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Summer Financial Aid

Financial aid for summer attendance

Summer is the end of the 2023-2024 academic year. If you plan to enroll in summer courses and wish to receive financial aid, you must complete the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and enroll at least half-time.

If you plan to study abroad summer of 2024, please submit your summer study abroad expense sheet (cost sheet or program expense sheet) to the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid (OSFA) in Warriner Hall 202 or upload it directly to your financial aid portal.  The expense sheet MUST include the number of study abroad credits and the number of credits for any summer on-campus/online courses you plan to take.  Please note: study abroad credits do not qualify for the summer extra credit award.

Criteria and process

The eligibility, criteria, and process differ for undergraduate and graduate students.

*Guest students attending CMU summer sessions are ineligible for federal aid.

Undergraduate students

Undergraduate students: Your financial aid offer for the summer will have different aid types awarded automatically. However, we will not automatically offer loans up front for the summer. If you would like to check on your remaining loan eligibility to borrow further loans in the summer, there are steps you must take shown below. 

Automatic considerations:

  • Summer Extra Credit award of $500 if enrolled in at least 6 credits to any degree-seeking new transfer or continuing undergraduate student.
  • Pell grant to eligible degree-seeking undergraduate student.

Loan options:

Undergrad Only - Summer Loan Assessment Request

Please note that summer aid is determined by calculating the total aid received for the 2023-2024 academic year and assessing any remaining eligibility. The request does not guarantee receipt of further summer loans.

You will receive an email notification once your summer offer is ready to view on your financial aid portal.

Criteria:

  • Must be in good academic standing.
  • Have remaining 2023-2024 Pell grant eligibility. 
  • Have remaining 2023-2024 federal student loan eligibility. 
  • Have requested a Federal Work-Study award and filed a 2024-2025 FAFSA.
  • Your parent may apply for a federal Parent PLUS Loan (dependent undergraduate students), or you may apply for an alternative loan from a private lender.  Summer loan period:  May - July/August 2024
  • You must be enrolled in at least 6 undergraduate credit hours for the summer term (sessions I & II) that are applicable to your program of study.

Graduate students

Graduate students: You do not need to notify our office of your intent to register for the summer semester. We will complete your financial aid offer AFTER you have registered at least half time for summer. You will receive an email notification once your summer offer is ready to view on your financial aid portal.

Criteria:

  • Must be in good academic standing.
  • Have remaining 2023-2024 federal unsubsidized loan eligibility.
  • You may apply for a federal Graduate PLUS Loan or an alternative loan from a private lender.  Summer loan period:  May - July/August 2024
  • You must be enrolled in at least 5 graduate credit hours for the summer term (sessions I & II) that are applicable to your program of study.

Satisfactory academic progress for the summer semester

Your summer financial aid process will be delayed if you are on financial aid warning, suspension/denial, or probation.  OSFA must confirm all requirements were met once all spring grades have been posted to determine your summer eligibility. 

Due to the timing of final grades posting for the spring semester, students currently on warning, suspension/denial, or probation status will not have their summer aid processed and paid out in time for the FIRST summer disbursement.  

Please note: students who satisfactorily complete the summer I session while on denial are NOT eligible for federal aid for the summer II session. Denial is for the entire summer semester.