial aid file (no outstanding financial aid document requests on your To Do List)
- Students attending another institution while enrolled at FSU in the same semester (for example TSC) should indicate DUAL ENROLLMENT in the student comment box on Florida Shines application.
- Students attending FAMU must complete the CO-OP Form with the Registrar's Office
- Students attending a Florida private college or university or an out-of-state institution must complete the paper transient application available here
- Students applying to Florida private colleges or out-of-state institutions must have the FSU Office of Financial Aid and the host school complete a Consortium Agreement.
The Information below only applies to Bright Futures Recipients
Bright Futures Rates at FSU
|
Bright Futures Academic Scholarship |
$213.55/credit hour |
|
Bright Futures Medallion Scholarship |
$160.16/credit hour |
|
Bright Futures Gold Seal |
Not eligible for award at FSU |
- Minimum enrollment required - 6 credit hours
- any combination of summer session and FSU/transient enrollment
- Disbursement - end of drop/add for the summer session at which the student reaches at least six hours of enrollment (no disbursement prior to the end of drop/add).
- Drop/Repayment - If a student drops a class for which they have been disbursed Bright Futures, the award must be repaid (based on the number of credits dropped).
- Transient enrollment
- Transient students must complete the transient approval process through the Florida Shines system to be considered for summer financial aid.
- Degree seeking students at FSU should not change their school listed on the state/OSFA website – FSU is the home school and must award and disburse the Bright Futures award.
- Bright Futures payments will be determined by the host institution’s rate (each institution has its own payment rate).
- Students admitted to Graduate, Medical or Law programs may be eligible for Bright Futures for 1 term as a graduate student, based on Bright Future graduate eligibility rules (undergraduate degree earned in 7 terms or less; remaining hours greater than 14).
- If eligible, Bright Futures will be paid for no more than 15 enrolled hours (limited by remaining hours) – at the undergraduate rate for the Academic or Medallion scholarship.
- Graduate students may defer their one term payment to Fall if they will enroll in more credit hours in Fall and still have eligibility under the state’s five year time limit. For that reason, students should notify the FSU Office of Financial Aid that they wish to receive their Bright Futures in the summer term.
- GRAD / LAW/ MED
- Students admitted to Graduate, Medical or Law programs may be eligible for Bright Futures for 1 term as a graduate student, based on Bright Future graduate eligibility rules (undergraduate degree earned in 7 terms or less; remaining hours greater than 14).
- If eligible, Bright Futures will be paid for no more than 15 enrolled hours (limited by remaining hours) – at the undergraduate rate for the Academic or Medallion scholarship.
- Graduate students may defer their one term payment to Fall if they will enroll in more credit hours in Fall and still have eligibility under the state’s five year time limit. For that reason, students should notify the FSU Office of Financial Aid that they wish to receive their Bright Futures in the summer term.
- All hours are paid at the undergraduate level.
Summer Loan Requirements
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Students must have a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) on file for the current year.
-
Enrollment in 6 hours of summer course work is required.
Borrowing Loan Limits
Annual loan limits are determined by class standing (freshman, sophomore, etc.) and dependency status
The maximum total loan limits you may receive throughout your academic career is known as the aggregate loan limit. A student who exceeds the aggregate loan limit is ineligible to receive any Title IV funding. The total aggregate loan limits are as follows:
| Total Aggregate Limits | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum Subsidized | Unsubsidized | Combined Sub & Unsub | |
| Dependent Undergraduate | $23,000 | $8,000 | $31,000 |
| Independent Undergraduate | $23,000 | $34,500 | $57,500 |
| Graduate (includes Undergraduate amount) | $65,500 | $73,000 | $138,500 |
Have you applied for Federal Student Aid?
Before considering private educational loans, it's important to apply for all other types of aid. Please complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to apply for federal, state and institutional grants, federal work study, and low-interest federal loans, first.
As “Private/Alternative Loans” are funded by private lenders, they are not based on need and are available for students who are not eligible for federal financial aid and/or students who may need additional funds to meet educational expenses.
Loan Process
Applications and Eligibility requirements vary according to lender. Things to consider when selecting a lender:
The borrower/student:
- Must be degree-seeking (or admitted and enrolled into a degree program) student. ** Some lender requirements may differ
- Must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). ** Some lender requirements may differ
- Must be enrolled at FSU.
- May be required to be a U.S citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen. ** Some lender requirements may differ
As we do not offer a “preferred lender list”, it is up to the student/parent to research for alternative loan lenders as interest rates and fees, deferments, and repayments vary by lender.
Certification Process
- Student/parent apply for loan (Click "Apply Here" below)
- Applied amount sent to school for certification
- Certified by school (verifies enrollment and cost of attendance)
- Certification returned to lender
- If lender approves certification, a disbursement date will be set
- Disbursement will be sent to school within 10-14 business days
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Changes in the Cost of Attendance may impact your private loan award eligibility, and your award amount may be subject to revision or cancellation. Changes may include changes in enrollment, residency status, or other financial aid awarded.
Normal processing time for the funds to be sent to Florida State University is 10-14 business days.Once the funds are received, the approved amount will be disbursed and applied to your FSU account (Student Accounts) within 24-48 hours.
You may also view additional financial aid related information, and consumer information on our website, financialaid.fsu.edu.
***Disbursements will occur after the drop/add period. If you reduce your enrollment or withdraw after financial aid disburses, you may be required to repay part or all of your financial aid back.