Financial Aid
Mission Statement
The primary mission of the Financial Aid Office at California University of Pennsylvania is to provide financial planning and assistance to students and their families in meeting the costs of education. In fulfilling this mission, each student will be given careful consideration, and the University will determine financial assistance based on federal, state and institutional guidelines. Financial aid programs have been established to provide access to higher education with guidelines to ensure fairness in disbursing available funds to qualifying students. The Financial Aid Office strives to ensure that courteous, timely and accurate financial aid services are delivered to all students seeking assistance from our office.
Location and Office Hours
The Financial Aid Office is located on the first floor of Dixon Hall. The office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. Appointments are encouraged, but a daily on-call counselor is available to assist walk-ins. Students can contact the Financial Aid Office by calling 724-938-4415 or faxing 724-938-4551. In addition, general financial aid information may be obtained on the Financial Aid Office home page at www.cup.edu/financial_aid. Specific financial aid and student account information is available 24 hours per day through the Student Self-Services website at http://sisweb.cup.edu.
Eligibility Requirements
In order to be eligible for most federal financial aid programs, students must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- Demonstate financial need, except for some loan programs;
- Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED), pass a test approved by the U.S. Department of Education, or meet other standards established by your state and approved by the U.S. Department of Education;
- Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program;
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen;
- Have a valid Social Security number;
- Meet minimum satisfactory academic progress standards;
- Must have resolved any drug conviction issue;
- Must not be in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money back on a federal grant; and
- Register with the Selective Service, if required. Students can register online at the Selective Service System's website, www.sss.gov.