Financial Aid
CSUF School Code: 001137
Financial Aid is esssential for most students planning to attend CSUF; it is money to help pay for college through grants, work-study, scholarships and loans. The funds come from a variety of university, federal, state, and private sources - determined after a student applies for aid.
Apply for Aid
To determine eligibility and be considered for state, federal aid and some scholarships, students of all class levels should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA). An application should be completed for each academic year a student is attending college.
Priority Deadline March 2nd
Cost of Attendance
The Cost of Attendance (COA), or a budget, is an estimate of the cost for base fees, books & supplies, room & board, transportation, loan fee, and miscellaneous at CSUF. It is the maximum dollar amount of Financial Aid you may receive for the entire academic year. The COA also helps determine a student’s Financial Need.
For an estimate on the cost of attending CSUF and estimate of the amount of grants and other financial aid that may be available to you, use the CSUF Net Price Calculator.
2024-2025 Standard 9 Month Student Budgets
*All CSU tuition fees listed are estimates that are subject to change upon approval by the CSU Board of Trustees.
Undergraduate
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $7,470 | $7,470 | $7,470 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $24,119 | $31,888 | $33,811 |
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $4,428 | $4,428 | $4,428 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $21,077 | $28,846 | $30,769 |
Credential
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $8,448 | $8,448 | $8,448 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $25,097 | $32,866 | $34,789 |
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $5,484 | $5,484 | $5,484 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $22,133 | $29,902 | $31,825 |
Graduates and Post-Baccalaureate
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $8,994 | $8,994 | $8,994 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $25,725 | $33,494 | $35,417 |
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $5,802 | $5,802 | $5,802 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $22,533 | $30,302 | $32,225 |
Education Doctorate Program
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $7,047 | $7,047 | $7,047 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $23,696 | $31,465 | $33,388 |
Doctor of Nursing
| Expenses | Commuter | On-Campus Housing | Off-Campus Housing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition & Mandatory Fees* | $8,763 | $8,763 | $8,763 |
| Books & Supplies | $1,005 | $1,005 | $1,005 |
| Living Expenses | $10,158 | $18,898 | $19,074 |
| Miscellaneous | $2,672 | $2,828 | $3,390 |
| Transportation | $2,742 | $1,615 | $2,800 |
| Loan Fee | $72 | $72 | $72 |
| Total | $25,494 | $33,263 | $35,186 |
Award Letter
An Award Letter is a document that provides students with the Financial Aid available to them at CSUF. Eligibility is determined after the Office of Financial Aid receives student FAFSA or CADAA results.
Newly Admitted Students
are provided with a “Notice of Provisional Award” to assist in determining their decision on the CSUF admissions offer (typically beginning of April for Fall admits and October for Spring admits). Awards cannot be accepted or declined until students receive an Official Award.
Current/Returning Students
receive their awards around June.
Verification
Verification is the process when the Federal Department of Education or the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) selects a student’s Financial Aid application for additional review. If selected, students must provide the Office of Financial Aid with additional information or documentation by a particular deadline.
Documents that are requested can be found in the:
Documents can be submitted through the:
Disbursement
Disbursements are financial payments that are automatically credited to student bills 10 days prior to the start of each semester.
For Financial Aid funds to be released for payment of university charges, students must:
-
- Have an Award Summary that contains “Official” awards, as opposed to estimated awards
- Have Accepted Awards on Award Summary
- Complete To-Do List
- Loan borrowers – complete the required loan steps for new borrowers
- Enroll in classes
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
If there is remaining Financial Aid after all chargers are paid, students will be refunded according to Student Business Services refund schedule.
If expecting a refund, students will see a negative balance; if there are still remaining fees after financial aid is applied, students will see a positive balance.
Forms & Appeals
Financial Aid Appeals give students an opportunity to be considered for an exception if they are experiencing an extenuating circumstance. Appeals are not simple procedures and should have a justified reason for the request; they are reserved for special circumstances.
Evaluation Process
• Appeals are reviewed in 6 to 8 weeks. Evaluation time may be extended:
o During busy processing times, such as the summer
o Appeal document is incomplete
• When the review is completed:
o If approved, students may receive a revised Financial Aid notification email
o If denied, students will receive an appeal follow up form with the reason for the denial
Types of Forms & Appeals
| Utilized for cancellation or reduction of aid, changes in award period, grade level, academic program, or reinstatement of aid | Award Adjustment |
|---|---|
| Utilized if a student has additional expenses that are beyond the standard budget given based on the student’s financial aid application. Educational expenses must be incurred during the academic year they are being requested. | Cost of Attendance |
| Utilized to update a student’s housing plan which may result in modified financial aid eligibility. If on campus, housing status will be verified by Student Housing during the Summer before attendance; no form is necessary for on campus verification. | Changes in Housing |
| Utilized to appeal for independence due to an “adverse home situation” such as: parental abuse, abandonment, or irreconcilable estrangement from your parents. It is highly advised that a student meets with a Financial Aid Counselor about their situation prior to submitting the appeal. | Dependency Override Appeal |
| Utilized to request an exception to the SAP policy, if the student’s eligibility has been terminated. | Satisfactory Academic Progress |
| Utilized to request extension of financial aid eligibility beyond the standard “unit cap” for a student’s academic program. | Unit Cap |