Distance Learners' Financial Aid

Non-Degree seeing students are not eligible for Federal Financial Aid.  However, if you need assistance in covering the cost, you have two options:

1. Contact the MSUM Business Office to set up a payment plan.
2. Apply for an alternative student loan which requires that either you (the student) or a co-signer prove creditworthiness.  Currently, Citibank, US Bank, and Wells Fargo offer alternative loans which can be located at:  https://choice.fastproducts.org/FastChoice/Welcome.do?configId=1269354512814.  To begin the alternative loan online application process, just click on the “Apply” button.

Once the MSUM Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid receives your alternative loan information electronically, we will certify the loan.  To certify the loan, we will need you to complete and submit one of the following:

• the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) located at: www.fafsa.gov  (obtain your Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov and enter  your school’s code in Step Six of the FAFSA) ; OR
• the “Request for Waiver of Application File for Supplemental Loan”

Physically attending classes at a MnSCU Community or Technical College but pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree from MSUM in one of the following areas: 

Operations Management                Technical Management
Construction Management             Biosciences
Special Education Business            Program 4.0

If you are electing to pursue an AA Degree from a MnSCU Community or  Technical College prior to pursuing a Bachelors Degree from MSUM, you need to follow the instructions for "Seeking a Bachelor's Degree from another MnSCU school but taking at least one course from MSUM (Host School)".

Home School - MSUM

• Your HOME School is MSUM, and the MnSCU Community Technical College is your HOST School.
• Your HOME School will award and disburse your financial aid.
• Complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) and enter MSUM’s School Code- 002367.   If North Hennepin Community College (NHCC) is your HOST School, also enter the School Code for NHCC - 002370.
• A Consortium Agreement is not required as your HOME School (MSUM) has a record of your remote registration at your HOST School.
• Activate your MSUM email address at web.mnstate.edu/it.  This email account is the official means of communication with you.  Faculty and staff use this address and you do not want their messages getting marked as spam and/or sent to your junk folder.
• Credits at your HOST School count toward your total credits for disbursement (provided the credits are applicable to degree requirements at MSUM).
• If you have sufficient financial aid approved, you may be able to charge books against your MSUM financial aid, but only books purchased from the MSUM Bookstore. Books for non-MSUM courses need to be purchased using other resources if purchased prior to financial aid disbursement.
• At disbursement, MSUM will apply your financial aid to your bill at MSUM and any overage funds will be either mailed to you or directly deposited into your checking/savings account if you made these arrangements with the MSUM Business Office.
• If Financial Aid disbursed is not sufficient to pay all MSUM charges, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balance.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters which means you will not be able to register or receive a copy of your transcript.
• Upon course completion, contact MSUM Records Office to upload courses to your eTranscript to ensure your DARS is accurate.

HOST School – MnSCU Community or Technical College

• If you have already completed the FAFSA and entered school codes for both your HOME and HOST Schools, you will need to request the HOST School to cancel your FAFSA/financial aid application at their school.
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• To avoid having your courses dropped at your HOST School for non-payment, it is critical that you speak with their Business Office to set up an acceptable payment plan.
• Any overage funds can be used to pay remaining charges at the HOST School or used as reimbursement for payments already made.
• Since financial aid is not automatically sent to your HOST School (MnSCU Community or Technical College) , it is your responsibility to pay the HOST School’s tuition and fee charges by their payment due date. 
   

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• You can only receive financial aid from one school during a semester.
• Be aware of payment deadlines to avoid cancellation of your registration.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.
• Remember to treat each school individually.  You will have two separate bills, two separate eServices and two separate D2L systems.
   

HOME School - MSUM

• Complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) and enter MSUM’s School Code-002367
• Your HOME School will award and disburse your financial aid.
• A Consortium Agreement is usually not required as MSUM has a record of your remote registration at the other MnSCU School.
• Credits at your HOST School count toward your credits for disbursement at MSUM (provided the credits are applicable to degree requirements at MSUM).
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• Activate your MSUM email address at web.mnstate.edu/it.  This email account is the official means of communication with you.  Faculty and staff use this address and you do not want their messages getting marked as spam and/or sent to your junk folder.
• If you have sufficient financial aid approved, you may be able to charge books against your MSUM financial aid, but only books purchased from the MSUM Bookstore.  Books for courses taken at your HOST School need to be purchased using other resources if purchased prior to financial aid disbursement.
• At disbursement, MSUM will apply your financial aid to your bill at MSUM and any overage funds will be either mailed to you or directly deposited into your checking/saving account if you made these arrangements with the MSUM Business Office.
• If financial aid disbursed is not sufficient to pay all MSUM charges, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balance.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters (you will not be able to register).
• Upon course completion, contact MSUM Records Office to upload courses to your eTranscript to ensure your DARS is accurate.

HOST School - MnSCU

• If you have already completed the FAFSA and entered school codes for both MSUM and your HOST School, you will need to request your HOST School to cancel your FAFSA/financial aid application.
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• To avoid having your courses dropped at your HOST School for non-payment, it is critical that you speak with their Business Office to set up an acceptable payment plan.
• Since financial aid is not automatically sent to your HOST School, it is your responsibility to pay the other school’s tuition and fee charges by their payment due date.
• Any overage funds from MSUM can be used to pay remaining charges at the HOST School or used as reimbursement for payments already made.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• You can only receive financial aid from only one school during a semester.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.
• Remember to treat each school individually.  You will have two separate bills, two separate eServices and two separate D2L systems.

HOME School - MnSCU

• Complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) and enter your HOME School’s federal school code.
• Your HOME School (the other MnSCU School) will award and disburse your financial aid.
• A Consortium Agreement is usually not required as your HOME School should have record of your remote registration at MSUM. Check with your HOME School to see if any forms are needed.
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• If your credits at the HOST School (MSUM) are applicable to your degree requirements at your HOME School, the credits at your HOST School will count toward your total credits for disbursement.
• At disbursement, your financial aid will apply to your bill at your HOME School and any overage funds will be disbursed to you.
• Any overage funds from your HOME School can be used to pay remaining charges at the HOST School or used as reimbursement for payments already made.
• Upon course completion, contact MSUM Records Office to upload courses to your eTranscript to ensure your DARS is accurate.

HOST School - MSUM

• If you have already completed the FAFSA and entered school codes for both your HOME and HOST School, you will need to request the HOST School (MSUM) to cancel your FAFSA/financial aid application at their school. 
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines.
• Activate your MSUM email address at web.mnstate.edu/it.  This email account is the official means of communication with you.  Faculty and staff use this address and you do not want their messages getting marked as spam and/or sent to your junk folder.
• Books for purchase from the MSUM Bookstore must be purchased using other resources if purchased prior to financial aid disbursement from your HOME School. 
• If financial aid disbursed is not sufficient to pay all MSUM (HOST School) charges, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balance.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters. This means you will not be able to register or receive a copy of your transcript.
• To avoid having your courses dropped at your HOST School for non-payment, it is critical that you speak with the Business Office to set up an acceptable payment plan. 
• Since financial aid is not automatically sent to your HOST School, it is your responsibility to pay the HOST School’s (MSUM) tuition and fee charges by their payment due date.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• You can only receive financial aid from one school during a semester.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.
• Remember to treat each school individually.  You will have two separate bills, two separate eServices and two separate D2L systems.
   

Does not apply to Tri-College registration at NDSU or Concordia

HOME School - MSUM

• Complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) and enter MSUM’s School Code-002367
• Your HOME School will award and disburse your financial aid.
• A Consortium Agreement IS required as MSUM does not have record of your remote registration at your HOST School.  Obtain a Consortium Agreement from the MSUM Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid.
• Credits from your HOST School will be registered at MSUM as “exchange” and allow you to receive financial aid for those credits.
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• Activate your MSUM email address at web.mnstate.edu/it.  This email account is the official means of communication with you.  Faculty and staff use this address and you do not want their messages getting marked as spam and/or sent to your junk folder.
• If you have sufficient financial aid approved, you may be able to charge books against your MSUM financial aid, but only books purchased from the MSUM Bookstore.  Books for courses taken at your HOST School need to be purchased using other resources if purchased prior to financial aid disbursement.
• At disbursement, MSUM will apply your financial aid to your bill at MSUM and any overage funds will be either mailed to you or directly deposited into your checking/saving account if you made these arrangements with the MSUM Business Office.
• If financial aid disbursed is not sufficient to pay all MSUM charges, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balance.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters (you will not be able to register).
• Upon course completion, request your HOST School to send your Official Academic Transcript to the MSUM Records Office.

HOST School - NON-MnSCU

• If you have already completed the FAFSA and entered school codes for both MSUM and your HOST school, you will need to request your HOST School to cancel your FAFSA/financial aid application.
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines
• To avoid having your courses dropped at your HOST School for non-payment, it is critical that you speak with their Business Office to set up an acceptable payment plan.
• Since financial aid is not automatically sent to your HOST School, it is your responsibility to pay the other school’s tuition and fee charges by their payment due date.
• Any overage funds from MSUM can be used to pay remaining charges at the HOST School or used as reimbursement for payments already made.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• You can only receive financial aid from only one school during a semester.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.
• Remember to treat each school individually.  You will have two separate bills, two separate eServices and two separate D2L systems.

HOME School - NON-MnSCU

• Complete the FAFSA (www.fafsa.gov) and enter your HOME School’s federal school code.
• Your HOME School (the NON-MnSCU School) will award and disburse your financial aid.
• A Consortium Agreement IS required as your HOME School does not have record of your registration at MSUM.  Contact your HOME School’s Financial Aid Office for a Consortium Agreement.  
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines at each school.
• MSUM credits will be registered at your HOME School and allow you to receive financial for those credits.  
• At disbursement, your financial aid will apply to your bill at your HOME School and any overage funds will be disbursed to you.

HOST School - MSUM

• If you have already completed the FAFSA and entered school codes for both your HOME and HOST schools, you will need to request the HOST School (MSUM) to cancel your FAFSA/financial aid application at their school. 
• Be aware of drop/add deadlines.
• Activate your MSUM email address at web.mnstate.edu/it.  This email account is the official means of communication with you.  Faculty and staff use this address and you do not want their messages getting marked as spam and/or sent to your junk folder.
• Books for purchase from the MSUM Bookstore must be purchased using other resources if purchased prior to financial aid disbursement from your HOME School. 
• If financial aid disbursed is not sufficient to pay all MSUM (HOST School) charges, it is your responsibility to pay the remaining balance.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters. This means you will not be able to register or receive a copy of your transcript.
• To avoid having your courses dropped at MSUM it is critical that you speak with the Business Office to set up an acceptable payment plan.
• Since financial aid is not automatically sent to your HOST School (MSUM), it is your responsibility to pay the HOST School’s (MSUM) tuition and fee charges by their payment due date.  Balances not paid in full result in a late fee and a registration hold for subsequent semesters. This means you will not be able to register or receive a copy of your transcript.
• Any overage funds from your HOME School can be used to pay remaining charges at MSUM or used as reimbursement for payments already made.
• Upon course completion, request the MSUM Records Office to send your Academic Transcript to your Home School’s Records Office.

IMPORTANT FACTS:

• You can only receive financial aid from one school during a semester.
• If there are no overage funds disbursed, it is your responsibility to pay any remaining charges at your HOST School.
• Remember to treat each school individually.  You will have two separate bills, two separate eServices and two separate D2L systems.