Financial Aid Office

• File the FAFSA and TAP applications each year, ideally by March 1.  Remember: Tax Time is FAFSA Time
• For detailed instructions on the application process, visit the Apply for Aid page.
• Tip!  Use the Financial Aid Timeline to stay on track!

• Always check Banner and your Buffalo State Email.  These are two ways in which the Financial Aid Office (and other campus offices) will communicate with you. Failure to monitor your accounts could result in missed deadlines, missed opportunities, and unpaid balances.
• For help logging in to Banner or email, visit Computing and Technical Service's Help for New Students page.
• For help using the Financial Aid section of Banner, refer to this page. 

Students can purchase (new or used) or rent textbooks in the college bookstore.  Students should budget approximately $500 per semester for books, though this figure can vary significantly based a student's course schedule.  Students that have more financial aid than their charges can apply for a textbook deferment.

The textbook deferment program enables students that are expecting a refund from their financial aid to use up to $750 of the refund in the college bookstore.  Therefore, to be eligible, a student must have more financial aid and/or payments on their account than they have charges.  The $750 limit can be increased for students that show a copy of their course schedule and required textbooks to the Financial Aid or Student Accounts Office. 

• Students must meet various federal and state academic standards to maintain eligibility for financial aid, including loans. Your academic performance is reviewed after each semester.
• Always visit the Financial Aid Office if you are struggling in any of your classes, you're thinking about withdrawing from a class or the entire semester, or if you're planning to repeat a course.
• Never simply walk away from your classes without formally withdrawing.  If you stop attending all your classes, there are significant financial and academic consequences. 
• Tip!  All instructors are requried to provide midterm grades.  If your grades are not strong (below a C average), come speak to the Financial Aid Office to determine your best strategy forward. 

Your tuition and fees provide for many support services to help you be successful.  Seek help as soon as you need it. Below is a list of resources to help you:

• Students are awarded financial aid on the presumption that they will complete the entire semester.  Students that do not complete the semester for any reason, may need to repay a portion of their aid already received.
• If you never attend your classes or stop attending part-way through the semester without formally withdrawing, you may have financial aid returned to the federal government.  This will result in a balance owed to the college by the student. 
• Tip: Review the What Happens If I Withdraw from All My Classes Handout

About one-third of students have to submit documentation to finalize their aid package.  Students need to review their requirements in Banner to ensure all requirements have been satisfied.  Common reasons students have to submit documentation include:

• Verification - This is federal process schools are required to perform to ensure the data reported on the FAFSA is accurate.  Students selected for this process must submit a verification worksheet, tax transcripts, and W-2 statements.
• Federal Eligibility Issues - When students submit the FAFSA the federal government checks various federal databases to confirm that students are meeting all aid eligibility requirements.  If the government is unable to confirm the student's eligibility, the student's FAFSA is flagged and the Financial Aid Office must resolve the issue before any federal aid can be awarded.  

All students must submit their final high school transcript to the Admissions Office. No federal aid (including loans) can disburse until your transcript is submitted.

Federal and state financial aid regulations have deadlines that cannot be appealed.  Therefore, students need to complete tasks promptly when required.  As a general rule of thumb, students still need to be enrolled during the semester to make any changes or to finalize their financial aid.

To graduate in four (4) years, it is recommended to take 15 credits per semester in order to earn 120 credits to graduate (some programs require more than 120 credits).  However, students need to take into account their abilities and schedule to determine how many credits is the right balance for them.  Below details the minimum credits needed for each type of aid program, as they vary.