Enrollment Management
Office of Student Financial Aid
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FAQs

General

View the Cost of Attendance page.

  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal funds and apply for scholarships for institutional funds.

  • ISU’s school code is 001869.

  • Iowa State’s priority date for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is February 29, 2024 for 2023-2024.

  • Current students can check the status of their financial aid in Workday by clicking on ‘My Financial Aid’ in the menu of your Workday Student account, clicking ‘View Financial Aid’, and providing the prompted information.

  • Your financial aid eligibility does not change if you live off campus. Students who live off campus are not billed by the university for housing. Aid that would pay these charges will be refunded to you to pay your living expenses.

  • No. Whether your parents claim you on their taxes has no bearing on your financial aid. Financial aid dependency is determined by section three of the FAFSA.

Visit the Study Abroad Page.

Keeping students’ personal and FAFSA information secure is our top priority. In order to protect student information, we will ask students and parents (if listed on the student’s FAFSA) to verify their identity. To keep your student’s information secure, we will not be able to discuss financial aid information with any individual other than the student, parent(s) listed on the FAFSA, or persons whom the student has granted Friends & Family Third Party Permissions in Workday.

If you call our office, it is best to have your student’s University ID number and financial aid offer available.

While we cannot give specific dollar amounts on the phone or in an email, we can confirm the dollar amounts you see on your student’s financial aid offer.

It is important that your student knows how to access and navigate Workday. We encourage all students to set up Friends & Family access to Workday. Friends & Family access allows other individuals, like family members, to have their own log-in for Workday to view financial aid and other information the student approved.

Set up Friends & Family Third Party Permissions.

Loans

  • Subsidized loans are awarded based on need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest while the student is in school at least half-time. Once the student graduates or leaves the institution, interest will start to accrue on the loan.
  • Unsubsidized loans : The U.S. Department of Education does not pay interest while the student is enrolled. Interest accrues from the date the loan was applied to the university bill until paid in full.

  • Private loans are through private agencies that are willing to lend to students for education purposes. These loans are unsubsidized and allow the student to defer the payments until after they graduate or drop below half-time status. Learn more about Private Lenders.

Scholarships

  • To be assured of receiving consideration for the various academic scholarships administered by the university, freshman applicants should apply for admission nine to twelve months before their planned entry date. Once students are offered admission they are automatically considered for many of the academic merit based scholarships administered by the Office of Admissions and academic colleges.
  • Students are encouraged to apply annually for scholarships under the scholarship webpage. Be sure to complete the OneApp, and review Additional ISU Scholarships and Privately Funded scholarship tabs to be considered for all scholarship opportunities. Also consider application deadlines as they are unique across the different scholarship areas.
  • The university accepts scholarships from outside donors and encourages students to pursue scholarship opportunities through their high school, parents’ employers, or involvement in activities through which scholarships might be available on an annual basis.

  • Awarded scholarships can be found in your Workday Student account by clicking on ‘My Financial Aid’, then ‘View Financial Aid’, and providing the prompted information.

Independent Students

  • Your deadline can be extended with a deferred or monthly payment plan. Learn more about paying your university bill and payment plans though the Accounts Receivable Office.

  • Yes. Be sure to let the Office of Student Financial Aid know after you receive your Financial Aid Award. If you have been offered any grants that would reduce your AFDC benefits, we will change the financial aid offer so your benefits will not be affected.