Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

To apply for need-based financial aid, complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online. See our step-by-step guide to submitting the FAFSA.

We strongly encourage all students to complete the FAFSA as soon as it is available each year (usually in October) and before the priority deadlines in February.

Remember: You must submit the FAFSA and reapply for financial aid every year.

BGSU makes applying for scholarships easy. Fill out one application – the BGSU general scholarship application – and you’ll automatically be considered for all the scholarships you’re eligible for. The scholarship application opens in October. Deadlines are in February.

Only admitted students may fill out scholarship applications.

New first-year students are automatically considered for merit scholarships when they apply to BGSU.

Read more about BGSU scholarships, how you qualify and apply.

Our school code is 003018. You must enter this code if you are requesting financial aid consideration for BGSU's Main or Firelands campus.

If you are completing the FAFSA, the majority of your tax information will be automatically downloaded from the IRS when you provide consent. If you need tax documents, visit the IRS website and request a tax return transcript. For copies of W-2s, contact employers or request an IRS wage and income transcript.

You will receive confirmation by email within 3-5 business days that your FAFSA has been processed. The email will contain the FAFSA submission summary. Review it for accuracy. The schools listed on the summary will use this information to determine your eligibility for financial aid.

If you reviewed your FAFSA submission summary on your Federal Student Aid account and found an error, you can make updates by logging back into your FAFSA at studentaid.gov. BGSU will receive the updates once the changes have been processed.

If any of the contributors failed to sign or provide consent prior to submitting the FAFSA, the application will be considered incomplete and you will not be eligible for any federal financial aid or other need-based scholarships and grants. Contributors can go back into the application, sign and resubmit it on studentaid.gov to be reconsidered for all types of aid. BGSU will receive the application once changes have been processed.

In this case, you will be considered only for federal direct unsubsidized loans. You will not be eligible for grants, need-based scholarships, subsidized loans or work-study.

To be considered for any additional aid, correct this question on the FAFSA and provide the information for your parents on the application at studentaid.gov or contact the SFA office to see if you meet the criteria for a dependency appeal.

If the question was answered correctly, no additional changes to the FAFSA are necessary. First-time student loan borrowers will be required to complete entrance loan counseling and a master promissory note on studentaid.gov to officially accept and receive the federal direct unsubsidized loan.

Log back into studentaid.gov and add BGSU. Our school code is 003018. BGSU will receive the updates once the changes have been processed.

You may check on the status of your FAFSA in these ways.

1. Log in to MyBGSU > Financial Aid Status to verify that BGSU has received your information.
2. Call the federal processor automated phone line at 800-433-3243.

Check the Status of Submitted FAFSA on the Federal Student Aid website.

Students with an incomplete FAFSA will see messages on their dashboard when logged in to studentaid.gov and on their FAFSA submission summary.  Follow directions to complete the FAFSA.

If you need to submit any additional documents to BGSU, we will email you that you have Holds and/or items to complete on your MyBGSU To Do List. You should be checking your To Do List and emails regularly for updates regarding your aid eligibility.

Verification is the process of reviewing the information reported on the FAFSA for accuracy. If your application is selected, SFA is required to collect certain financial documents from you and your parents or spouse, if applicable. Information from these documents is compared to your FAFSA information and corrections are made when necessary. BGSU SFA will add these documents to your MyBGSU > Action Items > To Do List.

Verification details

Verification forms are available from the SFA office or you may download them from our Forms webpage.

BGSU SFA advisors are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to confidentially discuss the possibilities of a special consideration application or dependency appeal.

Once you are done completing the scholarship application, the status will change to “Complete” when you access the scholarship portal from MyBGSU.

You will receive notification via email or letter from BGSU indicating the name of the award, the amount and anything else you may need to do to accept your scholarship. Notifications will be sent to incoming students in late February or early March. Continuing students will be notified of selections in early to mid-April.

Each scholarship has a deadline that can be viewed in the system. The majority of scholarships will have deadlines in mid- to late February.

We’ll take care of most of that for you. Just by filling out the general and college-specific applications, we’ll automatically match you with the scholarships you qualify for. You may also view “Recommended Opportunities” for additional scholarships that may require you to provide more information or documentation to apply. Read the eligibility requirements for each scholarship. If you qualify, select “Apply.” If you see “None” under “Actions,” you’re good to go. Nothing else is required.

Most college/department scholarships are in this scholarship system. But your department may know of additional outside scholarship opportunities.

Graduate students: Reach out to your department or the Graduate College for available graduate assistantship positions.

A FAFSA is not required to be eligible for all scholarships. However, some scholarships require it. So we strongly recommend that you complete your FAFSA to ensure you are matched to as many scholarships as possible. Step-by-step FAFSA guide

Contact your academic advisor or your college office for assistance.

If a scholarship requires a reference letter, when you select “Apply,” there will be a link that says “Add a New File.” Select this to upload the letter into the system.

Incoming students will be notified by email of their awards in March. Returning students will be notified by email in April. To view your offer, log in to MyBGSU > Student Center > Financial Aid and select the current aid year.

1. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary to confirm you have BGSU listed on the FAFSA. If BGSU is not listed, go to studentaid.gov to make a correction and include BGSU. BGSU's federal school code is 003018.
2. Check your MyBGSU for any outstanding To Do’s or Holds.
3. Call SFA at 419-372-2651 to verify that your FAFSA information was received.

The master promissory note must be signed by all first-time borrowers of federal direct subsidized and unsubsidized loans no earlier than May 1 of the year you would like to take a loan. If you plan to borrow these loans, sign the MPN online at studentaid.gov. The promissory note is valid for 10 years and future loans will automatically be applied to your student account when you complete your FAFSA annually.

At least 10 weeks prior to enrolling at BGSU, you should:

• Log into studentaid.gov and add BGSU to your FAFSA if you haven’t already. Our school code is 003018.
• If you were awarded a subsidized or unsubsidized federal direct loan or federal PLUS loan, contact the servicer at studentaid.gov to cancel the remaining disbursements and obtain a deferment form. The form is submitted to the Office of Registration and Records to confirm enrollment at BGSU.

To use financial aid at BGSU and another institution, you will need to complete the Consortium Agreement. Review the terms and conditions to make sure you are eligible to do a consortium.

To encourage the completion of degree/certificate programs within a reasonable time frame and to comply with federal requirements, financial aid recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress as a condition for receiving financial aid. Satisfactory academic progress requires financial aid recipients to:

1. Meet minimum cumulative grade point averages
2. Satisfactorily complete at least 67% of cumulative credit hours attempted
3. Complete the degree/certificate program within the maximum attempted hours

Financial aid recipients who do not meet these conditions will lose their financial aid eligibility. 

Withdrawing may affect the status of your satisfactory academic progress. In some situations students who withdraw may need to pay back their financial aid to BGSU for the days they did not attend.

Before withdrawing, students are strongly encouraged to:

• Contact the Office of Student Financial Aid.
• Review the BGSU Institutional Refund Policy.
• Understand how withdrawal may affect future financial aid eligibility.

View an example of how the federal refund policy would affect a student who withdraws from classes at BGSU.

Yes. To receive financial aid for the summer, you must:

• File the FAFSA for that school year. (Our financial aid year begins in the summer.) 

Complete a summer session financial aid application. The application opens the same day course enrollment begins and will close the last week of summer courses.

Yes. You can use federal financial aid (Title IV) if your study abroad program counts for credit at BGSU.

If you’re enrolled in a BGSU-sponsored program, you can usually use:

• Federal financial aid (except federal work-study)
• Most state and institutional aid

BGSU offers several types of study abroad programs:

• BGSU-sponsored study abroad
• Ohio International Consortium (OIC) programs
• Third-party affiliate provider programs

If you choose a non-BGSU program, you may still qualify for federal aid. These programs are typically run through other accredited institutions. Depending on the program, you may need a consortium or contractual agreement. 

BGSU scholarships do not apply to non-BGSU programs.

You’ll follow the same process all students do to apply for aid. Completing the FAFSA is your first step.

How to apply for aid

It depends on the program. You can use BGSU scholarships awarded by Student Financial Aid or the Office of Admissions if you are enrolled full time in a BGSU-sponsored program.

Room, food and book scholarships do not apply abroad.

You cannot use BGSU scholarships for:

• Non-BGSU programs
• Other U.S. or international institutions
• Third-party provider programs

If your scholarship comes from a college or academic department, contact them to confirm whether you can apply your scholarship to study abroad.

Yes, but you are considered a guest student and must complete a consortium agreement. Submit the completed form to Student Financial Aid.

You’ll work with your home institution. Contact your home school’s financial aid office, as they will determine your aid eligibility.

At least one full semester before your program begins.

Student Financial Aid will determine your cost of attendance based on your chosen program and excess fees associated with the study abroad experience. You may receive aid up to your cost of attendance.

This does not increase your eligibility for federal or state grants or federal student loans. It may allow you to borrow more through Parent PLUS loans or private loans.

Yes. Most students can view their aid in MyBGSU. If needed, contact Student Financial Aid to request documentation.

Not usually.

Financial aid is applied to your bill no earlier than:

• 10 days before the BGSU semester starts, or
• 10 days before your program starts (if it begins later)

You may receive your refund after you’ve left the U.S. Sign up for direct deposit (e-refund) to access funds faster.

Yes. You must:

• Submit the FAFSA for the correct academic year
• Complete the summer financial aid application (available when course enrollment begins)

Your eligibility will be based on your enrollment and program details.

Keep in mind that the summer term is at the beginning of the aid year. For example: complete a 2026-27 FAFSA and the 2026 summer financial aid application if requesting to use aid for studying abroad during Summer 2026.

Federal work-study (FWS) is a need-based financial aid program that helps you earn money through a part-time job while you’re in school. The program is funded by the federal government and allows you to work with approved on- or off-campus employers.

Learn more about the work-study program and how to find a job.

America Reads is an employment opportunity for students eligible for federal work-study. BGSU students go to local schools to tutor students one-on-one or in small groups. All majors are welcome to apply.

If you do not find a job, you don’t earn your work-study funding. Notify SFA to see if you may be eligible for another aid source (usually loans). SFA will re-award your work-study to another student if it is unused.

All students, with or without work-study eligibility, may seek employment through Student Employment Services.

Check out our webpage on types of financial aid. We list all your options and how to apply for them.

Private loans can help bridge the gap between your costs and traditional funding sources. Students who take out private loans usually need a cosigner. BGSU recommends using Elm Select private loan comparison tool to begin your search for the best loan to fit your needs.

Visit our scholarships website for more information on what’s available and how to apply.

Most financial aid is automatically applied to your bursar account once your file is complete and you’ve met all requirements.

Exceptions include:

• Federal work-study
• Some departmental scholarships
• Outside scholarships (until funds are received)

Before fall and spring semesters begin, your confirmed aid will appear as anticipated aid (an estimated payment) on your bill. You’ll then need to:

• Pay any remaining balance, or
• Set up a payment plan

Payment options are included with your bursar statement.

Are you borrowing federal loans? Before we can apply funds to your bill, you may need to complete:

• A master promissory note (MPN)
• Loan entrance counseling

Both are completed at studentaid.gov using your FSA ID.

Once SFA is notified of an outside scholarship, it is listed as part of your aid package. Private loans and outside scholarships are applied to your account once received (unless otherwise specified). To process a private loan, you must also complete the private loan questionnaire in your MyBGSU To-Do list. 

When is aid actually applied?

When the semester begins, your anticipated aid becomes disbursed aid (actual payment), as long as:

• You’re enrolled in the required number of credit hours
• You’ve completed all requirements

Financial aid is applied to charges in this order:

• Tuition (instructional and general fees), non-resident and special course fees
• Housing and meal plans
• Other eligible University charges

Some charges (like parking permits or legal fees) may not be covered by federal aid. This means you could receive a refund yet still have a remaining balance.

Check your account regularly and contact the Bursar’s Office at bursar@bgsu.edu with questions.

Anticipated aid: Estimated financial aid that shows on your bill before it’s officially applied. It’s subtracted from your overall bill to give an estimate of what you owe.

Disbursement: The actual official payment of aid to your account. Aid may not be disbursed earlier than 10 days before the semester starts. Your application must be complete and all requirements met before funds are paid into your account.

Some funding does not automatically disburse through the financial aid system:

• Private loans – sent directly from your lender after approval and application completion. Contact your loan provider for additional information.
• Employee or dependent fee waivers – must be processed through the appropriate BGSU department.
• Graduate departmental scholarships – may require additional approval before being applied. Direct questions to the awarding department.
• External scholarships or employer reimbursements – Payment timing varies by donor or employer. Awards of $1,000 or more are typically split between fall and spring unless stated otherwise. Contact the donor or your employer for disbursement information.
• Federal work-study (link to new page) – You must get an on-campus job. You’ll receive a paycheck, which can be deposited into your bank account. Funds are not applied directly to your bursar bill. 

Reminder: Funds received from external agencies and donors must be reported to Student Financial Aid and may result in an adjustment to your financial aid package.

Contact Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to discuss your situation. You may be able to submit a special consideration application.

Your dependency status determines whose information you must report on your FAFSA – just yours or your parents’.

You are considered independent if you answer “yes” to at least one dependency question. Otherwise, you are considered dependent and must include parent information on your FAFSA. Learn more about dependency status.

If you have special circumstances and think you should be considered an independent student, you can submit a dependency appeal form.

These situations usually do not qualify you as independent:

• You don’t live with your parents
• Your parents won’t pay for college
• Your parents can’t afford to help
• You got married after filing FAFSA
• You choose to pay for college on your own

Review in-state residency information and contact the Office of Registration and Records at registrar@bgsu.edu.

You may give proxy access to supporters through Access BGSU. Once you share your information, we can talk to them about your financial aid.

Our financial aid advisors are available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday to answer your questions. Call 419-372-2651 (Bowling Green campus) or 419-372-0655 (Firelands campus).

You can also send a secure email through AskSFA or book a virtual appointment.