Getting Started
Applying for Aid
During the process of applying for federal student financial aid, certain conditions must be met before and after the application process. Florida Atlantic University offers a comprehensive financial aid program to assist in meeting reasonable educational expenses by both full-time and part-time students who might otherwise be unable to afford college. Reasonable educational expenses include tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation, miscellaneous personal expenses, and expenses related to child care of a student's dependents. Thus, this page offers the basic procedures necessary to apply for financial aid.
To apply for financial aid, complete an online Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAU's school code is 001481.
The information below includes changes to the FAFSA as a result of the FAFSA SIMPLIFICATION ACT.
Starting with the 2024-2025 application, students and anyone contributing income information to that student’s FAFSA, such as parents or spouses, will first need to provide consent before financial aid eligibility can be determined.
The 2025-2026 FAFSA will be available to all students by December 1, 2024. The FAU priority deadline is January 15, 2025, and the secondary priority deadline is March 14, 2025.
Applying for the FAFSA by the priority deadline date allows you the best opportunity to be considered for the most aid types possible. All applications received after that date will be reviewed in order of receipt. Apply online to save time and effort.
For help completing the FAFSA or questions related to the status of your FAFSA, please call the Federal Processor at (800) 433-3243 or the Office of Financial Aid.
After you have applied for financial aid and you indicated on the FAU as one of the schools on your FAFSA, visit the Check Your Financial Aid Status webpage for directions on viewing information such as:
- Did we receive your FAFSA
- Student Requirements
- Financial Aid Offer
- Satisfactory Academic Progress
After Applying for Financial Aid
When the Federal Processor completes the analysis of your information, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary. On this DOCUMENT the government will provide data regarding your Student Aid Index (SAI). It is an eligibility index number that FAU uses to determine how much federal aid a student would receive, based on the information provided on the FAFSA.
The Office of Student Financial Aid will then compute your financial need by taking the Cost of Attendance estimate for your program (which is primarily a function of how many credits you are taking, your planned housing status, and whether or not you are a Florida resident etc.), subtract from this the SAI and other financial assistance and arrive at a determination of financial need.
COA (Cost of Attendance) - SAI (Student Aid Index) - OFA Other Financial Assistance (OFA) = NEED
Note: If your SAI is a negative number, it will be treated as a zero in this calculation. You may be offered combinations of fee waivers, grants, scholarships, subsidized loans up to this need level, depending on the availability of funds. These are defined as need based programs.
Students should check their FAU email and myFAU Self-Service portal for an update to their financial aid status.
Social Security Number Collection & Usage
In accordance with Section 119.071(5), Florida Statutes, the following statement denotes the purpose and legal authority for the collection, disclosure, and usage of social security numbers by the Office of Student Financial Aid at Florida Atlantic University (“FAU” or “University”):
Required by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (§§483 and 484) and 20 USC §1091, The Office of Student Financial Aid uses SSNs in the application process for determining financial aid eligibility. The SSNs are used to identify students by the Florida Office of Student Financial Aid and the US Department of Education. Every student must report his or her SSN on the FAFSA. If a SSN is not provided, the FAFSA will not be processed. Similarly, a student who does not have a SSN is not eligible to obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN.
Incoming First-Year Students
A First-Year student is someone who has never attended a college or university before coming to FAU.
Returning Students
Someone who attended FAU and is now returning to continue their education.
Transfer Students
A student that attended another college or university and is now a student at FAU.
Graduate Students
A student that has completed a bachelor's degree and is now pursuing a higher degree.
Transient, Study Abroad, or International Students
Also called Special Programs. Students enrolled in these programs have unique financial aid requirements.
Summer Financial Aid
Students seeking financial aid for the summer semester.
Verification Process
Each year, 30% of applicants who fill out the FAFSA are randomly selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education.