St. Cloud State University

Financial Aid Guideline

Begin to look for private scholarship funds.
- SCSU Scholarships for Freshman Students
- Expanding Your Scholarship Search
Estimate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with either the SCSU Financial Aid Estimate Request Form mailed to newly admitted students in December or calculate your own EFC at Minnesota Office of Higher Education's Financial Aid Estimator.
Apply for a PIN (Personal Identification Number) from the U. S. Department of Education. www.pin.ed.gov If you are a dependent student, your parent may also apply for a PIN. The PIN will act as your electronic signature when applying for financial aid online.

Complete your federal income tax returns. If you are a dependent student, you will also need your parents' complete federal income tax returns.
Complete the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet to assist you in filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Complete FAFSA at the U.S. Department of Education website www.fafsa.ed.gov as soon as possible after January 1st. If you do not have access to the internet, you may request a paper FAFSA by calling 1-800-4FED-AID or download a paper FAFSA from the internet at http://ifap.ed.gov/fafsa/attachments/20082009FinalFAFSA(en)Atta.pdf.
Complete the SCSU Application for Financial Aid. Remember to select the correct aid year for the application. Return the application along with copies of federal income tax returns and wage statements (W2 and 1099) for you and your parent(s).

Financial Aid Notification Letters will be mailed to those who have complete financial aid applications (FAFSA, SCSU Application for Financial Aid, federal income tax returns, and wage statements).
Financial Aid Award Letters will be available on-line beginning in early May.
Be sure to read all information carefully, and complete all necessary forms to insure timely disbursement of your financial aid.