Financial Assistance Opportunities
Florida Atlantic University offers comprehensive financial aid programs to assist in meeting reasonable educational expenses for both full-time and part-time students who might otherwise be unable to afford college. Reasonable educational expenses include tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, miscellaneous personal expenses, and expenses related to childcare of a student's dependents. To view our full cost of attendance information page, visit the website.
For financial aid purposes during fall and spring terms, undergraduate students enrolled for 12 or more credits and graduate students enrolled for 9 or more credits are considered "full-time students." To see the summer enrollment classification table, refer to the section labeled Summer Financial Aid below.
In addition to providing funds on the basis of demonstrated financial need in the form of grants, work study awards and loans, FAU offers scholarships to recognize and reward talent, academic achievement and meritorious performance.
Students who may be eligible for educational benefits under any Veterans Administration program should refer to the subsection "Military and Veterans Student Success Center" in the Student Services and Activities section of the catalog. Students should also contact the Military and Veterans Student Success Center on campus well in advance of their first time registering at the University.
The Florida Atlantic University financial aid program is administered by the Office of Student Financial Aid without regard to race, creed, color, sex, physical handicap or national origin. This ensures equitable treatment of all qualified applicants. For forms to submit and information concerning financial aid, scholarships, need-based employment and other special programs, contact the Office of Student Financial Aid by visiting its website.
New Students to FAU
New FAU students are encouraged to visit the Office of Student Financial Aid's website and click on "Apply for Aid." Information on how to apply for financial aid, different types of aid available, navigating the Financial Aid section of MyFAU, accepting awards and how to apply for money to purchase books/school supplies can be found here.
Mandatory Course Entry Quiz
Students will be required to complete the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz for ALL classes in which they are enrolled. According to Federal Regulations, a student is considered not to have begun attendance if a school is unable to document the student's attendance in each class. Title IV financial aid (Direct Loans, Pell Grant, SEOG and Federal Workstudy) will not disburse for each class in which the survey has not been completed.
In addition to completing the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz, students are required to maintain eligibility for Title IV funding by displaying documented academic activity in their courses. Examples of valid forms of documented activity include faculty attendance rosters, graded assignments, quizzes and exams. Students should be aware that they may be required to repay any aid disbursed for a course for which they have no documented academic activity, even if the Mandatory Course Entry Quiz was completed. More details and instructions can be found at Mandatory Course Entry Quiz.
Need-Based Financial Aid
The need-based financial aid programs are administered according to a nationally accepted policy that the family, meaning parents, student and/or spouse, is responsible for a student's educational expenses. Need-based financial aid is available to fill in the gap that may exist between the total cost of education and what the family can reasonably be expected to contribute. This aid is awarded on the basis of greatest financial need with priority given to those students who apply by the FAU priority consideration date of April 1. Complete the FAFSA application (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible beginning October 1 each year. FAU school codes are: Boca Raton campus - 001481; Davie campus - E00584; Jupiter campus - E00830.
For more details on various forms of available financial aid, visit Types of Financial Aid .
Eligibility Requirements for Need-Based Financial Aid
After submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students must immediately fulfill any outstanding student requirements. Funds will not be awarded until the student's financial aid file is complete and, in some cases, until the student is enrolled. If there are any unsatisfied requirements, students will receive an email notification via their FAU email account. To check the status, visit Check Your Financial Aid Status.
Verification
Verification is a process to confirm that the information provided on the FAFSA is accurate. Each year, 30 percent of applicants who fill out the FAFSA are randomly selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education. FAU reserves the right to select students for verification if there is inconsistency or discrepancy in the information submitted. Verification ensures that the information students and parents report is accurate. For more details, visit The Verification Process.
Summer Financial Aid
Summer 2024 Financial Aid Offers begin in April for students who meet the following criteria:
- If previously enrolled at FAU, the student must be registered for summer 2024 courses at FAU.
- The student must have a completed 2023-2024 FAFSA on file with FAU.
- The student must have no unsatisfied financial aid requirements for the 2023-2024 academic year. Unsatisfied requirements will be displayed when viewing the Financial Aid Status.
- The applicant MUST satisfy all general aid eligibility requirements as listed under the Financial Aid Policies.
Summer Enrollment Requirements
Financial aid applicants must register for ALL summer sessions (summer terms 1, 2 and 3) by the summer 1 drop/add deadline (see Academic Calendar for date) and must remain at least half time (see criteria below for definition of half-time enrollment) to be considered eligible for most forms of aid.
| Undergraduate Students | Students Admitted to a Bachelor's Degree Program |
| To be considered | Your Summer FAU enrollment must be |
| Full Time | 12 or more credits |
| Three Quarter Time | 9-11 credits |
| Half Time | 6-8 credits |
| Graduate Students | Students Admitted to a Master's or Doctoral Degree Program |
| To be considered | Your Summer FAU enrollment must be |
| Full Time | 6 or more credits |
| Three Quarter Time | 5 credits |
| Half Time | 3-4 credits |
Regardless of award projections, all types of grant support are directly linked to the hours attending. Grant disbursements will be calculated based upon a student's final enrollment at the end of drop/add week. Grants may be reduced based on changes in hours attended.
Less than Half Time
Students will NOT be eligible for most forms of financial aid or grants if they are enrolled less than half time at FAU. In some cases, Federal Pell Grant recipients may be eligible to receive their Pell Grant with less than half time enrollment. Some private/alternative loans are available for students enrolled less than half time if additional funds are needed.
Grants
Grants are financial aid offers that are based on financial need. If grants are offered as a part of a student's financial aid offer, FAU will automatically accept them for the student. More details on types of grants available, eligibility criteria, disbursement criteria, renewal criteria can be found at Grants.
Loans
Loans are a form of financial aid that MUST be repaid. A minimum of half-time enrollment is required for the disbursement of a loan. FAU encourages students to only borrow what is needed to cover their cost of attendance for the academic year.
Information regarding a student’s Federal loans is submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) and is accessible by guaranty agencies, lenders and schools determined to be authorized users of this system. Students can review their Federal Loan History on NSLDS to monitor their progression toward the aggregate limit.
Loan process steps must be completed at least two weeks prior to disbursement to ensure that the student receives their funds in a timely manner, with the exception of the Short Term Advance.
More details on types of loans available, eligibility criteria, disbursement criteria and interest rates can be found at Loans .
Student Employment Programs
Need-Based Employment Programs
The Federal Work Study Program is a need-based, federally funded, part-time employment program, which allows eligible students to earn money to help pay for education expenses. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for federal financial aid, including FWS.
Florida Work Experience Program is a State of Florida-funded, need-based program providing eligible Florida students the opportunity to secure work experiences complementary to and which reinforce the student's educational and career goals.
Recipients of the Florida Work Experience Program may work on campus in positions that complement and reinforce academic and career goals. All recipients of the FWEP program MUST be Florida Residents and must be graduate students.
Transient Student Procedures for Students Receiving Financial Aid
A concurrently enrolled student is one who is degree seeking and taking classes at FAU (Home School) AND another eligible institution (Host School) in the same semester. Financial aid is disbursed from FAU based on the student's total combined enrollment (FAU + Host School) for the semester.
An outgoing consortium enrolled student is one who is degree seeking at FAU (Home School) BUT is ONLY taking classes at another institution (Host School) AND would like to receive their scheduled FAU Financial Aid Offer(s). FAU ENROLLMENT STATUS MUST BE ZERO CREDIT HOURS.
An incoming consortium enrolled student is one who is NOT degree seeking at FAU (Host School). Therefore, financial aid status and information must be addressed to their degree-seeking institution (Home School).
More details can be found at Special Programs.
Non-Need-Based Financial Aid
Federal Parent PLUS Loans is a low interest loan available to assist the parents of dependent students admitted and enrolled in an undergraduate degree program or graduate students admitted and enrolled in a graduate degree program. To be eligible for the Direct PLUS Loan, the parent borrower should not have adverse credit history. Maximum eligibility is equal to cost of education minus other aid. Repayment of principal and interest begins within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed. The borrowers may be eligible to defer repayment until the student graduates or ceases to be enrolled at least half time. In order to receive a Direct PLUS Loan, students must first file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans are available for all students once the FAFSA information determines a student’s financial need. Some students may only qualify for unsubsidized. Repayment is the same as the Direct Subsidized Loan except that students accrue interest while enrolled. For more information, click here.
Federal Grad PLUS Loan is a loan directly from the U.S. Department of Education. It is NOT a loan through a bank. The Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is an unsubsidized loan, meaning interest begins to accumulate on the loan from the time it is disbursed. A student will receive an automatic deferment while enrolled in school at least half-time, and for an additional six months after the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. The student does not have to start making payments until this deferment period ends.
Job Location and Development (JLD) Off-campus job resources are open to all registered, degree-seeking, U.S. Employment Authorized students, regardless of financial need. For more details visit Part-Time Jobs.
Short Term Advance Program
The Short Term Advance is a university monetary advance available to assist degree-seeking students enrolled at least half time with:
- Purchasing textbooks
- Emergency funds relating to educational expenses
- Unanticipated living expenses
Keep in mind that the Short-Term Advance is NOT a source of funding to assist with paying tuition and other related fees at FAU or transient student enrollment at another college/university. Students may borrow up to $750.00. In addition, a $5.00 non-refundable processing fee will be assessed.
NOTE:
If the student is under 18 years of age , please download the Parental Short Term Advance Application and submit it to the Office of Student Financial Aid. In addition, the student must also setup direct deposit online.
FAU Bookstore Line of Credit Program
In addition to the Short Term Advance, eligible Financial Aid recipients may receive a $600 line of credit for textbook purchases from the FAU Bookstore. The line of credit can be used for online and in store textbook purchases only. The amount of the line of credit used will be posted as a charge to the student's FAU account.
Students who meet the eligibility criteria will be notified of their eligibility for this program via their FAU email.
For more details visit FAU Bookstore Line of Credit Program
.
Disbursement Estimator
The financial aid disbursement estimator is designed as a tool to help students determine what they need to pay the University and represents only an ESTIMATE of what financial aid may disburse based on their enrollment and offer status now. At the time of the actual disbursement process, where appropriate for individual offers, items such as residency, grade level, satisfactory academic progress, unmet need, and/or loan entrance or promissory note requirements may affect whether or not the individual offers disburse. Also, at the time of actual disbursements, other charges or credits to students' accounts not displayed now (such as Housing, Meal Plans, parking or library fines, Florida Prepaid and Matriculation waivers) may be applied to their account. For more details, visit Disbursement Estimator Tool .
Scholarships
Scholarships are designed to reward, encourage and assist students in pursuing academic excellence and leadership roles. Academic achievements, leadership positions, campus or community activities, work experience and financial need, are considered during the scholarship selection process. Financial need is determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Bright Futures Scholarship Program
This program is a state-funded scholarship offered to Florida high school graduates based on high school academic achievement. Students must enroll in an eligible Florida public or private postsecondary educational institution. For additional information, contact a high school counselor or call the Florida Department of Education at 1-888-827-2004. More details on the Florida Academic Scholars and Florida Medallion Scholars can be found at Bright Futures
.
Outside Resource
An outside resource is any form of financial assistance a student receives that is awarded based on their educational pursuit and is not processed through the University’s Financial Aid, Controller, Foundation or Directed Research offices.
The student must inform FAU of any outside resource they receive. Examples would be a scholarship check made payable directly to the student, or support from an outside agency that will be covering educational expenses for the student in the form of direct reimbursement. To report an outside resource, submit the following form to the student's assigned financial aid counselor at Student Statement of Outside Resources.
Examples of resources that do not need to be reported are any resources that are processed through the University system, such as: Florida Pre-paid, Student Loans, Financial Aid Grants, Florida Bright Futures, FAU Tuition Exemptions, VA Educational Benefits, FAU Scholarships or Scholarships made directly payable to FAU or co-payable to FAU/Student.