Financial Aid

Students seeking financial aid may apply for the following Federal programs:

1. Federal Pell Grants;
2. Federal Stafford Loan; and
3. Unsubsidized Federal Stafford Loan.

To receive Federal financial aid, a student must:

1. Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen;
2. Be registered with Selective Service (if required);
3. Be admitted to the University seeking a degree or certificate;
4. Not owe a refund on a Federal grant or be in default on a Federal educational loan;
5. Be meeting Standards of Satisfactory Progress;
6. Be enrolled at least half-time (6 units undergraduate/4 units master's); and
7. Not be convicted of drug distribution or possession or be incarcerated.

Students holding an "F" or "J" Visa or I-688A, I-688B and I-797 Visas are not eligible for Federal aid. They may be eligible for non Title IV, alternative loan programs from private lenders. All admission requirements must be satisfied before financial aid funds may be disbursed to the student.

To request for a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) students should call the Financial Aid Office at (323) 731-2383 or write to: Pacific States University, Financial Aid Office, 1516 S. Western Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90006, USA.

Loan Responsibilities

Any agency or organization which grants loans will indicate the terms and amount of that loan. Students are responsible for their loans and for repaying the loan amount plus any interest.

Return of Title IV Funds

This policy applies to students who complete 60% or less of the enrollment period (i.e., Fall, Winter, Spring or Summer quarter) for which they received Federal Title IV aid. A student who drops a class but still completes one or more classes does not qualify for the Return of Title IV Funds policy. The term “Title IV aid” refers to the following Federal financial aid programs: Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford loans, Federal Perkins loans, Federal PLUS (Parent) loans, Federal Pell Grants, and Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant). 

To conform with the policy, Pacific States University must determine the student’s withdrawal date. The withdrawal date is defined as:
1.    the date the student began the withdrawal process or officially notified Pacific States University of their intent to withdraw; or
2.    the last date of attendance at an academically-related activity by a student who doesn’t notify Pacific States University

The calculation required determines a student’s earned and unearned Title IV aid based on the percentage of the enrollment period completed by the student. The percentage of the period that the student remained enrolled is derived by dividing the number of days the student attended by the number of days in the period. Calendar days (including weekends) are used, but breaks of at least 5 days are excluded from both the numerator and denominator. 

Until a student has passed the 60% point of an enrollment period, only a portion of the student’s aid has been earned. A student who remains enrolled beyond the 60% point is considered to have earned all awarded aid for the enrollment period.
Earned aid is not related in any way to institutional charges. In addition, the University’s refund policy and Return of Title IV Funds procedures are independent of one another. A student who withdraws from a course may be required to return unearned aid and still owe the college for the course. For more information on the Pacific States University withdrawal and institutional charges’ policies, please consult the Pacific States University catalog. 

The responsibility to repay unearned Title IV aid is shared by Pacific States University and the student. For example, the calculation may require Pacific States University to return a portion of Federal funds to the Federal Title IV programs. In addition, the student may also be required to return funds based on the calculation. A student returns funds to the Federal Stafford loan programs based on the terms and conditions of the promissory note of the loan. A student who receives a Federal Pell Grant may be required to repay 50% of the funds received. The return of Federal aid is in the following order: Unsubsidized Federal Stafford loans, Subsidized Federal Stafford loans, Federal Perkins loans, Federal PLUS (Parent) loans, Federal Pell Grants, and Federal SEOG (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant).
 
How to Handle an Overpayment

Students who owe funds to a grant program are required to make payment of those funds within 45 days of being notified that they owe this overpayment. During the 45 day period students will remain eligible for Title IV funds. If no positive action is taken by the student within 45 days of being notified, Pacific States University will notify the U.S. Department of Education of the student’s overpayment situation. The student will no longer be eligible for Title IV funds until they enter into a satisfactory repayment agreement with the U.S. Department of Education.

During the 45-day period, the student can make full payment to Pacific States University of the overpayment. The university will forward the payment to the U.S. Department of Education and the student will remain eligible for Title IV funds. Please make check payable to Pacific States University, Attn: Financial Affairs Officer. Please attach the enclosed remittance coupon to assure proper credit. 

If a student is unable to pay their overpayment in full, they can set up a repayment plan with the U.S. Department of Education. Before doing this please contact the Pacific States University Financial Aid Office. You will need to make sure we have referred your situation to the U.S. Department of Education before any repayment plan can be set up. 

If you want to contact the U.S. Department of Education, their information is listed below.

U.S. Department of Education
Student Financial Assistance Programs
Phone: 1-800-621-3115
E-Mail: DCS_HELP@ed.gov
For examples of the Return of Title IV Funds calculations or questions regarding the overpayment policy, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

PSU Student Financial Assistance Program

The University offers financial assistance to entering students based upon the evaluation of the admissions application. This assistance is applied to the first two quarters of enrollment. The maximum granted is $2,000 of tuition applied over the first two quarters. It is within the discretion of Administration to determine the number of request granted and the amounts of financial aid distributed each quarter.

Criteria Considered:

  • Full-Time Enrollment Student:
    Undergraduate, 3 courses
    Graduate, 2 courses
  • Grade Point Average
  • TOEFL score
  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • Students Personal Statement: Why studing at PSU will help me meet my future goals.