FAQs
While the following FAQ’s may be helpful for any student, they have been specifically designed for the new student who has never received financial aid at Seattle University before. Continuing students should visit the main Student Financial Services web site.
Not finding the answers you’re looking for?
Contact us by filling out our form, calling 206-296-2000, or emailing us at financialservices@seattleu.edu.
We’ve organized these FAQ’s in the following categories to make your search for the information you need easier:
Types of Financial Aid
How Much Will it Cost?
Next Steps
Paying My Bill
Financial Aid for Next Year
Additional Useful Information
Types of Financial Aid
Q: Where can I get more information about the kinds of financial aid shown on my award letter?
A: Individual financial aid funds fall into three categories:
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How Much Will It Cost?
Q: What does it cost to attend SU?
A: University costs for tuition, fees, room and board for the upcoming academic year are posted to our web site as soon as they’re approved by the Board of Trustees and are generally available by early March. Learn more about this on the SFS site
While tuition, fees, room and board are a large part of the cost of attending college, students also incur other costs which are included when calculating eligibility for financial aid. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
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Next Steps
Q: What do I do next?
A: There are a couple of things you need to do once you’ve reviewed your award letter:
Q: What are the “Conditions of Award” and do I have to accept them?
A: The Conditions of Award explain your rights and responsibilities as a recipient of financial aid. No financial aid will be disbursed until you’ve accepted these conditions. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: So once I’ve submitted all my missing documents and agreed to the conditions of my award at SUOnline, I’m done, right?
A: For the time being. However, changes to your information … such as updates we make to your FAFSA information once we’ve received and reviewed your tax documents or additional aid like an outside scholarship or updates to your enrollment status … may result in a revised award letter being sent to you. If there are additional steps you need to take based on the information you receive with that revision, be sure to take them as soon as possible because, until you do, your aid cannot be disbursed to your student account. So it’s important to watch your mail, check your SU e-mail at least weekly and, once you’re registered for the upcoming quarter, log in to your account at SUOnline to review the balance due on your student account any time you receive a revised award letter and/or change your enrollment status for changes in your financial aid.
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Paying My Bill
Q: How much do I owe?
A: As a new student for Fall Quarter, until you’re actually enrolled at SU, we’ll mail your Registration and Payment Invoice to you. Once you’re enrolled, your paper invoice will be replaced by an electronic notification to your SU e-mail address that your invoice is ready for viewing at SUOnline. We will begin mailing Fall Quarter Registration and Payment invoices to new students in August.
Q: What if my financial aid award isn’t enough?
A: Your award letter displays all the financial aid under our direct control for which you’re eligible. If, in combination with your expected family contribution, that isn’t enough to cover your costs, there are several loan programs for which students and parents of dependent undergraduate students can apply. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: When will my financial aid be available?
A: Your file must be complete before your financial aid will become available. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What if my financial aid isn’t available when I need it?
A: Short term loans are available if unusual circumstances cause you to need the refund from your student account sooner that it will be available. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: When do I pay?
A: The balance on your student account is always due and payable within 14 calendar days of the date of your registration or on the scheduled date for each quarter, whichever is later. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: How do I pay?
A: Seattle University provides a number of payment methods to accommodate your specific needs for paying the balance on your student account. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What if I can’t pay the entire balance on my student account by the tuition due date?
A: As part of our commitment to help students to find ways to pay for their education, we offer several payment plan options. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What if my payment is late?
A: You are responsible for paying the total amount due on your student account by the date your tuition is due. This includes ensuring that all awarded financial aid is applied to your student account by the first class day of each term. Failure to do this may result in late fees being added to the amount due and a hold being placed on your registration for future quarters. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What happens if my financial aid is more than the charges on my student account?
A: Having quarterly financial aid that exceeds the charges on your student account will result in a credit balance that will be returned to you. We strongly recommend that you establish direct deposit so any credit balance you have will be electronically deposited directly to a checking account. If you don’t set up direct deposit, your credit balance check will be mailed to the mailing address shown for you at SUOnline (where you can also update it, as needed).
Q: How do I set up Direct Deposit?
A: If your quarterly financial aid exceeds the charges on your student account, we recommend that you have these funds electronically deposited directly to a checking account by completing the “Direct Deposit Form” and submitting it to our office. Be sure to allow 14 calendar days for processing. Once the process has been activated, all financial aid due to you will be directly deposited to your checking account.
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Financial Aid for Next Year
Q: Will my financial aid award for next year be the same is this year’s award?
A: Yes it will, as long as you meet certain criteria. Seattle University guarantees the amount of gift aid incoming undergraduates receive. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What do I need to do to continue to be eligible to receive financial aid?
A: To be eligible to continue to receive financial aid you must:
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Additional Useful Information
Q: What if my family’s current financial situation is now significantly different from what we reported on my FAFSA?
A: If your family’s financial situation has changed, we will consider the circumstances to determine if you may qualify for additional financial aid. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What if I receive a scholarship from someone other than Seattle University?
A: An outside scholarship is a scholarship that isn’t awarded by SU. It’s awarded by an outside organization and you bring it with you to SU. On your award letter this scholarship is referred to as a “Private Outside Scholarship.” If you’ve received an outside scholarship and it isn’t included on your award letter, you must notify our office as soon as possible so we can consider it in calculating your eligibility for other financial aid and revise your award if necessary. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: Why is SU asking for copies of the tax returns for my family and me?
A: We ask for copies of tax returns either to verify the information that determines the amount of your Gift Aid Guarantee or because the Department of Education’s FAFSA processor selected yours as one of the FAFSA’s for which the information reported needs to be verified against the tax return on which your responses were to be based.
Q: Will my Financial Aid Award Letters, Missing Document Letters and Registration and Payment Invoices always come in the mail?
A: No they won’t. As a newly admitted student, you will receive your award letters, missing document letters and registration and payment invoices in the mail. After the add/drop period of your first term you become a continuing student and, instead of receiving these documents in the mail, you will receive an e-mail notification at your SU e-mail address that your document is available for viewing by logging on to your SUOnline account.
Q: Is financial aid available for summer?
A: Summer Quarter financial aid is very limited. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: My parents will have access to my financial aid information and educational records, right?
A: Not without your permission. Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) no one, not even your parents … not even if they’re the ones paying your bill … can have access to your educational records, including your financial aid information, without your specific permission. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: How does my Campus Card work?
A: Your Campus Card has two accounts: a debit (or miscellaneous) account and a food account. You and/or your parents can arrange to have funds put into either or both of these accounts in several ways. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What if I move?
A: Let us know! While we generally use your SU e-mail address to contact you, we may sometimes need to reach you by phone or letter. Therefore, it’s critical that you keep your contact information up to date by logging on to your SUOnline account and using “Address Change” in the “User Account” section of the menu.
Q: Do I have to carry SU’s student health insurance?
A: Seattle University requires that all undergraduate students who are enrolled full-time have health insurance either by purchasing the insurance we make available or providing confirmation that they have comparable insurance in force. International students are required to purchase health insurance. Graduate students may purchase health insurance if they wish to. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What happens if I drop or withdraw from some or all of my classes?
A: Dropping or withdrawing from classes can have significant negative consequences for financial aid recipients. Therefore, while you can get good, general information at our web site, we strongly encourage you to contact your Student Financial Services Counselor before you actually take this step. Learn more about this on the SFS site »
Q: What happens if I leave SU and then decide I want to return after being away?
A: As an undergraduate student, you must be continuously enrolled to maintain your eligibility for your Academic Scholarship and/or Gift Aid Guarantee. Beyond that, as an undergraduate or graduate student, you will continue to be able to register for four consecutive quarters after your last quarter of registration. On the fifth quarter of consecutive non-attendance, you will no longer be allowed to register until you submit a readmission application to the Admissions Office and are readmitted.
Q: What bank branches are located close to campus?
A: There are many banks in the Seattle area. Here’s the contact information for several of those that are near the SU campus:
- US Bank: 1001 Madison Street, Unit 1, (206) 621-8585
- Key Bank: 1224 Madison Street, (206) 447-5758
- Washington Mutual: 301 Broadway E., (206) 461-2475
- Bank of America: 1300 E. Madison, (206) 358-2055
- Wells Fargo: 1317 Madison Street, (206) 322-2671
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