Financial Aid

 

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

  • Apply for admission to CSI online through MyCSI.
  • Retrieve your Federal Student Aid PIN - www.pin.ed.gov/
  • Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
    (FAFSA - www.fafsa.ed.gov/)
    CSI FAFSA Code: 001619

    Students can complete their application any time after January 1. Students are advised to use their completed Federal income tax returns. Completing the FAFSA with estimated taxes is acceptable, however, corrections may have to be made at a later date, causing a delay in the processing of their application. Both student and parent information is required on the dependent student's application. In addition, students may be required to submit a signed copy of their Federal Income Tax Returns (and parents, if dependent) to CSI Student Financial Aid Office if student’s application results are chosen for "verification." In this case, the CSI Student Financail Aid Office is required to comply with Federal regulations and verify the information the student reported on his/her FAFSA.
  • 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 is 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.

    • 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 is not ready by the time of the initial 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.
  • Students must use CSI’s NetPartner online system to check which required documents have been received by the CSI Financial Aid Office, which documents are missing, the status of their awards, and to accept/reduce/decline their awards, etc.

    Important:     The CSI Financial Aid office no longer sends out hard copy letters/notifications.  Students are expected to log into NetPartner to manage their financial aid files.

    • Submit requested information/documents — Students are most likely asked to submit additional information/documents in order to complete the financial aid application process. The information requested is usually required by the U.S. Department of Education to clarify, resolve, or assist CSI staff in preparing a financial aid award package.  It is imperative that students log into NetPartner to see what information/documents are needed and submit those documents as soon as possible.  Failure to submit required information/documents will delay the processing of the students’ financial aid.    
    • Receive your award notification —After students submit all of the information/documents requested to complete the financial aid application process, CSI staff will finalize the review of their application materials.  The award notification will be posted in NetPartner with detailed information about the financial aid awards the students are eligible for.
    • Accept, reduce, decline the award — Students log into NetPartnerto review their Award Notification and follow instructions carefully on how to accept/reduce/decline their awards.  The students’ financial aid “package” may include a combination of grants, scholarships, student employment, and loans.  CSI strives to maintain affordable tuition and fees and we encourage students to be fiscally responsible and reduce or decline any financial aid (especially student loans) that they don’t need to pay for direct educational expenses such as tuition, fees, books, etc.  
  • Students who qualify for student loans must:
    • Complete the student loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) — Some types of financial aid, student loans specifically, require additional documentation before they can be distributed.  Please read the information carefully on our Loans page and follow the instructions.
    • Complete the Loan Entrance Counseling —First-time student loan borrowers must complete the Loan Entrance Counseling before their student loan funds can be distributed to them.  The purpose of the Loan Entrance Counseling is to ensure that first time borrowers have all the information they need to make good decisions about student loans.
  • Financial Aid Disbursement

    • Financial Aid awards are automatically applied towards tuition and fees, room and board.  CSI disburses financial aid funds in excess of these charges to the student (or borrowing parent in case of Plus loans).  With the student’s permission, CSI can apply excess Federal Financial Aid funds (amount left over after paying tuition/fees and room/board) towards other educationally related charges.  These charges may include: traffic/parking fines, child care fees, library fines, Student Health fees, late fees, reinstatement fees, and returned check charges, etc.  Students can fill out an Authorization for the Deduction of Miscellaneous Charges form to have miscellaneous charges deducted from their Federal Financial Aid.

    Credit balances/refund are disbursed to the student in one of three ways:
    • Paper check that is picked up in person (see instructions below).
    • If the student does not pick up the paper check within 5 business days after being issued, the College will automatically mail the check to the student’s address (personal local address that we have on file in our student information system at the time of the mailing).  Students must verify their address and ensure that the College has the correct address on file.  Students can verify their address online through MyCSI by following these simple steps:
      • Log into MyCSI
      • Click Personal Info in the top banner after your name
      • Click Biographical Info tab (in the gray bar)
      • Verify your address
    If your address under “Name and Address” is incorrect, click the Pencil icon next to "Name and Address" heading, type in the correct address, and click the Submit button at the bottom.

    The first disbursement of financial aid and scholarship credit balances/refund will be on the second Thursday 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. and Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. of the semester in the Student Union Building. After this, 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.  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. Checks that are not picked up within 5 business days after being issued will be automatically mailed to the student's mailing address on file. 

    All students will need an official government issued photo ID 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 students 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 disbursements will be distributed the same time as the other Federal Financial Aid disbursements. Students have 5 business days  from the initial disbursement date to pick up their checks.  Checks not picked up will be mailed to the address on file in the Records and Admissions office.

    The summer financial aid check disbursement date will be the first Thursday of the semester 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 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 financial aid/scholarship 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 a disbursement will be made is the third Tuesday of the semester after 1:00 p.m.  

    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.
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress — The U.S. Department of Education requires all students applying for or receiving federal student aid to maintain satisfactory academic progress.  In short, you have to get good grades and take classes that help you make progress towards a degree or certificate.  Please review the CSI standards for satisfactory academic progress carefully and contact one of our Financial Aid advisors if you have questions!