Summer Financial Aid

Applying for summer financial aid is fairly straightforward. However, the disbursement of your summer aid and how your schedule changes can cause you to be liable for repayment are more challenging (compared with the fall and spring semesters). This complexity is due, in large part, to federal financial aid regulations and the variety of summer session lengths (i.e., 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 8 weeks, etc.). So to help ensure you have a successful summer, please pay attention to the below reminders. The priority deadline to submit your application is March 1.

Expand FAQ List

    1. Submit a Summer Financial Aid Application, which becomes available mid-January (priority submission deadline of March 1).
    2. Meet the Eligibility to Apply requirements.
    3. Have on file with Financial Aid and Scholarships the earlier of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). For example, if you are applying for this summer, submit the FAFSA® you used (or would have used) for the fall and spring semesters prior to this summer term.

    • Even if you received Pell Grant as a full-time student for fall and spring, you can still receive the Pell Grant for the summer.
    • Summer Pell Grant requires enrollment of at least six (6) degree-applicable credit hours for the summer semester(s).  
    • This federal funding is designed to encourage students to move toward on-time graduation.
    • You must be Pell eligible and meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to receive the summer portion of the Pell Grant.

    • Summer is a continuation of the current school year. Federal loan eligibility in the summer is based on the remaining eligibility after fall and spring.
    • Be enrolled at least half-time (a total of 6 hours that count toward your degree for undergraduates, a total of 3 hours for master’s students and 5 hours for doctoral students).
    • For summer, your enrollment status is based on the courses that count toward your degree as of the financial aid census date (4th class day in July).
    • Please remember that correspondence courses do not count toward your enrollment.
    • Be a degree-seeking student (as opposed to a visiting or transient student).
    • Meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

    • Your summer aid is typically awarded before spring grades post in May.
    • Once spring grades post in May, we are federally required to determine if you are meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
    • If you are not meeting the SAP requirements, you will lose financial aid eligibility.

  • There are various term lengths during the summer (i.e., 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks, 8 weeks, etc.). As a result, the summer disbursement dates are typically different for each student (unlike the fall and spring semesters). To better understand when your aid will disburse based on the hours for which you are enrolled, please review the below tables.

    Also, prior to your aid disbursing:

    When will I receive my Pell Grant and/or loan for summer?

    Summer Pell Grant and Loan Disbursement
    Your financial aid Pell Grant and/or student loan will disburse 10 days prior tothe first day of your classes AND upon your reaching half-time enrollment status. For example, if you are an undergraduate and are registered in:
    Summer I (June-July) Summer II (July-August) You will receive your Pell Grant and/or loan
    3 Hours 3 Hours July
    1 Hour 6 Hours July
    6 Hours 1 Hour June
    3 Hours 0 Hours N/A*
    0 Hours 6 Hours July

    Note: Enrollment for financial aid purposes is based only on the courses that count toward your degree.
    * Must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for loans.

    When will I receive my other (non-Pell) grants for summer?

    Other Summer Grant Disbursements
    Your financial aid grants will disburse 10 days prior to the first day of classes provided you are registered at least half-time.

    Note: Enrollment for financial aid purposes is based only on the courses that count toward your degree.
    * Must be enrolled at least half-time to be eligible for state grants.

  • You may be required to repay all or a portion of your financial aid (or become grant ineligible), if you:

    • Drop a course from your schedule—even if you complete other courses in different summer sessions.
    • Do not attend or complete the course hours that you originally indicated on your summer aid application.
    • Do not attend or complete the entire period of enrollment (i.e., weeks or months) that you originally indicated on your summer aid application.
    • So, be sure to visit with a financial aid representative before dropping a course.