To be eligible for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA application is available online at fafsa.ed.gov after January 1 of every year. Financial Aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Therefore, you are encouraged to submit your application soon after January 1. When submitting a FAFSA online, print out a confirmation page for your records. The CSUMB federal school code for the FAFSA is 032603.
If you applied for financial aid the previous year, a renewal FAFSA will be available online upon logging in to the FAFSA website. Your renewal FAFSA will be submitted electronically.
You must be admitted to CSUMB before Financial Aid determines your financial aid eligibility. A supplemental application is required for admission to the Educational Opportunity Program (EOP). You can obtain one from any California high school or college, or from the CSUMB Educational Opportunity Office.
If you are applying for Cal Grant A or Cal Grant B and you did not receive this grant in the previous academic years, you must complete a Cal Grant grade point average (GPA) verification form. You can obtain this form from high school and college counselors and financial aid offices.
It is important to file applications as soon as possible after January 1. Those who have not yet filed taxes may provide estimated information. Students who are admitted to the university for the Fall 2014 semester should complete the 2014/2015 FAFSA before notification of admission to the university. You must apply before March 2 in order to qualify for Cal Grants. Other grants are limited and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Your application will be accepted after March 2, but you are more likely to only receive student loans.
You may also be asked to submit supporting documents before your financial aid eligibility is determined. This could include copies of federal income tax returns or an income-verification form if no tax return was filed. You will receive a letter and/or email from the CSUMB Financial Aid Office if additional forms are required.
After you have turned in all required documents and have been admitted to CSUMB, your application will be reviewed. You may be asked for additional information if corrections are needed or if any information on your application is not clear. It is important that you respond to all requests from the CSUMB Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.
Once your application has been reviewed, you will receive written or electronic notification from the Financial Aid Office describing the types of financial aid for which you qualify. You should read this award notification carefully and contact the Campus Service Center if you have questions.
The Financial Aid Office observes the following deadlines:
Financial Aid will not be recalculated onto a student's account if a change in enrollment occurs after the Add/Drop deadline. The student is responsible for paying additionally assessed fees.
Required documentation (SAP appeal, academic plan, ILP) and a SAP workshop must be completed prior to the SAP deadline established for each term. A SAP workshop schedule and SAP deadline will be published on the Financial Aid website every semester.
Consortium Agreements will not be processed after the Add/Drop deadline. All required documentation must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office prior to the add/drop deadline. Documents must be signed and dated by all adequate staff listed on the Consortium Agreement. All Consortium Agreements require a transcript of enrollment at host school.
Federal regulations mandate that CSUMB return unearned Financial Aid to the US Department of Education.Unearned Financial Aid will be calculated based on the return of Title IV formula established by Federal Student Aid. The percentage is calculated based on the percentage of enrollment completed by the student.
Applying for Financial Aid does not guarantee an extension of housing, meal plan or registration payment. To qualify for an extension of registration payment, students must accept the Federal Student Loan awarded on CMS prior to July 30, if the loan is needed to pay the tuition balance. This fee payment extension expires and all outstanding charges are due when all financial aid awards are disbursed to your student account, but no later than the add/drop date of each semester. If university charges are outstanding after these deadlines, late charges will be assessed and holds will be placed on your student record.