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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 MCS program is designed for families with annual incomes and assets (each) up to $226,000. The MCS award amounts are based on a sliding scale according to family income, other types of resources you may receive, and your enrollment status. For more information on the program and eligibility requirements visit the California Student Aid Commission's (CSAC) site about the Middle Class Scholarship.

My MCS was reduced (or canceled) after I already got a disbursement, why?

The MCS eligibility is determined on your cost of attendance, other available grants/scholarships, and parent contribution (which is determined by family income). Changes to any of these components will change the MCS amount. This means that any additional financial aid offers received may result in reductions or loss of MCS eligibility, including but not limited to scholarships, state/federal grants, stipends, fee waivers, etc. Every effort is made to coordinate aid awarding to avoid a possible billing (student owes funds back to school) but reduction or loss of MCS eligibility may result in a billing to the student.

When will I know if I am eligible for MCS?

We anticipate completing our review and having all eligible MCS awards added by mid- November 2024, if eligible, you will receive a Revised Financial Aid email. Your aid package is always available to view on your CSUF Portal, Student Homepage.

  • If you are eligible to receive MCS for the 2024-25 aid year, the funds will first be applied to any outstanding charges on your account for Fall 2024 by mid-November. If your MCS is greater than your outstanding charges, a refund will be issued directly to you. Be sure to sign up for Direct Deposit if you have not previously done so. Any remaining refunds will be disbursed in November 2024. Disbursement of Spring 2025 MCS awards begin the second week of March
  • If you are not eligible for MCS, you will receive another communication from CSAC regarding ineligibility. You will remain responsible for paying any outstanding charges for the 2024-25 academic year, either out of pocket or through other aid offered to you (e.g., student loans).

Why do I need to wait until November to receive my award if WebGrants shows I am eligible for MCS? 

Your status with WebGrants & CSAC reflects your initial, estimated eligibility – based on information that was available in August. To be able to post an accurate MCS award, we conduct our review after university census (typically the fifth week of the semester), which is when CSUF does enrollment count. CSAC requires us to complete an additional review as there may have been changes to your eligibility (e.g., enrollment status, other grants and scholarships received, etc.) which impacts your eligibility and the amount you receive. Please note: MCS awards are subject to adjustments throughout the academic year, even after disbursement.

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 a process called verification, documents must be submitted for federal and state aid consideration. The MCS is a state funded scholarship, and as such your Financial Aid application and documents must be completed before it can be disbursed.

It's the end of the Fall semester and the MCS is not awarded, what is the issue? 

There are various factors that can impact the timing of the award. Contact our office for more information on your specific case. MCS Rosters that require additional review may take an additional 2-4 weeks for resolution. Additional review may be required but not limited to, when:

  • There is an inaccurate award by CSAC due to conflicting information (e.g., new grant or scholarship was added on your CSUF account after CSAC awarded you the MCS)
  • You are enrolled in a mixed career (example: Fall Undergraduate/ Spring Graduate)
  • You are no longer eligible for MCS
  • Missing federal verification documents

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 but then it was canceled, is there a way I can appeal the reinstatement of MCS?

If you or your family have an extenuating circumstance, such as reduction or loss of income (from the tax year 2023), or have incurred additional unexpected living expenses, you can contact our office to schedule a counselor appointment to discuss your options for an Income or Budget Appeal.

Please note: approval of an appeal does not guarantee the reinstatement of MCS as other factors can impact eligibility.

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