1.  You can find detailed information on the financial aid application process, "JMU Terms and Conditions for Financial Aid," and available sources of assistance, such as student employment, grants, loans, and scholarships, at www.jmu.edu/finaid. 

 

2.  The FAFSA must be completed to apply for all federal and state aid, as well as certain types of scholarships.  Having your FAFSA reach the federal processor by the March 1^st priority filing date could increase your aid eligibility.

 

3.  The acronym "FAFSA" stands for "Free Application for Federal Student Aid."  The questions are not always intuitive, so please read the instructions carefully.

 

4.  Don't forget that financial aid is tied to your academic performance, so you must meet JMU's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements to maintain financial aid eligibility.

 

5.  Returning students should apply for our office's scholarships early in the spring semester each year.  The scholarships are not automatically renewed.

 

6.  Since most of our business is conducted with you, the student, it is very important that you be an informed consumer.  It is okay for parents to help with the forms, but if you let them fill everything out for you, you will be unprepared to make important decisions down the road.

 

7.  Very rarely will you get enough gift aid to cover all your expenses.  In some cases, you may not get any gift aid, so be prepared to pay at least some of your expenses yourself, which may include borrowing a loan.

 

8.  Because we are a public, state institution, most of our gift aid goes to Virginia residents with high financial need.  Assistance to non-Virginia residents is mainly limited to the student and parent loans.

 

9.  JMU employs over 3400 students on campus.  Approximately 300 of students are employed through the Federal Work Study Program, and the remaining 3100 students are employed through Institutional Employment.

 

10.  The individual academic departments administer merit scholarships at JMU.  Be aware of your own department's deadlines and apply accordingly.