Applying for aid
There are many different financial aid options available to you, including grants, scholarships, student loans, and employment. Assistantships and fellowships may also be available to some graduate students.
- Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the application for federal, state, and institutional financial aid—including grants, loans, and work-study programs. It takes about 30 minutes to complete online. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA each year you wish to apply for financial aid. Submitting the FAFSA doesn’t obligate you to accept financial awards or to enroll at IU.
- Submit the IU General Scholarship Application for potential additional funding after you've been accepted.
- Visit the financial aid office or scholarship office at your campus to learn about more financial aid opportunities.
- Having your Social Security number on your student record will help us process your financial aid. To add your SSN to your university record or confirm your information, log into One.IU and go to SSN/educational tax credit verification. You can add or update your SSN there.
Questions about financial aid or financial management? Reach out at iuosfs@iu.edu or (844) 771-0009.
Reviewing Your Aid Offer
Once you have been admitted to IU and we have received your FAFSA, our financial aid office will determine your eligibility. This process can take 10-15 business days. You can view your financial aid package in the Student Center in One.IU. To be eligible for Federal Direct Loans, you need to be enrolled at least half-time—that's 6 credit hours per semester for undergraduate students, and 4 credit hours per semester for graduate students. If you elect to use the Federal Direct Student Loan program, you will also need to accept, reduce, or decline them in the Student Center on One.iu.edu.
The To-Do List app can help you keep track of the next steps in your financial aid process.
Summer Financial Aid
Summer financial aid can be more limited than the fall and spring. You may be able to borrow a Federal Direct Loan unless you’ve already borrowed the maximum allowed for the academic year. When you enroll in summer classes, the financial aid office will evaluate your eligibility for summer aid. To be considered for summer aid, you must have filed your FAFSA and meet general eligibility requirements along with these additional requirements:
- You must be enrolled in a minimum number of credit hours:
- Undergraduates: At least six hours (with the exception of Federal Pell Grants, as explained on this page)
- Graduate students: At least four hours
- You must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress
- You must be enrolled in a degree program or eligible certificate program
- You’ll need to have completed any financial aid items on your To Do List in One.IU
Please note, there are two open FAFSAs for completion in the summer. The earlier FAFSA is always the application that must be completed for summer aid.
Pell Grants
Each award year, eligible students may receive up to three full-time semesters of Federal Pell grant funding. In most cases, if you received a Pell Grant during the academic year and are enrolled in at least 6 credit hours you’ll receive a grant for the summer. If you’re a qualified undergraduate taking fewer than 6 credit hours, you may be awarded a Pell Grant if you received a less-than-full-time Pell Grant during the academic year.
Grants for children of veterans or public safety officers
If you qualify for the Child of Veteran and Public Safety Officer Supplemental Grant Program (CVO) and have a valid FAFSA and a valid CVO program application on file, your summer registration will prompt the financial aid office to apply this fee remission to your student account. Note that you’re limited to 124 total CVO hours.
Frank O’Bannon Grants and 21st Century Scholarships
If you received a Frank O’Bannon Grant or 21st Century Scholarship during the fall or spring semesters, you may be eligible to receive one during the summer. If you completed 30 credits in the fall and spring, you can apply for Indiana’s Fast Track Award through ScholarTrack. You must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours to be eligible.