To be eligible to receive federal student aid, you must meet the following requirements:

• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Comply with Selective Service registration, if required (see www.sss.gov for more information)
• Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular (matriculated) student at SJSU. Open University students are not eligible for federal student aid.

Applying/Re-Applying for Financial Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) begins every year on January 1. Fill out the appropriate application corresponding to the academic year of attendance. For instance, the 2012-2013 FAFSA corresponds to Fall 2012-Spring 2013.

Complete the FAFSA by the  priority filing date of March 2.  Applicants may use an estimated income on the FAFSA if federal tax return will not be completed by the priority filing date. A FAFSA may still be submitted after the priority filling date, however funding may be limited. Use your legal name as it appears on your Social Security Card.

New Applicants (Students who have never applied for financial aid)

• Obtain a U.S. Department of Education PIN . This PIN will serve as your electronic signature when completing your online FAFSA. Federal Student Aid (FSA) will email you with your PIN information and steps for using your PIN
• Go to the FAFSA website  to learn about the FAFSA process and complete the application on-line
• Or download and complete a paper version of the FAFSA. 

Renewal Applicants (Students who have previously applied for financial aid)

• If you lost or forgot your PIN, you can request a duplicate PIN 
• Complete your FAFSA online by selecting the application pertaining to the academic year of attendance 
• Or download and complete a paper version of the FAFSA

View the following links for additional information about financial aid:

• Seven Steps to Financial Aid - Information on how to receive financial aid at SJSU.
• IRS Data Retrieval
• Determining Financial Aid Eligibility - Financial aid eligibility can be defined as the difference between the Cost of Attendance (or Budget) and Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
• Dependent Versus Independent - You are considered an independent student if you meet one or more of the federal criteria.
• Cost of Attendance - Information about Standard Student Budget Allowances.
• Academic Progress Policies - Students who receive financial aid are bound by these policies set forth by the SJSU Financial Aid and Scholarship Office.
• Tuition Fees - The following are fee schedules assessed to students attending SJSU.
• Special Circumstances - Sometimes a student's or parent's actual financial situation may change during the award year. Financial Aid Administrators may take into account these special circumstances.
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Glossary - Common terms used in Financial Aid.