1

Apply for Federal Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is completed every year to apply for federal grants, loans, and work-study. The only official site to complete the FAFSA is https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa (if you go to a site that charges a fee or asks for credit card information, you have gone to the incorrect site).

  • Buffalo State's Federal School Code is 002842
  • Students and parents of dependent students will need a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID and password to sign the FAFSA. Parents use the same FSA ID for all children.  
    1. Signing electronically is the preferred method.
    2. Keep your ID and password in a safe place as you will need them each year. If you forget your ID or password, you can request a duplicate
    3. Effective with the 2024-25 academic year, parents without a social security number also must have an FSAID. Follow these instructions (estas instrucciones) for assistance.

Review your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), formerly SAR. Approximately 3-5 business days after completing the FAFSA, you will receive a notice via email that your FSS is complete. This form summarizes the information you provided on the FAFSA and will provide further instructions.

Processing Times

FAFSA and TAP applications run from October 1 (2025-2026 FAFSA delayed release was December 2024) through June 30 of the following year.

Although the deadline date to apply is June 30 of each academic year, a student must have a valid FAFSA on file with the college and be currently enrolled to receive federal aid. 

This means that if a student does not have a valid FAFSA in place before the last day of classes, they become ineligible to receive aid. If a student is requesting loan money, a processing time of at least a week before the last day of classes is necessary to ensure eligibility to receive funds. Students who withdraw from a term and then submit a valid FAFSA when they return in a later term will only receive aid for the latter semester. 

2

Apply for New York State Aid (New York State Residents)

Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) is a grant program offered by New York State. At the end of the FAFSA, you will be given an opportunity to complete the application if you are a New York State resident and have listed a NY school on the FAFSA. If you do not complete the state application when completing the FAFSA, you will need to wait for your FAFSA to be processed. Then shortly after, you will receive an email when the state application can be completed on their website.

Important when filing a New York State application:

  • Buffalo State is listed as SUNY Buffalo State University (Elmwood Ave). 
  • Buffalo State's school code is 0905. Only one school code can be placed on the state application.
  • Students will create a user ID and PIN the first time logging in. 
  • Must be enrolled full-time (12 degree required credits) to be eligible.
  • Must be an eligible New York State resident.

Application must be received by New York State no later than June 30th of the academic year for which the student applied.

3

Apply for Excelsior (New York State Residents)

Students must complete a separate application for the Excelsior Scholarship to establish themselves in the program. Students cannot apply until after their FAFSA and NYS applications are processed. Please allow 7-10 days for the FAFSA and NYS to process before completing the Excelsior application. Students should plan accordingly to ensure the Excelsior deadline is met. 

https://www.hesc.ny.gov/find-aid/nys-grants-scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-program/

If you previously received an Excelsior award, you don't need to do anything else to apply. 

4

Apply for Scholarships

The Admissions Office will automatically review your eligibility for merit scholarships and grants. No additional application is required.

 

Logo for CAPS Scholarship Portal

CAPS is Buffalo State's scholarship portal. Be sure to log in and complete an application each year. This is available to incoming and current students. Incoming students will be able to access the portal once they have been accepted to Buffalo State, submitted their deposit, and received and activated their Buffalo State network login credentials.

 

5

Receive Award Letter and Submit Required Documents

Receive Award Letter and Submit Required Documents

  • Beginning mid-October:  Award notifications are e-mailed to newly accepted students.
  • Beginning mid-November: Requests for additional documentation can be viewed in your Banner account.
  • Beginning early June:  Continuing Buffalo State students will receive their award notice.  

Create Financial Aid Package and Send Award Letter

  • New Students: New students will be emailed a notification when their award is viewable in Banner (Buffalo State's student portal). New students will receive an email at the address used on their application to the college or other student-reported email on file.
  • Continuing Students: If the Financial Aid Office does not need additional documents, a continuing student will be emailed a notice that their financial aid has been awarded and to view it in Self-Service Banner.

Tip: If you do not receive an award notification or request for additional documentation within a month of submitting the FAFSA, confirm you included the Buffalo State school code, or contact our office for assistance.

SUNY Award Letter versus the New York State (NYS) Award Information Sheet

In Banner, students have access to two different versions of their award letter: The SUNY Award Letter and the NYS Award Information Sheet. Be advised that the aid displayed on each is the same; however, they present the data slightly differently.

The SUNY Award Letter distinguishes between direct and indirect costs where as the NYS Information Sheet does not. A direct cost is a cost that the student will be billed for by Buffalo State, and an indirect cost is an expense they are likely to incur, but not billed by Buffalo State.  Additionally, the SUNY Award Letter shows the student's eligibility by term while the NYS Information Sheet shows the annual amount only. Finally, the NYS Information Sheet contains two additional pages. These additional pages contain a glossary of terms and the expected costs for the student to complete their degree at Buffalo State.

Understanding the SUNY Financial Aid Award Letter

The video below shows the SUNY Financial Aid Letter rather than the NYS Information Sheet.  Students can access the SUNY Award Letter by logging in to Banner and then choosing:  Financial Aid » Award » Award for Aid Year » Select Year » Print SUNY Award Letter.

Requests for Documentation 

  • New Students: If the requested documents are not submitted in a timely fashion, any aid previously awarded to the student can be canceled.
  • Continuing students will receive email notices that they have "outstanding requirements" and need to log into self-service Banner to view them. Typically, continuing students must provide the documentation before an award package will be generated.

Types of Requests

  • Verification: Verification is a process required by the federal government where the Financial Aid Office collects documents from the student (and parents of dependent students) to compare to the FAFSA. It does not signify a problem with your application. 
  • Other Requests: If a student or parent’s information cannot be validated by the federal government, the Financial Aid Office must collect documentation to resolve the issue(s), such as copies of social security cards or birth certificates.
  • Requirements are viewable in Banner.
6

Review and Compare Aid Offers

Students should carefully review the aid offered to them in their award letter upon receiving it and contact the Financial Aid Office if they have questions. Students should take care that when comparing their award offers at various schools, it is important to compare the net costs, not the amount of aid offered.

Use the bill estimator to estimate final out-of-pocket costs.

Disclaimer: Students are reminded that the award package is an estimate of aid eligibility and is subject to change.

7

Accepting Aid & Terms and Conditions in Banner

  • May 1: New Students typically have until May 1st to accept their aid package.  Students accepted after May 1st have 30 days after their college acceptance date to submit their admissions deposit and accept aid.
  • July 1: All students that have been awarded federal work-study must accept it by July 1.

All students planning to use federal financial aid must accept the Terms and Conditions of Federal Aid before they can accept/reduce/decline the aid offered to them.

New Students

  • Students should accept, reduce, or decline the financial aid awarded to them as soon possible (preferably by May 1). Aid is accepted, reduced, and/or declined using Banner. Students do not need to accept all loans offered to them and are encouraged to only borrow what is needed. Students should exhaust subsidized loan funds before borrowing unsubsidized loans. Refer to the video below for help accepting aid.
  • The Financial Aid Office will assume that students that do not pay their admissions deposit by the deadline are not attending Buffalo State and cancel their financial aid.

Continuing Students:

  • Continuing students will not have their entire aid package canceled unless they are not enrolled, enrolled in an insufficient number of credits after add/drop week, or otherwise deemed ineligible (e.g., not making satisfactory academic progress).

Tip for All Students: Once a student accepts or declines an award in Banner, they cannot change it on their own. In these cases, please contact the Financial Aid Office in writing so we may re-offer the desired loan to you to accept.

8

Determine How Any Remaining Balance Will Be Paid

If the aid offered, coupled with current family resources, is not enough to cover the cost of attending, then consideration should be given to the options listed below. The Bill Estimator can also help to determine out-of-pocket costs.

 

  1. Federal Parent PLUS Loan- A federal loan a parent borrows and repays on behalf of their dependent student. If a parent's credit is denied, the student can be offered an additional unsubsidized Direct Loan.
  2. Private/Alternative Loan- This is a private loan the student borrows and repays. Private loans require the borrower to be credit-worthy or have a credit-worthy cosigner.
  3. Payment Plan- The Student Accounts Office offers a payment plan that divides the amount due into multiple payments. 

  4. Scholarships- Students are encouraged to apply for scholarships beginning in high school.

     

9

Complete Requirements for Loans

Students should complete all loan requirements by August 1 to ensure the loans show as a deferment on their student bill. Students must also accept the loans in Banner in addition to completing the requirements below. Note that not all students will have all loan types offered to them.

Direct Unsubsidized/Subsidized Loans

Direct Parent PLUS or Grad PLUS Loans

  • Complete an online credit check
    • Parents of dependent students who are applying for a PLUS loan must log into the website using their information; the parent is the borrower.
    • Graduate students (pursuing a master's degree or graduate certificate) whose Direct Unsubsidized loan eligibility is not enough may apply for a Grad PLUS loan.
Office Tasks
Admissions
  • Admissions Deposit: Students must make the admissions deposit to secure their place in the incoming class. Deadline: Around May 1 of each year (for fall semester).
  • High School Transcript: Students must submit their final, official high school transcript to the Admissions Office. Failure to do so will result in a hold on the student's account. Federal aid cannot disburse until the final high school transcript has been received.
IT Office
  • New Student Setup: New students should review the IT website for new students to learn the various systems Buffalo State uses.
  • Email: The Financial Aid Office will communicate with students exclusively through their Buffalo State email account. Students must monitor their Buffalo State email accounts accordingly.
Orientation, Transition, and Family Programs
  • Orientation is mandatory for all new students. Make sure you sign up for Orientation and pay the required fee to avoid a hold being placed on your account. Orientations throughout the summer; select a date when you register. 
Registrar's Office
  • Permanent Address- Students must keep their permanent address current with the Registrar's Office throughout their time at Buffalo State
  • Degree Works- Students should log into Degree Works regularly to ensure they are taking courses needed for their degree.
Residence Life
  • Complete your housing application
  • Housing Deposit: Students must submit a housing deposit to secure their place in a student housing. Students should check with Residence Life for the deadline.
Student Accounts
  • Book Deferments- Students whose aid exceeds their charges can request a book deferment to purchase books at the Buffalo State bookstore.
  • Electronic Billing ONLY- The Student Accounts Office creates bills and processes payments electronically. Students can create an "authorized user" on their bill so their parents (or others) can view the student's bill. 
  • Direct Deposit- Students can request to receive a refund via direct deposit within their Banner Self Service account.
Weigel Health Center
  • Immunizations: Students are required to submit their immunization records to the Weigel Health Center. Failure to do so will result in a hold on the student's account and an inability to register for classes.
  • Health Insurance:  Students are not required to have health insurance (except: international students).