Financial Aid Events

Information about events hosted by our office

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

 

Financial Aid Awareness Month


Financial Aid Awareness Month, #FinAidFeb

Each year, the higher education community celebrates Financial Aid Awareness Month in February.

To honor the occaision, we've compiled some resources to help students navigate the financial aid process. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid has also compiled more resources for students and families.

Finding money to pay for college and staying on track to keep aid can be challenging and confusing, but our office is here to offer support. 

Please email finaid@etsu.edu, call (423) 439-4300, or make an appointment to see your assigned financial aid counselor for additional support. 

 

Ten Key Messages:

Financial aid makes college affordable.


Explore your options — grants, scholarships, loans, and work-study — to help pay for your education.

Financial aid is not just for low-income students.


Many students from middle-income and high-income families also qualify for financial assistance.

Complete the FAFSA.


It is faster and easier than ever to fill out, with most students and families completing it in less than 15 minutes.

Navigate the FAFSA with financial aid counselors.


Colleges and universities provide help and resources to help students understand the process, including how to apply for federal student loans.

Plan ahead for financial aid.


Different schools may have different deadlines, so research all available options. 

Understand your funding options.


Grants and scholarships are free money; loans must be repaid with interest. Compare federal and private loan options carefully.

Financial aid covers more than tuition.


It can be used for books, housing, transportation, and other essential college expenses, which can also be covered by student loans.

College is an investment in your future.


Weigh the costs of borrowing against the potential long-term benefits of a college degree.

Get help with financial aid and loan repayment planning.


Your counselor, college financial aid office, and online resources can help you make informed decisions.

Analyze your financial aid offers carefully.


Understand the mix of grants, scholarships, loans, and net costs.

 

Steps to Take:

  • Before Registraton for the Next Academic Year

    Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible. 

    • The application is required to access federal grants and loans as well as some state and institutional aid. Be aware of any deadlines for scholarships that require a FAFSA be on file with us. To avoid any unnecessary delays, it's best to get this step completed first and as quickly as you can after the application opens.
    • To ensure your FAFSA is sent to the right office, be sure to list the correct school code.
    • Once you recieve your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), check to see if you've been selected for verification and prepare to take the steps necessary to complete that process. An asterisk beside your Student Aid Index (SAI) indicates that you have been selected for verification. You may be asked to provide additional documentation to our office in order for us to confirm the information on your FAFSA.
    • International students are not eligible to submit the FAFSA and cannot recieve federal or state aid. Please reach out to ETSU's International Enrollment and Services office for support. 

     

    Complete your ETSU General University Scholarship Application before March 1.

    • The questions on this application automatically filter your submission into categories for ETSU scholarships.
    • You can also contact your academic department to see if they have additional scholarships to support the financing of your education.
    • Graduate students may contact the Graduate School to learn more about other funding opportunities.
    • International students may contact International Enrollment and Services for guidance on how to fund their education at ETSU.

     


    Build a budget and review Cost of Attendance (COA).

    • When budgeting and estimating costs, it's important to consider your specific set of circumstances. Are you an international student? In addition to per-credit-hour tuition, will the courses you take incur additional fees? Do you live on campus or off campus? Will you be commuting a long way? How much will you need for books and supplies? Will you prepare your own meals or purchase a meal plan from the dining hall?
    • Remember: The COA combines both indirect and direct costs into a total budget. This is not your bill.
    • Need help making your budget? Review the 'Budget and Cost Estimate Tools' section below. 
  • After Registration for the Next Academic Year

    Confim your registration.

    • You can do this by making a payment, enrolling in a payment plan, confirming via GoldLink (meaning you have enough financial aid to cover your entire balance), or confirming that you will not be attending ETSU.
    • Be sure to review the enrollment steps page for more details about registration and payment deadlines for each semester.


    Keep an eye on your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP).

    • It is your responsibility to ensure that you meet all requirements in order to maintain your financial aid.
    • Aid can be lost if your cumulative GPA falls below what is allowed for the number of credits you've earned so far. Two other reasons for losing aid are not maintaining PACE standards and/or exceed the maximum time frame allowed.

 

Budget and Cost Estimate Tools

There are several ways for students to estimate the costs and expenses for attending ETSU. Please be sure to use the following tools to help you create a budget and better understand the cost of your college education. 

image for Tuition and Fees Estimator

Tuition and Fees Estimator

This tool is designed to assist new undergraduate students and families with understanding your costs after scholarships and financial aid have been applied to the sticker price.
image for ETSU Award Offer

ETSU Award Offer

Students are informed about the amount of aid they will recieve for the coming semester. First-time freshman will recieve an offer letter in the mail and all students will recieve an email containing their awards for each aid year.
image for Net Price Calculator

Net Price Calculator

The Net Price Calculator is a tool provided in accordance with the Higher Education Opportunity Act to help students and parents estimate total college costs. This tool will be relaunched soon. 

 

2025 Events

  • Library
    We will be set up in the Library lobby on Tuesday, February 18 and 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • Culp
    We will be set up in the Culp Center lobby on Wednesday, February 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the Cruise Down Mainstreet Student Organization Showcase. This event was rescheduled from its original date.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How soon do I need to file the FAFSA, and should I still apply if I think my family makes too much money?
    The sooner you fill out the FAFSA, the better. The application is free, and it's not just a way to determine how much federal student aid you'll receive. State governments, and some colleges and universities use information from the FAFSA to determine what state and institutional aid you qualify for. But state agencies and individual schools also have different deadlines to qualify for aid -- so keep track of all of the deadlines, and get a head start. Even if your household income is too high for you to qualify for federal grants or work-study funds, the FAFSA is also used to determine federal student loan eligibility. There's no harm in applying, and on average, it only takes 15 minutes to fill out the FAFSA. Please note, beginning with the 2024-25 school year, an FSA ID is required for individuals associated with the application.
  • What are some common mistakes students and families make when filling out the FAFSA?
    The first mistake you can make is not filling out the FAFSA in the first place! Don't assume that you can't afford college - the FAFSA opens the door to many different opportunities for financial aid, and the sooner you apply, the better, as state grant agencies and scholarship organizations— which often have a limited pot of funds to give out on a first come, first served basis— usually require you to have filed a FAFSA in order to receive aid. Keep in mind that you don't need to know where you'll be attending school in order to file the FAFSA, and you don't need to have your taxes completed yet for the previous year because you will use tax information from two years prior. Applying online makes filling out the FAFSA easier because the online form uses skip logic to only ask relevant questions. You will also have the option to transfer your IRS data to automatically populate the FAFSA, which simplifies the application process, helps reduce errors and lowers your chances of being selected to verify the information on your application. Be sure to use your legal name, have official documents you need ready, and see what other common mistakes you can avoid.
  • Besides federal grants and loans, where can I go to find college financial aid?
    In addition to federal grants, loans, and other types of aid (such as Pell Grants, Direct Loans, and the Federal Work-Study Program), students can receive financial aid from state agencies, individual schools, and a variety of community organizations. Usually, the FAFSA is the only form you need to apply for state financial aid, but you should check with your state agency to see if more information is required. Most schools have their own financial aid programs, and use your FAFSA results for those too. There are other independent sources -- through community organizations, churches, and private organizations -- that award financial aid to students. Remember that you do not have to pay anyone to help you find aid, and if you have questions, you can reach out to your school’s, or a prospective school’s, financial aid office.
  • Besides tuition and fees, room and board, what else should I include in a budget for the school year, and how can I stay on track?
    It's important to make sure you have enough money and financial aid to cover tuition and fees, and living expenses, but there are other expenses that make up the entire cost of attending college. Be sure to also budget for textbooks and supplies, transportation, travel to and from home during breaks, and emergencies. In some cases, you might also be required to purchase certain supplies specific to your major that might not be listed in the overall estimate for the cost of attendance. 
  • How can I set myself up for success when repaying my student loans?
    There are several different repayment plans for student loan borrowers. The best way to set yourself up for success is to pick the repayment plan that's best for you to avoid falling into default. Once you graduate, drop below half-time enrollment, or leave school, your federal student loan goes into repayment. However, for most federal student loan types, you have  a 6-month grace period before you are required to start making regular payments. Note that not all federal student loans have an automatic grace period, and it helps to know which loans accrue interest during the grace-period. When your loan enters repayment, your servicer will automatically place you on the Standard Repayment Plan, but you can request a different repayment plan at any time. If you aren't sure which repayment plan best fits your needs, visit studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment for more information. It's also important to communicate with your student loan servicer and let them know if you need help in repayment. You can find out who your servicer is through the National Student Loan Data System for Students by selecting "Financial Aid Review." 
  • Are there any other resources for learning more about financial aid?
    ETSU students have access to our virtual assistant, Bucky, as well as Financial Aid TV. 

  • Do you have any more information about costs, transferring, tuition, withdrawing, loans, residency, dropped courses?