General Financial Aid FAQ's - Email
You may find the information you seek in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) below.
If you still have quesitions, you can email our customer service team at fin_aid@jmu.edu.
Financial aid funds are provided from federal, state, and institutional sources, which are administered by a financial aid office. Broadly speaking, two categories of financial aid exist: gift aid (grants and scholarships) and self help (loans and employment).
Will an application for aid affect my admission decision?
How and when do I apply for aid at JMU?
All students interested in federal aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and submit it to the federal processing center. To receive priority financial aid consideration at JMU, the FAFSA must be received at the federal processor by March 1st prior to the academic year you will be attending. For example, if you will begin at JMU in Fall 2014, then March 1, 2014 is your FAFSA priority filing date. The FAFSA can be obtained from your high school guidance counselor, your college's financial aid office, or online at www.fafsa.gov.
In completing the FAFSA, read all directions carefully. Errors cause delays!
You will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal government shortly after filing your FAFSA. If you submit the FAFSA on-line, then you will receive your SAR electronically. If corrections are necessary, make them, and send the corrected SAR back to the federal processing center.
What if I do not apply by the priority filing date?
You can still apply for financial aid after the priority filing date, but some funds may be limited.
Are there any forms other than the FAFSA to complete when applying for aid?
The FAFSA is the only form required to apply for all forms of federal (including the Parent PLUS Direct Loan), state, and institutional (grants) financial aid during the fall and spring terms at JMU. In the summer an additional institutional form is required, but that only applies to summer.
There are additional forms that need to be completed to accept Federal Direct Loans, Federal Perkins Loans, Federal Work-Study, Federal Grad PLUS Direct Loan, and Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loans. These will all be outlined when the student and/or parent is notified of his/her financial aid eligibility, and are only necessary should a student or parents wish to accept any of these programs that are offered.
Will my financial aid be renewed each year?
How is my financial aid determined?
Are non-Virginia residents eligible for assistance?
Can I receive additional financial aid for study abroad?
Do students with a higher need qualify for more money?
Am I guaranteed aid if I demonstrate need?
In order to be eligible to receive financial assistance, you must be making satisfactory progress toward graduation as defined by the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships and federal regulations. State and federal aid programs (including Parent PLUS Direct Loan and Graduate PLUS Direct Loan) are included under this policy. In addition, some institutional programs are subject to this policy as well. A copy of JMU's Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy can be found at www.jmu.edu/financialaid/learn/sap/index.
Students not meeting the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress standards cannot receive federal or state financial aid. However, an appeal process is available for students who are not meeting the standards due to extenuating circumstances. If the appeal is approved, then it is possible to receive federal and/or state financial aid. If the appeal is denied, then students must secure financial assistance from other sources until they begin meeting the minimum standards. Some private loan lenders will approve loans for students who do not meet the minimum Satisfactory Academic Progress standards.
How will I receive my financial aid?
How will I know what awards I'm receiving?
Returning JMU Students
The process of notifying returning students of their financial aid eligibility for the next academic year starts in the end of June. When awarded, returning students are sent an e-mail to their JMU e-mail account directing them to MyMadison to accept or decline their financial aid offer, as well as submit any other forms needed to complete the application process. Paper financial aid award notices are not sent to returning students.
Prospective & First Time JMU Students
The process of sending preliminary financial aid award notices to prospective students for a new academic year begins around the first of April. Students cannot accept any financial aid based on the receipt of a preliminary financial aid award notice. Notices will be sent electronically to the same e-mail address used by the Admissions Office when students are notified that they have been accepted to JMU. Aid can only be accepted after a student has received an official financial aid award notice. The process of sending official financial aid award notices to first time students for a new academic year starts around the end of June. These notices will be sent electronically to the student’s JMU e-mail account with directions to go to MyMadison in order to accept or decline a financial aid offer, as well as submit any other forms needed to complete the application process.
Parents
Parents of a first time or returning student who are eligible to apply for a Federal Parent PLUS Direct Loan are mailed a paper Financial Aid Parent PLUS Direct Loan Award Notice explaining their Parent PLUS Direct Loan eligibility. The notice contains instructions regarding how to apply for this loan. The award notice is sent to parents at the same time students are notified of their eligibility, as ONLY a parent can accept a Parent PLUS Direct Loan. They may apply for a Parent PLUS Direct Loan by completing the following documents:
- FAFSA. If your student received a Financial Aid Award Notice, then you already completed the FAFSA.
- Parent PLUS Direct Loan Application
- Parent PLUS Direct Loan Master Promissory Note
- Go to MyMadison
- Enter E-ID and Password
- Under “Student,” “Student Center,” “Finances,” click “Accept/Decline Financial Aid”
- Click on the applicable award year (e.g., “2015” for the 2014-15 academic year)
- Click in the “Accept” box for the Direct Loan (the Direct Loan is the only loan that can be accepted at MyMadison). If you were offered a Perkins Loan, please click on the words “Perkins Loan” and follow the instructions given.
- Hit the “Submit” button
Grad PLUS Direct Loan borrowers cannot accept their loans in MyMadison. They may apply for a Grad PLUS Direct Loan by completing the following documents:
- FAFSA. If you received a Financial Aid Award Notice, then you already completed the FAFSA.
- Grad PLUS Direct Loan Application
- Entrance Loan Counseling
- Grad PLUS Direct Loan Master Promissory Note
Please review the Self Service Instructions here to learn more about the financial aid acceptance process for loans.