Your  Account:

Terms and Conditions

Financial Aid programs are focused on providing eligible students with the necessary financial resources to ensure their academic progress and successful completion of their educational objective. With the acceptance of financial aid resources, students also assume some responsibility to be familiar with the terms and conditions of receiving financial aid. We have outlined in the Financial Aid Terms and Conditions document those items which we believe students should be aware of to ensure ongoing financial aid eligibility.

  • You understand that an offer of financial aid is based upon anticipated full-time enrollment for the academic year and that offers are contingent on the availability of funds. Payments and Cost of Attendance (COA) may be adjusted for three-quarter time, half time, and less-than-half-time enrollment based on your enrollment as of census date.
  • Undergraduates and credential students must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 units (graduates must be enrolled in a minimum of 3 units) throughout the loan period to be eligible to receive any loan funds.  Initial loan offers are based on COA for enrollment of 7 or more units for undergraduate, credential, and graduate students, and may be reduced if enrolled in less than 7 units for undergraduate and credentials  and 3 units for graduate.
  • Financial aid offered is available for payment only if you have been officially admitted (not provisionally or conditionally admitted), are enrolled in the required number of units each semester and meet all other requirements.
  • Educationally-related funds received from outside sources (i.e. scholarships, fee waivers, University stipends such as for resident assistants at the UVA/Quad, and staff for the Cougar Chronicle, etc.) are coordinated with all other aid offered and may result in changes to the types and amounts of financial aid offered by CSUSM.  Each scholarship program has different obligations that must be met in order to continue receiving the award, awards can be reduced or canceled to incorporate changes. 
  • Financial aid funds are available for payment (typically the week before classes start), and funds are credited to the student account. CSUSM applies financial aid to pay for enrollment fees and other educationally related financial obligations owed to the University. 
  • Cal Grant B Access recipients may rescind this authorization with written notification to the CSUSM Financial Aid and Scholarships Office.  If the financial aid disbursement is not sufficient to pay the balance due, students are responsible for payment to the University by the appropriate deadlines. The student is responsible for all University charges on the CSUSM student account, regardless of financial aid eligibility and the timing of disbursements.  
  • Students must meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards according to the policies established by the CSUSM Financial Aid and Scholarships Office, which are consistent with federal guidelines.  These policies include:  1) meeting the PACE percentage requirement (ratio of units completed to units attempted); 2) maintaining the specified GPA requirement; and 3) completing your degree objective within the maximum timeframe.  Visit http://www.csusm.edu/finaid/policies/sap/index.html to review the full SAP policy.
  • Withdrawing from all classes following payment of financial aid, subjects the student to repayment of funds already received based upon Return to Title IV calculations per the U.S. Department of Education.  The federal calculations determine the amount of financial aid earned as of the date of withdrawal from all semester classes.  Withdrawal from all classes may also result in a bill due to the University Cashiers Office.  In addition to a potential balance, future eligibility for financial aid may be impacted due to failure to meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
  • Financial Aid and Scholarships Office reserves the right to review, modify, or cancel your financial aid award at any time due to changes in financial status, eligibility for financial aid, or changes in federal, state or institutional fund availability.  In addition, financial aid awards may be cancelled, changed, or modified if the aid offered was based on error in determining eligibility for financial aid awarded, regardless of if the error was made by you or CSUSM. 
  • Federal regulations limit the amount students may receive in Pell grant funds to approximately equivalent to six years of full-time awards.
  • State University Grant (SUG), requires a minimum of 6 units for undergraduate and credential students (3 units for graduate students). Extended Learning courses are not eligible for SUG and do not count towards the minimum unit requirement.  CSU system-wide regulations limit these funds to eligible students for up to 150 completed units of enrollment for undergraduate students (75 completed units if you were a transfer student), 30 completed units for credential students, and varies for graduate students (125% completed units of the required program length). 
  • Federal Direct Subsidized Loan eligibility is limited to undergraduate students up to the full-time equivalency of 150% completion of the degree program (for example, up to 6 years for a 4-year bachelor’s degree).
  • Financial aid may not be received for repeating classes more than once in which a grade of D or better has been received.
  • Financial aid can only be awarded by one school for the same period of enrollment. 
  • Students must re-apply and re-establish eligibility for financial aid each award year.
  • All financial aid communications are sent via the CSUSM email account. Students are expected to monitor their email on a regular basis.
  • The Financial Aid Terms & Conditions listed above remain in effect, for the current and future aid years. The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office reserves the right to make necessary updates and will notify students of any changes via email.