The Financial Aid Process can be very daunting, but we're here to help you. We have a checklist available for you to use.  You can apply for financial aid by following three easy steps or check out our step-by-step instructions below. 

Step 1:

Create an FSA ID at StudentAid.gov. This will be your login into the FAFSA. *If you are a dependent student, your parents should also create an FSA ID as they will need to sign your FAFSA as well.

Step 2:

Apply online for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at StudentAid.gov. Indicate Eastern's school code 003259 in the school release section of the application.  Not sure if you have to provide your parent's information on the FAFSA?  Check out this helpful guide. 

Which FAFSA Should I File?

You can now file your 2025-2026 FAFSA using your 2023 tax information. This FAFSA should be filed for coursework taken in Summer 2025, Fall 2025, and/or Spring 2026.  The 2026-2027 FAFSA is available now and uses your 2024 tax information.  This FAFSA should be filed for coursework taken in Summer 2026, Fall 2026, and/or Spring 2027.  

Step 3:

The processor sends information electronically to schools listed on the FAFSA and sends a Student Aid Report (SAR) to you. After applying for the FAFSA on the web, you will receive a Student Aid Report in about 3-5 days. The Financial Aid Office will receive this document electronically.

Step 4:

Check your my.Eastern.edu account to see if any additional information is needed.

Step 5:

If you were picked for Verification by the Federal Processor (you will find this information on your SAR and on my.Eastern.edu) you will need to refer to your my.Eastern.edu account to view missing requirements. All need-based financial aid will remain on HOLD until this process is completed. 

Step 6:

Send all requested documents to Eastern's Financial Aid Office for processing. If any of the items below are listed on your my.Eastern.edu account, make sure to review the details of what information is needed.

• Citizenship Document
• Educational Purpose Statement
• High School Completion
• Proof of Independence
• Military Status Confirmation

Step 7:

Eastern notifies you of your eligibility in the form of a Financial Aid Package. New students will receive their first Financial Aid Package via a mailed paper copy; any further Financial Aid Packages will be sent via email notification. Continuing students will receive an email notification. We determine your financial aid eligibility using the Cost of Attendance (COA), the Student Aid Index (SAI), and your Financial Need.

• The COA figure is made up of direct costs to the student (tuition, room, board, and fees) and related educational expenses (living, transportation, books and supplies and other miscellaneous expenses).  To get exact billable costs for the current academic year, please visit the Tuition & Fees Schedules.  View your program's COA budget.
• The SAI figure is determined from the results of a submitted FAFSA form.  It measures the family's financial ability to contribute to a student's education.  This is not related in any way to the amount you will be billed or that you may pay, and is the same number regardless of the college or university you attend.
• The Financial Need figure is determined by taking the COA and subtracting the SAI (example: $42,242- 12,000= $30,242).  The Financial Need figure represents the amount used by the Financial Aid Office to determine eligibility in all aid programs. It is our goal to meet as much of your Financial Need as possible with the resources available using Federal, State, and Institutional funds.

Step 8:

You will then accept or decline aid offered on my.Eastern.edu.

Please Note: There are some additional steps in the process when applying for any of the Federal Direct Loan Programs (Federal Direct Subsidized, Federal Direct Unsubsidized, and Federal Direct Parent PLUS). Specific information will be included with your financial aid award offer. 

Financial aid is awarded for one academic year at a time.  Funds are applied to the Eastern student account once the following conditions are met:

• The student is determined to be eligible and is awarded.
• The student is determined to be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
• The student is enrolled in the correct number of credit hours.
• The disbursement date for the reporting term has been reached.

Funds will be applied to the Eastern student account shortly after the term two add/drop period each reporting term.  We continue to release funds throughout the semester as students are awarded and as funds arrive from outside agencies or lenders.

A Special Note: Eastern University allows all students (not just Federal Pell Grant recipients) to charge to their student account required books and supplies at the on-campus bookstore. This practice meets the special provision for books and supplies as shown below:

In order to academically succeed in a program, a student must be able to purchase books and supplies at the beginning of the academic period. Therefore, by the seventh day of a payment period (semester), a school must provide a way for a student who is eligible for a Federal Pell Grant to obtain or purchase the books and supplies required for the payment period if:

• ten days before the beginning of the payment period, the school could have disbursed FSA funds to the student; and
• disbursement of those funds would have created a FSA credit balance.

To meet this requirement, students are permitted to assign bookstore charges to their student account.  Additionally, many of our programs offer book fees as part of the program charges.

• You have changed your enrollment or housing status or your anticipated enrollment changed. 
  We anticipate estimated enrollment credits to provide a financial aid package prior to enrollment.  If students do not enroll for the estimated number of credits, we may need to make adjustments to the COA and aid.  For students that make any changes to their enrollment after receiving an aid package (i.e. full-time to part-time, etc.) or a change to their housing status (i.e. resident to commuter), these changes must be reported via an email to the Financial Aid Office (finaid@eastern.edu) as soon as possible. This change could impact financial aid eligibility.  
• Your anticipated length of enrollment changed.
  For students who are enrolled in our accelerated 7 week term programs, we anticipate that students will enroll in both 7 week terms (though not required) within the reporting term (i.e. Summer 1 and Summer 2).  If a student only enrolls in one term, we will need to update the student's COA budget to reflect the expenses for that length of enrollment (i.e. 7 weeks vs. 14 weeks).
• You received outside sources of aid.
  Federal Regulations require students who are receiving any outside sources of financial assistance (scholarships, grants, loans) to notify the Financial Aid Office. All outside awards, whether based on academic merit or financial need, will be counted as a source of aid and will be added to the total financial aid package. This may result in a reduction of other aid, such as loans or work study.
• You have declined aid.
  You have the option of declining any of the financial aid awarded to you via my.Eastern.edu. If your financial aid changes, you will receive notification.
• You have withdrawn (W or NC) from a course(s), did not attend a course(s), or failed a course.
  If you do not complete a course, we are required to review your enrollment to see if you are enrolled and completed other coursework to determine if changes need to be made to your aid package.  If so, you will receive an email notification.

Students must apply for financial aid each year. Financial aid eligibility is dependent upon the availability of institutional funds and demonstration of need (as defined by filing the FAFSA). If you do not plan on filing the FAFSA next year, please let us know! Send an email to finaid@eastern.edu.

A few things to keep in mind:

• Eastern aid can be awarded for a maximum of 8 full-time semesters. (For traditional undergraduate students only - Fall/Spring- exception if FastPass & FastPassLite- these funds are only available in the summer to traditional undergraduate students who meet certain requirements)
• Students must meet the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress each year.
• Receipt of funds during one academic year is NOT a guarantee of the same award in future years!

If you find that your situation has changed since you filed the FAFSA, then please notify the Financial Aid Office via email- finaid@eastern.edu.  Include your name, Eastern student ID#, and a brief explanation of your circumstances.  Your financial aid is based on the results of the FAFSA, so it is important that we stay informed to ensure that you are receiving the most accurate and realistic financial aid package possible. We can take into consideration situations such as divorce/separation, death/disability of a family member, unreimbursed medical expenses, unemployment/reduction in income, and sibling private school or college tuition bill.  

Please note - this process will require us to collect additional paperwork from you. The specific documentation needed will be provided to you in response to your email request.