Applying for Financial Aid

FPU offers many financial aid choices for undergraduate, degree completion, credential and graduate students. It's a good idea to apply for financial aid at the same time that you apply for admission to FPU.

Although we won't review your financial aid information until after your admission application is filed, you can still apply for financial aid before you have been admitted to FPU.

Learn more about your options at FPU by choosing a category below so that you can start the process of applying for aid and reaching your goals.

What is financial aid?

Financial aid is based on the premise that you, and - in the case of dependent students - your parents are primarily responsible for providing for your educational expenses, and is intended to supplement student and family contributions toward educational costs. Financial aid comes from many sources, including federal and state government, private organizations, and Fresno Pacific University's institutional funds. These funds consist of grants, scholarships, federal work study, subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, and parent loans.

Who is eligible?

FPU offers and administers a number of scholarships for qualified international students. Scholarship and award information for newly admitted and continuing students, undergraduate and graduate students can be found in FPU Scholarships. Please note that international students are not eligible for U.S. federal financial aid.

International Students

How to apply for aid

To apply for federal aid you must:

Make sure you meet federal eligibility requirements to receive financial aid.
Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applying as soon as possible after October 1 using previous year tax data (for example the 2020/21 application will use 2018 tax information). You (and your parents if applicable) may estimate your income information as accurately as possible in order to complete the form and submit it by the Fresno Pacific University priority deadline of March 2. Improvements to the FAFSA application process now allow for direct data download from your IRS return! Follow the prompts while completing the application to authorize this information exchange. Always remember that there is no fee to apply for federal aid.
List Fresno Pacific University on your FAFSA application using our school code, 001253.
The priority FAFSA application deadline for California is March 2nd. T his date is used to determine eligibility for some need-based aid programs as well as State and Institutional funds. Applications received after the priority deadline will still be eligible for federal aid such as the Pell Grant and Direct Loans. Graduate students are not eligible for federal grants.
Apply for admission to Fresno Pacific University: Apply Online. You will not be considered for any financial aid award until you have applied to the University.

Apply for aid when transferring from FPU

When transferring to another institution, it is important to understand that a financial aid award is not always fully transferable to other schools; each institution may award you different amounts and types of aid. Awards are determined by eligibility, the cost of attendance at each school, and the total number of aid dollars available at each school. To begin the process of requesting aid at a different institution, simply add your new school's code to the FAFSA, that school will then receive your FAFSA application and begin the process of awarding you financial aid.

You should also contact the financial aid office of the school you will be attending to determine:

their aid application procedures
what aid is available
what forms may be required
if you must be admitted before your file will be reviewed

Also, allow a reasonable amount of time for the necessary paperwork to be processed. Be sure to follow through with the process by staying in touch with the school to make sure paperwork has been received and your file is complete.

Apply for aid when transferring to FPU

To start the financial aid process at Fresno Pacific University you must first have applied for admission. Below is a helpful checklist to make sure your transition is smooth and successful.

Apply for admission to Fresno Pacific: Apply Online.
Add Fresno Pacific to your financial aid application (FAFSA) by adding our school code (001253) online at fafsa.ed.gov or by calling the FAFSA processor at 1-800-433-3243 FREE.
Contact your current school's financial aid office and cancel any financial aid for subsequent terms. You cannot receive aid at more than one school at a time so it is critical that this process occur.
Once your FAFSA has been received you will receive an award notification, or a request for additional information via email.
Turn in any information that is requested.
Accept your financial aid award.

Applying for Scholarships

Fresno Pacific is committed to recruiting and retaining motivated, diverse, and driven students. In an effort to assist with the expenses involved in a high caliber education, incoming students are automatically considered for scholarships based on their application for admission and completion of the scholarship portion of the application at the time of admission and prior to the February 1 deadline.

Where to look for other scholarships

State aid in California includes the Cal Grant (for CA residents) and many additional opportunities can be found at the CSAC(California State Aid Commission) website.

Institutional aid includes scholarships based on need, merit, and extracurricular activities.

Private aid includes scholarships and aid given by outside agencies and can include such places as churches, labor unions and service groups. The internet is a great place to search for outside scholarships as well.

International Students

Federal Work Study

Federal Work-Study is a Federal aid program administered by FPU Student Financial Services. Eligibility is need-based and limited to students with exceptional financial need. Part-time federal work-study employment gives you the opportunity to earn money during the school year to help pay for educational costs including rent, books, food, and personal expenses.

If you have been awarded Federal work-study funds, and have accepted them, we encourage you to take advantage of the work-study opportunities during the year. NOTE: If you have not been awarded federal work-study, you can still work on campus in a regular student job.

When to apply for scholarships

October/November/December

The FAFSA application is available for submission beginning October 1st. There are many resources available to aid you in your search, such as the Fresno Pacific Scholarship Page, and a number of online search engines. Be sure you keep up on any deadlines that are tied to scholarships to insure you don't miss out on an opportunity

March

California and FPU's FAFSA Priority Deadline is March 2nd!FAFSA applications submitted after March 2nd will still be eligible for federal financial aid such as the Pell Grant, and Direct Loans.

Cal Grant-Awarded by the California State Aid Commission (CSAC), is available to California residents. The FAFSA application is required to be submitted by March 2nd to be considered for an award. Cal Grants are awarded first-come, first-served, according to eligibility criteria and application date until funds are depleted. For more information, visit the CSAC website .

Private Loans

Private Supplemental/Alternative Loan - You may need additional funding for school and opt to apply for funding through a private lending agency. Private/Alternative loans can have a higher interest rate and a credit check must be done on all applicants. Fresno Pacific University cannot recommend private lenders, but we have provided additional information on questions to ask and things to consider on our Private Loans Information page. Our best advice is for you to explore options with a lender you may already do business with and feel comfortable using. The Federal Student Aid website provides some additional information on how to avoid deceptive offers.

Financial Aid and the Degree Completion Three-Semester Year

General

What changes are happening with the Degree Completion academic year?
- The year will continue to have eight sessions, but we are changing from 2 six-month semesters (four sessions each) to 3 semesters (summer will have 2 sessions, fall and spring will have 3 sessions each).
- Summer is going to be the first semester.
Why is the academic year changing?
- To create a summer semester for the Degree Completion program, which allows Pell Grant eligible students to possibly receive more financial aid.
- To allow our Degree Completion Programs to be better aligned with our graduate/teaching credential programs.
- To give students the opportunity to take additional courses in the summer and possibly receive more financial aid if Pell Grant eligible.
When are these changes happening?
- In order to change the academic year, the Spring 2021 semester will need to be shortened by one session. So, for the 2020-2021 academic year, the fall semester will still have four sessions, but spring will only have three.
Will this change the length or number of courses each year?
- No, courses will still be six weeks long and there will still be eight sessions throughout the academic year.
When will cohorts start during the new academic year?
- Cohorts will still start in the fall and spring. However, the fall semester for 2021 will now start in mid-August and not early July. The fall semester for 2020 will still start in July 2020.
Who and what does it affect?
- Cohorts will start later in the calendar year than in previous years. This could allow for students to take general education and/or elective courses in the summer.
- If taking courses in the summer of 2021 with FPU (mid-May through mid-August), the 2021-2022 FAFSA will need to be completed before the summer semester begins.

Financial Aid

Will this affect my Pell Grant?
- If Pell Grant eligible, the spring 2021 portion will be less than the fall 2020 if only in three courses for the spring. This is due to only being considered at three-quarter status and not full-time.
- Starting with the 2021-2022 school year, Pell Grant amounts are based on enrollment. So, the summer amount could be less than the fall and spring amounts if only in six units. However, you would still be receiving the same annual amount.
- Please check with your Student Financial Services Advisor for details of either scenario.
Will this affect my student loans?
- If taking out student loans, the loan amounts will stay the same for the fall 2020 and spring 2021 semesters.
- If taking only one course in the summer 2021 semester, please check with your Academic Advisor and Student Financial Services Advisor for options.
- You will need to be in at least six units in order to be eligible for a student loan.
Will this affect my Cal Grant?
- If Cal Grant Eligible, the spring 2021 portion will be less than the fall 2020 if only in three courses for the spring. This is due to only being considered at three-quarter status and not full-time.
- Starting with the 2021-2022 school year, Pell Grant amounts are based on enrollment. So, the summer amount could be less than the fall and spring amounts if only in six units. However, you would still be receiving the same annual amount.
- Please check with your Student Financial Services Advisor for details of either scenario.
How will this affect me if I am paying out of pocket and not using financial aid?
- A payment for each semester is due on the first of the first month of each semester.
- Payment dates
  - Summer - May 1, June 1, July 1
  - Fall - August 1, September 1, October 1, November 1
  - Spring - January 1, February 1, March 1, April 1
What if I only have one course summer 2021?
- If Pell eligible, an adjusted amount of the Pell Grant could be available.
- If only eligible for student loans, students can work with their Student Financial Services Advisor to see if they will have enough funding from the spring semester to assist with covering the cost of the summer semester.
- Example of semester amounts
Do I have to complete a FAFSA if I am only taking one course in the summer 2021 semester and which one?
- Yes, if Pell Grant eligible. The 2021-2022 FAFSA will be used for courses between mid-May 2021 and mid-May 2022.
- If starting a program in the summer semester (even with only one course), the financial aid packages will be for the summer, fall, and spring semesters.
- The FAFSA for 2021-2022 opens in October 2020 so students will have up to seven months to complete the FAFSA before the school year begins.
Does this change my graduation date?
- No. The date of completion does not change, only the semester in which the program is completed.
Can I still participate in the Spring Commencement?
- Yes. You may be enrolled in up to six units in the summer semester with FPU.
Will I be considered full-time if I am enrolled in each session?
- Unfortunately, no. Enrollment in at least 12 units in a semester is needed in order to be considered full-time.
Will my loans still be deferred since I will not be full-time?
- If you are half-time or more (six or more units), then you are eligible for loan deferment based on enrollment.