Financial Aid

Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Department provides information to students applying for financial aid, which includes scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans. Last year, CSN offered more than $90 million to over 30,000 applicants. Financial Aid has offices located at the Charleston, North Las Vegas, and Henderson campuses. CSN accepts two applications for full consideration: 1) the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA – school code 010362) and, 2) the CSN Scholarship Application. Both applications are web-based and linked to the CSN website. Current and prospective students are encouraged to file applications as early as possible, beginning in the month of October prior to the start of the following academic year. Early applicants receive priority consideration for all financial aid programs – including those programs with limited funding.

CSN accepts FAFSA applications for consideration of aid at any time prior to the end of enrollment or the end of the summer term depending on whichever comes first. The CSN Scholarship Application priority date is January 1st each year, however, it may be extended due to a low number of eligible applicants. Please check our scholarship website frequently for deadline dates. Students intending to use financial aid to pay their tuition and fees must apply on or before June 1st for the following fall semester, and on or before November 1st for the following spring semester.

Once an application is received, it is reviewed for eligibility and documentation requirements. If required, the Financial Aid Office will update your “To Do” list in MyCSN as well as send you an email requesting supporting documents to validate the content of your FAFSA. Each application will also be reviewed for compliance with the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and only those applicants making progress to their degree will be eligible for financial aid awards (including loans). The policy is available on the Financial Aid website at www.csn.edu/financial-aid. Award Notifications are sent at the beginning April for fall enrollment.

Student Aid Programs

Financial assistance is available in the form of grants, work-study programs, scholarships, and loans. These four types of aid programs are funded by federal, state, institutional, and private sources. To review a complete listing of awards offered at CSN, please visit our website at www.csn.edu/student-financial-options.

Grants are a type of aid awarded to undergraduate students with financial need and are typically applied to the recipient’s tuition and fees. Work-Study programs employ students in part-time jobs while they attend school. CSN offers a variety of scholarships from both public and private donors. Unlike grants, scholarships and work-study, loans are borrowed funds that must be repaid, with interest.

Financial aid automatically offers loans or work-study to CSN students. FAFSA applicants who desire a student loan must meet additional eligibility criteria including accepting the loan, completing the CSN Loan Application, fulfilling entrance counseling requirements, signing a Master Promissory Note (MPN), and providing a legible copy of a government-issued ID. Students offered work-study jobs should visit the Financial Aid website at www.csn.edu/work-study and CSN Career Services to review the job vacancy catalog.

Aid Delivery/Financial Aid Census Date (FACD)

Students who receive financial aid, including loans, are required to attend classes. Financial aid disbursements begin no earlier than seven days before the start of the semester. Excess aid is refunded by the CSN Cashier. Students are encouraged to sign up for direct deposit to receive the excess funds quickly. Direct deposit delivers excess financial aid directly to a student’s bank account and avoids postal delivery delays. Funds awarded as financial aid excess are intended for educational expenses only and must be used by the recipient to support their attendance at CSN. Students must be enrolled and attending at least six credits at the time excess loan disbursements are delivered.

CSN uses a “Financial Aid Census Date” (FACD) to determine a student’s actual aid eligibility. The financial aid census date is normally two weeks after the beginning of the semester. The student’s enrollment on this date will be “locked-down” and the financial aid assigned to the student will be recalculated based upon his/her enrollment on that date. The student’s enrollment will be compared with their enrollment at the time of the original aid disbursement and one of three things will happen:

1. If the enrollment is higher at FACD than the enrollment level at the time of original payment: the student’s aid package will be adjusted to reflect the new eligibility amount. If this results in a higher financial aid award, a new disbursement will be credited to the student’s account during the next disbursement date.
2. If the enrollment is lower at FACD than the enrollment level at the time of original payment: the student’s aid package will be adjusted to reflect the new eligibility amount. If this results in a lower financial aid award than originally disbursed, the student is responsible for repaying the excess funds to CSN. The student can avoid a reduction in awards if he/she is able to enroll in an equal amount of credits offered in the same semester (such as a late starting class).
3. If the enrollment is the same at FACD than the enrollment level at the time of original payment: no changes will be made.

Attendance Requirement

Recipients who stop attending classes or stop logging-on to their distance education classes, or those who do not begin attending classes/never logged-in to their distance education classes, are subject to eligibility recalculation and may have to pay back some (or all) of the funds. Please review the Return to Title IV Policy on our website www.csn.edu/withdrawal-classes#PR.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

CSN students who wish to receive Title IV financial aid, such as Federal Pell Grant, Federal SEOG, and/or Direct Loans must meet the CSN satisfactory academic progress requirements and be in an eligible program that leads to a one year certificate program, an associate degree, or a bachelor degree. A personal enrichment declaration or dual enrollment while in high school does not qualify for any Title IV federal financial aid programs. To continue eligibility for federal financial aid funding each semester, all financial aid applicants will be reviewed at the end of each semester to determine if the CSN Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy is met. For the most current information about Satisfactory Academic Progress, please visit www.csn.edu/financial-aid. The Financial Aid Department will evaluate the applicant’s entire academic history including all CSN attempted credits and transfer credits. The minimum standards of CSN’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy include:

1. General Requirements: In response to the receipt of a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and at the end of each completed semester, The Financial Aid Department will evaluate:

• Attempted semester hours including all course work graded with an A, B, C, D, F, W, or I, and credits taken for audit.
• Completed semester hours including all course work earned for an A, B, C, D, or F, and credits graded as Satisfactory/Pass.
• Students who have received a W or F in a course may attempt the same course in order to receive a passing grade.
• Students who have earned a passing grade of a B, C, or D, and wish to retake the course to improve their GPA may only attempt the same course one time.
• Transfer semester hours do not count in the calculation of the cumulative grade point average however, they are included in the attempted hour and to calculate the maximum time frame standard.
• Each repeated course work is included in the attempted hour and to calculate the maximum time frame standard. Each repeated course work is included in the calculation of the CUM GPA.
• Consortium course work is included to monitor satisfactory academic progress.
• English as a Second Language courses are included when monitoring satisfactory academic progress.

2. Financial Aid (Title IV Funds) Recipients: To receive Title IV funds from CSN, applicants must be meeting the CSN Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
   1. Be admitted to CSN, have declared a major, and be in a degree program seeking a one year certificate, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor degree.
   2. Achieve the qualitative standard of at least a cumulative 2.0 GPA at CSN, and;
   3. Successfully complete the quantitative standard of at least 67% of the cumulative attempted credit hours. See example:

4. Complete the student’s declared program within the maximum time frame of 150% of the published length of the educational program, such as:
   • Certificate Programs that require 40 credits for completion will be allowed 40 x 150% = 60 credits
   • Associate Degree Programs that require 60 credits for completion will be allowed 60 x 150% = 90 credits
   • Bachelor Degree Programs that require 120 credits for completion will be allowed 120 x 150% = 180 credits
5. Transfer credits accepted toward completion of the student’s program must count as both hours attempted and hours completed.
6. The academic record for all students is reviewed at the end of each term. This review includes all terms attended at the College of Southern Nevada, without regard to the receipt of financial aid for that term. If a student fails to meet the qualitative, the quantitative or the maximum time frame requirements, they will be placed on “Warning” for the following term. While on “Warning” status, students will continue to remain eligible for financial aid.
7. At the conclusion of the “Warning” semester, students will be re-evaluated. If the student meets qualitative, the quantitative or the maximum time frame the satisfactory academic progress status will revert back to a good standing.
8. If all measurements are not met, the student will move to a suspended status and becomes ineligible for financial aid unless they successfully appeal based on extenuating circumstances and are placed on probation.

NOTE: Students may also regain eligibility without an appeal by paying for an upcoming semester and successfully meeting the cumulative qualitative, the quantitative and the maximum time frame standards.

Visit the Financial Aid website at www.csn.edu/financial-aid for additional information on the CSN Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy and a link to the Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal Form.

3. Immigration Regulations – Maintaining F-1 Visa Status:
   1. International students must maintain a minimum of 12 credits hours each semester (excluding summer sessions) unless otherwise approved by the International Center at CSN.
   2. International students must make normal or satisfactory progress toward their officially declared program by:
      1. Successfully completing courses in their degree program. Students who attempt a disproportionate number of courses (more than 30% of the total semester course load) outside of their established degree program are considered NOT to be making normal or satisfactory progress.
   3. In accordance with the Academic Probation and Suspension Policy, international students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0. Students who are suspended may be subject to termination of their immigration status.

International students enrolled in CSN who hold F-1 visas must be advised of these requirements by the CSN International Center.