First, start your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at StudentAid.gov. The FAFSA is a free application provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Before you begin, have these ready:
Complete the 2025-26 FAFSA.
If you plan to attend classes between August 2025 - July 2026, then your 2025-26 FAFSA application must be submitted by June 30th, 2026.
Complete the 2026-27 FAFSA.
If you plan to attend classes between August 2026 - July 2027, then your 2026-27 FAFSA application must be submitted by June 30th, 2027.
Once you submit your FAFSA, CSI reviews your application and determines what types of financial aid you may qualify for. Your financial aid offer may include:
Grants – Money that usually does not need to be repaid
Scholarships – Awards based on academic achievement, talent, or other criteria
Work-Study – Part-time campus jobs that help you earn money for school
Student Loans – Borrowed money that must be repaid after school
Check your email frequently, because you will receive notifications and instructions for the next step by email.
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) processes your FAFSA shortly after you submit it. Once processed, you receive an email from DOE about your Student Aid Report (SAR) and an electronic copy is forwarded to CSI.
Please review your SAR carefully and correct any inaccurate answers. Follow the included instructions to get to the next step and receive your aid.
Respond to requests for documentation from CSI Financial Aid promptly. Once all completed items have been submitted and reviewed, you will be sent an aid offer email outlining the aid you are eligible to receive. MyCSI Self Service displays this information and details the additional steps necessary to receive some types of aid.
After your FAFSA is received by CSI, you will get an email from the CSI Financial Aid Office. In many cases, students are asked to provide additional information or documents to complete the FAFSA process.
These requests usually come from the U.S. Department of Education and help confirm the information on your FAFSA so CSI can prepare your federal financial aid offer.
To see what information or documents are required, log in to MyCSI Self Service and open the “My Financial Aid Overview” section. Submit any requested documents as soon as possible.
If required information or documents are not submitted, your financial aid processing will be delayed. Be sure to review the priority processing dates for each semester listed under Important Dates.
Once you have submitted all requested information and documents, CSI staff will finish reviewing your financial aid application. When the review is complete, your financial aid offer will be posted in MyCSI Self Service with details about the grants, scholarships, loans, or work-study you may be eligible to receive.
Log in to MyCSI Self Service to review your financial aid offer. Follow the instructions to accept, reduce, or decline your awards. For help, see the My Financial Aid tutorial for step-by-step instructions.
Your financial aid offer may include a combination of grants, scholarships, student employment, and loans . CSI works to keep tuition and fees affordable, and we encourage you to borrow responsibly. Consider reducing or declining any aid you do not need , especially student loans, and only borrow what you need to cover direct educational expenses such as tuition, fees, and books .
If you apply for financial aid and submit required documents less than 6 weeks before the semester begins, your financial aid may not be processed before the tuition payment deadline.
If your financial aid is not ready by the payment deadline, you will need to pay your tuition in full unless you have a tuition loan agreement (payment plan) in place.
Tuition loan agreements can be arranged through the Office of the Registrar.
For more information about tuition and charges, including payment plans, tuition and fee due dates, late fees, refund policies, and the consequences of non-payment, visit the Tuition and Fees page.