Applying for Financial Aid

We recommend that all students follow the timeline below and complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) and to monitor their CSUF email for further information. For the 2024-2025 application year please complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act Application (CADAA) by the May 2, 2024 priority deadline.

An overview of the timeline can be found below, please click on the specific links under Applying for Aid to get detailed information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opens in new window or California Dream Act Application (CADAA)Opens in new window .

CSUF Federal School Code: 001137

For Additional Help with your CADAA/FAFSA application, visit our YouTube Channel.  CSUF Office of Financial Aid YouTube ChannelOpens in new window

Need help creating an FSA ID? Watch the Youtube videos linked below to learn how!

How to create an FSA IDOpens in new window

How to create an FSA ID if you do not have a Social Security Number (SSN)Opens in new window

Complete Your Financial Aid Application

  1. Apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)Opens in new window or California Dream Act Application (CADAA)Opens in new window

  2. Gathering the Documents Needed to ApplyOpens in new window

  3. Avoid Common ErrorsOpens in new window

New Students Completing the FAFSA for the First-Time Needs to Create a FSA ID

Late November - Application Download

During this time your financial aid application is downloaded into our system.

Three key areas that need to match on your financial aid application with the Office of the Registrar are:

  1. Social Security Number

  2. Date of Birth *

  3. First and Last Name *

If any of the three key areas does not match between your FAFSA and the Office of the Registrar we cannot download your application.

* Dream Act applicants we match #2, and # 3 only of the Three Key Areas. 

Important Note -- For our prospective students, admittance to the university is required for us to download your financial aid application. 

January - Documentation Request

During this month or early, the Office of Financial Aid, places required documents on the student center 'to-do-list' for verification. These documents are required to verify students eligibility. An email is sent to the student's school email notifying them of the verification document.

  1. Check your Student Center for Requested Documents

  2. Print and Complete as instructed on the form

  3. As requested on the form Sign and Date

  4. Submit the form to the Office of Financial Aid @ GH-146

April - Newly Admitted Student Estimated Award Offers

  • Submit all verification document by the due date - June 14, 2024

  • Late submission after the due date is allow, however, priority eligibility is lost.

  • We encourage students not to delay in submitting their documents.

Newly Admitted Undergraduates Students

Estimated Financial Aid is awarded prior to Experience CSUF: Become A Titan.

Your estimated financial aid award is not your actual awards. Estimated aid is to assist you in determining your decision to accept your admissions.

Important To All Students - Verification Process

The verification process takes time and depending on when you (the student) submit your documents, the review is based on date order of when the Office of Financial Aid receive all completed documents from our students.

During peak time verification can takes several weeks for completion before students are awarded based on the timeline of when awarding begins.  

June - Satisfactory Academic Progress Review

  • Once Spring semester grades are submitted, continuing students are review for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)Opens in new window .

  • Please review the SAP Policy to ensure you are meeting the criteria to maintain financial aid eligibility for the upcoming academic year.

  • If you are disqualify due to not meeting SAP, please refer to your email on instructions to appeal. 

July - All Continuing Eligible Students Awarding Begins

  • Continuing students will begin to see their award package and be notified by email.

  • Students that fail the SAP Policy should follow the instruction on their SAP email to appeal.