How to Apply for Federal Student Aid
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step toward obtaining Federal Student Aid (FSA) to pay for college. The FAFSA is free and quick, and it gives you access to the largest source of financial aid to pay for college.
The university’s financial aid office is qualified to determine your FSA eligibility using your FAFSA information. This means if you have not yet completed a FAFSA, you can complete it here via the university's Financial Aid Office.
Any student who wants to be considered for Federal Student Aid (Pell Grant and Direct Loans) need to complete the FAFSA at: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Be aware that some state financial aid programs rely on the FAFSA for determining eligibility and that deadlines can vary.
To complete the FAFSA you will need:
- A verified account username and password (FSA ID)
- Parent or spouse contributor name, date of birth, Social Security number, and email address
- Income and asset information (if required)
- The Federal deadline for the FAFSA is June 30th of each award year.
- State deadlines may vary.
APUS Deadlines:
If you plan to use FSA to pay for your education, we encourage you to complete a FAFSA as soon as possible prior to your planned academic year start and no later than the end of the academic year during which you are enrolled and want to receive eligible funding.
When you fill out the FAFSA, you will be asked to enter this school code and location information:
School code: 038193-00
School location: West Virginia
It is important that you enter this information correctly in order for the university to receive your FAFSA information.
The online financial aid office is made available through the ecampus and is the primary communication point for information about your FAFSA and aid eligibility.
To access My Financial Aid Office, you will first need to establish your FSA academic year.
When you log into the ecampus, you will then see a link to My Financial Aid Office located under the FINANCE CENTER - Federal Student Aid (FSA) menu. This is the university's tool to help you manage your federal student aid.
Through My Financial Aid Office, you can complete requirements for getting aid packaged and check your financial aid status. It is important to monitor your financial aid office regularly for information.
If you choose to borrow a student loan, there are additional steps to complete to ensure your funds will be disbursed. These steps include completing entrance counseling and signing a Master Promissory Note (MPN).
- Entrance counseling is completed through the Financial Aid Office site.
- The MPN is completed through the Department of Education’s StudentAid.gov website.
Both of these requirements provide you with detailed information regarding the terms, conditions, rights, and responsibilities when taking on federal student loans.
The total amount of your FSA funding is paid directly to the university and applied towards your tuition and fees for each payment period/semester. Any remaining funds (credit balances) will be credited to you to cover other educational expenses.
We deliver credit balances with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information:
To qualify for FSA and continue to maintain eligibility you must:
- Complete the FAFSA annually.
- Be a degree seeking student in an eligible program.
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) towards completion of your program.
- Be enrolled in courses required for your program (at least half-time for loans).
Learn more about:
Enrollment status/intensity is a factor in aid eligibility. It is important to understand that Deciding Whether to Drop or Withdraw from a Course may be a personal and academic decision; however, it is a student’s responsibility to understand any financial implications of this decision.
APUS encourages students to borrow responsibly, and only what is needed, to effectively manage educational expenses over the course of each academic year and program of study.
See the U.S. Department of Education's StudentAid.Gov website for information you need to make borrowing decisions, and to prepare for managing and repaying your federal student loans.
For help with FSA, you may contact a financial aid advisor by emailing [email protected] or calling 855-731-9218 (Mon – Thurs 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET; Fri 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET).