Financial Aid
The mission of the Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Office is to provide financial assistance to students so that they may achieve their educational goals while attending the College of Southern Idaho.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
- After approximately 2 to 3 days, the student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education.
Check the Student Aid Report (SAR) for accuracy. If corrections need to be made, provide the correct information, sign the SAR (if dependent, both the student and the parent must sign) and return it to the CSI Student Financial Aid Office, which has the capability to make corrections to the SAR through an electronic process. Students will receive another SAR in the mail.
- Return requested information to the Student Financial Aid Office.
It's important to promptly complete and return all additional forms that the Student Financial Aid Office may require to complete The student’s financial aid file.
- Financial Aid Check Disbursement
The first disbursement of financial aid and scholarship checks is on the second Thursday 2:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. of the semester in the Student Union Building. After the first disbursement, checks must be picked up in-person between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Monday – Friday in the Matrix of the Taylor Building. Students who want to have their checks delivered to the Mini-Cassia Center for pickup need to contact the Mini-Cassia office staff to have their names added to a list that will be emailed to the CSI Campus in Twin Falls. Students that have requested their checks at the Mini-Cassia Center may pick up them starting the second Friday of the semester, during regular office hours.
All students will need an official government issued photo ID and a signed check release form (attendance verification) in order to pick up their checks. Students who have holds on their accounts will not be able to pick up their checks until they clear the hold. Financial aid awards will be made based on the number of credits they are enrolled in at 8:00 a.m. on Monday of the second week of classes. If students who receive financial aid increase the number of credits they are enrolled in after 8:00 a.m. on the second Monday, they will be responsible for all tuition and fees for those classes (they will not be awarded additional aid for the semester). If students who receive financial aid decrease the number of credits they are enrolled in after the 8:00 a.m. on the second Monday, they will owe money back to the Federal Government and/or the College of Southern Idaho or other entities. Students may be able to change sections or add/drop classes as long as they do not change the total number of credits upon which their financial aid was awarded.
By picking up and cashing the financial aid or scholarship check(s), the student certifies that they are enrolled in the number of credits on which their awards were calculated and that they are attending all of their classes. Scholarship checks will be distributed the same time as the other Federal financial aid checks. Students have 15 days from the initial disbursement date to pick up their checks.
The summer financial aid check disbursement date will be the first Thursday of the semester 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Student Union Building. Students must finalize their schedules by 8:00 a.m. on Monday of the first week of the semester.
Students whose financial aid award is large enough to cover tuition, books and supplies will be able to charge against their financial aid award at the CSI bookstore. The same is true for CSI housing, food service, and CSI Child Care Center. Students with large enough financial aid awards can start charging against their accounts the week before schools starts.
After the initial check disbursement, CSI will only be printing checks twice a week (on Tuesdays and Thursdays), so if a student’s award is not ready by the end of the first week of classes, the earliest their check will be disbursed is the third Tuesday of the semester after 1:00 p.m.
Students are strongly encouraged to apply early for financial aid and finalize their schedules as early as possible. Generally it takes a minimum of 2 to 4 weeks from the time students submit their FAFSA until their financial aid is actually awarded. If a student’s application is selected for verification or if they take a long time to submit copies of documents or corrections, it may take 4 to 6 weeks or even longer. It is important that students apply early and allow adequate time to process their applications.
If a student applies late (i.e. less than 6 weeks prior to the beginning of the semester) and their financial aid check is not ready by the time of the initial check disbursement, they can fill out a Tuition Loan Agreement with the Records/Admissions Office. A $50 processing fee plus a minimum payment equal to 1/3 of the total account balance must be paid at the time of signing the loan agreement. The original loan agreement must be signed by the student, in person. If the student fails to make a payment by the due date, they will be dropped from classes without notice.
Returning Financial Aid:
Students have the right to cancel all or a portion of their student loan(s) disbursed to them within 14 days from the disbursement date. They must return the funds (DO NOT VOID CHECK) to the Matrix within 10 days of disbursement to allow for the processing of the loan return.
Parent Loans
The parent's written authorization is required for the disbursement of any excess Parent PLUS loan funds to the student. In the absence of the parent's written authorization, excess Parent PLUS loan funds will be mailed to the parent using the mailing address provided on the Parent PLUS loan application.