Traditional On Campus Students

Accepting Your Financial Aid Offer

Please click on the Award Year:

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The FAFSA is required for state, federal, and some institutional aid. A new or renewal FAFSA must be completed each academic year. To fill out the FAFSA, you will need both parent and student demographic and financial information.

The FAFSA produces a Student Aid Index (SAI), which is used to calculate financial aid eligibility. Your SAI is not the amount your family will pay or the amount of aid you’ll receive—it’s a calculation reference.

If selected for verification, additional information must be submitted to CBU via Student Forms online. Verification ensures accuracy of FAFSA data.

Click Here to complete the FAFSA

Enrollment Status

Here are the required units for each enrollment status:
• Full-Time: 12–18 units
• 3/4 Time: 9–11 units
• 1/2 Time: 6–8 units

*Remember to notify the Financial Aid Office if your number of enrolled units is changed or adjusted, as this could affect your Financial Aid Offer.

Withdrawal and Return of Title IV Aid

Withdrawal from the university (all classes) during any semester- official or unofficial- may require the return of federal and state financial aid, and the reduction or loss of some institutional aid.

A calculation will determine the amount of Title IV aid earned (Pell Grant, FSEOG, Direct Loans, Perkins Loans, PLUS Loans) based on attendance up to the withdrawal date. The student is responsible for any resulting balance owed.

The official withdrawal process begins with contacting your Student Success Coach, Academic Advisor, or Admissions Counselor. Ceasing to attend class without proper notification results in an unofficial withdrawal, and aid recalculation will still occur.

Financial Aid Adjustments

A student’s financial aid may be affected if the student withdraws, drops, stops attending, is determined to have never attended, or does not begin attendance in all enrolled classes. Some of the federal aid programs this may affect are:

Direct Unsubsidized & Subsidized Loans
• Direct Parent or Graduate PLUS Loans
• Pell Grant
• SEOG Grant
• Cal Grant

The Last Day to Drop a Class with a Refund

The last date to drop a class is the date in the semester when the Financial Aid Office is required to evaluate your Federal Aid eligibility based on your enrollment status, established eligibility, and classes you began attendance in as of that date. If your Pell Grant or other federal aid does not match eligibility requirements, your award will be adjusted per federal regulations.

Please refer to the semester’s academic catalog to determine the specific 'last day to drop a class with a refund' date.

After the Last Day to Drop a Class with a Refund

Any classes added after the last day to drop a class (as determined by your first session of attendance in the semester) will not count toward your Federal Pell Grant eligibility, regardless of start date. If you drop, withdraw from, or do not begin attendance in registered classes, your financial aid award will be adjusted. All awards listed on InsideCBU are subject to change.

More details regarding the attendance and withdrawal process can be found here.

Study Abroad

If you are interested in Study Abroad, first attend an information session. For more information about Study Abroad, click here.

Only state, federal, and private aid is available-no institutional aid will be provided (CBU Grant, merit scholarships, etc.). Examples of aid that can be used toward Study Abroad: Cal Grant, Pell Grant, Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, PLUS Loans, and private loans.

Forms and Policies

Please click here for a list of forms and policies.