The Office of Financial Aid at California Health Sciences University is available to assist current and prospective students with funding their higher education goals. The funding options available to CHSU students are described briefly below. Students are strongly encouraged to borrow responsibly and to seek out low cost and/or no cost funding options.
Currently only the College of Pharmacy is approved for Title IV funding through the Department of Education. The College of Osteopathic Medicine will be able to apply for approval once it has been in operation for two years.
Most types of Federal aid require a student to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is an application used to determine a student’s eligibility for federal aid. The Office of Financial Aid will also review a student’s financial aid history as there are annual and aggregate limits to some of the loan programs.
Disbursements of funds are issued at the start of each payment period. Most academic years consist of two payment periods (Fall semester & Spring semester). Students must have submitted for review and processing all required documents prior to the start of the academic year. Failure to meet this deadline can result in a delay in processing and disbursement of funds.
Applying for Federal Direct Loans
Students applying for Federal Direct loans should begin by completing a FAFSA. The FAFSA should be completed online at www.studentaid.gov. Students will need to create or retrieve an FSA ID which allows them to log in and electronically sign the FAFSA. When completing the FAFSA be sure to include the CHSU school code 042814. Once CHSU has received your FAFSA information your file will be reviewed to determine your eligibility.
Students applying for a Graduate PLUS Loan will also need to complete a loan application and credit check. The loan application should be completed online at www.studentaid.gov. When completing the loan application, a student should indicate the dollar amount being requested.
Students will need to complete a Student Loan Entrance Counseling Session. Entrance counseling helps a student become familiar with their rights and responsibilities as borrowers, budgeting and repayment options.
Lastly, a student will need to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). The MPN is the student’s agreement with the government to repay any student loan funds borrowed. There are separate MPNs for the Direct Unsubsidized Loan and the Direct Grad PLUS Loan.