The Financial Aid Process: Six Steps

1. Complete the Financial Aid Application

To be reviewed for federal and state student aid, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at https://studentaid.gov/ between October 1st and February 1st for enrollment in the following fall semester. You must list Georgia Southern’s Title IV school code (001572) on the form. It is important to apply early, as some financial aid funds are limited and are administered on a first-come, first-served basis. If you are only interested in receiving the HOPE Scholarship, you do not need to complete the FAFSA; instead, you can complete the GSFAPPS.  Visit GAfutures for more information about the HOPE Scholarship. If you choose to complete the FAFSA, you must complete a FAFSA or a Renewal FAFSA for each academic year that you want to receive aid. You can review the 7 Step FAFSA Tutorial here.

2. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary

After your FAFSA form is submitted and processed, you can access your FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly Student Aid Report)—an electronic or paper document that summarizes the information you reported on your FAFSA form. It includes your estimated eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and federal student loans, your Student Aid Index (SAI), and whether you’ve been selected for verification. If all the information is correct, keep the Summary for your records. (If you listed Georgia Southern on your FAFSA, we will have access to your FAFSA data electronically within a day after it is processed.) If you need to make a correction, log into your StudentAid.gov account to make changes online.

3. Georgia Southern Correspondence

Georgia Southern uses your GS email as the primary method of sending official communications to students. Be sure to check your GS email regularly to stay informed of important messages and notifications. Once you are offered aid, the Financial Aid Office will email an award notification. If additional documents are needed before we can offer aid, you will receive an email requesting this information.  Submit requested documents as soon as possible to avoid a delay of your aid.

4. Your Award Notification

 Your Award Notification advises you to visit your MyGS portal to log into WINGS to review the information. You will have to complete Entrance Loan Counseling and electronically sign your Master Promissory Note before loan proceeds will be released. Click here to complete entrance loan counseling and sign your promissory note. The Georgia Southern Office of Student Loans will mail the promissory note to you, if necessary.

NOTE: To be eligible for a Federal Direct Stafford Loan, students must be enrolled and verified as attending at least half-time.

• 1/2 time for undergraduate students is 6 hours per semester.
• 1/2 time for graduate students varies per program. Please click here for more information.

5. Pay Your Bill

Financial aid applied to your account will be subtracted from the amount due. Payments can be made by eCheck (free service) or by credit card (fee applies). Student payments can be made by signing into your MyGS portal, choosing Financial Resources, $ View/Pay Your Tuition Bill. A pop-up window will appear with the Touchnet bill + pay interface. Click My Account, Current Activity, View your Term Balance. To make a payment, from the menu bar, select Make Payment and pay by Term balance. For more information, Click here.

6. Get Your Refund

If your aid awarded exceeds the amount you owe the University, a refund will be electronically deposited into the personal checking account of your choosing. If you do not choose direct deposit, your refund check will be mailed to your local or permanent mailing address as shown in your WINGS account. Keep in mind that federal regulations require attendance verification before your refund can be paid to you.

Federal Aid Eligibility

Applying for Financial Aid

Last updated: 2/16/2022