Financial Aid Checklist

Step 1 - Applying for Financial Aid

• Apply early! All requested information must be received by the deadlines for aid to be available by the start of the semester.
  • Summer 2023 Priority Deadline April 1, 2023 (use 2022-23 FAFSA and 2020 taxes)
  • Fall 2023 Priority Deadline June 1, 2023 (use 2023-24 FAFSA and 2021 taxes)
  • Spring 2024 Priority Deadline November 1, 2023 (use 2023-24 FAFSA and 2021 taxes)
  • Summer 2024 Priority Deadline April 1, 2024 (use 2023-24 FAFSA and 2021 taxes)
• Electronically submit your FAFSA! Go to the Federal Student Aid website to complete your FAFSA; include the School Code: 001561. Complete your FAFSA at least 30 days prior to the published deadline to allow enough time for us to receive your FAFSA and for you to submit any additional documentation.
  • Helpful Tip: Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when completing your FAFSA to speed up processing if your file is selected for verification.
• Respond timely to any request for verification/documentation! The Department of Education randomly selects FAFSA applications for verification. If your FAFSA is selected, you will be required to submit additional documentation.
  • Helpful Tip: IRS Tax Transcripts can take 5-10 days to be mailed to you, if unable to access them using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
  • Note: It can take up to 4 weeks to receive an award once you have submitted all required documentation.
• Activate your MyCSU account! Communication and status updates are made on MyCS or sent to your CSU email account so it is important that you access these often. For technology support, please visit the UITS website.
• Financial aid does not transfer from one school to another! If you are a transfer student, you will need to add the 001561 school code to your FAFSA and cancel all pending loans or grants at the school where you last attended. After requesting cancellation at your previous school, please notify CSU that your loans and grants have been canceled by emailing: financial_aid@ColumbusState.edu.
  • Helpful Tip: Aid will not show as canceled until your previous school reports the cancellation to the Department of Education. We cannot proceed with processing until aid is fully canceled.

Step 2 - How To View Detailed Information On Your Outstanding Requirements

Please follow these steps:

1. Go to MyCSU
2. Enter your CSU username and password and click "Sign In"
3. Click on "Students" (left menu)
4. Click on "Financial Records" (top menu)
5. Click "My Eligibility"
6. Click "Student Documentation Requirements"
7. Select the Award Aid Year from the drop down menu and click "Submit"

All unsatisfied requirements will show at the top portion of the screen. The "Selected for Verification" requirement remains outstanding until the verification process is completed, which may take up to 4 weeks.

If you have been selected for verification, please visit our verification portal. If you are a new user, login with your CSU username and password.

Step 3 - How to View and Accept Your Awards

Check MyCSU frequently to review your financial aid award(s)! If you are awarded student loans, you must follow the instructions to accept them in MyCSU. You may accept full or partial amounts. Remember that the amount accepted will be split in half between two semesters, unless otherwise noted.

Helpful Tip: Once you have accepted your loans, it can take up to 5 business days to process

Please follow these steps once logged into MyCSU:

1. Click on "Students"
2. Click on "Financial Records" (top menu)
3. Click "My Award Information"
4. Click "Award By Aid Year"
5. Select Aid Year from drop down box and click "Submit"
6. Click Accept Award Offer on each type of aid you wish to accept
7. Then next to fund select Accept and put the appropriate amount in the box and click "Submit Decision"

Step 4 - Next Steps After You Accept Your Awards

• Complete Loan Entrance Counseling on the Federal Student Aid website using your FSA User ID and password
  • Helpful Tip: Loans will disburse 7-10 business days after completing EC & MPN
• Sign Your Master Promissory Note (MPN) on the Federal Student Aid website using your FSA User ID and password
  • Helpful Tip: Loans will disburse 7-10 business days after completing EC & MPN
• To apply for a Parent PLUS Loan, please have your parent visit the Federal Student Aid website to submit a PLUS Loan application using the parent FSA User ID and password. A credit check will be performed during the application process and a decision will be made once the application is submitted. Loans will be awarded 7-10 business days after completion.
  • If the PLUS loan is denied, your parent must select "Will not Pursue PLUS loan" during the application process for CSU to award you additional loan funding. Any other option selected will result in needing a new PLUS loan application so that we can offer additional loan funding.
  • If the PLUS loan is approved, your parent must complete a Parent PLUS Loan Promissory Note on the Federal Student Aid website using their FSA User ID and password. The PLUS Loan will not disburse until this step has been completed and confirmation received by CSU.

How To Check Your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Status

CSU students must maintain SAP with a minimum of a 2.0 cumulative financial aid GPA (undergraduate) or a 3.0 cumulative financial aid GPA (graduate) and a 67% or greater completion rate/pace of progression for classes attempted. Your financial aid GPA may differ from your institutional GPA.

Please follow these steps once logged into MyCSU:

1. Click on "Students"
2. Click on "Financial Records" (top menu)
3. Click on "My Overall Financial Aid Status"
4. Select Aid Year from the drop down menu and click "Submit"