Financial Aid Requirements

To be eligible for federal and state financial aid, students must: 

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) every year. Penn State's FAFSA School Code is 003329. *See note below.
• Be enrolled/accepted in an eligible program of study.  
• Be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits for undergraduate students, 5 credits at the 400 level or above for graduate students).
• Have a high school diploma, a GED, or a passing "ability to benefit" test.  
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen with a valid Social Security Number (SSN).
• Be registered with the Selective Service if you're a male between the ages of 18 to 25.  
• Not have eligibility suspended or terminated due to a drug-related conviction(s).
• Not be in default on a federal student loan(s).  
• Not owe repayment of a federal grant(s).
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress as defined by the higher education institution.

* TIP: While it is not required, it is highly recommended that students/parents submit the FAFSA using a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. Using an FSA ID, rather than paper signatures, can cut the federal processing time to just a little over a week.