Apply for Aid

You must meet all federal eligibility requirements. To learn more about these eligibility requirements, including information about any prior drug conviction and intellectual disabilities, please refer to student.ed.gov/eligibility.

• You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
  
• You must be accepted and currently active in an eligible degree program, an aid-eligible non-degree graduate program, or approved post-baccalaureate non-degree graduate preparatory coursework. (For a complete list of non-degree graduate programs that have been approved by the U.S. Department of Education for federal financial aid, please see Non-Degree Graduate Programs Approved for Federal Financial Aid.)
  
• You must have a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) certificate, or have completed a high school education in a homeschooled setting approved under state law. (Students who do not meet these eligibility requirements should contact the Office of Financial Aid for assistance.)
  
• For most financial aid programs, and for loan deferment, you must enroll in your program at least half time. Your classes must be taken for credit and must be part of your degree or aid-eligible non-degree graduate program or approved post-baccalaureate non-degree graduate preparatory coursework. Audited courses are not eligible for financial aid consideration. In addition, if it is determined that you have completed your degree requirements, aid-eligible non-degree program, or your approved post-baccalaureate non-degree graduate preparatory coursework, or if you wish to repeat a course for which you have previously earned credit, your financial aid options are limited. Please contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.
  
• You must be in satisfactory academic standing and in compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.
  
• You must not be in default on any federal loan or owe a repayment on any federal grant.
  
• You must comply with all federal regulations governing Selective Service registration and use of funds for educational purposes.

Additional information on maintaining financial aid eligibility is available in Maintaining Eligibility.

Students pursuing a second undergraduate degree:
Students returning for a second undergraduate degree program are eligible for consideration only in the Federal Direct Student Loan program and Private Educational loan programs. When determining overall financial aid eligibility for a second undergraduate degree, there are two lifetime limit regulations students must consider:

1. The Federal Direct Student Loan Program has an aggregate loan limit for undergraduate studies. This limit is not extended for students returning for a second undergraduate degree.
2. The Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy has an overall maximum program length for undergraduate financial aid that is applied when considering attempted credits towards any undergraduate degree.

Undergraduate students pursuing a double major and/or multiple concentrations:
Undergraduate students pursuing a double major and/or multiple academic concentrations should be aware that federal, state and institutional funding availability is limited for optional elective courses. Financial aid participants should contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss funding for additional majors, minors or concentrations.

Students pursuing post-baccalaureate coursework to prepare for entrance into a graduate program:
Approved post-baccalaureate graduate preparatory study is treated as fifth-year undergraduate study for purposes of federal financial aid loan limits and dependency. Federal student loan eligibility in graduate preparatory coursework is limited to 12 consecutive months, regardless of the program length or the number of courses required. For more information on undergraduate-level federal loans, please refer to Federal Direct Loans on this site, or visit Federal Student Aid.

To qualify for financial aid consideration, you must be accepted into an approved DePaul graduate preparatory program or, you must be designated by the DePaul Graduate School as a student approved to take undergraduate coursework to prepare for entry into a DePaul graduate program. You must also be in good academic standing; you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as an undergraduate student for the academic year in which you are enrolling; and you must meet all federal financial aid eligibility requirements. If you are enrolling in a graduate preparatory study for entry into an approved DePaul graduate program, you may need to complete additional documentation: please contact the Office of Financial Aid at DePaul Central for assistance.

Graduate students pursuing a graduate post-baccalaureate certificate approved under the gainful employment provisions:
Students enrolled in graduate non-degree certificate programs that have been approved for graduate-level funding under the gainful employment provisions are eligible to be considered for graduate-level federal student aid. For more information on graduate-level federal loans, please refer to Federal Direct Loans on this site, or visit Federal Student Aid.

Graduate students pursuing a graduate post-baccalaureate teacher-preparation certificate in the College of Education:
College of Education financial aid-eligible post-baccalaureate graduate teacher-certificate programs are treated as fifth-year undergraduate programs for purposes of federal financial aid loan limits and dependency status. For more information on undergraduate-level federal loans, please refer to Federal Direct Loans on this site, or visit Federal Student Aid.

To qualify for financial aid consideration, you must be accepted to a financial aid-eligible post-baccalaureate non-degree teacher preparation graduate program and be in good academic standing; you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); and you must meet all federal financial aid eligibility requirements.

For more information on College of Education financial aid-eligible post-baccalaureate graduate teacher certification programs, please see the College of Education website or request more information from the Office of Financial Aid at DePaul Central.