Apply for Financial Aid

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From how to apply through disbursement of aid.

A College of Continuing Education (CCE) student is eligible for aid if:
  • Applied for admission to a degree program administered by CCE
  • A financial aid application is on file for the aid year
  • Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
  • Undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 6 units and graduate students must be enrolled in at least 4 units by Census each semester
Steps to Receive Financial Aid

  1. Complete your Financial Aid Application

Complete your Financial Aid Application before the March 2nd Priority Filing Date. Be sure to include our school code: 001150

FAFSA Review

For new students: Your Financial Aid Application will be reviewed once you have applied for admission to your program AND completed the FAFSA for the current academic year.

For continuing students: Your Financial Aid Application will be reviewed after January 1st of the upcoming academic year. Award notifications will be sent out beginning in July after all items from the ToDo list are submitted.

  • 2024/25 FAFSA will include Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 semesters.
  • 2025/26 FAFSA will include Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 semesters.

  1. Monitor your My Sac State Student Center

Verification

Students selected for verification must submit the required documentation in order to determine financial aid eligibility. Verification is a process mandated by Federal Regulations to confirm the information provided on the Financial Aid Application. Applicants selected for verification may be asked to provide additional documentation. Monitor your MySacState Student Center frequently to view your ToDo list for outstanding items placed by the Financial Aid Office.

CCE information request form

This form will appear on your ToDo list and will be used to determine your aid eligibility for the regular academic year (Fall and/or Spring). Please list all classes that you intend to enroll at Sacramento State for these semesters. Any change in enrollment from a previously submitted form requires a revised form to be submitted. If you are unsure of your course information for this form, please contact your program coordinator at CCE for assistance. A separate application will be required for Summer and will be available to submit in mid-April prior to the start of the Summer semester.

  1. Upload your financial aid documents here

Documents can be submitted by uploading online at the link above, by submitting in person to the Student Service Center in Lassen Hall or by mailing to the Financial Aid Office. Be sure to include your name and Student ID at the top of each page.

The status of documents submitted to the Financial Aid Office will change from initiated to received once the document is received in the Financial Aid Office. Once the document is processed you will no longer see the item on your ToDo list. Please be sure to monitor your saclink (student) email for any updates from the Financial Aid Office.

  1. Accept or Decline Awards in your Student Center

You will receive an award notification once all documents are received and reviewed and you are packaged with financial aid. This notification will be sent to your saclink (student) email. If there are adjustments to your awards once you have been packaged, you will receive a revised financial aid notification. Reasons for adjustments can vary from change to enrollment or notification of a new award. Award adjustments may result in an increase, decrease, or in some cases cancellation of funds.

Financial aid awards that are left in an “Offered” status will be subject to cancellation if you do not accept or decline. You may reduce the amount of loan offered and are encouraged to only borrow what you need for school.

  1. Clear any Holds on your Student Center

You can review more information about holds by clicking the “details” link under the Holds section. This information will display which department placed the hold and if there is any action required from you. Financial aid holds are semester-specific and do not prevent registration in classes.

Common financial aid holds may include:

  • Financial Aid Disbursement Min indicator – you have been offered financial aid but are not enrolled in the minimum required units in order for disbursement to be made.  Once you have enrolled in the minimum units required, this indicator will be removed from your file in 24-48 hours after registration.
  • Financial aid hold – (Pending CCE Enrollment Verification) this hold is placed on account and will remain until you have started all classes for the semester.
  • Hold Middle-Class Scholarship – The hold placed by the Financial Aid Office is for the Middle-Class Scholarship and is listed on all Sac State students who have been awarded the Middle-Class Scholarship. Final enrollment verification is provided to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) at Census, when the University locks enrollment. It will be after that date that the hold will be removed from student’s files. Once all of your classes have started for the semester, the award will disburse.

  1. Enroll in all your courses for the semester by Census.

Census is the date the University locks your enrollment for the semester. Financial aid will determine your aid based on enrolled units at Census. Any courses enrolled after Census for the semester will not be included when determining your eligibility for aid. See the Academic Calendar for Census date each semester.

  1. Disbursement will be based on when your classes are set to begin

The Financial Aid Office offers awards based the courses listed on the CCE information request form. However, disbursement of funds is based on the number of units you are enrolled in at the time of disbursement. Prior to each disbursement, the system will verify the number of units you are currently enrolled in or are enrolled as of Census for the semester and disburse aid accordingly.

Students enrolled in programs through CCE have financial aid disbursed based on when they begin attending certain enrollment for each type of financial aid (grants vs loans).  Since classes begin at different times throughout the semester rather than all at the beginning of the semester, each student’s disbursement is dependent on when they reach the required minimum units. Once eligible for aid based on enrollment, your aid will disburse to your student account and apply to fees that are due.

Federal Direct Loans will disburse once enrolled and attending at least 1/2 time (6 units for undergraduates, 4 units for Graduates) for the semester. For most students, this would be once the 2nd course of the semester has started.

Grants will disburse once enrolled and attending ALL classes or at least 12 units for the semester.

Disbursement

Disbursements of funds begin one week before the start of the semester, will disburse twice a week through Census and continue weekly thereafter based on when students meet the enrollment requirement of aid. 

Disbursement is the process by which the Financial Aid Office authorizes payment of aid. The Bursar’s Office then applies aid to any debt owed to the University first.

Financial aid disbursements are made in the Fall, Spring and Summer semesters. There are no additional financial aid disbursements made for Winter Intersession classes.

Refunds

After your balance is paid, any remainder funds are issued within 2-3 days to your eRefund account. If you did not sign up for eRefund, a paper check will be issued to the address on file. Please allow 5-7 days for the check to arrive via postal mail. See the Bursar’s Office for more information on eRefund.

Summer Aid Eligibility

Consideration for Summer Financial Aid requires a separate online application. The online application is available in mid-April for the upcoming Summer semester and can be found in your Student Center under Financial Aid Links. Awards for Summer are based on remaining Pell and/or Direct Loan eligibility not used in the prior Fall and/or Spring semester at any college. Visit the Summer Financial Aid webpage. 

This information applies to students enrolled in programs through the College of Continuing Education (CCE). We work with limited degree programs whose financial aid eligibility differs from students enrolled in the state-side programs.

If you are not enrolling in a CCE degree program, your financial aid is processed by the main campus Financial Aid Office. Please contact the main campus Financial Aid Office by phone at 916-278-1000 option 2 or send an email to sacstatessc@csus.edu. You can also drop by the Student Services Counter in Lassen Hall.

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