Eligibility for State or Federal Aid

To qualify for any type of state or federal aid—including grants, work study, or loans—a student must:

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To apply for the following fall term, February 15 is the priority deadline.
2. Have financial need (except for some loan programs).
3. Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, pass a test approved by the U.S. Department of Education, meet other standards your state establishes and the U.S. Department of Education approves, or complete a high school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under state law. See your financial aid administrator for more information.
4. Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program. You may not receive aid for correspondence or telecommunications courses unless they are part of an associate, baccalaureate, or graduate degree program.
5. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
6. Have a valid Social Security Number (SSN). If you do not have a SSN, you can find out how to apply online.
7. Meet satisfactory academic progress standards set by the postsecondary school you are or will be attending.
8. Certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.
9. Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and that you do not owe money on a federal student grant.
10. Register with the selective service, if required.