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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) ensures that you can benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high school if you meet eligibility requirements. Administrated by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), federal student aid plays a central and essential role in supporting postsecondary education by providing money for qualified college students.
The FAFSA helps determine your eligibility for federal student aid programs along with state financial aid programs that may be available, including Pell Grants and work-study programs.
The application process begins after Oct. 1. Some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so you are encouraged to complete a FAFSA form as soon as possible. Please visit the FAFSA website to start the process and to review any additional updates.
2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Updates and Information
See the latest information from GCU in processing FAFSA awards.
Getting ready to fill out your FAFSA? Make sure you have several pieces of information handy when you start to fill out the form.
The DDX automatically transfers tax information into the FAFSA form. This information will come directly from the IRS rather than from students and families. If you are unable to utilize DDX, you may enter the data from your tax returns.
Through Federal Student Aid, the U.S. Department of Education awards more than $120 billion a year in grants, work-study funds and low-interest loans to approximately 13 million students.1 Federal student aid covers expenses such as tuition and fees, food and housing, books and supplies and transportation. Aid can also help pay for other related expenses, such as a computer and dependent care. Thousands of schools across the country participate in federal student aid programs.
If you qualify for and receive a federal grant, you typically do not have to repay the money, unless the requirements of the grant are not followed. This helps offset the cost of school, but you may still need additional help. If so, a federal student loan may be your answer. Remember, a student loan is just like any other loan: It is borrowed money that will have to be repaid with interest.
To learn more about budgeting, borrowing and repayment, as well as review a glossary of terms, visit studentaid.ed.gov. To learn how to manage your money in college and beyond please visit ECMC Financial Literacy Program.
Find answers to commonly asked questions about student loans, including details about repayment.
GCU is committed to helping students navigate the student loan process. Learn more about your available student loan options.
The purpose of student financial aid is to provide resources to you if you would otherwise be unable to pursue a postsecondary education. The primary responsibility for meeting university costs lies with you and your family.
To receive financial assistance, you must be:
If you are admitted to a degree program on a provisional or conditional basis, you may be eligible for financial assistance according to the university's admission policy. According to federal regulations, financial aid recipients must be U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens; must not owe a refund on grants previously received under the Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant or the Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) program; or be in default on any federal student loans borrowed from federal funding.
Verification is a process used to verify the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA. Some students are selected for verification by ED. Others are selected by the school. If you were selected by the Department of Education, you will be notified on your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS).
There are several possible reasons for being selected for verification. Keep in mind that more possibilities exist, but the following are the main reasons:
After you receive notification that you have been selected for verification, you should first read any messages from ED appearing on the FSS. Contact your university counselor or student services counselor if you have any questions.
Next, please submit any documents requested via your Student Portal. These could include a variety of different documents such as any federal tax W-2s, transcripts or verification worksheets. The type of documents required varies from student to student, and not all students selected for FAFSA verification must submit the same documents.
Once you have all the documentation requested, submit them through your Student Portal. Only turn in documentation that is requested which will expedite processing. All information submitted must be used in the calculation of your awards and Student Aid Index (SAI).
After you turn in all required documents, the information is compared to your FSS. If errors are found, corrections are made. If the errors are significant enough to change your awards, you are notified of the changes through an updated financial aid offer which can be found on your Student Portal.
If you are selected for verification, you need to return the information and requested documentation as soon as possible. Processing usually takes 30 days but could take longer at the start of a new aid year. Because verification must be completed in advance of disbursing any money from any financial aid program, it is vital to send complete and correct information as quickly as possible.
Above all else, do not be upset because you were selected for verification. This is a process that is required by the federal government. (Errors discovered in your report could actually increase your eligibility for more aid.) You may also be asked to provide additional information/clarification.
Traditional undergraduate students must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per semester to be considered full-time students and receive full financial aid benefits. Enrollment in fewer than 12 credits may result in a prorated portion of some financial aid programs.
To receive full financial aid benefits in the online modality, undergraduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 24 credits in an academic year. Graduate students must be enrolled in a minimum of 16 credits and doctoral students in a minimum of 12 credits. Financial aid is not available for enrollment in any zero-credit coursework.
To receive any institutional scholarships (i.e., academic, departmental, endowed and/or merit), you must maintain the required enrollment status. Courses taken at other colleges do not count as enrollment at Grand Canyon University for financial aid or scholarship purposes.
If you receive additional outside assistance, you must report these amounts to GCU via the Additional Funding Sources document available for you to complete electronically through your Student Portal.
If you have received any Title IV aid from a prior school, or if you are currently receiving Title IV aid at another institution while attending GCU, you must notify the Office of Financial Aid through your assigned university counselor or student services counselor. This other source of funding may affect your eligibility to receive maximum Title IV aid with GCU.
You must do the following:
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated from the information reported on the FAFSA and according to a formula established by law. Family income and assets are considered in determining the SAI along with family size. The SAI can be found on the FSS, which is generated from information reported on the FAFSA. The SAI replaced the EFC starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA. The minimum SAI is negative 1500. Negative SAIs are converted to zeroes when determining financial need.
To determine financial need for federal student aid programs, the EFC is subtracted from the cost of attendance (COA). The COA is the total anticipated amount it will cost to go to school for a year.
COA - SAI = Financial Need
Federal grants and other financial aid are used to meet financial need. A financial aid offer is generated after all documents are received and funds have been awarded. Any changes made to original FAFSA answers may result in a change in financial aid award amounts. If your financial aid record is selected for verification, any changes made during the verification process may also change financial aid award amounts.
Those with unusual or special circumstances that may impact their need or ability to contribute to their education should refer to the University Policy Handbook and review the Professional Judgment/Special Circumstances section under Financial Services.
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is evaluated at the end of every semester for traditional undergraduate students and at the completion of every payment period for online undergraduate and graduate students who attend GCU. You are required to maintain SAP toward the completion of your degree to maintain your eligibility for all institutional, state and federal financial aid awards.
Every course in which you enroll, and attend is counted for the evaluation of maintaining SAP. GCU does not provide an opportunity for you to audit a course; therefore, only courses attempted for credit are included in the evaluation of your progress. Additionally, there are no remedial courses offered at GCU; therefore, all courses included in the evaluation are applicable to your program of study. All courses in which you are awarded a grade of P/F, which may or may not impact your GPA, are included in the evaluation of quantitative progress.
SAP includes two equal components that are referred to as qualitative and quantitative measurements. The qualitative measurement applies to all students and is consistent with the university's academic warning, suspension and expulsion policies.
Undergraduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 for all GCU coursework. Graduate students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 for all GCU coursework. Grade point values are assigned to specific grades according to the grading system and are used to compute a grade point average (GPA). Only those courses in which a letter grade (A – F) is earned are included in the calculation of the GPA.
You must demonstrate progress toward degree completion if you are receiving financial aid. Federal regulations require you to complete your program of study within a measured maximum timeframe that cannot exceed 150 percent of the published length of the program. To determine the quantitative SAP component, the number of required credits to earn a degree is multiplied by 150 percent, which would be the maximum number of attempted credit hours for which you can receive aid. (For example, if 120 credit hours were needed to earn a degree, multiply 120 by 150 percent, which would equal 180 credit hours.) At the end of each semester or payment period, you must have completed and earned at least 67 percent of the cumulative credit hours attempted. Failed grades (F) are counted as attempted credits but are not counted as earned credits. Incomplete courses and withdrawals do not count as earned credits but are counted as attempted credits. Credits earned for repeated coursework, in addition to the original credits, are counted as both attempted and earned credits.
You will be placed on SAP warning if you fail to maintain the minimum requirements listed above. The warning period provides one semester for traditional students or one completed payment period for online students.
At the end of the warning period, your progress is evaluated to determine if you now meet the quantitative and qualitative SAP standards. If so, you will be returned to good standing. If you fail to meet the minimum SAP standards at the end of your warning status, you will be placed on suspension and will not be eligible to receive any federal financial aid during your financial aid suspension period.
Transfer and re-admitted students must follow the above referenced SAP policy. Accepted prior credits and transfer credits are calculated as part of the measured maximum time frame component. (For example, if 120 credits hours were needed to earn a degree, 40 credits have transferred in that apply to the degree, multiply 80 [120-40] by 150 percent, which would equal 120 credit hours). Once you have completed the requirements for the program of study, you will not be eligible to receive additional financial aid.
Below you will find a collection of forms and documents to help you begin the process of applying for financial aid. For more information about filling out these forms, contact your university counselor or student services counselor.
Forbearances:
Deferments:
In-school status is automatically submitted to the Department of Education once students start a course or term, effective with the start of the course or term. We recommend that you submit this form to your counselor only if you are in repayment status for more than 30 to 60 days after starting the course or term.
GCU offers scholarships, grants and financial aid opportunities to help make your education more affordable. Learn about your financing options.
To minimize debt, and graduate with the least amount of debt possible, GCU encourages students to accept the most beneficial sources of financial assistance first, such as scholarships, grants, work-study (if eligible), student worker positions, and GCU’s interest-free payment plan options. Compare the terms of federal loans before applying for private loans. Please review the terms and conditions of student loans, including grace periods and payment plan options.
1 U.S. Department of Education. (2025, Jan. 14). Federal Student Aid. Retrieved Feb. 3, 2025.
