Financial Aid, Billing, & Housing:
What do you need to know to plan for a successful year ahead?
PREPARING FOR THE FALL 2024 SEMESTER
- Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) now. The FAFSA for the 2024-2025 year is now available at the student aid webpage
- Monitor your YSU student email account as the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships will communicate via email requests for any additional information needed to complete the FAFSA, such as those required for Federal Verification purposes. Please access the link below for additional information on completing the FAFSA and completing the Verification process.
- YSU Financial Aid-- FAFSA and Verification YouTube video
- Search for and apply for scholarships as early as possible on the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships website
What are additional steps I need to take AFTER I complete my FAFSA and apply for scholarships?
Once a financial aid offer has been issued, you will need to accept the funds offered as soon as possible. A major misconception students/parents have is that once they have filed their FAFSA, they believe their aid will automatically be applied to their bill. This is not true: you must take action to accept the aid offered. Please access the link below for instruction on how to accept your financial aid offer, including information for freshman about how to complete the Entrance Counseling and sign the Master Promissory Note
If you have already completed applying for aid and have received a financial aid award offer, please see our How to Accept Your Financial Aid Offer guide* for completing the acceptance process.
Please refer to the 2024-2025 FAFSA web page for resources and tips on how to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
Announcements
- 2024-2025 FAFSA APPLICATION RESULTS HAVE BEEN DELAYED
Posted on
February 2, 2024
YSU will not receive 2024-2025 FAFSA application results until the first half of March. The Department of Education (ED) announced further delays in distributing FAFSA results to schools to make inflationary adjustments to the formula that impact the accuracy of the Student Aid Index (SAI) used to determine financial need. YSU will send financial aid offers out mid to late March as soon as FAFSA application results are on file and processed.
Will the aid provided as a result of completing the FAFSA (and scholarship applications) cover all of my costs??
A common misconception among students/parents is that the funding provided as a result of completing the FAFSA will amount to enough to cover all billable charges. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Certain federal aid options offered through the completion of FAFSA are considered “need-based,” and as such, not every applicant will qualify. Eligibility for federal need-based funding, such as Federal Pell Grant, are based on a student/family Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculated upon completion of the FAFSA. The EFC is the amount of money the US Department of Education estimates a family can afford to contribute out of pocket toward the student’s education based on data received within the FAFSA process. EFC’s vary by student/family, and as a result, so will the amount of overall funding offered to individual students. Students can expect to receive a Fall billing statement approximately 4-6 weeks prior to the start of the Fall semester via their student email account. Be sure to review the billing statement thoroughly and contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 330-941-3505 with any questions or discrepancies.
What other options are available if I have a remaining balance not covered by student financial aid?
Once you realize that additional funds are needed for your education, a Parent Plus Loan may be an option. Parent Plus Loans are Federal Loans requiring a separate application by a parent and credit approval. The Parent Plus Loan Application is available at the studentaid.gov loans plus webpage.
We recommend that this is done as soon as you are made aware that a loan is needed, as this loan as well as others do not disburse immediately.
Do I need to pay any remaining balance in full? Yes. Please know while your student account must be paid in full BEFORE moving in, you do have the option to enroll in the university payment plan to make things more manageable financially. Here’s guidance on how to apply.
For more information about the University payment plan, please visit the University Bursar | Payment Plan webpage.
What do I need to know about my billing statement? If you opt to enroll in a payment plan, your student account is your responsibility. Students should check their YSU student account regularly, as billing statements are electronic (no paper bill will be sent home). Students are responsible for understanding the fee structures and obligations and for sharing fee information with others, such as parents and/or guardians, who may be paying fees on their behalf. Please see the University Bursar | Billing and Fee Payment webpage for more information.
As always, for support in navigating your entire student bill, please contact the Penguin Service Center at 330-941-6000. Should you require additional explanation or assistance related directly to your financial aid offer and awarding, please contact the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at (330) 941 3505 or ysufinaid@ysu.edu