Official Financial Aid Award Notice

[deleteuser_184321]

How long does it take for the financial aid award letter to arrive after you've been officially accepted into a program?

Do programs expect you to accept an offer without knowing whether or not you will receive financial aid?

- Allport

[noname]

How long does it take for the financial aid award letter to arrive after you've been officially accepted into a program?

Do programs expect you to accept an offer without knowing whether or not you will receive financial aid?

- Allport

Yes they are expecting that!! I am wait-listed for funding at American University's SPA and the second round financial aid info will come on April 16! However, they want me to send the deposit by April 15!!

[aginath]

Note that there is difference between financial aid and funding.

Depending upon the school, more funding notices become available in April/May as budgets are finalized.

As for financial aid, schools all differ. If you've submitted a FAFSA and indicated your school, they may make a preliminary offer within a few weeks of receiving the FAFSA. Some don't (UGA did, IU didn't -- when I was in the middle of applying for schools last year). Some just wait until June/July to notify you of the exact federal and school loans and grants that have been awarded to you.

[Jae B.]

You should hear about scholarships and fellowships before you commit. If they don't intend to tell you, bug them! Many schools make informal notifications about these things; a phone call or vague form instead of an official letter, for example.

Schools are more likely to wait until after you commit to tell you about your loans, but there should be someone in financial aid you can talk to, to get some idea of what you'll be offered.