Financial Aid Offer Next Steps
What is a “Financial Aid Offer”?
Once you have completed the FAFSA form, your information will be sent from the U.S. Department of Education to the school for additional processing and ultimately to create a Financial Aid Offer.
Please note that the transmission of FAFSA information is not immediate, we ask that you allow up to 10 business days for the school to receive your FAFSA.
The Financial Aid Offer (formerly called the Award Letter) Details the aid the student has been offered as a result of completing the FAFSA. Several types of aid may appear on the offer.
What information does my Financial Aid Offer provide?
Your Financial Aid Offer provides Information about the type of aid you have been offered and the amount of aid offered for each semester in the academic year. You will also find information about the cost of attendance, Satisfactory academic Progress Policy, Federal Work-Study, and instructions on completing documents to accept or decline student loans.
Follow these simple steps to view your financial aid offer
Step 1
Log into Blackboard via MyCState portal.
Step 2
Click on My Services. If you are viewing on a desktop, this option will be at the top right corner of the page, if you are using a tablet or phone, used the three bar menu icon in the left corner to see the My Services option. To continue to My Services click the yellow box in the upper right hand corner of the screen which says “Continue to My Services” and then click “My Services for Students”.
Step 3
The bottom left corner of the screen is where you will find the “Financial Aid” section of the students menu. The first option on that list is “My Financial Aid Offer”. Click this link.
Step 4
Choose from the drop down the current academic year and submit. Your most recent aid offer will display.
Tip 1- Offer Letter is based on full time enrollment
There you will find that the offer letter is based on full time enrollment. This means the amounts you see in the chart below this paragraph are based on at least 12 credit hours of enrollment.
Tip 2- Review the Chart
Take note that three semesters are indicated across the top: Fall, Spring, and Summer. All of the semesters are of the same academic year. Also note the types of aid offered along the left column. Refer to the types of aid mentioned earlier in these instructions for clarification for each aid type listed.
Tip 3- Summer Semester
You may notice summer does not have aid assigned. The paragraph after the chart explains further. If you plan to attend Summer Semester, please see the financial aid office for further assistance.
Tip 4- Cost Questions
If you have questions about the cost of attendance, or would like more information, click on the links below.
Tip 5- Satisfactory Academic Policy
Following the chart, information is provided about maintaining eligibility which includes meeting the Satisfactory Academic Policy. The link to that information is provided.
Tip 6- Federal Work-Study program
If you see it listed in your aid offer chart but not sure what it is or how to accept it, please pay special attention to this paragraph because it gives more detail.
Tip 7- Student Loans
If student loans are part of your aid offer and you wish to accept or decline the loans, it is important to follow all the steps listed in the section marked “Accepting or Declining Loans”. There are three forms required to accept loans and only one required to decline loans.
Tip 8- Purchasing books, parking pass, and more with financial aid
Students who would like to use excess financial aid to purchase books or a parking pass will need to complete the Title IV authorization form as listed in the next section for non-tuition charges.