Summer Financial Aid (SFA) Requests

Summer financial aid works a little differently than fall or spring financial aid. Your eligibility depends on more than submitting the FAFSA. It also depends on your enrollment, academic progress, and the types of aid you request. Some summer aid may reduce the financial aid available to you during the regular academic year, so it is important to understand how your aid works together before submitting a request.

Review the general eligibility requirements below, followed by information about each type of financial aid and how using aid during the summer may affect your fall and spring awards.

General Eligibility Requirements

• Complete the FAFSA and any outstanding financial aid requirements. Pennsylvania residents should file the FAFSA by May 1.
• Be enrolled in a degree-seeking program.
• Take courses that count toward your degree or Course Program of Study (CPOS).
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• Maintain at least half-time enrollment to be eligible for all federal loans and some private loans.

Half-time enrollment: If half-time enrollment is required for an aid program listed below, your enrollment status is based on the total number of credits you are enrolled in throughout the entire summer semester. Half-time enrollment is 6 credits for undergraduate and post-baccalaureate certification students and 3 credits for graduate and doctoral students.

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Summer Financial Aid Programs

PA State Grant

Application

• Complete the FAFSA.
• Submit Millersville's Summer Financial Aid Request.
• Submit the Summer PA State Grant Application through PHEAA using GrantUs.

Eligibility

• Be an undergraduate, degree-seeking student.
• Be enrolled at least half-time over a minimum five-week period.
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• Demonstrate financial need according to PHEAA criteria.

Impact on Your Aid

• Counts toward the eight full-time semester maximum for PA State Grant use.
• Using a PA State Grant during the summer may reduce future eligibility.

Disbursement

• PHEAA does not notify Millersville of award amounts until August.
• The PA State Grant cannot be used as a credit toward your summer bill.

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Federal Pell Grant

Application

• Complete the FAFSA. No additional application is required.

Eligibility

• Be an undergraduate, degree-seeking student.
• Meet Course Program of Study (CPOS) and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• Demonstrate financial need according to the FAFSA.

Impact on Your Aid

• Counts toward your Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU), which has a maximum of six years.
• You may be eligible for a full-time summer award if you are enrolled full-time.

Disbursement

• Can be used toward your bill.
• Disburses in August.
• May be adjusted if you drop, fail, or withdraw from a course.

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Federal Direct Loan

Application

• Complete the FAFSA.
• Submit Millersville's Summer Financial Aid Request.
• Indicate that you intend to use federal loans.

Eligibility

• Be an undergraduate or graduate student.
• Be enrolled at least half-time.
• Meet Course Program of Study (CPOS) and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.

Impact on Your Aid

• Uses a portion of your annual loan limit.
• Automatically triggers fall and spring loan processing.
• For flexibility, consider limiting your loan to the amount needed to cover your summer balance.

Disbursement

• Disburses in July.
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill.
• May be adjusted if your enrollment changes before disbursement.

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Federal PLUS Loan (Parent or Graduate)

Application

• Complete the FAFSA.
• Submit Millersville's Summer Financial Aid Request.
• Complete the appropriate Federal PLUS Loan application.
• The borrower must indicate that the loan will be used for the summer.

Eligibility

• Parent PLUS is available for eligible undergraduate students. Grad PLUS is available for eligible legacy graduate students.
• Be enrolled at least half-time.
• Meet Course Program of Study (CPOS) and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards.
• The borrower must pass a credit check.

Impact on Your Aid

• It is strongly recommended that you request the loan for the entire academic year, May 2026 through May 2027, to preserve need-based aid.
• Only borrow what you need.
• Consider limiting the loan to the amount needed to cover your summer balance.
• Fall and spring reductions must be requested separately after bills are issued.

Disbursement

• Disburses in July.
• Can be used toward your bill.
• May be adjusted if your enrollment changes before disbursement.

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Private Loan

Application

• Submit Millersville's Summer Financial Aid Request.
• Apply through a lender of your choice. You may use ELMSelect to research private loan options.
• Indicate on the Summer Financial Aid Request that you intend to use a private loan.

Eligibility

• Eligibility requirements vary by lender.
• Meet Course Program of Study (CPOS) and Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards, if applicable.
• A credit check is required, and a cosigner may be needed.

Impact on Your Aid

• It is strongly recommended that you request the loan for the entire academic year, May 2026 through May 2027, to preserve federal aid eligibility.
• Only borrow what you need.
• Consider limiting the loan to the amount needed to cover your summer balance.
• Fall and spring reductions must be submitted separately after bills are issued.

Disbursement

• Disburses in July.
• Can be used toward your bill.
• May be adjusted if your enrollment changes before disbursement.

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Learn each step of the summer financial aid process, from preparing to apply and submitting your request to checking its review and processing status.

Before You Submit a Summer Financial Aid Request

If you only want grant aid, you are not required to complete the Summer Financial Aid Request Form. You may still submit the form if you choose.

• Federal Pell Grant: If you are eligible, your Pell Grant will be automatically applied based on your enrollment.
• PA State Grant: You must apply directly through PHEAA's GrantUs portal for summer consideration.

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How to Complete Your Summer Financial Aid Request

Step 1: Log In to Student Forms

1. Go to Millersville Student Forms.
2. Log in using your Millersville University credentials.

First time logging in this academic year? You will be prompted to set up your Student Forms account.

Step 2: Go to Manage Requests

1. You will begin on the Needs Action page.
2. Select Manage Requests near the top of the page.

Step 3: Select the Current Aid Year and Add the Form

1. Locate Summer Financial Aid (SFA) under Request Type.
2. Find the section for the current academic year.
3. Select the plus sign next to SFA Request to add the form to your account.

Step 4: Enter Your Reason for the Request

1. Enter a brief explanation for your request in the pop-up window.
2. Select Submit.

Examples of a reason for your request include:

• "I am requesting to use some of my federal loans in summer."
• "I plan to apply for a private loan for summer."

Step 5: Confirm Your Request

After submitting your request, a confirmation message will appear. Select OK to continue.

Step 6: Begin the Form

Select the Summer Financial Aid Request from your Student Forms account to begin completing the form.

Step 7: Complete the Form

Complete all required sections of the Summer Financial Aid Request. As you complete the form:

• Select your program level.
• Read the information for each type of financial aid carefully.
• Select only the financial aid you intend to use.
• Review the information explaining how each type of aid will be used.
• If you plan to apply for a Federal PLUS Loan or private loan, make sure you also complete the required external loan application.
• Acknowledge your understanding of summer financial aid, your request, and your responsibilities.
• If you are requesting loans, consider reducing your overall debt by borrowing only what you need.

Step 8: Submit and Finish Your Request

1. Electronically sign the form.
2. Select Submit to complete the form.
3. Select Finish to send your application to the Office of Financial Aid. If you do not complete this step, the Office of Financial Aid will not receive your application.

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Check the Status of Your Request

After submitting your Summer Financial Aid Request, you can check its status in MAX under Student Requirements on the homepage of your Financial Aid Overview.

Requested

You started the application in Student Forms, but it has not been submitted.

Received, Not Yet Reviewed

The Office of Financial Aid has received your request and is working on entering it into the system.

Ready for Processing

Your information has been received, entered into the system, and placed in the queue for processing.

Satisfied

Your form has been reviewed and completed. You can view your financial aid in MAX under the Offer tab of your Financial Aid Overview.

Denied

Your form has been reviewed, but you are not eligible for the financial aid requested.

Processing Time

Please allow 5-10 business days for your Summer Financial Aid Request to be reviewed and processed.

Important: Your request will not be processed until your summer enrollment matches the enrollment listed on your Summer Financial Aid Request Form.

Review the information about potential processing delays on this page for other circumstances that may delay your request.

Once you submit your Summer Financial Aid (SFA) Request, you can check its status in MAX under Student Requirements on the homepage of your Financial Aid Overview.

Understanding Your Request Status

Requested

You started the application in Student Forms, but it has not been submitted.

Received, Not Yet Reviewed

We received your request and are working on entering it into the system.

Ready for Processing

Your information has been received, entered into the system, and placed in the queue for processing.

Satisfied

Your form has been reviewed and completed. You can view your financial aid in MAX under the Offer tab of your Financial Aid Overview.

Denied

Your form has been reviewed, but you are not eligible for the financial aid requested.

Processing Time

Please allow 7-14 business days for your request to be reviewed and processed.

Important: Your request will not be processed until your summer enrollment matches the enrollment listed on your Summer Financial Aid Request.

Potential Processing Delays

Your Summer Financial Aid Request may take longer to process if any of the following apply:

Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)

If you are at risk of not meeting SAP requirements, your request will be held until Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) reviews are complete.

Incomplete Verification

Processing may be delayed if your FAFSA information requires verification, including documentation related to dependency status, personal identifiers, or other verification requirements.

Outstanding Requirements

Any unresolved financial aid requirements, such as forms, documents, or corrections, must be completed before your request can be processed.

Internal Review

Your request may be delayed if your financial aid eligibility requires additional review, including:

• Pell Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU) review
• Federal Loan Limit Review (LLR)

Enrollment Mismatch

Your summer enrollment must match the enrollment listed on your Summer Financial Aid Request. If your enrollment changes, you must submit a Change of Enrollment form.

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Making Changes to Your Summer Financial Aid Request

If you need to make changes to your Summer Financial Aid (SFA) Request, follow the instructions based on the status of your request.

If Your Request Has Already Been Processed

Submit the appropriate form based on the change you need to make:

• Submit a Change of Enrollment form if you need to update your summer enrollment or credit hours.
• Submit a Loan Change Request form if you need to request an adjustment to your loans.

If Your Request Has Not Been Processed

Contact the Office of Financial Aid at fa.mail@millersville.edu to request a change.

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Other Enrollment Changes

If a change to your enrollment is reported, your financial aid may need to be adjusted. Whether an adjustment is required may depend on when your enrollment changes and whether your financial aid has already been disbursed.

Review the impact of enrollment changes on your financial aid for additional information.

Important Information

• Your Federal Pell Grant will be updated to reflect the amount for which you are eligible, but the adjustment may not happen immediately. Contact the Office of Financial Aid if you need to ask whether the review can be expedited.
• Loan changes are not made automatically. This includes loans you originally requested to cover your bill. You must notify the Office of Financial Aid if you want to adjust your loan amount.

Bill due dates are determined by the Office of Student Accounts (OSA) and depend on the start and end dates of the courses you are enrolled in.

Some types of summer financial aid can be used as a credit toward your bill, while others cannot. Your aid may also be affected by outstanding financial aid requirements or required external applications.

Summer Aid Disbursement and Bill Credits

PA State Grant

• Anticipated disbursement: August
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill: No

Federal Pell Grant

• Anticipated disbursement: August
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill: Yes, if all financial aid requirements are complete.

Federal Direct Loans

• Anticipated disbursement: July 16
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill: Yes, if all financial aid requirements are complete.

Federal PLUS Loans

• Anticipated disbursement: July 16
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill: Yes, if all financial aid requirements are complete.

Private Loans

• Anticipated disbursement: July 16
• Can be used as a credit toward your bill: Yes, if all financial aid requirements are complete.