Application Steps
| Below are the application steps when applying for financial aid at Youngstown State University. It is important to note the priority deadline date of February 15. Most campus-based aid is awarded to students that have met the February 15 deadline. Late applicants should make an appointment to speak with a financial aid counselor. Special note for mid-year transfer students: If you have a Federal Pell Grant, YSU's six-digit code must be listed as one of your college choices on the FAFSA to ensure that your aid is transferred. Update your FAFSA to include YSU's code (003145). If you had a Stafford or PLUS loan, you will have to re-apply. You will also need to contact your previous school's financial aid office to cancel pending disbursements (if any). |
| 1. | Apply for admission to YSU. The admission application process must be complete in order to be considered for YSU scholarships and receive a financial aid package. With the exception of the University Scholars Application, there are no other application forms needed for YSU's Scholarships for Excellence. |
| 2. | Complete the YSU Institutional Aid Application to be considered for certain need-based aid or other miscellaneous scholarships. The closing date for scholarship consideration is February 15. (Be sure to visit our online scholarship search for more scholarship opportunities) |
| 3. | Apply for an FSA ID. Both students and parents need an FSA ID. The FSA ID allows you to electronically sign the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (see step 4). For future reference: new student loan applicants may also use their FSA ID to sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) electronically. |
| 4. | Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.ed.gov no later than the YSU priority filing date of February 15. The YSU six digit school code for the FAFSA is 003145. |
| 5. | Once your FAFSA has been processed, you will receive a Student Aid Report. Review the Student Aid Report for accuracy. Your report will provide the expected family contribution (EFC) figure used to determine financial need. Click for instructions on correcting your submitted FAFSA. If you need assistance with the correction process, contact one of our financial aid counselors. The FAFSA determines your eligibility for Federal and State grants. YSU also uses the FAFSA (more specifically the Expected Family Contribution figure) to determine your financial need for other types of campus-based aid such as Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Work-Study, and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and to determine your eligibility for Federal student loans. |
| 6. | If you are selected for the federal student aid process of verification, YSU will request copies of federal tax return transcripts and additional documents to complete the review of your FAFSA. Retain copies of all records (the federal tax returns, untaxed income statements, bank records, etc.) used to complete the FAFSA in case your record is selected for this review. |
| 7. | Complete the Housing Grant Application if you are planning on living in university housing. The Housing Grant Application is available on our web site time of year permitting. |
| 8. | Scholarship award letters will be mailed to eligible students by the end of March. To ensure acceptance of your scholarship, sign and return your acceptance letter no later than May 1. |
| 9. | A financial aid award offer (package) will be issued when the FAFSA is complete and campus based aid has been awarded. If you meet the February 15 priority filing date for financial aid consideration, you will receive a YSU financial aid award offer by the end of April. |
| 10. | Follow the instructions included with your financial aid offer to accept your awards. Students must login to their MyYSU Portal account to view and accept their aid. New students will receive their MyYSU User ID and initial password with their admission information. The financial aid award offer lists student loan eligibility. However, students/parents planning on obtaining federal educational loans must meet the guidelines listed on the financial aid award offer and our web site (Federal Entrance Counseling and signing a Master Promissory Note are required steps). Click to view a detailed explanation of how to accept your aid at Youngstown State University. |