Am I eligible for financial aid? To be eligible for federal student aid you must meet the general eligibility requirements as required by the department of education.
How do I apply for financial aid at Governors State University? To apply for most aid programs that Governors State offers, students will fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. Student will need to be sure to list Governors State University as a school they want the information sent to by entering GSU’s school code, 009145.
Information on how to apply for scholarships is available on our scholarships page.
Veteran and military students can also contact the Coordinator of Veterans Affairs, Keith White, at 708-534-2223 for information on how to apply for veteran and military benefits.
I filled out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), why hasn’t Governors State offered me any financial aid? You must be degree seeking and admitted before the Financial Aid Office will process your financial aid application. However, you do not have to be admitted to GSU to apply for financial aid.
You must complete a FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA every year to be considered for financial aid (this includes student loans). Students also may not be awarded if their FAFSA was selected for verification by the Department of Education.
Why was I not awarded for the Summer semester? To be awarded financial aid for the Summer semester, students need to complete a summer financial aid request. The form is made available online and at our office in February.
What is verification and why do I need to bring in these documents? The Department of Education selects a number of FAFSAs from each school every year to be verified. Some are selected at random, while others may have data that does not match what is on file with the Internal Revenue Service or other government agencies. When a student has been selected, our office cannot award any federal financial aid until that file has been verified. The documents that are requested by our office (ex: W2 forms, IRS Tax Return Transcripts, Verification Worksheets) are being requested to verify the information you submitted on your FAFSA and to clear up any discrepancies. More information is available on our verification page.
When will I get my financial aid refund? Due to federal guidelines, the earliest that our office can transmit federal student aid is ten days before the start of the semester. Financial aid is always used to pay any tuition and fees for the semester. If any aid remains after that payment, the remaining money is sent to the student as a refund after being processed in the Financial Services office.
After the first disbursement of the semester, the Financial Aid Office transmits aid money every Tuesday. Refunds are usually processed 3-5 days after the money is transmitted from the Office of Financial Aid.
How do I buy my books? Are there book vouchers? Governors State University does not provide students with any book vouchers or advance funds for books. If you plan on receiving a financial aid refund, you can use that money for your books. However, you should come to campus with funds to purchase books and supplies even if you are expecting to receive a refund.
Why are my student loans not paying for my classes?
Why haven’t I received an award letter in the mail? Award letters are only mailed to students who are set to begin their first semester at Governors State University. All students can view, accept, or reject their awards through myGSU online portal. Just go to the Online Services tab and select Financial Aid to find the option to accept or reject your awards.
Can I increase/decrease my loan amounts? GSU encourages students to be conservative borrowers. We will be awarding only the Subsidized Loan amounts for Undergraduate Students ($5500 for Fall/Spring) and $12000 in Unsubsidized Loans for Graduate Students (Fall/Spring.) Should you wish to request additional Unsubsidized Loans, you may do so by completing a Revision Request - Federal Direct Loan Increase. If you have remaining loan eligibility, we will process these increased amounts.
If you would like to decrease or cancel your loans, you can complete a Revision Request – Federal Direct Loan Reduction.
What is the most I can take out in student loans? The federal government has set maximums that students may borrow in Federal Direct Stafford Loans. Those limits are determined by dependency status and whether a student is undergraduate or graduate/professional. More information on federal loans can be found on the federal student aid website. Student loans and other financial aid awards being received cannot exceed the cost of attendance that has been calculated for the student’s program for that academic year.
Why was my financial aid suspended? The federal government requires that all students make satisfactory academic progress towards their degree. All students must complete (without failing or withdrawing from) at least 67% of the classes they attempt and keep a minimum GPA (2.0 for undergraduate students, 3.0 for graduate and professional students) to be eligible for financial aid. If your aid is suspended, you can file a satisfactory academic progress (SAP) appeal. Information and the appeal form are available on the forms page.
Can I use my financial aid to help with my bills? Yes. Financial aid can be used to help a student with bills and other education related expenses while they are enrolled in school. Be careful and budget ahead of time to make sure you’ll have enough for school and not take out any student loan funds that you will not need.
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