Maintaining Eligibility

Once you’ve filled out your financial aid applications and received aid to help you pay for your educational expenses, you will need to make sure you stay eligible throughout the academic year—and in subsequent years.

You’ll need to continue to meet the basic eligibility criteria, make satisfactory academic progress, and fill out the applications every year.

CREDENTIAL STUDENTS

If you're enrolled in a teaching credential certificate program or blended undergraduate degree and credential program, you may be considered for several types of aid.   Click here   to learn more about financial aid for credential students. 

Continue to Meet Basic Eligibility Criteria

Remember, the basic eligibility criteria that allowed you to get financial aid initially continues to apply throughout the time you’re receiving aid—not just when you first fill out the applications and are awarded aid. 

Additionally you will need to reapply for financial aid each year by the designated deadlines. Keep up to date on notifications from both the Office of Financial Aid as well as either the Department of Education or the California Student Aid Commission. 

Additional Eligibility Criteria

Award Limits

Many award programs have limits to the amount of time, units, or funding a student can receive. Visit Award Lifetime Limits to learn more. 

Repeated Coursework

You may not be eligible to get aid if you are repeating a course that you already received financial aid for, visit Repeated Coursework for more information. 

Make Satisfactory Academic Progress

You need to make satisfactory academic progress in order to continue receiving financial aid. In other words, you have to make good enough grades, and complete enough classes, to keep moving toward successfully completing your academic program. Visit Satisfactory Academic Progress to learn more about how this works at CSUF.

Units Required

Financial aid offers are awarded based on full-time enrollment. Your award amounts or eligibility may change if you are enrolled in less then 12 units. Visit Units Required to learn more.

Unit Caps

Federal regulations require that you complete your academic program within 150% of the standard time frame for your program. Click here to learn more about Unit Caps.

Withdrawal From Courses

Withdrawing and/or dropping classes can impact your financial aid eligibility. Additionally, once you dropped some or all courses you may have have to repay the university some or all of the funds you were awarded.