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CSI is upgrading student systems from Wednesday, March 20 at 9 p.m. until Monday, April 1, 2024 at 8 a.m. CLOSE ALERT

CSI is upgrading student systems from Wednesday, March 20 at 9 p.m. until Monday, April 1, 2024 at 8 a.m. Some systems will be offline during this transition. Students can still access Canvas, email, and more. See how these updates might impact you.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my circumstances have changed since completing the FAFSA?

Sometimes your family may have a change in circumstances such as but not limited to; a parental job loss, death of a parent or spouse, additional program expenses, or other situations that may affect your ability to pay for your education. We recognize that each student's situation is unique, however not all situations will result in an adjustment. Please visit our office for more information regarding a Professional Judgement (Special Circumstance Appeal). 

Appeals will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine if an adjustment is appropriate.  You may be asked to provide supporting documentation to verify your income and special circumstances.

*Note: for Covid 19, only the appeal form is needed, no supporting documentation is necessary.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements for Federal Financial Aid?

To find out about eligibility requirements for Federal Financial Aid, read who is eligible for federal financial aid?

I have questions about summer term and my financial aid?

Can I Receive Summer Pell Grant?

Pell grant eligible students may receive additional pell grant funds in the summer. For additional information regarding pell and becoming eligible in summer please visit our grants section.

Feel free to contact Enrollment Services for additional information regarding eligibility.

When will my summer aid be determined?

Summer financial aid determinations will begin once summer registration opens. Student's are encouraged to register and register early.

When is summer financial aid refunded?

Information regarding summer and other disbursement dates can be found on our Disbursements and Refunds page.

How much Pell Grant can I get for summer?

It depends, your summer Pell Grant amount will depend on the number of credits required for your major, your expected family contribution, satisfactory academic progress (SAP) standing, as well as your Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU).

*Note* Summer aid offers will be adjusted based on your actual enrollment until the drop period is over.

Do Pell Grants run out?

Yes, Pell grant lifetime eligibility is 600% or a maximum of 12 full-time semesters to receive the Pell grant. Once you have used 600% (12 full-time semesters) of your Pell grant eligibility, you can no longer receive the Pell grant. Once you have earned your first bachelor's degree you are no longer eligible for Pell grants. Read more about Pell lifetime limits and how it applies to you.

What if I Drop, Withdraw, or Fail Classes?

It is possible that you could owe money back for all or part of your federal aid. The amount you may owe will be calculated based on the drop or withdrawal date, the number of credits, and the last day that you attended classes. It is important to check with an Enrollment Specialist about what dropping, withdrawing, or failing a course will do to your Satisfactory Academic Progress SAP.

Read more about CSI’s SAP policy and how it will affect your financial aid 

Refund Policy and Requirements for Withdrawal and Return of Federal Financial Aid see links below

How do I use IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)?

To use the IRS DRT, when completing the FAFSA “Financial Information” section you will be able to select the “Link to the IRS” button to be transferred to the IRS site. For additional tips on how to use the DRT please see this infographic.

How do I order a Tax Return Transcript?

You can order online through the IRS transcript request tool.

note: you can only request tax return transcripts and/or statement of account transcripts online, verification of non-fillings or W-2 transcripts please see below

If you did not file taxes or if your address has changed from the time that you filed your taxes, please use the 4506-t form to request either your Verification of Non-Filing letter or a copy of your tax return transcript to be sent to another address.

Why was my aid offer zeroed out?
  • You are not enrolled in the current term and the aid offer has been reduced to $0
  • You did not accept pending aid that was available in your aid offer
  • Your declined aid offers were set to $0
  • The master promissory note and/or entrance counseling was never completed on your account, so your loan was reduced to $0
  • You were ineligible to receive the aid offer (not in enough credits to qualify, suspended, ineligible program. etc)
What is Verification?

Verification is the process your school uses to confirm that the data you reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. Read more about providing required verification.

When will I be considered an independent student for FAFSA purposes?
For more information regarding dependency status visit the student aid website regarding dependency status.
When am I no longer eligible for federal financial aid?

All students are required to meet CSI's Standards of Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to receive and maintain eligibility for financial aid funds, including grants, work-study, and loans. Students are no longer eligible when they no longer meet SAP standards.

The standards of eligibility for some scholarships or aid offered may differ as defined by the granting agency or department from which the offer was made.

You might lose federal student aid eligibility for several reasons. For more information on eligibility please see the student aid website.