Financial Aid and Scholarships jmu.edu/financialaid
What is financial aid? Financial aid funds are provided from federal, state and institutional sources, which are administered by a financial aid office. Two categories of financial aid exist: gift aid (grants and scholarships) and self-help (loans and employment). Financial aid funds can also come from private sources that may not be administered by the financial aid office. How and when do I apply for aid? All students interested in federal aid, state aid and need-based university aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid 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 1 prior to the academic year you will be attending. What if I do not apply by the priority filing date? You can still apply for financial aid after the priority filing date, but funds may be limited. Will my financial aid be renewed each year? Financial aid is not automatically renewed or guaranteed from one year to the next. You must reapply for financial aid every year Make sure you apply by the priority filing date to maximize your aid potential! Are non-Virginia residents eligible for assistance? All students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens may apply for most federally funded financial assistance. However, only Virginia residents are eligible to receive aid provided by the Commonwealth of Virginia such as the Commonwealth Award and Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program. How do I apply for grants? The only application required to apply for grants awarded through the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships is the FAFSA. In some cases, applying by the March 1st priority filing date can increase your opportunity to receive grant money. Do students with a higher need qualify for more money? Students who apply for aid by the March 1 priority filing date are awarded aid based on available federal, state and institutional funds. Much of the federal and state financial aid funds are need based, so students with a higher need are generally eligible for more money than those with a lesser need. However, eligibility for more money and the actual awarding of more money do not always go hand-in-hand. What is the Federal Work-Study Program? The Federal Work-Study Program is aid that may be offered to students who have a demonstrated need as determined by the FAFSA. Work-Study gives you the potential to work and earn money while attending college. Work-Study students are paid twice a month. You can only receive payment for the hours you have worked. Another benefit is that the amount of money you earn in a Work-Study job this year does not count as income when you file your FAFSA next year. This can help to lower your Expected Family Contribution next year and potentially make you eligible for additional grant funds that you may not have received if you worked in a non-Work-Study job this year.
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