Financial Aid

Federal Student Aid (FSA), also known as Federal Financial Aid, offers grant and loan programs administered by the U.S. Department of Education. CSU participates in the following grants and loans available through Federal Student Aid.

Federal Grants

Pell Grants – Undergraduate Students Only
Pell grants are awarded solely on demonstrated financial need to every eligible undergraduate student who hasn't already earned a bachelor's or professional degree.

Academic Competitiveness Grant – 1st and 2nd Year Undergraduate Students Only

The Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG) is a need and merit based grant that does not need to be repaid.

Federal Loans

Federal Family Education Loans
The U.S. Department of Education administers the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program which generally consists of Stafford loans (for students) and Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) loans (for parents).

Stafford Loans
Stafford loans are available as both subsidized and unsubsidized loans. Subsidized loans are offered to students based on demonstrated financial need.

Stafford loans have many advantages over traditional consumer loans:

  1. Repayment is deferred on subsidized loans until six months after students have graduated or otherwise left school, and
  2. Interest rates are historically lower than those of conventional lenders.

Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students – Undergraduate Students Only

Federal PLUS loans enable parents with good credit histories to borrow money to pay the educational expenses of their children. Each child must be a dependent undergraduate student enrolled at least half time in an approved college or university.

Graduate PLUS Loans – Graduate Students Only

Graduate and professional degree students are now eligible to borrow under the PLUS loan program. A graduate PLUS loan is a non-need credit based loan similar to a private student loan, but with the benefit of having a fixed interest rate and federal guarantee.

Most CSU students who meet the following criteria may be eligible to receive grants or loans. 

  • U.S. Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen
  • Enrolled in an Eligible Degree Program
  • Enrolled on at least Half-Time Status

Federal Student Aid should not be confused with Military Tuition Assistance (TA), Veterans Benefits, and other programs associated with federal and state governments.


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