Step 1: Apply for Financial Aid

Applying Using the FAFSA: Complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each year to be considered for federal, state, and institutional aid. The FAFSA is available to students if they are a U.S. citizen, U.S. National, Lawful Permanent Resident, or eligible Non-Citizen. Students are encouraged to complete the form by the priority FAFSA filing date to receive priority consideration for financial aid. Students may obtain a paper version from the StudentAid.gov Website.

Applying Using the CA Dream Act: Students may complete a California Dream Act Application (CADAA) if they are CA residents and meet the CA AB540 Status requirements but are not eligible to file a FAFSA. Students are encouraged to apply before the priority deadline. Students who complete the CADAA will be considered for state and institutional aid.

Federal School Code: California State University Bakersfield 007993
The student’s application will calculate a Student Aid Index (SAI) which is determined from information provided by the student and contributor(s) such as family size and income, and it is used to determine your financial aid offer. The SAI ranges from –1500 to 999999. A negative SAI indicates that you have higher financial need. The SAI is NOT money that you have to pay or the amount of financial aid you will receive.

Financial Aid Packages: Students will receive a tentative financial aid package once the following conditions are met:
•The applicant is admitted to the University (Post-baccalaureate students: along with admitted to a graduate or credential program)
•FAFSA is not selected for Verification (steps mentioned below)
•Student is meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements
•Student does not have Citizenship or other C-flags to be verified (steps mentioned below)

Step 2: Submit Required Documents

Students may be selected for “Verification” which would require the student to submit requested documents to verify the applicant’s FAFSA data. Documents that may be requested include official IRS Tax Transcripts, verification worksheets, W-2 forms, etc. Students selected for “Verification” must submit all required documents for review through CSUB Student Forms prior to receiving financial aid. To prevent any delay of the student’s financial aid disbursement, students are encouraged to submit the required documents as soon as possible.

Step 3: Application Review

For those applicants selected for the verification process, once their citizenship and/or other C-flag issues have been cleared:

• The counselor will verify the FAFSA application data matches the documentation submitted. If the applicant’s verification data does not match what is on the application, the counselor may request additional documentation and/or make corrections to the application. Corrections may cause a recalculation of the SAI.
• Once the verification process is completed, the student will be awarded their financial aid package.

Financial Aid Award Notification: A notification that an offer of financial aid has been made will be e-mailed to applicants. This offer may be viewed online via your myCSUB Student Self-Service. Grants/scholarships offered will be automatically accepted for the student. If the offer includes federal student loans, the applicant must accept or decline these funds. Loan requirements need to be completed prior to disbursement (please see “Types of Loans” section).

Step 4: Disbursement and Credit Balance Refunding

Once Steps 1 through 3 are completed, and the student is enrolled in the appropriate units, their financial aid will be disbursed. Disbursement occurs no sooner than 10 days prior to the beginning of the term.

Once the aid is disbursed towards the applicant's account, it is applied towards the term balance. If there are remaining financial aid funds available, a refund will be issued to the applicant via direct deposit or a mailed paper check through BankMobile. To select your refund preference, the student will log into their myCSUB account and select “Manage My Refunds” located in the ‘Finances section’. For further questions regarding BankMobile, please contact Student Financial Services.