Understanding Timelines & Processes

Application Available Every October 1.  The FAFSA is always the first step in the process and something you need to complete every year you plan to be enrolled.

Did you know there are always two FAFSA applications open at a time?  Once October 1 is here, you want to complete the latest version available to apply for aid during the upcoming academic year.

📅 Millersville's academic year spans from May to May.

🔔 Complete FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize your aid opportunities.

⏰ PA residents, file no later than May 1 to be considered for a grant.

Taking classes in the summer? After you complete the FAFSA, you must complete a Summer Aid Application to use financial aid for the summer. Summer isn't a standard aid term, so you have to let us know the type of aid you want to use. It's important to understand how summer aid can affect the fall and spring semesters. 

☀️ Click here to learn more about summer aid and how it works. 

When does Millersville receive the FAFSA? While you can start completing the FAFSA in October, the Financial Aid Office won't begin to receive applications from the Department of Education's (ED) Federal Student Aid (FSA).

🔒 Schools can't create Financial Aid Offers until they begin to receive FAFSAs.

⏳The FAFSA then requires processing time to analyze the data on your application and the Student Aid Index (SAI) you were assigned after completing the form.

🔓 Schools use this data—your Student Aid Index (SAI) and the Cost of Attendance (COA) of the school—to determine the types federal aid you will be eligible for.

The Office of Financial Aid begins sending aid offers in mid-February for new students and mid-June for returning students. Here's what you need to know:

✅ Aid Offers can only be sent if we have a complete and valid FAFSA on file. Your admission status (confirmed or unconfirmed) and your student type (prospective first-time or transfer student versus current or returning student) will dictate when you receive it.

📩 Aid offers are sent electronically via email. They continue on a rolling basis as new FAFSA applications are received and as new students are admitted.

⚠️ Your electronic aid offer is a snapshot in time. If your awards change or you receive additional funds, your initial Aid Offer will NOT update automatically.

Refer to your student type in the sections below for more details on when to expect your aid offer,  how to access more detailed information, and the types of aid you may see.

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📅 When to Expect Your Aid Offer

The date you are accepted to Millersville and the timeframe that we receive your FAFSA dictates when and how you receive your Financial Aid Offer.

✅ Aid Offers begin to go out mid-February for students with a completed FAFSA on file.

🚫 We cannot generate an aid offer without a FAFSA!

📑 Financial Aid Offers will continue to be sent on a rolling basis as students are admitted to Millersville and as new FAFSA applications are received and processed.

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🎓 Why Your Admissions Decision and FAFSA Submission Date Matter

It's important to know where you are in the Admissions process to understand the timing of your aid offer. It also determines how you receive your aid offer!

📝  Preliminary Aid Offers: Prospective students receive a preliminary aid offer before committing to Millersville University. After committing and officially becoming an MU student, additional financial aid requirements must be completed to ensure aid is applied to their bill.

✅ Confirmed Aid Offers: Students submitting the FAFSA after they have committed to MU will receive their aid offer as soon as we receive a completed FAFSA—pending there are no identity or verification requirements.

🔑 Account Access: Starting in mid-February, students who have committed to MU can view their financial aid information through their myVILLE and MAX accounts.

Once we start to send aid offers in mid-February, check below to see which scenario fits you best at that moment. It will help you determine when you will get your aid offer. 

💡 Pro Tip: Once you are officially a student, all communications from our office (and many offices across campus) will go to your MU email.

💡 Pro Tip: Even if you received an Aid Offer before you committed, you may still have additional tasks or financial aid requirements to complete for your aid to be finalized.

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🎓 What to do when you receive your aid offer

1) Double-check that your enrollment, housing, and other information looks accurate. Some changes can affect your financial aid and your estimated balance due if they were to change from what is listed on your initial aid offer. 

⚙️ Receiving additional aid resources or made updates to your FAFSA? Email us so we can make sure you have the right information on your account.

🏠 Making a change to your housing plans? To officially update your housing plans, contact Admissions first. Once it’s confirmed—send us an email so we can ensure your aid is accurate.

📝 Is your anticipated enrollment wrong? Once you are committed to MU, let us know your enrollment plans by completing the 2025-2026 Change of Enrollment Form. If your enrollment is different from what was expected, it could delay the [payment of your aid. 

2) Use your Aid Offer to help you plan. But remember—it's a snapshot in time, and it is NOT your official bill.

➕ If you had a positive balance due after your offered aid: Use the Payment Resources provided to research your options to cover the gap. Use the amounts listed as a guide for the annual amount needed. 

🔘 If you had a zero balance due after aid: That means your bill should be covered if you complete all of your financial aid requirements to finalize your aid, there are no changes to your enrollment, housing, or charges. You are off to the right start, but keep checking your account to ensure nothing unexpected pops up.

➖ If you have a negative balance due after your offered aid: You have more financial aid than your charges. Consider reducing any loans on your account first. If you do not have any loans and still have excess aid, you will receive those funds in a refund to assist with other educational expenses. 

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📍 navigating your financial aid

Need to check your financial aid requirements, see updates to your account, or view real-time financial aid information?

🔗 Go to: millersville.edu/logins ➡️ myVILLE Student Portal 

• Finances Tab ➡️ VIEW REQUIREMENTS IN MAX 
• Financial Aid ➡️ Financial Aid Overview 
• Scroll down through the home page and click on the different tabs.

MAX: Your portal to view real-time financial aid information.

• FA Overview Home: View important Messages, check and complete Financial Aid Requirements
• Offer Tab: Compare your anticipated and actual enrollment, check for updates to your awards, accept your Aid Offer
• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): View your Status and ensure continued eligibility for federal and state aid.

 Reminders: 

✅ Aid Offers can only be sent if we have a complete and valid FAFSA on file. Your admission status (confirmed or unconfirmed) and your student type (prospective first-time or transfer student vs current or returning student) will dictate when you receive it.

📩 Aid offers are sent electronically via email. They continue on a rolling basis as new FAFSA applications are received and as new students are admitted.

⚠️ Your electronic aid offer is a snapshot in time. If your awards change or you receive additional funds, your initial aid offer willnot update automatically.

When to Expect Your Aid Offer

✅ Aid Offers begin in early to mid-June for returning students with a completed FAFSA on file.

✅ Aid Offers will continue to be sent on a rolling basis as new FAFSA's are recieved and SAP (Satisfactory Academic Progress) reviews are complete.

🚨 Why Timing Matters

🚫 We cannot generate an aid offer until your SAP is reviewed; and we can't review your SAP until we receive your FAFSA!

🕐 SAP reviews begin mid-May after spring grades post. We have to verify that you meet eligibility requirements before your aid is processed.

📬 Where Will Your Aid Offer Be Sent?

Your electronic aid offer will be sent to your Millersville email account once it is ready.

Since the electronic aid offer is just a snapshot in time, don't forget that you have access to your MAX account where you can view real time financial aid awards and other information.

•  Go to: millersville.edu/logins ➡️ myVILLE Student Portal > Click on New MAX > Financial Aid > Financial Aid Overview ➡️ Click the Offer Tab

💡 Pro Tip: Take advantage of the extra time you have to ensure your FAFSA is completed, that MU's financial aid office has received it and that all of your financial aid requirements are complete. Incomplete tasks will delay your aid being offered.

Didn't receive your Aid Offer? Go to New MAX and check the Home Tab of your Financial Aid Overview.

⏳ Is your FAFSA Submitted? To ensure we’ve received your application, check your Student Requirements in New MAX. 

• Click on the Home Tab ➡️ Scroll to Student Requirements

✔️ If your FAFSA is listed with a "Received & Satisfied," status, we have it. 

🚨 If your FAFSA is NOT listed or has a "Requested" status, we have not received it yet. 

• Completed it within the past 2 weeks? It could be a timing issue—check back next week.
• Completed it prior to 2 weeks ago? Check that you included MU on your application—if you did email our office so we can help look into it.

⚠️ If your FAFSA has an "Incomplete" or other has another status listed, it could mean:

• There is an error or discrepancy that needs to be resolved
• Your FAFSA is missing information.
• Financial Aid may need to confirm certain information on your FAFSA is accurate—which typically requires you to submit documentation. 

💡 Pro Tip: Check your Student Requirements on the Home page and ensure you have all of your requirements completed. Then log into your FAFSA application and correct what is missing. For assitance, e-mail our office.

Below are different types of financial aid and what they mean—some may even be listed on your Aid Offer.

⚠️ It is important to keep in mind that every student, account, and financial aid offer will be different.

Grants: Free funding typically based on financial need, sourced from federal, state, or institutional programs. No repayment is required.

Scholarships: Awarded based on merit, specific talents or qualifications. Like grants, they do not require repayment.

Loans: Funds to help finance your education, with options to fit your needs:

• Federal Loans: Low, fixed-interest rates, flexible repayment options, and guaranteed to eligible students within borrowing limits. You may be offered some of your eligibility in a Subsidized Loan, where the loan is interest-free until you leave school—you just need to maintain enrollment of at least half time each semester. 
• Private Loans: Useful for filling gaps, but compare terms carefully. Options include fixed or variable rates, and approval often requires a credit check.

Work-Study: Part-time campus jobs that let you earn money throughout the semester. Funds are not applied to direct charges but can help with other expenses.

Payment Plans: Offered through the Office of Student Accounts and spreads tuition and fees into manageable installments throughout the year.

The first step in managing your aid is knowing where to go. You can access your financial aid information right from your myVILLE portal. It's simple!

Before we get into the steps you should follow or things to keep an eye out for, lets first get you to your financial aid info. Go to:

• millersville.edu/logins ➡️ myVILLE Student Portal > Click on New MAX > Financial Aid > Financial Aid Overview ➡️ Home Tab

💡 Pro Tip: You can access everything you need right from here. Just scroll through your account and click on the tabs. Follow the steps below to ensure you are all set with your aid!

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 STEP 1:

Check for Unsatisfied Financial Aid Requirements: Before taking any action on your aid offer, make sure all financial aid requirements are satisfied. 

❌ Unsatisfied requirements can:

• Delay your Aid Offer
• Prevent you from completing other steps—such as accepting your aid or agreeing to the Terms & Conditions
• Prevent your aid from crediting toward your bill

To check your status, go to: 

• millersville.edu/logins ➡️ myVILLE Student Portal > Click on New MAX > Financial Aid > Financial Aid Overview ➡️ Home Tab

💡 Pro Tip: All completed requirements will have a ✅ green check mark. If any items are unsatisfied, they must be resolved before proceeding.

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STEP 2: Accept, Decline, or Reduce Your Aid

Once all financial aid requirements are satisfied, you can accept, decline, or reduce your offered federal loans. 

⚠️ It is important to complete this step to enusre that your ovrall financial need and awarded aid is accurate.

🏦 Federal Direct Student Loans are recommended before other types of loans—like Federal Parent PLUS or Private Student Loans—because they don't require a credit check, have fixed interest rates, and flexible repayment options. 

 To take action on your aid offer, go to:

• Financial Aid Overview ➡️ Offer Tab 📜 Scroll down to take action on your loan offer.

🚨If you were offered a Subsidized Student Loan, it is interest free while you're in school. Make sure you accept your loans for the entire year to avoid losing interest subsidies.You can always reduce them later if you don't need them. 

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📌 STEP 3: Complete Terms & Conditions

After making your selection, the Terms & Conditions (T&C) will automatically appear. You must:

✅ Read and acknowledge your rights and responsibilities

✅ Submit your agreement to finalize your aid

⚠️ The T&C will pop up whenever you view the Offer tab. 

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📌 STEP 4: Loan Promissory Notes & Entrance Counseling

If you are borrowing a student loan, make sure your loan requirements are complete. First-time borrowers or students who haven't borrowed in 10+ years need to complete:

Loan Agreement (MPN) at studentaid.gov/mpn

Loan Entrance Counseling at studentaid.gov/entrance-counseling

📢 Important: If you plan to enroll part-time (fewer than 12 credits for undergraduates or 6 for graduates), notify the Office of Financial Aid before the semester begins to avoid delays. Aid will be re-evaluated after the add/drop period if no prior notice is given.

Regularly check your MU email and Financial Aid Requirements in MAX—including the winter, spring, summer, and fall semesters.

❓ Still missing your Aid Offer? Ensure we have your FAFSA and resolve any outstanding Student Requirements in MAX to avoid further delays.

🚨 Can't accept your aid offer? You may have Unsatisfied Student Requirements. Check the Home Tab in MAX to see what’s missing.

⏳ Just accepted your federal loan? Wait 48 business hours, then check your Student Requirements listed on the Financial Aid Home Tab in MAX. New tasks like the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling will be added—complete them at studentaid.gov to avoid delays. 

FINANCIAL AID PAYMENTS (DISBURSEMENTS)

🔹 Grants, scholarships, and loans are applied directly to your Millersville student account for tuition, fees, and on-campus housing (if applicable).

🔹 Federal Work-Study funds are earned through employment and paid bi-weekly via payroll—these funds do not reduce tuition charges.

🔹 Outside Scholarships must be reported to the Office of Student Accounts Submit a copy of the award notification or check. If a scholarship check is payable to you, it must be sent to the Office of Student Accounts for processing.

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💵 REFUNDS (FROM EXCESS AID)

If financial aid creates a credit balance on your student account, a refund will be issued. The fastest way to receive refunds is through Direct Deposit in your Student Account Manager (SAM). If not enrolled, a paper check will be mailed to your home.

🔹 Refunds are processed 3-4 business days after your balance shows a Refund F/A Overpayment transaction.

🔹 Paper check refunds can take 7-14 days to arrive.

📌 IMPORTANT NOTES:

🔹 Parent PLUS Loan refunds can be sent to either the borrower or the student.

🔹 Unused refunds do not cancel loans. To return loan funds, notify the Office of Financial Aid before endorsing the check to Millersville University.

🔹 Some aid types can only be used for specific charges, meaning you could receive a refund while still having an outstanding balance. You are responsible for paying any remaining balance.

Terms & Conditions must be completed each year before financial aid awards can be credited to a student's account. The Terms & Conditions can only be completed once a student is admitted and confirmed their acceptance with Millersville University. All active, confirmed students will be sent an email notification from the Office of Financial Aid to notify them when the requirement is available to complete on their account. 

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL FINANCIAL AID TERMS & CONDITIONS OF AWARDS