For information regarding various types of Distance Degree programs and online courses Colorado State University offers, required forms, and important deadlines visit Colorado State Online homepage.
Applying for Financial Aid for Online Programs
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the Web. Once you have been accepted to CSU and enrolled in online courses, an Office of Financial Aid representative will adjust your financial aid award to reflect the cost of your program.
To check the status of your financial aid application, visit RAMweb , select Financial Aid under the Financial Information section. You can review where you are in the financial aid process, view your current award notice, accept/decline your loan(s), and complete other processing requirements.
Using Financial Aid for CSU Online Courses
To be eligible for financial aid, you must be admitted to Colorado State in a degree-seeking program and be enrolled in at least 6 credits per semester (undergraduate) or at least 5 credits per semester (graduate). You may use federal and/or state aid.
- If you are taking both Online and regular on-campus credits and you are less than full-time, your financial aid budget will include actual tuition and fees.
- Your initial financial aid award is based on full-time enrollment. If you’re enrolled less than full time, your estimated educational expenses are less and your financial aid may be reduced.
- If you are enrolled solely in correspondence and/or online courses, your financial aid may be limited.
- Contract courses are not eligible for financial aid.
After we calculate the actual costs that can be included in your budget, we may be required to reduce your financial aid.
Correspondence Courses
If you are enrolled in a correspondence course and
- Have been awarded a Federal Pell Grant, you must complete 50% of your coursework before you can receive your Federal Pell Grant.
- Have been awarded a Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), you must submit your first completed lesson before you can receive your SEOG.
- If awarded a Federal Pell or SEOG Grant, courses must be completed by the last day of the semester. If courses are not completed, it will result in an adjustment to your financial aid.
If you are enrolled only in correspondence courses
- The only costs that can be included in your budget are tuition, fees, books, and supplies.
- Living expenses are not included.
- If you are enrolled only in 6 credits or more of correspondence courses, you are considered enrolled half-time.
If you are enrolled less than half-time in regular on-campus credits or online credits with 3 correspondence credits,
- The only costs that can be included in your financial aid budget are tuition, fees, books, and supplies.
Institutional Aid for Online Programs
To be considered for institutional aid, you must be admitted to a regular instruction on-campus degree program. Credit requirements to receive institutional aid may vary, see chart below.
| Federal Pell Grant | 12+ credits = 100% | 9-11 credits = 75% | 6-8 credits = 50% | 1-5 credits = 25% |
| Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant | 9+ credits = 100% | 6-8 credits = 50% | 0-5 credits = 0% | |
CSU Ram Grant | 12+ credits* = 100% | 0 – 11 credits*** = 0% | ||
| Colorado Student Grant | 12+ credits = 100% | 0 – 11 credits*** = 0% | ||
| Colorado Graduate Grant | 7+ credits** = 100% | 5-6 credits = 50% | 0-4 credits = 0% | |
| CSU RAM Loan | Undergraduate: 6+ credits = 100% Graduate: 5+ credits = 100% | 0-5 credits = 0% 0-4 credits = 0% | ||
| Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan | 6+ credits = 100% | 0-5 credits = 0% | ||
| Federal Direct Subsidized/ Unsubsidized Loans | Undergraduate: 6+ credits = 100% Graduate: 5+ credits = 100% | 0-5 credits = 0% 0-4 credits = 0% | ||
| Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan | 5+ credits = 100% | 0-4 credits = 0% | ||
| Health Professions Loan | 5+ credits = 100% | 0-4 credits = 0% | ||
| Scholarships | Undergraduate: 12+ credits* = 100% Graduate: 9+ credits* = 100% | 0-11 credits*** = 0% 0-8 credits = 0% | ||
| Work Study | At least 6+ credits for undergraduates or 5+ credits for graduate students; pay is based on hours worked & hourly pay rate | |||
| *One class must be regular instruction, on-campus; you must be enrolled through CSU’s main campus, not through CSU Online | ||||
| **You must be enrolled through CSU’s main campus, not through CSU Online. | ||||
| ***If you are going to be part time and it is your graduating semester, please contact us. | ||||
Receiving Your Financial Aid
Financial aid is disbursed at the same time as for regularly enrolled CSU students. The aid will be automatically credited to your student account, if you meet all of the following requirements:
- admitted to CSU in a degree granting program
- enrolled in 6 credits (undergraduate) or 5 credits (graduate)
- accepted your Direct Loans (if offered) on RAMweb. Direct loans also require a master promissory note.
Financial Aid Refunds
- The timing of refunds for financial aid recipients who are registered in Online courses will vary and may take up to two weeks after the beginning of the semester depending on the online program and course enrollment. Your financial aid may be adjusted based on your enrollment.
- Delays occur whenever registration changes, as this requires additional review.
College Opportunity Fund (COF)
Undergraduate Degree Students: Online credits are not eligible for College Opportunity Fund (COF) funding. Credit earned through online courses will not be counted toward the 145 lifetime hour maximum for COF.
