Student Financial Services
Providing an Accessible, Affordable Education for All Students.
At CSU Pueblo we are dedicated to helping students explore financing options to help them achieve their educational goals. We hope that this page, the rest of our website, and your PAWS account will be helpful in answering any questions you may have about financial aid or the financial aid process.
PAWS has a brand new look beginning Fall 2021. For step-by-step navigation instructions please click here.
Important: Please complete any outstanding requirements for financial aid disbursement for the fall 2023 semester by December 1st at 11:59 PM. If you need to complete your master promissory note and/or loan entrance counseling, please have those requirements completed by December 8th at 11:59 PM. These are hard deadlines and no exceptions will be made.
PLEASE NOTE: Having an offer package does not mean it has been disbursed to your account. Please review your student bill to make sure your financial aid has been disbursed. If it has not, check what items you need to submit for disbursement and complete those outstanding requirements by December 1st at 11:59 PM.
Fall 2023 Disbursement Information
- The first day of Fall 2023 disbursement will be Wednesday, August 16, 2023.
- Financial aid and scholarships at CSU Pueblo disburse based on attending hours.
- Please keep in mind that there are several start dates in a semester and you must be attending, not just enrolled, in the required number of credit hours to receive different funds. Most grants and scholarships will disburse when you are attending 12 credit hours or more, and most loans will disburse once you are attending at least 6 credit hours or more.
- Example for student loan disbursement:
- Student enrollment
- 3 hours in 16 week courses, attending 3 hours - 0% disburse
- 3 hours in Fall B courses, attending 6 hours - 100% disburse
- Student enrollment
First Steps for Financial Aid
- Complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA); this will require a Federal Student Aid ID & password (both yourself and your parent if you are a dependent student). The CSU Pueblo school code for the FAFSA is 001365.
- Complete your CSU Pueblo Foundation Scholarship Application starting October 1 with a hard deadline of March 1 for the following academic year.
- If you are a Colorado resident and working on your undergraduate degree, complete the COF application.
- Remember - the priority deadline for the FAFSA is March 1.
Remember to review your financial aid award to see if you need to turn in any further documents, or alter your loan awards. This can be accessed through your PAWS account.
Choose to accept, reduce, or decline any student loans, and if you are borrowing student loans, complete your Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling. Please note, that you must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours to be eligible for a student loan (even during the summer semester). Once you have read and understand all the terms and conditions, click the acknowledgment check box. Fill out the Direct Deposit form and return to Student Billing to have any excess funds from your financial aid automatically deposited into your checking/savings account. Refund checks will be sent out every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday of every month to the address on your PAWS account.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How do I know if I am eligible for financial aid?
To receive financial aid from federal and state aid programs, you must first complete the FAFSA and meet all of the following criteria:
- Demonstrate financial need, except for some loan programs
- Be admitted as a student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program
- Maintain at least 6 credit hours of enrollment per semester (for most types of aid)
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Have a valid Social Security Number
- Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress
- Certify that you will use student aid only for educational purposes
- Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and that you do not owe money on a federal student grant
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How is the amount of aid determined?
Financial need is the difference between the Cost of Attendance (COA) and the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). EFC is determined from information provided on your FAFSA.
For each student, the COA, EFC, and financial need will be different. Financial aid is offered to help students cover their financial need depending on specific qualifications and available funding.
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How can I view my award?
New students entering the fall semester are awarded beginning in March each year. New students will receive a financial aid award letter once all admissions and financial aid application requirements are completed. The award letter contains instructions on how to acknowledge the award online. Continuing students will be notified via email that they have been awarded and can view the award through their PAWS account.
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When will I receive my financial aid?
The following criteria must be satisfied before financial aid will be applied toward students' account or disbursed to the student:
- Must be admitted to the University in a degree-seeking program
- Must be enrolled in a minimum of credit hours for particular financial programs
- Must pay any prior balance to the University
- Must not be on academic or financial aid suspension
- Must sign and return all requested documents to Financial Aid
- Must acknowledge award through PAWS account
- First-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete an Entrance Counseling and Direct Loan Master Promissory Note
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Where can I find Spanish-based resources?
Students, parents, and counselors can find information in Spanish about Federal Student Aid, various programs, and frequently asked questions through the Federal Student Aid website.
Finaid.org also has a compiled list of available Spanish resources, including scholarship resources and tips.
