How to Apply for Financial Aid

Submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only action required to apply for most financial aid at Penn State, however, some private scholarships and Penn State scholarships require separate applications.

Choose your enrollment period

You will need to complete the FAFSA each year for financial aid consideration:

Get help

There are many resources out there to assist you in applying for Federal Aid:

Ensure receipt of email

Check the settings on your email to be sure messages from the following Penn State and Department of Education addresses are not blocked:

  • osa-noreply@psu.edu
  • OSAaward@psu.edu
  • FederalStudentAidFAFSA@cpsemail.ed.gov
  • FederalStudentAidPIN@cpsemail.ed.gov

Review your Student Aid Report

After you submit the FAFSA, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be generated and sent to you via email. When you get your report, verify that all of your information is correct. If necessary, corrections can be made through the FAFSA website. If you have questions about your report, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. Be prepared to provide your DRN number (located in the upper right corner of your Student Aid Report). Remember to print the revised copy for your records.

The Office of Student Aid will also receive a copy of your report and review your information. We will contact you if additional information is needed.

Special or Unusual Circumstances

When you submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you are required to enter income information from two years prior to the current year. If your family’s financial situation has changed in a subsequent completed tax year, you may be eligible for additional financial aid through a special circumstance evaluation. Review the guidelines.

Special Populations