Student Aid
Current Undergraduate Students
Learn about financial aid for Current Students.
Track Your Loan Debt
The Student Loan Debt Summary is an annual notification of your cumulative student loan debt. Your Loan Debt Letter will be sent out to you each year that you are enrolled, near the end of Spring semester. The Student Loan Debt Summary includes:
Federal Student Loans borrowed
University Loans borrowed from Penn State
Private Loans borrowed for enrollment at Penn State
Review Your Current Loan Debt
You can find your federal loan servicer on studentaid.gov or by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-4-FED-AID.
View on studentaid.gov:
Log into your account with your FSAID and select "My Aid" from the drop down.
Review Your Interest Rates
Recommendations
Penn State is committed to your financial well-being and future success and realize that the best strategy for managing your student loan debt is to stay on track to complete your program in a timely manner. With this in mind, the Office of Student Aid would like to offer you this additional advice:
Graduate on Time: Schedule an appointment with you Academic Adviser to make sure you are on track to graduate.
Lower Your Student Loan Payments: Paying down the interest or principal on your loans while you are enrolled in school will lower your payments after graduation.
Textbook Affordability: Research ways to reduce the cost of textbooks.
Be informed: Meet with a financial professional from From Penn State's Sokolov-Miller Family Financial and Life Skills Center to help you make decisions regarding money management.
Review their Money Counts: A Financial Literacy Series
which includes:
Self Study Modules
Monthly webinars via Zoom
Presentations
Calculate your federal loan monthly payments
Explore repayment plan options
Review your credit score and non-federal loans: Annualcreditreport.com
Applying for Aid - Special Populations
Students identified as Integrated Undergraduate Graduate (IUG) students will be assessed undergraduate tuition for the entirety of the program (until their first master’s degree is conferred).
Action Steps:
Meet with your IUG Program Coordinator to assist you in selecting the correct courses and career.
The primary career on your FAFSA should match your primary career at Penn State for that specific year. Your financial aid eligibility will be based on your career designation.
Selecting your courses and career are academic issues; however, it is your responsibility to understand the financial implications of this decision.
Students and employees who are otherwise eligible to the Penn State Tuition Discount are eligible to apply it to undergraduate credits and Integrated Undergraduate Graduate (IUG) programs only; the student cannot be enrolled in a master's level or higher-level program.
Review the full policy at https://policy.psu.edu/policies/hr37
Many Penn State students take the opportunity to study abroad using one of the numerous courses of study offered through the Penn State Global. You may be eligible for student aid if you participate in one of these programs.
Benefits of approved Penn State programs:
You remain registered as a Penn State student while studying at a foreign institution
You pay University Park tuition at the current tuition rate while you are abroad (tuition refers to the cost of your courses only; it does not refer to all of the costs you will incur while abroad)
If you are currently receiving financial aid, it will continue to be available for your semester(s) abroad as long as you remain eligible
Prepare for Study Abroad Checklist:
Submit a FAFSA.
Visit Penn State Global or contact their office at 814-865-7681 to schedule an appointment or request an adviser.
Learn more about Penn State-sponsored programs, including application deadlines
Review the cost sheets and scholarship application information on Penn State Global.
Review your Financial Aid Offer.
If you are eligible for Federal Work-Study, but will be abroad during the fall semester, log into LionPATH and accept your offer by selecting the "Accept/Decline" link listed in the Finances section of LionPATH. This will save the funds for the Spring semester.
Apply for Study Abroad scholarships when you submit your program application. https://global.psu.edu/category/study-abroad-scholarships
The Office of Student Aid will adjust your cost of attendance based on the specific costs of your approved program provided by Penn State Global.
If your cost of attendance increases* based on this adjustment, you can apply for additional aid.
Pay your Financial Statement before you leave for your program. Unpaid balances can result in late fees and scheduling holds.
Refunds for Penn State students who study abroad are not available before the beginning of the semester. Make sure you have requested that your refund be direct deposited into your bank account by signing up for eRefund in your LionPATH account.
If you choose to participate in a study abroad program outside of those offered by Penn State Global then you will not be eligible to receive any financial aid through Penn State for the duration of your program. You must take a leave of absence from Penn State for the semester that you will be abroad. Contact your sponsoring institution to inquire about financial aid availability for your program.
Penn State does not participate in student aid-related consortium agreements. A consortium agreement is a contract between two universities to disburse certain financial aid awards while you are taking courses at another institution.
Students from institutions other than Penn State who are attending Outreach summer programs are also not eligible for financial aid through Penn State.
International students are not eligible for federally funded aid since government funding is reserved for students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens.
You can apply for a private education loan, which are managed through private lenders, and are typically issued in the student’s name. If you are an international student, you must have a creditworthy U.S. citizen or permanent resident as a co-signer.
Connect with International Student and Scholar Advising (ISSA) at Penn State. They offer advising, immigration services, and training to support international students, scholars, and faculty.
Federal aid is not available for most Penn State certificate programs, including those offered through the World Campus.
may be an option if you do not meet federal and state eligibility requirements.