Grants FAQ's

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Federal Grants

I am attending two schools at the same time, can I receive aid at both institutions?

Students can attend two schools at the same time but must decide which one school the student will receive financial aid. For example, student is at CSUF for the Fall and also attending a community college during the same fall semester, student can only receive aid at one school, but not both.

I have an FPO hold on my account, what does that mean?

The "Hold Pell Disb-Accepted" typically lasts 1-3 days. This hold occurs while we send your payment data to the Dept. of Education for Pell processing. Once eligibility is confirmed, funds are released. If the hold lasts longer, further review may be needed. Essentially, Dept. of Education and CSUF are communicating to finalize your aid. If you see the hold on your account for more than 5 days, please contact us.

I am a credential student and my Pell has still not disbursed, why?

We need to wait until after census to release funds to confirm student is enrolled in Pell eligible program, Pell elligible classes, and working on their initial credential. Students must enroll in a minimum of 6 unit Pell eligible classes.

I have applied for the TEACH Grant and it still has not disbursed, why?

We need to wait until after census to release funds to confirm student is enrolled in TEACH Grant eligible program, TEACH Grant elligible classes, and have not surpassed their TEACH Grant lifetime eligibility. Students must enroll in a minimum of 6 unit TEACH Grant eligible classes. To learn more, visit Federal TEACH Grant.

How do I use my financial aid grants to pay for tuition?

Financial aid is automatically added to a student's accounts once a student has an official financial aid award. We recommend viewing the "Account Inquiry" area in the student center to see if the financial aid award covered all of the tuition and fees. If it does not, the last column showing "Total Due" is the gap amount that the student is responsible for after financial aid is applied.

Why am I only receiving partial of the Pell Grant?

Students enrolled in less than 12 units will only receive a percentage of the Pell Grant, see Enrollment Requirements under Pell Grant. To receive the full amount, ensure you are enrolled in 12 or more units for the semester.

I have a Transfer Monitoring Hold on my account. What do I need to do?

Please note, there is no action needed by you (the student) during this process. However, if you did receive financial aid at another school during this award year, you must have any pending financial aid disbursements at that school canceled. If you see the hold on your account for more than 10 days, please contact us.

The U.S. Department of Education requires all schools to initiate a Transfer Monitoring process through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) for any student who begins studies mid-year. This monitoring hold is required to ensure your federal student aid history is updated between the U.S. Department of Education, CSUF, and your prior university or college (if applicable).

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Middle Class Scholarship

What is the Middle Class Scholarship?

The Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) provides low-to middle-income undergraduate students, including students pursuing a teaching credential, with a scholarship to help pay for educational expenses. Amount varies based on the student's cost of attendance and all available resources already awarded to the student. Final award amounts are based on number of students eligible for the program statewide and funding allocated by the State Budget (Exception for Foster Youth). For more information on the program and eligibility requirements visit the California Student Aid Commission's (CSAC) site about the Middle Class Scholarship .

How is my MCS award calculated?

Your Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) is based on your cost of attendance (COA) minus other financial resources available to help pay for school, such as:

Grants, scholarships, and fee waivers
Certain private scholarships and emergency assistance funds
A standard student contribution (2026-27: $8,616)
For students with a household income over $100,000, 33% of the parent contribution

After these factors are considered, the calculated award is adjusted based on the annual state funding available for the MCS program. Because MCS is a last-dollar award, changes to your financial aid, enrollment, or family financial information may increase, decrease, or eliminate your award amount.

Why was my MCS reduced (or canceled) after I received a disbursement?

Your MCS award is calculated using your cost of attendance, other financial aid resources, and, when applicable, a parent contribution based on family income. If any of these factors change, your MCS award may be recalculated.

Receiving additional financial aid, including scholarships, grants, stipends, or fee waivers, can reduce or eliminate your MCS eligibility. Although we strive to coordinate aid to avoid overawards, changes made after funds have been disbursed may result in a bill for repayment.

Will my MCS change if I enroll in fewer than 12 units?

Possibly. While you may still qualify for MCS, a reduction in enrollment can affect your cost of attendance and other financial aid eligibility. CSAC reviews enrollment changes and adjusts your MCS award accordingly. For some students, attending less than full-time may result in loss of eligibility.

When will I know if I am eligible for MCS?

CSUF typically submits its first Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) enrollment file to CSAC in August, after which CSAC begins notifying eligible students. For the 2026-27 academic year, preliminary MCS offers are expected to be available in October 2026 due to FAFSA-related packaging delays, with CSUF awarding eligible students by early November. You will receive a Financial Aid notification once MCS is awarded.

How is my MCS disbursed?

If you're enrolled in both Fall and Spring, your MCS will be disbursed in two payments. Fall funds are applied to any outstanding charges first, and any remaining balance is refunded to you. Spring disbursements begin after Spring University Census. To receive refunds faster, enroll in Direct Deposit.

I have financial aid verification documents pending on my Tasks, do I need to submit them to receive my MCS?

Yes.If you were selected for Federal or Institutional Verification, documents must be submitted for federal and state aid consideration. The MCS is a state funded grant, and as such your Financial Aid application and documents must be completed before it can be disbursed.

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Why hasn't my MCS appeared in my financial aid package yet?

There are several reasons why your MCS award may be delayed. Some records require additional review and can take up to 4 weeks from the time we received a Roster to resolve. If you have questions about your specific situation, please contact our office.

Additional review may be needed if:

New financial aid (such as a grant or scholarship) was added after CSAC initially determined your MCS eligibility.

You are enrolled in different academic careers during the year (for example, Undergraduate in Fall and Graduate in Spring), requiring updates to your financial aid record.

Your MCS eligibility has changed. You can check the status of your award through MyGrantInfo .

Required federal verification documents are still outstanding.

Once all required information has been reviewed and updated, your MCS eligibility and award amount can be finalized.

My MCS has been awarded but I have a hold, what can I do to resolve it?

If you have an MCS hold, allow 2-4 weeks (after Census) for our office to review, make necessary MCS adjustments and disburse. Contact our office if you don’t see any updates after 4 weeks from when the hold was added.

I was eligible for MCS last year, why didn't I get it for this academic year??

There are several reasons why you may not qualify for a Middle Class Scholarship (MCS) this academic year:

You may have reached your lifetime MCS eligibility limit. Eligibility is based on your educational level (freshman, sophomore, etc). Your eligibility percentage is established at the time of your initial MCS payment. You can view your remaining eligibility through MyGrantInfo.

Changes to the MCS formula or state budget allocation may affect award eligibility and amounts from year to year.

You missed the Financial Aid application priority deadline. For 2026-27:March 2^nd (CADAA); March 3^rd (FAFSA).

You may be receiving more financial aid than in previous years. Because MCS is calculated after other grants, scholarships, and aid are considered, increases in other aid can reduce or eliminate your MCS award.

Your family's income or assets may exceed program limits. Eligibility is based on information reported on your FAFSA.

If your financial circumstances have changed since filing your FAFSA, such as a loss of income or unexpected expenses, contact our office to discuss whether an Income or Cost of Attendance Appeal may be appropriate. Please note that approval of an appeal does not guarantee a reinstatement of MCS.

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