School Code
001572
How To Apply
Overview
The information on these pages is intended to help you complete the necessary steps to apply for financial aid as well as provide “tips and tricks” to having a successful application process.
Six Steps to Apply for Aid
The Financial Aid Process: Six Steps
1. Complete the Financial Aid Application
To be reviewed for federal and state student aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/ between October 1st and February 1st for enrollment in the following fall semester. You must list Georgia Southern’s Title IV school code (001572) on the form. It is important to apply early, as some financial aid funds are limited and are administered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are only interested in receiving the HOPE Scholarship, you do not need to complete the FAFSA; instead, you can complete the GSFAPPS. Visit GAfutures for more information about the HOPE Scholarship. If you choose to complete the FAFSA, you must complete a FAFSA or a Renewal FAFSA for each academic year that you want to receive aid. You can review the 7 Step FAFSA Tutorial here.
2. Review your Student Aid Report
Approximately one week after completing your FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). If you do not, check the status of your report online at https://studentaid.gov/. The SAR summarizes the information you provided on your FAFSA. If all the information is correct, keep the SAR for your records. (If you listed Georgia Southern on your FAFSA, we will receive a copy of your SAR electronically). If information on your SAR is incorrect, mail in corrections to the appropriate address, or make them online.
3. Georgia Southern Correspondence
Within three to four weeks after you receive a complete, correct SAR, the Georgia Southern Financial Aid Office will email you an award notification via EAGLEGRAM or a request for additional documents. (If you don’t receive an e-mail, please contact us.) Submit requested documents as soon as possible or your aid may be delayed.
4. Your Award Notification
Your EAGLEGRAM advises you to visit MyGeorgiaSouthern to log into WINGS, which describes your financial aid award. Review the information. If there are corrections needed, please notify us by e-mail. You will have to complete Entrance Loan Counseling and electronically sign your Master Promissory Note before loan proceeds will be released. Click here to complete entrance loan counseling and sign your promissory note. The Georgia Southern Office of Student Loans will mail the promissory note to you, if necessary.
NOTE: To be eligible for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, students must be enrolled and verified as attending at least half-time.
- 1/2 time for undergraduate students is 6 hours per semester.
- 1/2 time for graduate students varies per program. Please click here for more information.
5. Pay Your Bill
The University’s Office of Student Accounts will send you an EAGLEGRAM to notify you that you have new charges on your student account each semester. You must then go to WINGS and select “Registration Invoice and Web Payment” to view your charges and credits. Financial aid applied to your account will be subtracted from the amount due. Read the EAGLEGRAM and webpage carefully and follow all instructions. YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE A PAPER INVOICE!
6. Get Your Refund
If your aid awarded exceeds the amount you owe the University, a refund check will be mailed to your Georgia Southern campus post office box or to your local or permanent mailing address if you do not have a campus post office box. Keep in mind that federal regulations require attendance verification before your refund can be paid to you.
Important Award Information
Your Financial Aid Award and Eligibility
- Your financial aid award is based on financial aid information that our office currently has on file. It is your responsibility to understand your financial aid eligibility. If additional information is received, your aid eligibility is subject to adjustment. If the aid has already been disbursed to your Office of Student Accounts invoice, and your aid is adjusted, you will be required to repay all funds for which you are no longer eligible.
- You must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to be eligible for financial aid. To check your SAP status, click on “Overall Financial Aid Status” on the award notification page on your WINGS account.
- Summer financial aid eligibility is largely based on remaining eligibility from the previous fall and spring semesters. If you are considering attending summer term, and are concerned about funding, please contact your financial aid counselor and also review the Summer 2022 information by clicking here.
PELL Grant
- Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/ to determine Pell Grant eligibility.
- Eligibility for the Pell Grant is based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which is the output of FAFSA. Your EFC and Pell eligibility are subject to change each year.
- Students who received 100% of their scheduled Pell award in both the Fall and Spring semesters may be eligible to receive Pell during the Summer semester as long as they are enrolled at least half time.
- Pell Grant recipients enrolled less than full-time Fall and/or Spring may still qualify to use their remaining aid year eligibility, plus an additional amount not to exceed a one term award for summer.
- Students who received their first Pell Grant on or after July 1, 2008 may receive Pell Grant for a total of (or the equivalent of) twelve semesters (600%).
- For purposes of determining final award amounts and disbursement amounts, Georgia Southern University uses the initial calculation date or recalculation date for each term, whichever is later; The recalculation date is usually the day after the initial drop/add period of the term. Pell awards and disbursement eligibility are based on the enrollment of the student at that date.
- Students must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to qualify. Satisfactory Academic Policy Criteria:
- Students should earn (not including learning support classes) 67% of all cumulative attempted hours.
- Students in a 4-year program who have attempted more than 150% of the published length of a degree program will have their aid terminated.
- Undergraduate students must maintain a 2.0 minimum cumulative GPA to remain in good standing for financial aid and academic purposes. (Exception: Education majors must maintain a 2.5 minimum cumulative GPA )
- Graduate students must maintain a 3.0 minimum cumulative GPA to remain in good standing for financial aid and academic purposes. (Graduate students are eligible for loans only, not pell grant.)
Loans
- Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/ in order to receive Federal loans.
- To be eligible for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, students must be enrolled and verified as attending at least half-time
- 1/2 time for undergraduate students is 6 hours per semester.
- 1/2 time for graduate students varies per program. Please click here for more information.
- If you have been awarded a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, you should deduct 1.057% per semester from the amount shown to determine the actual amount available to use toward your expenses. Direct Loan Servicing keeps this amount as a loan origination fee.
- Parents of dependent students who feel they will need additional funds may apply for them through the William D. Ford Federal Direct PLUS program.
- If you have been awarded a Federal Direct PLUS Loan, you should deduct 4.228% per semester from the amount shown to determine the actual amount available to use toward your expenses. Direct Loan Servicing keeps this amount as a loan origination fee.
- First-time borrowers at Georgia Southern University must complete online entrance counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note at https://studentaid.gov/
Class Attendance Verification
In accordance with federal regulations, financial aid disbursement eligibility is based on verification of attendance. Attendance verification information is sent to faculty and students at the beginning of each term
HOPE Scholarship
There have been significant changes to the HOPE Scholarship. For more details, please click here.
Transient Students
If students have transient permission from the Georgia Southern University Registrar’s Office to take core courses at another institution, the Financial Aid Office can process a consortium agreement with the other school and process the student’s financial aid. The disbursement of financial aid for that semester is done once verification of attendance is received from the host institution. Official transcripts must be received from the host institution prior to any subsequent disbursements to ensure eligibility. For additional information, please click here.
Your Financial Aid Counselor
- If you have any questions about your award, please select “Contact Your Financial Aid Counselor” on the award notification page on your WINGS account or click here.
- In all communication to your Financial Aid Counselor, please be sure to include your full name, Eagle ID, and detailed question in the body of your email. This will improve the quality and efficiency of our services to you.
Estimated Cost of Attendance
The Estimated Cost of Attendance Worksheet can assist in estimating how much it would cost to attend Georgia Southern University. The goal of this worksheet is to provide parents/students with an idea of what it would cost for the student to attend Georgia Southern. On the bottom portion of the worksheet, we have included two websites that can assist in completing this worksheet. The first website is a link to Georgia Southern University’s tuition and fee rate sheets. The second website provides a calculator to help estimate your potential financial aid award.
If you have any questions, please contact our office or visit our website.
Download the Cost of Attendance Worksheet
Net Price Calculator
Alternatively, you can click on the link below to access Georgia Southern University’s Net Price Calculator.
The calculator is intended to give students an early approximation of what they could expect to pay at Georgia Southern University as well as the average aid that students may qualify for. This calculator is not an application for financial aid and the results are estimates, not guarantees. Students should apply for financial aid as soon as possible. February 1st is the priority deadline for Federal Financial Aid.
Last updated: 4/5/2022