Eligibility and Applications

Part-time students may qualify for federal financial aid at Fairfield University. In order to be eligible for one or more of the federal aid programs, students must:

- Be matriculated in a degree-granting program
- Maintain at least half-time enrollment (six credits)
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress (SAP) as defined by Fairfield University
- Meet various federal regulatory requirements

Read more about federal financial aid programs.

Applying for Financial Aid

In order to apply for any of the federal student aid programs, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Submit your FAFSA!

Students (and parents of dependent students) will be required to sign the FAFSA with a PIN. The Department of Education issues a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for students, which must be used to sign the FAFSA electronically. Apply for your PIN!

Deadlines

Federal student aid will be awarded to all eligible students on a continuous basis as applications are received by the Office of Financial Aid. Need-based University aid, which is only available for the fall and spring semesters, may be awarded to eligible students when the FAFSA is received by the following deadlines:

Fall Applicants:
The FAFSA must be received by the federal processing center by June 1.

Spring Applicants:
The FAFSA must be received by the federal processing center by November 1.

What is Verification?

Verification is the process when a school is required to compare the information from the FAFSA to the information from a student's (and parent's, if applicable) federal tax returns. The federal government selects approximately 30% of a school's population for verification. Students will be notified if their application is selected for verification through the Student Aid Report (SAR) and through University e-mail and/or mail from the Office of Financial Aid. It is strongly recommended that students review their SAR carefully or contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions.

Depending on a student's filing status and the financial aid award year, students (and/or parents or spouses) will be required to submit several federal documents, if selected for verification. These students will be notified of the required verification documents through University e-mail and mail.