Financial Aid
Receiving Financial Aid

Filing the FAFSA

  • File a FAFSA Every Year

     

    A FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) must be filed for EACH YEAR a student wants to be considered for financial aid eligibility. 

    The FAFSA for the next academic year is always available beginning January 1. For example, the FAFSA for 2013-14 (summer, fall, winter and spring quarters) becomes available on January 1, 2013.

    Students and their families are encouraged to file the on-line version of the FAFSA. The on-line version provides edits which alert filers to possible problems with their applications, including required items that are left blank or completed incorrectly, before the application is submitted. Applying on line is also quicker and updates and corrections can be submitted with ease.  If unable to file on-line, the form may be downloaded, printed, completed and mailed to the FAFSA processor.  Please contact Student Financial Services if assistance is needed locating the paper version of the FAFSA.

    File the FAFSA by SU's February 1 priority funding deadline. All types of aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.  Many funds are extremely limited.  Applications received after the priority deadline will be considered in the order received on a funds-available basis.

    Select the correct version of the FAFSA to complete as each year, from January 1 through June 30, two versions of the FAFSA are available: 1) for the current academic year and 2) for the upcoming academic year.

    New students

    New students must be admitted to the university and have completed the FAFSA (including any additional information requested by SU) before a financial aid award will be prepared for them.  To be considered for institutional aid, new students must submit their FAFSAs by February 1 or within 30 days of admission if admitted after January 1.

    Continuing Students

    Continuing students should complete the FAFSA and provide any additional information requested by Student Financial Services in order for an award to be prepared for them.  Students wishing to be considered only for the non-need-based academic scholarship received in the prior year and for which they have met all the requirements for continuation, may be exempt from this requirement.

    All Students

    Student Financial Services strives to distribute financial aid award letters to new freshmen students in mid-March, to entering transfer students in mid-April and to continuing undergraduate students and all graduate students, new and continuing, in May.

     

  • FAFSA Filing Tips

    • Select the correct version of the FAFSA to complete.
    • Sign your FAFSA. The quickest way is to use a personal identification number (PIN). You can apply for a new PIN or request on-line.  Remember: one parent listed on the FAFSA of a dependent student needs a PIN to sign the FAFSA electronically.
    • Meet the Seattle University February 1 priority funding deadline.
    • Use tax estimates to apply by the priority funding deadline, then go back to update to your tax return information when your tax return is completed.
    • FAFSA RESULTS. If you provide your e-mail address on the FAFSA, you will receive an e-mail acknowledgement telling you how to access your Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR lists the results of your FAFSA processing.