Apply For Aid

Financial Aid Award Letters for first time Freshmen will be mailed to the student's permanent address in early April.

New transfer students and returning undergraduate and graduate students will begin to receive their Financial Aid Award notification in early June.

Students that apply for Summer Financial Aid will begin to receive Financial Aid Award notification in early May.

Do you qualify for financial aid? How complicated is the application process? When are the deadlines? If you feel overwhelmed by the financial aid process, don't be. The important thing to remember is that all students who apply to Cal U - regardless of income - are considered for financial aid as long as you submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year that you are requesting aid. To estimate how much aid might be available to you, use the FAFSA4caster.

Use This Financial Aid Timeline To Ensure You Meet All Deadlines

Between Jan. 1 and May 1

• Gather financial aid documentation necessary for completion of the FAFSA, including your Social Security number, driver's license number, income tax returns and investment records. A complete list of documents you need can be found on the FAFSA website.
• Print a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet
• Apply for a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov.
• Complete and submit your FAFSA electronically. Use the California University of Pennsylvania Federal School Code: 003316
• Your Student Aid Report (SAR) will come to you by mail. Review it carefully for errors and make any necessary corrections.
• Provide the Financial Aid Office with all requested information, such as verification documentation.

March 1

• FAFSA priority deadline for consideration for Federal Campus-Based Programs, including Federal Work Study, Federal SEOG and Perkins Loans.

• Scholarship priority deadline for all need-based scholarships.
• Cal U will send Financial Aid award letter notification to you by mail.
  • Check Vulcan Information Portal (VIP) at https://vip.calu.edu for updated account information.
  • The award letter will contain the financial aid awards for which you are eligible to receive based upon your FAFSA information.

April 1

• Financial Aid Award Letters for first-time Freshmen will be mailed to the student's permanent address

April 15

• Students that apply for Summer Financial Aid will begin to receive Financial Aid Award notification 

May 1

•  
  • FAFSA deadline for PHEAA State Grants.
  • Scholarship application deadline.
  • Sign Federal Direct Stafford Loan Master Promissory Note.
  • Complete Federal Direct Stafford Loan entrance counseling.

June- July

• • New transfer students and returning undergraduate and graduate students will begin to receive their Financial Aid Award notification
  • Receive results of PHEAA Grant eligibility by mail.
    • Sign in to view your Pennsylvania State Grant status or to make changes to your school information.
  • Notify the Financial Aid Office about any private scholarships you have been awarded.

Late July

• • Receive billing statement from Cal U's Bursar's Office.
    • Payment plan information included with each semester billing statement.
    • Student account information and Financial Aid Summary available at https://vip.calu.edu. 

Aug. 1

• • If you need additional funding, parents and graduate students may apply for a Federal PLUS loan. Students may also apply for private alternative loans.
  • If you were awarded a Perkins Loan, you will be notified and instructed to sign your Perkins Loan Promissory Note. You must also complete the Perkins Loan Entrance Counseling online through Educational Computer Systems Inc.(ECSI),

Aug. 15

• • Fall semester account balances are due at this time.
  • If you were awarded work study and need a job, check out the employment postings for available fall semester positions.

Quick Links

FASFA

Summer Financial Aid

Special Circumstances

Financial Aid Forms

Managing Your Debt