How to Apply
Financial Aid
Financial aid is funding that will help you and your family meet college expenses such as tuition, fees, books, supplies, etc. The basic sources of aid are grants, scholarships and employment. You and your parents (if you are dependent) are still considered the primary source of funding for these costs. Financial aid is intended to fill the gaps where you and your parents might fall short in paying for your education.
Follow these three steps to apply for financial aid:
Submit the FAFSA
All students who wish to be considered for federal and state financial aid must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA should be completed at www.studentaid.gov as soon as possible after October 1 for the upcoming academic year.
Students whose FAFSAs are received by the priority filing date are given first consideration for some federal financial aid programs that have limited funds.
CPU’s school code for the FAFSA is 041228.
Retain the printout of your confirmation page after submitting your FAFSA online. This is your proof that you applied. Save to your computer a copy of the FAFSA submitted online or retain a copy of the paper FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA for your file.
Watch your email
Within approximately two weeks after submitting your FAFSA online you should receive a SAR (Student Aid Report) indicating that your FAFSA has been processed and sent to the institutions you designated. Check the SAR for accuracy, and make sure that CPU is listed as the school you plan to attend.
Submit all requested documents
Upon receipt of your electronic FAFSA data from the federal processing center, we will mail you a letter requesting documents needed to complete your file. SUBMIT all requested documentation promptly.
You may be asked to submit copies of tax transcripts or other documentation to complete your financial aid application. Respond promptly to these requests (and any follow-up requests) to assure timely processing of your application.
Please check your e-mail often to see if there is any other correspondence from the Financial Aid Office. The Financial Aid Office uses the PRIMARY e-mail address registered with Admissions.
To stay compliant with federal regulations, the financial aid office must determine if your high school credential is valid. You must also submit all previously attended college transcripts to be a fully admitted student, whether or not you plan on transferring any of the credits to your new degree/diploma at CPU.
Once documentation is received by the financial aid office, it takes approximately 2–3 weeks to process. Please plan accordingly.
Additional Information
Award Notifications: Financial aid award packages are e-mailed to those students whose files are complete by the priority date.
Award conditions and responsibilities: Be sure to read the emails for conditions attached to your award. Every student has to keep attendance and grades (It should be above GPA 2.0).
Financial aid disbursement: Financial aid is awarded by the Financial Aid Office, but is disbursed by the CPU Business Office. If you have financial aid in excess of your tuition/fees, a check for the balance will be given to you. Financial Aid awards made for the academic year are usually disbursed in two installments; one each semester, assuming you are registered for the number of hours on which your financial aid award was based.
Reapplying for Financial Aid
You must apply for federal student aid for every school year that you attend. A PELL Grant award is received for one award year (July 1 to June 30 of the following year), and is not automatically renewed for the next award year.
Students must re-apply for the PELL Grant and submit a copy of the new SAR or ISIR to the financial aid office for each award year. To reapply, you should submit a FAFSA.
If you submitted a FAFSA last year, you may complete a Renewal FAFSA with pre-filled information. However, you may also start fresh with a new FAFSA if preferred.
Pell Grant Limitation
The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds you may receive over your lifetime is limited by federal law to the equivalent of six years (600%).
Percent used: The U.S. Department of Education compares the amount you received with your scheduled award. If you receive the full amount, that equals 100%.
Example: If your scheduled award is $5,000 and you receive $2,500, you used 50%. If you receive $3,750, you used 75%.