Summer Financial Aid

Summer class registration and the financial aid process begins March 21, 2012. 

The Syracuse University Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs has limited summer financial aid in the form of:

• Federal Direct Student and Parent Loans
• Federal TEACH Grant
• Alternative (private) loans

Undergraduates may also be eligible for: 

• NYS TAP (for New York residents) - Contact your financial aid counselor to discuss your summer TAP eligibility, as this may affect your eligibility for future TAP payments.
• Student Success Initiative (SSUI) - Contact the SSUI Office for further information.
• Summer Scholar Incentive Program (SSIP) - Contact University College for further information.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for summer financial aid, you must:

• File a 2011-12 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
• Be matriculated in a program leading to a degree, certificate or diploma at Syracuse University.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Enroll in Syracuse University summer classes for six or more credit hours, or be certified as full time status with the Registrar, if you wish to borrow federal loans.
• Not be in default on any previous federal student loan or grant program.

Summer Financial Aid Application Policies

• Students may not receive Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans for more than the maximum loan amount, listed in the charts below.
• The total amount that students may receive in all forms of financial assistance (including loans) is limited by the cost of attendance.
• Any and all forms of financial assistance or resources will be taken into consideration when determining financial aid eligibility for the summer term.
• All summer aid is disbursed no earlier than ten days before the beginning of the student's summer enrollment period.
• Students who are due a refund from summer financial aid must request a refund from the Bursar's Office on MySlice after classes begin.
• Federal Direct Student Loans for the summer will not affect academic year eligibility, unless the student is near their total aggregate loan limits.
• All Federal Direct Student Loans will be included in a student's aggregate loan limit.
• Applications will be accepted until the last week of the summer session attended. However, a student must have a completed Federal Direct Loan MPN, entrance counseling session and have a FAFSA on file prior to the end of the student's enrollment for summer.
• Fall/Spring academic year financial aid cannot be used to pay summer charges.

Federal Loans

Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans

The maximum amount that may be borrowed through the Federal Direct Loan program for the summer term is based on a student's academic level.  

**Interest is charged from the time the funds are disbursed for the Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan.

A student's loan eligibility is determined by the number of credits for which the student is enrolled and the number of weeks that the student will be attending summer sessions. Students may borrow up to the cost of tuition plus approximately $400 per week for living expenses during summer enrollment. For details regarding summer tuition rates, click here.

Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students - Parents of dependent undergraduate students may be eligible to borrow a Federal Direct PLUS Loan (FPLUS). If the parent is denied the FPLUS, students may be eligible for additional unsubsidized Federal Direct Loan funds. Eligibility is calculated by deducting the total financial aid from the the Cost of Attendance. For more information about the Federal Direct PLUS loan, please see our loan web page.

Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan - Graduate students may be eligible to borrow a Federal Graduate PLUS Loan.  Students should borrow their maximum eligibility in Federal Direct Loans before they may apply for this loan, which requires a basic credit check. This is a long-term, fixed-rate loan to help bridge the financial gap.  Eligibility is calculated by deducting the total financial aid from the Cost of Attendance. For more information about the Federal Direct PLUS loan, please see our loan web page.

Alternative Loans

Students who are certified for the maximum Federal Direct Loan, and have additional eligibility for financial aid assistance may apply for an alternative loan. To apply for a summer alternative loan, students must complete the SU Summer Financial Aid Application AND the alternative loan application provided by your lender. For more information on alternative loans, please see our alternative loan information section on our web site.

Summer financial aid applications will be available on your MySlice To Do List prior to summer registration.

Note: Students admitted to the Student Success Initiative (SSUI) or SummerStart programs should contact the offices below to start the financial aid application process and are not required to complete a summer financial aid application.

• Students interested in SSUI should contact the SSUI Office for application and registration instructions.
• Students interested in SummerStart should contact the SummerStart Office for financial aid information.