Student Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for aid, students must have a high school diploma or its equivalent, or have a certificate indicating they have completed a home-study program recognized by their home state.

Students must be enrolled in an approved degree-seeking program to be eligible for any financial aid from the University. A list of programs and degrees is published in the Undergraduate Record and the Graduate Record. Students studying in an approved study abroad program or through one of the University's exchange programs are eligible for financial aid from the University. A list of approved study abroad and exchange programs is available from the Office of International Studies. The University does not offer financial aid for students in certificate programs.

In order to receive a full financial aid award package, undergraduate students must be full-time (meaning at least at least twelve credit hours each semester). Undergraduates who take less than a full-time course load will have their financial aid award reduced as required by federal regulations and institutional policies.

Graduate students must be full time (meaning at least 9 credits hours each semester) but no less than a minimum of five credit hours each semester during the academic year to be eligible for federal financial aid.

If you plan to be enrolled less than full-time, please complete, sign and provide the 2018-2019 Course Load Change Form to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships.  For a copy of the form please see the Forms and Publications page.

Students must be United States citizens or classified as eligible non-citizens in order to be eligible for federal, state, and University financial assistance. Students must fit one of the following categories in order to be considered eligible non-citizens:

For more information on who is eligible for federal student aid, please visit the U.S. Department of Education’s “Who Gets Aid” site.

Students must have a valid Social Security number to receive financial aid. Exceptions to this rule are students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau.

Male students between the ages of 18 and 25 must be registered with Selective Service to be eligible for financial aid.

If you are a citizen of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau, you are exempt from registering. You can call Selective Service toll-free at 1-888-655-1825 for general information about registering, or register online at the Selective Service System Website

To be eligible for financial assistance, students must not be in default on a Federal Nursing Loan, Federal Stafford Loan, Federal Supplemental Loan for Students, Institutional Loan, or Federal Direct Loan, nor owe any refund on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.

Students must not have been convicted of violating any federal or state law related to the possession or sale of drugs while receiving Title IV aid. Students who are convicted must notify Student Financial Services. They may lose their eligibility for Title IV financial assistance and may be required to pay back any aid they received prior to their conviction.

Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, according to the standards and practices of the University. Students who fail to maintain satisfactory progress may not receive federal Title IV assistance or state and University need-based grants and scholarships.

Student Financial Services does not award federal student aid to international or foreign students. Students may apply for alternative loan programs that are available from private financial institutions. For more information on SU International student scholarship opportunities please click here.

Post-Bacc, Graduate and Doctoral students attending the must meet all the general requirements described above and must also be enrolled at least half-time in the degree-granting program of study. In most cases, students in a non-degree or certificate program are not eligible to receive federal financial aid.