Financial Aid
- Applying for Financial Aid
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Complete your 2018-2019 FAFSA Now:
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
USD'S School Code is 010395
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is required to be considered for any federal, state, or need-based institutional funds, including the Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS). If you are only applying for a merit based scholarship through the Office of Admissions, you are not required to file a FAFSA.
To be considered a priority financial aid applicant, you must apply using the FAFSA beginning January 1 and before the filing deadlines listed below:
* Teaching Credential Students may qualify for 5th year Cal Grant as an undergraduate. Students must contact CA Student Aid Commission (CSAC) at (888)-CA-GRANT (888-224-7268) to confirm eligibility.
Spring Applicants: The priority deadlines listed above are for students applying for financial aid for the academic year, including those students who apply for one semester only (e.g., spring semester).
Late Applicants: Students who do not meet the FAFSA application priority filing deadlines listed above OR do not provide all supporting documentation within the indicated time frames, will be considered for remaining funds if funds become available. Students in this situation may appeal to the Director of Financial Aid. Appeals can be mailed to the One Stop Student Center or dropped off in person and must contain an original signature as well as student ID number.
All financial aid forms must be received by the OFA at least two months prior to the end of the term (Spring semester for students attending fall and spring). If documentation required to complete the financial aid application is received by the OFA late, eligibility for any type of financial aid for that academic term may be limited.
Financial Aid Requirements and Verification
Submission of Financial Aid Requirements
If the USD Office of Financial Aid (OFA) requests any information from you (see below for notification information), the forms and/or information must be submitted to the OFA within three (3) weeks of the date the documents have been requested. Priority status may be lost if requested information is submitted after 3 weeks, which could mean a loss of certain funds.
If you are submitting a non-electronic copy of a form (such as a Parent or Student Follow Up Form), you can send this to us via email at onestop@sandiego.edu. Please make sure the copy is legible and has all signatures. Do not send any documentation via email that contains any social security numbers. Documents can also be submitted in person at the One Stop Student Center or mailed to the Office of Financial Aid.
Please note: If incomplete information or information that generates conflict with your FAFSA is received, there will be a need for follow-up. The three week deadline still applies to this part of the process.
All requests for information can be viewed via your My San Diego portal by clicking on the messages link in the Financial Aid Status box. This is how the Office of Financial Aid will communicate with you.
In addition, all Financial Aid Requirements (including verification) can be viewed on the My San Diego portal in the Financial Aid Requirements box.
Verification
Verification is the process that universities must complete to confirm that the data on the FAFSA is accurate. Through the verification process, USD must verify that a family was able to sustain their living expenses with the income and resources reported. A certain number of applications are randomly selected by the Federal Processor for verification each year. USD must follow up for required verification items, including, but not limited to: verification of family size, completed tax information, and other family information.
Data Retrieval Tool & Tax Return Transcript
In the event that you have been randomly selected for verification by the Department of Education, the University of San Diego will need you and (your parents if applicable) to submit tax information for the prior tax year. This information can be submitted either by using the IRS Data retrieval tool or by obtaining a copy of your Tax Return Transcript from the IRS.
New for 2019-2020: A copy of a student or parent's 1040 (tax return) can also be accepted to clear the tax information requirement for verification. Please DO NOT email a 1040 to us. Tax documents, or any document containing a social security number should be mailed in, or delivered to us in person.
If you (and your parents) do not elect the IRS Data Retrieval Tool option on the FAFSA on the Web, a copy of your and your parents’ Federal Tax Return Transcript will be requested. If you are married, USD will also need a signed copy of your spouse’s IRS Tax Return Transcript.
Please keep in mind that no Award will be produced for a continuing student who’s FAFSA has been selected for verification until all the verification material has been received and reviewed.
New students will be presented with an Award prior to all verification material being received and reviewed; however, all Awards for students are ESTIMATED (and will not be released) and are not confirmed until all additional requested information has been received and reviewed.
FSA ID
The FSA ID - a username and password - has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN and must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites including the FAFSA website, studentloans.gov and the National Student Loan Data System. Directions on how to create your FSA ID.
Frequently Asked Questions
We understand that the process of applying for financial aid can be confusing. View our Frequently Asked Questions
- Loan Information
Federal Direct General Loan Information
Will you need a loan to attend college? If so, think federal aid first. Federal student loans usually offer borrowers lower interest rates and have more flexible repayment terms and options than private student loans.
Federal student and parent loans information.
Loan Instructions
All students and parents who wish to borrow through the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student, PLUS and Graduate PLUS loan programs will be required to apply for their loans through the Department of Education at www.StudentLoans.gov.
View Loan instructions for Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized, Graduate or Parent Plus loans.
Private/Alternative Educational Loans
Private loans are unsecured educational loans made by private financial institutions such as a banks or credit unions. These are loans that must be repaid with interest.
- Interest rates, origination and repayment fees for this loan program are based on the credit-worthiness of the borrower and/or co-borrower.
- Undergraduates will generally need to apply with a credit-worthy co-borrower. Graduate students may obtain better rates by applying with a credit-worthy co-borrower.
- Interest rates will vary on a monthly or quarterly basis and may not have a maximum rate.
- Repayment generally begins immediately after full disbursement.
- Some lenders may defer (postpone) repayment during periods of at least half-time enrollment and economic hardship; however, interest will accrue on the loan from the date it is disbursed.
- To reduce the cost of borrowing, consider making in-school interest or interest + principal payments.
- Rules for repayment and deferment vary from lender to lender. Check with your lender for more information.
Apply for private/alternative educational loans
Helpful links
Visit www.StudentLoans.gov to do any of the following:
- Complete Entrance Counseling
- Complete a Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)
- Complete Financial Awareness Counseling
- Complete Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN)
- Request a PLUS Loan
- Complete PLUS Counseling
- Use the Repayment Estimator
To review your total Federal Direct loans or complete Exit Counseling visit login to the National Student Loan Data System with your FSA ID and password.
Contact the Federal Student Loan Support Center (800-557-7394) Monday Through Friday between the hours of 8:00 am and 11:00 pm Eastern Time for information about:
- The FSA ID
- Entrance Counseling
- Financial Awareness Counseling
- PLUS Counseling
- Exit Counseling
- Master Promissory Notes
- Direct PLUS Loan Requests
- Endorser Addendums
- Income-Driven Repayment Plan Requests
- Direct Consolidation Loan Application and Promissory Note
- Documenting extenuating circumstances relating to denied credit (Appeal)
- Assistance with the StudentLoans.gov website
Avoiding Loan Scams
- Scholarships
How to Apply
Outside scholarships are an excellent source of funding. The Office of Financial Aid has put together some helpful tips to guide you through the process of finding and applying for scholarships.
University Scholarships
There are a number of scholarship opportunities at the University of San Diego. Each has its one terms, conditions, and requirements for eligibility and renewal.
Available University Scholarships
Outside Scholarships
There are so many outside scholarships out there! As a result the search process can sometimes feel overwhelming. The Office of Financial Aid has put together a list of scholarships to help get you started.
If you are the lucky recipient of an outside scholarship and you have received a check that needs to be applied to your student account please feel free to bring the check to the One Stop Student Center in UC 126 or mail your check directly to:
University of San Diego
Office of Financial Aid
Hughes Center 319
5998 Alcala Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Have additional scholarship questions? Visit our Scholarship Frequently Asked Questions page.
- USD Student Employment
The Student Employment Center (SEC) assists University of San Diego students seeking part-time employment on or off campus. Over 500 students are employed on campus under the Federal Work-Study/College Work Opportunity Program. Other students are employed on campus as Casual Workers by the departments in which they work. There are also USD students who choose to work off campus in positions posted by local employers through the USD Job Location and Development Program in the Student Employment Center.
Federal Work Study/College Work Opportunity
The Federal Work-Study/College Work Opportunity Program is a need-based student employment program. To be employed under FWS/CWO, you must apply for Financial Aid by filing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and be offered FWS/CWO as part of your Financial Aid Award. Students who have applied for Financial Aid and were not awarded Federal Work-Study/College Work Opportunity may submit the Federal Work-Study Wait List Form and will be awarded if funds remain and the eligibility criteria are met.
Additional FWS/CWO Information
Casual Workers (non-Federal Work Study)
Several departments on campus hire students who have not been awarded Federal Work-Study. Most students work 10-15 hours per week, with a maximum of 25 hours per week during the fall and spring semesters set by university policy. If there is a particular location in which you would like to work, you may contact the department directly to see if they have any openings for Casual Workers. Some of the departments that regularly hire students as Casual Workers include:
- USD Torero Store: (619) 260-4551
- Telefunding: (619) 260-4754
- Dining Services: (619) 260-8880
- Banquets and Catering: (619) 260-4560
- Information Technology—Tech Support Center: (619) 260-7900
Job Board
The Student Employment Center maintains a job board for Federal Work-Study positions. Check back throughout the year as the job board is updated based on department openings.
Background Check
Employment at the University of San Diego is contingent upon successful completion of a background check. Effective July 1, 2012, all first-time student employees at the University of San Diego must complete a background check before the offer of employment is finalized.
- Your Financial Aid
Accepting your Financial Aid
You will receive an email notification once your Financial Aid Award offer is ready for review. To view your Financial Aid Award offer please log into the My San Diego portal and go to the Financial Aid page. For continuing and transfer students this will be located under the Torero Hub dropdown. For incoming first-year students this will be located under the admissions dropdown.
Once there click on the award link in the Financial Aid Status box to view and accept/decline your award.
We recommend that you accept/decline each fund offered within three weeks, EVEN IF you are appealing the Award. By accepting the aid that is offered, you indicate that you have read and understand all terms and conditions of the Award, including the requirements to renew scholarships and grants.
Understanding your Financial Aid Requirements
To view your Financial Aid requirements please log into the My San Diego portal and go to the Financial Aid page. For continuing and transfer students this will be located under the Torero Hub dropdown. For incoming first-year students this will be located under the admissions dropdown.
In the Financial Aid Requirements box you will see a list of forms with clickable links. These forms correspond to each portion of your Financial Aid Award offer. Please complete the applicable requirements for the portions of your Financial Aid Award offer you have decided to accept.
It is important that all forms are submitted/turned in within 3 weeks of the date of the financial aid award or the request of the additional information. Forms which are submitted as paper documents will require original (wet not copied) signatures and can be dropped off in person at the One Stop or mailed directly to the Financial Aid Office.
ABOUT E-FORMS:
You can now submit many of your financial aid documents in the form of an e-form. Begin the process by filling out the Student Electronic Transactions agreement to indicate that you agree to use e-forms. Next, send the Parent Electronic Transactions Agreement to your parent to complete and electronically sign. Once done, you will be able to access the rest of your forms as e-forms.
Please note: Many forms also require a parent's signature. You will begin the form by typing in any information requested and sign and submit. Once submitted it will be sent to your parent's email. This form will continue to appear as a yellow triangle even if your parent has not submitted their portion of the form. It is important to remember to ask your parents about the status of the financial aid forms sent to them to make sure they are submitted within the 3 week timeline.
For any documents submitted outside of the three week deadline we recommend submitting a letter signed by the student (and parent if applicable) explaining the reason for the delay.
Red Flags
A red flag indicates that it has not been satisfied and is outstanding. Please note that once you have submitted the documentation for an outstanding requirement it may take 4-5 days to be logged in as received if dropped off at the One Stop or 7-10 business days if mailed.
Yellow Triangles
A yellow triangle indicates that the Office of Financial Aid has received your document submission and it is currently under review. During the review process you may receive email notifications that specific follow-up forms have been sent to you via US Postal Services. At the same time this might appear on the Requirements Channel. As long as the requirements show a red or a yellow flag on your portal, your Award is only an Estimated Award. It is important to keep your mailing address current with the University in order to receive and complete the forms on time.
The review process may take 3-4 weeks depending on the time of year.
Green Check Marks
A green check mark indicates that the corresponding requirement has been satisfied. As long as all outstanding requirements have been satisfied your financial aid will disburse to your student account approximately 10 days before the beginning of the semester (Fall/Spring).
Refunds
Credit balances are refunded via direct deposit or paper check. Please allow 2-5 business days for direct deposit to be credited to your bank account.
To sign up for direct deposit, please log onto the My San Diego Portal and go to the My Student Account page. Once there ensure you have disabled any pop-up blockers before clicking on My Online Student Account. You will be able to enroll in direct through the Direct Deposit-eRefunds link.
Keep in mind that any refunds from a Parent Plus loan will be mailed to the address indicated on the FAFSA for the parent unless the parent has authorized the release of any refunds directly to the student. If you have additional questions please feel free to contact the One Stop Student Center.
Title IV
The Title IV Authorization form authorizes USD to pay miscellaneous charges on a student's account with credits remaining from Title IV financial aid, including Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, Academic Competitiveness Grant, National Smart Grant, TEACH Grant, Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan, Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, and Federal PLUS loans. Without this authorization, miscellaneous charges will not be paid and an enrollment hold will be placed on future registration.
To submit your authorization
- Login to the USD MySanDiego Portal.
- Click on My Student Account
- Scroll down to My Title IV Authorization.
- Submit
Additional Financial Aid Forms
Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy
Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal & Academic Plan Forms
Cal Grant Asset Verification Form
Students whose family experienced a change in financial circumstance that will lower the student’s family resources may be eligible for a re-evaluation of their federal and /or state aid eligibility after federal verification has been completed. In order to be considered for a special circumstances calculation, the student must meet specific guidelines, explain the circumstances in a letter, and provide documentation of the change. Please submit your Special Circumstances Appeal with original signature to the One Stop Student Center.
Exit Counseling- Federal Direct Loans
In order to satisfy your graduation requirements, all students who received loan assistance at any time while in attendance at the University of San Diego School are required by federal regulation to complete the Online Exit Loan Counseling Session. Exit Counseling provides important information you need to prepare to repay your federal student loan(s).
USD Maintained Loan Information
USD is the owner of your Federal Perkins, Trust, Education, Nursing, Tuition Credit, Marion Hubbard, and Gulf Oil Loans.
Frequently Asked Questions for USD Maintained Loans
Contact Information
One Stop Student Center
University Center 126
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
Phone: (619) 260-2700
onestop@sandiego.edu
