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Financial Aid for New Students

Complete your FAFSA. If you need our assistance, you can reach us by email or phone. We’re waiting to hear from you.

2023-2024 FAFSA Form (Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Summer 2024)

Due to federal Prior-Prior Year legislation, please know that the 2023-2024 FAFSA was made available on October 1, 2022 to complete. Students and parents will be reporting Prior-Prior Year income within their on-line FAFSA application.

You should file the 2023-2024 FAFSA as soon as it becomes available.

Follow these steps outlined below:

  • Apply for an FSA ID and password here
  • Collect 2021 documents, including income tax returns, W-2 forms, and other records of income to apply. A complete list of what you need can be found at Federal Student Aid.
  • Complete the 2023-2024 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible, to meet school and state aid deadlines. Apply online at Federal Student Aid.  Clayton State University’s federal school code is 008976.

We will receive an electronic copy of the information you submitted on the FAFSA a few days after you complete the FAFSA. Then you will need to log into your DUCK and click on the verification link to view and upload your Financial Aid requirements. Your file will not be reviewed until all signed documents have been submitted.

Keep a copy of any documents that you submit as copies cannot be provided for you at a later date. Please allow a 24-48 hourturn-around period for confirmation of receipt of all forms submitted via fax/mail/drop box/etc. You may check the Duck to confirm receipt of submitted documents after this time.

Your verification paperwork is reviewed for completeness. If any of the materials are missing or incomplete, you will be contacted as to what is needed. The Financial Aid Office may request additional documents from students and parents (of dependent students) after your file is reviewed. Because financial information is student-specific, the Financial Aid Office cannot know exactly what is needed until the initial review is made. Additional documents may be requested from students and parents (of dependent students) when they meet certain circumstances that are not common to every student. The Financial Aid Office is required by the U.S. Department of Education to resolve any conflicting information. In these situations, explanations and/or additional supporting documents may be requested.

After your file is complete, your financial aid counselor will compare the information you submitted on your FAFSA with the information provided in your verification paperwork. If any discrepancies are found, your financial aid counselor will send the necessary corrections electronically to the federal student aid processor.

Need a copy of your Tax Return Transcript to complete your financial aid file? You have three easy and convenient options for getting copies of your federal tax return information (tax return transcript).

  1. Request a copy of your Tax Return Transcript through the IRS's website
  • In the Tools section click "Get a Tax Transcript"
  • Click "Get a Tax Transcript"
  • Enter tax filers identifying information
  • Click "Continue"
  • In the Type of Transcript field select "Return Transcript" and in the Tax Year field select the appropriate tax year
  1. Request transcripts by calling 1-800-908-9946 and following the prompts. At the appropriate prompt, you will need to enter:
  • Enter social security number and the numbers in your street address
  • Select Option 2, IRS Tax Return Transcript, and enter tax year
  1. Order by mail using IRS Form 4506T (Request for Transcript of Tax Return). The IRS does not charge a fee for transcripts. Allow two weeks for delivery. Tax Transcripts must be mailed to your home address, not to Clayton State University.

Financial Aid Priority Deadlines

Semester Date
Fall Semester July 15
Spring Semester November 15
Summer Semester April 15

View the Late Document Policy below


HOPE Awarding Guidelines 

Due to new deadlines set by Georgia Student Finance Commission (GSFC), students cannot be paid state funding more than three months after semester has concluded. 

You can complete the FAFSA online. You should complete your tax form 1040 first and use that information to complete your FAFSA.

Please remember that you must complete a FAFSA for each academic year. For example, if you plan to begin attending Clayton State in Summer Semester and continue in the Fall, you must complete a FAFSA for the academic year that includes Summer AND a FAFSA for the academic year which begins with Fall Semester.

You must have a complete file in the Financial Aid Office by the above stated deadlines. Please see Completing Your File for more detailed information.

Please keep a copy of any documents that you submit to the Financial Aid Office as copies cannot be provided for you at a later date.

Late Document Policy

We will accept your documents after the Financial Aid Priority Deadline listed above with the understanding that the Financial Aid Office will do everything possible to process your financial aid file before the fee payment deadline. Missing documents and incorrect information on your part will only impede our ability to process your file in time. By doing your part correctly, you will help us to help you. In the event we are not able to process your file prior to the deadline, it is your responsibility to make other arrangements to pay your charges. Failure to pay by the fee payment deadline may result in your registration being cancelled.

Late Registration and Late Fee Policy

Students who register during late registration will be assessed a $100 late fee. Students who register during late registration must pay all charges by the fee payment deadline in order to remain enrolled. If your financial aid is not in place by the fee payment deadline, you must pay out of pocket to remain in your classes. You can be reimbursed according to your eligibility after you are awarded.

Fall Semester 2023 August 28
*October 23 *(for students who do not attend at all until the second session)
Spring Semester 2024 January 22
*Mid-Term *(for students who do not attend at all until the second session)
Summer Semester 2024 TBD
*Mid-Term *(for students who do not attend at all until the second session)

Students must be enrolled and attending at least half-time before they can receive a loan. However, because loans are now processed and disbursed differently with Direct Lending, hours added after the freeze date that bring the student to half-time enrollment can be used to determine loan eligibility at the time of disbursement.

In accordance with federal regulations, Clayton State University establishes a “freeze date” each semester to determine a student’s enrollment status for disbursing federal grants including the Federal Pell Grant and SEOG. Funds will only pay for courses that are required for your major and are added before the freeze date. Hours will be frozen at the end of the drop/add period. Students must be registered for all parts of term before the freeze date to receive federal grants for those classes. Federal grants will not be adjusted for classes added after hours have been frozen.

Students who are retroactively awarded federal aid (after the freeze date) will have hours frozen at the time the award is made and payment will be based on current enrollment at that time. Students who drop (not withdraw) a second session course will have their hours adjusted down. Students may not receive aid for a second session class for which they receive a 100% refund.

The freeze date applies only to federal grants. HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, and ACCEL funds may be increased for additional classes when applicable.

Example 1 - Here’s an example of how the freeze date affects the amount of financial aid Bill received:

Bill Smith is receiving only federal grants. He started attending classes on January 11. Schedule adjustment period was January 11 through the 14. The financial aid freeze date occurred on January 15. Here is a history of when he enrolled in the courses:

No. of Credits Date When Bill Enrolled or Added Credits
6 December 18
3 January 4
3 January 20
12 Total credits Bill is taking in the Spring

As you can see, Bill is taking a total of 12 credits in the spring and he will be charged for 12 credits. However, his federal grant received is based on 9 credits and not 12, since this was the number of credits in which he was enrolled on the financial aid freeze date of January 15.

Example 2 - Here's an example of how the freeze date affects the amount of financial aid Mary received.

Mary Jones is receiving both federal grants and HOPE Scholarship. She started attending classes on January 11. Schedule adjustment period was January 11 through the 14. The financial aid freeze date occurred on January 15. Here is a history of when she enrolled in the courses:

No. of Credits Date When Mary Enrolled or Added Credits
6 December 18
3 January 4
3 January 20
12 Total credits Mary is taking in the Spring

As you can see, Mary is taking a total of 12 credits in the spring and she will be charged for 12 credits. Her federal grants received is based on 9 credits since this was the number of credits in which she was enrolled on the financial aid freeze date of January 15. However, because HOPE Scholarship is not a federal fund, Mary can receive HOPE Scholarship for 12 credit hours. (Mary may need to contact the Financial Aid Office or the Bursar’s Office in order to have those HOPE Scholarship funds applied since she is no longer able to click on “How Much Do I Owe” herself.) Please note that Mary’s federal grants such as Pell, SEOG, etc. is still paid based on 9 credit hours.