Traditional Undergraduate Information
How do I apply for financial aid?
- Apply for admission at Concordia University, St. Paul
- Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Apply for a US Department of Education PIN
- Complete the application at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov
- The Concordia University School Code is 002347
- You will receive an award letter via mail. Respond to all financial aid correspondence sent to you. Please also go to Understand My Award Letter which can answer many of the questions you may have.
What aid is available?
- Pell and Federal Supplementary Opportunity Grants (SEOG) for students and families that qualify
- Minnesota State Grant for students and families that qualify
- Concordia Need-based Grants
- Academic, based on GPA and ACT scores ($4,000 - $13,000)
- Lutheran Heritage, for LCMS church members ($2,000)
- Athletics (NCAA Division II rules) - Who to contact
- Dean's Scholarships:
Math and Natural Sciences, Music, Theater and Art - Building Opportunity for Leadership Development (BOLD) Scholarship Program
- Church Worker Assurance ($13,200)
- Church Vocation ($2,000)
Requires District Financial Aid Application (provided by your district), Congregational Assistance Form, and most districts also require a completed FAFSA
Educational loans require a completed FAFSA, except for some alternative loans, which may have no requirements.
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Federal Perkins Loans are awarded based on financial need as demonstrated by the information provided on your FAFSA and on the availability of funds. Preference is given to students with exceptional need on a first-come, first-serve basis. The award maximum per year is $4,000.
Accepting the Perkins Loan
The Concordia University Financial Aid office will contact each individual at the start of the Academic Year, when they are required to complete the necessary loan paperwork. If you would like to inquire about the Perkins Loan, please content the BEAR Center.
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Stafford (assuming the student is dependent on the FAFSA)
Freshman (0 -31 credits) $5,500 maximum Sophomore (32-63 credits) $6,500 maximum Junior or Senior (64 or more credits) $7,500 maximum Accepting the Federal Stafford Loans:
New Borrowers:
- If you have never borrowed a Stafford Loan at Concordia University, please complete the Stafford loan entrance counseling and sign your Stafford Master Promissory Note (MPN) by clicking Completing the Stafford loans
Previous Borrowers:
If you have borrowed Stafford Loans in a previous year at Concordia University, your Stafford loan for the school year will be processed for the amount listed on your current award unless you notify the financial office in writing that you would like to reduce this amount.If you would like to adjust the Stafford loan amount, please submit an email to the financial aid office at finaid@csp.edu or by faxing the following form to (651) 603-6298. Request Loan Amount Change
There are two types of Stafford loans:
- Subsidized (federal government pays interest while student is in school)
- Unsubsidized (student pays interest while in school or it accrues)
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Federal Parent PLUS Loans
- A Federal Loan in the parent's name
- Checks for credit-worthiness of parent
- Maximum amount is cost of attendance minus financial aid
- Interest rate is fixed at 8.5%
- Re-payment starts 60 days after first disbursement or six months after the student graduates or is no longer attending at least half time
Applying for Federal PLUS Loans:
...for parents who have never previously borrowed, go to the Parent PLUS Guide
...for parents that have previously borrowed, go to the FastChoice Login
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Private Educational Loans
If your tuition was not covered fully by Federal Stafford loans and Need-Based Grants, you will need to pay the remainder out of pocket or apply for a Private Educational loan. There are many types of student loans, and it is important for you to choose the one that best meets your needs.Completing private loan counseling, selecting a lender, and signing a promissory note.
Estimating Your Loan Payments
Take the guesswork out of estimating your monthly student loan payments. Use this Loan Repayment Calculator to get an idea of how much you'll pay each month on your Federal Stafford, PLUS or private student loans, and how different interest rates affect your future monthly payments.
If I've been selected for Federal Verification,
what does this mean?
Verification is a process that all universities receiving federal aid are required to complete. The purpose of verification is not to find fraudulent FAFSA applicants, but to find and correct common mistakes made during the filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If the verification process is not completed, a student will not be considered for any need-based financial aid.
- To complete this step, please submit a copy of the Verification Worksheet PDF (2008-2009 Form) or (2009-2010 Form) and a copy of the previous year's tax information. You will need to submit the same tax documents that were used to complete the FAFSA. If you are dependent, and were required to submit your parent's information on the FAFSA, you will need to submit a copy of yours and your parent's tax information.
