Financial Aid Checklist

Apply for financial aid and CSU, Chico scholarships every year. The scholarship application process opens October 1 for the next academic year. The priority filing date for financial aid is March 2 for the next academic year. Be sure to submit the appropriate FAFSA for the next academic year.

In response to your FAFSA, you will receive instructions to view your student aid report online. Verify the information on your student aid report and make corrections following the instructions at FAFSA.

Keep your contact information up to date. View and update address, phone, and e-mail information in the personal information section of your Student Center. Enter the Student Center through your portal account.

We will send your award information and all other financial aid communications to you via e–mail. Important: In order to receive our e–mailings on a timely basis, add our e–mail address, finaid@csuchico.edu, to your e–mail account’s address book or equivalent. This will prevent our messages from being filtered into “junk mail” or “bulk mail” folders, or from being deleted or returned to us. It is your responsibility to ensure that you receive all financial aid e-mails.

• You will receive an e-mail notifying you that you have a 2008-2009 financial aid award offer. Access the finances section of your Student Center.
  1. view your annual financial aid offer
  2. accept, reduce, or decline financial aid award items
  3. view your account summary
  4. pay fees
• Check the channels on the right side of your Student Center for:
  1. Holds
  2. To Do List items

Send us any requested documents by June 1 or within three weeks of receiving our request. We will review your documents and award information and make corrections as needed to your estimated offer. This review may take several weeks. You will receive an e-mail notification when changes are made. Access your Student Center to view and accept your revision.

• Complete and return a Financial Aid Update (PDF, 1.4 Mb) to:
  1. notify us of enrollment changes
  2. notify us if you will be graduating in December 2008
  3. notify us if you will be receiving a scholarship from a donor other than CSU, Chico
  4. notify us if you will be receiving aid from other resources including fee waivers, veterans benefits, stipends.

• We strongly recommend use of direct deposit for receipt of financial aid refunds. If you have not already done so, or if you have changed banks, submit your completed electronic funds transfer (EFT) authorization to Student Financial Services, Kendall 213.
• If you are a first-time borrower of a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, you must complete loan entrance counseling and an electronic Stafford master promissory note before loan funds will be released. You will receive a notice by e-mail if these requirements have been added to your to do list.
• If you are a first-time borrower of a Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), your parent must complete an electronic master promissory note before loan funds will be released. You will receive a notice by e-mail if this requirement has been added to your to do list.
• If you are a first-time borrower of a Federal Perkins Loan, you must complete an electronic Perkins master promissory note before loan funds will be released. You will receive a notice by e-mail if these requirements have been added to your to do list.
• Register for classes via the academics section of your Student Center. Your estimated financial aid award will be based on full-time enrollment. If you enroll in fewer units, your aid may be adjusted.
• Access your Student Center frequently to view holds and your To Do List. All of these requirements must be met in order to receive your financial aid.
• Pay your registration fees by the fee payment deadline. Access your account information and fee payment options through the finances section of your Student Center. Also visit Student Financial Services for additional information.

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