Requesting financial aid for the summer term is a separate process from the Fall and Spring semesters.  During the summer, financial aid is extremely limited.  Typically, a student’s eligibility for summer financial aid is limited to remaining Lottery Scholarships, Pell Grants, or Stafford Loans from the 2009-2010 academic year.

To Apply

1. Must have included MTSU on the 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). If you already have a 2009-2010 FAFSA on file, you do not have to complete it again for summer. If you are transferring to MTSU, make sure that MTSU is listed as one of the schools authorized to receive your results.  To add MTSU (school code of 003510), you may update your FAFSA online.
2. Must be maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress.
3. Must be admitted as a degree-seeking student.  Transient students (i.e., students who plan to attend MTSU in the summer but transfer the credits back to another university) are NOT eligible for federal financial aid at MTSU.  If the Financial Aid Office at the other university is willing to pay your summer aid and initiate a Consortium Agreement, then MTSU will be glad to sign the Consortium Agreement.  However, the other university is not required to initiate a Consortium Agreement.
4. Must submit the Summer 2010 Financial Aid Request Form to the Financial Aid Office. Generally, the form will be available in mid-March. Aid will not be processed until you register for Summer courses. After you register, allow at least 2 weeks for your request to be processed.
   

NOTE:  If your professors report that you ‘Never Attended’ or ‘Stop Attending’ your courses, your summer financial aid may be cancelled.

Financial Aid Refunds

• Typically, refunds are available at the start of your first enrolled summer class
• Recommend that the student establish Direct Deposit with the Business Office (financial aid refunds are deposited into the student’s designated bank account)

Types of Aid

1.   Tennessee Educational Lottery Scholarship

• Must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 undergraduate credit hours
• Typically, did not attend full-time (12 credit hours) in the Fall and/or Spring
• Awards are tentative until Spring grades are posted and Lottery eligibility can be confirmed

2.   Pell Grant

• Generally, must be enrolled in a minimum of 6 undergraduate credit hours.
• Will be awarded after you register for Summer courses.
• Award will be prorated based on the hours enrolled.

3.  Stafford Loan

• Enrolled for at least half-time (6 undergraduate or 5 graduate credit hours)
• Has not borrowed the annual loan limits during the Fall and/or Spring semesters (See below)
• Listed below are examples regarding loan eligibility for the Summer

Example 1

Sally is a dependent sophomore and is eligible for $6,500 in Stafford Loan funds for the academic year. Sally received $3,250 in the Fall and $3,250 in the Spring. She has no remaining loan eligibility for Summer (she did not change grade levels and become a junior).

Example 2

Wanda is a dependent sophomore and is eligible for $6,500 in Stafford Loan funds for the academic year. Wanda received $2,250 in the Fall and $2,250 in the Spring.  Wanda will have $2,000 remaining loan eligibility for Summer. 

Example 3

Ricky is a dependent sophomore and is eligible for $6,500 in Stafford Loan funds for the academic year. He received $3,250 in the Fall and $3,250 in the Spring.  After Spring grades are posted, he becomes a junior. His annual loan amount increases to $7,500. He has $1,000 of remaining eligibility for Summer.

Federal Direct Loan Eligibility
Class Level	Yearly Maximum Available for Loans	Additional Unsubsidized (Independent or dependent with PLUS denial)
Freshman (0-29 hrs)	$ 5,500   (No more than 3,500 in subsidized)	$ 4,000 (2,000 per semester)
Sophomore (30-59 hrs)	$ 6,500   (No more than 4,500 in subsidized)	$ 4,000 (2,000 per semester)
Junior (60-89 hrs)	$ 7,500   (No more than 5,500 in subsidized)	$ 5,000 (2,500 per semester)
Senior (90 or more hrs)	$ 7,500   (No more than 5,500 in subsidized)	$ 5,000 (2,500 per semester)
Graduate	$ 20,500 (No more than 8,500 in subsidized)
Federal Direct Maximum Aggregate Limits
Dependent undergraduate	$31,000   (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized)
Independent undergraduate	$57,500   (no more than $23,000 of which can be subsidized)
Graduate	$138,500 (no more than $65,500 of which can be subsidized)

4.  Private Loans

• Additional aid may be obtained through a private education loan program
• May apply online at the private lender’s web site and follow the lender’s instructions 
• In most cases, the lender will require the school to certify school information (e.g., Cost of Attendance and other financial aid questions)