Making Your Aid Decisions
Deciding how much aid to receive can be daunting. Our aim is to make the process as transparent and user-friendly as possible. If you need some one-on-one help, don't hesitate to contact us by email, phone, or in-person. We also offer virtual appointments!
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Step 1: Review Your Aid Offer Letter
Aid offer letters start going out in March for incoming students, and are sent to
your Panther Mail address. Please read the email and attached Aid Offer Letter thoroughly. Please be
advised that initial aid offers assume full-time enrollment of 9 units per term. Aid
packages are adjusted to match actual enrollment once the student has enrolled in
classes. Revised aid offer letters are sent out when any new aid is added, or when
other changes are made to your aid package.
Your aid offer letter will include:
Your aid offer letter will include:
- Your estimated Cost of Attendance, based on estimated full-time enrollment, including direct costs such as tuition and fees, and indirect costs such as housing and food, transportation, and books and supplies.
- Any scholarships, fellowships, or grants you have been offered.
- Any loans you have been offered.
- A calculation guide to help you calculate how much aid to accept to cover tuition, and how much is available for indirect costs. Please remember that this guide assumes you are taking 9 units. Your actual costs and your aid will vary depending on your actual units.
Step 2: Factor in Other Aid Sources
Your initial aid offer may not include all of the aid you will be receiving. Revisions
will be made any time we are informed of additional aid.
- Outside Scholarships -- report any outside scholarships you will be receiving. If your scholarship organization will be sending a physical check, be sure to have them send it to the Graduate Financial Aid Office.
- Private Student Loans -- apply online with the lender of your choice. Certification requests are sent to the school and loans are then certified and added to aid package (if eligible).
- TEACH Grant and Golden State Teacher Grant (for students in specific education-related programs) -- complete any required applications and attestations.
- Work-Study -- added by student email request. You must have a FAFSA on file, and demonstrate sufficient need.
- Tuition Remission (for eligible Chapman employees in eligible programs) -- submit any documents required by HR
- Veterans Benefits -- complete any requirements with the Veterans Resource Center.
- Any other aid -- reach out to us to report.
Step 3: Accept or Decline Your Aid
You can view and accept or decline your aid on your Student Center, in the Financial Aid tab. Some of your aid will be automatically accepted. If you
are offered free money, we assume you want it! Loans are money that needs to be repaid,
with interest, so we require your direct action to accept any loans you wish to borrow,
for the amounts you want.
Keep in mind that your loans are offered for the year, so whatever you accept will be evenly split over the terms you are attending (fall/spring for graduate and law students, fall/spring/summer for Rinker students).
If you need assistance calculating how much to borrow to meet your needs, don't hesitate to contact Graduate Financial Aid.
Instructions for How to Accept or Decline Your Loans on your Student Center
Keep in mind that your loans are offered for the year, so whatever you accept will be evenly split over the terms you are attending (fall/spring for graduate and law students, fall/spring/summer for Rinker students).
If you need assistance calculating how much to borrow to meet your needs, don't hesitate to contact Graduate Financial Aid.
Instructions for How to Accept or Decline Your Loans on your Student Center
Receiving Aid Funds
Graduate aid disburses up to 10 days before the first day of each term. You must be enrolled in the units required for each type of aid (keep in mind that the minimum units for scholarships and loans are different). You must also complete all items in your Tasks on your Student Center.
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Step 1: Complete any Student Business Services Tasks
Student Business Services handles your charges and billing. Be sure to familiarize yourself with their process and be sure to read all communications
and billing statements they send. You can view your billing information on your Student
Center in the Financial Assistance tab.
Review the Student Business Services Account Checklist for your campus:
Graduate Students at the Orange Campus
Graduate Students at the Rinker Campus
If you have accepted aid at the time of your billing statement, you will see that aid reflected as "pending aid". If that pending aid is sufficient to cover the full amount due, you do not need to make a payment to your student account by the payment deadline. If you have accepted less than the amount due you will need to pay the remaining balance by the deadline, or contact our office to inquire about more aid.
Review the Student Business Services Account Checklist for your campus:
Graduate Students at the Orange Campus
Graduate Students at the Rinker Campus
If you have accepted aid at the time of your billing statement, you will see that aid reflected as "pending aid". If that pending aid is sufficient to cover the full amount due, you do not need to make a payment to your student account by the payment deadline. If you have accepted less than the amount due you will need to pay the remaining balance by the deadline, or contact our office to inquire about more aid.
Step 2: Apply Funds to your Student Account
Aid typically disburses directly to your Student Account. You do not need to take
any action, as long as you have completed all requirements. Be sure to check your
Tasks tab on your Student Center regularly, especially in the days leading up to disbursement.
You will receive a disbursement confirmation by email.
The Office of Graduate Financial Aid will review any aid that failed to disburse, and will reach out to you if any action is needed. Please read and respond to any correspondence to ensure your aid disburses in a timely manner.
The Office of Graduate Financial Aid will review any aid that failed to disburse, and will reach out to you if any action is needed. Please read and respond to any correspondence to ensure your aid disburses in a timely manner.
Step 3: Process Any Excess Funds
If you have aid in excess of your charges, the excess will be sent to you, unless
you indicate on your Tuition and Fee Master Payment Contract that you want funds held on your Student Account. Students who need those excess funds
to use for housing and food, and other living expenses, and need those funds as soon
as they are available will want to be mindful when filling out the contract.*
Students sometimes make mistakes and accept more aid than they need. If you find that you have aid in excess of what you want, you can reach out to Graduate Financial Aid by email at gradfinaid@chapman.edu within 30 days of disbursement to request that the amount you do not wish to borrow is returned to the lender.
Student Business Services processes the refunds to students. Keep in mind that it can take a few days for your refund to process and for your bank to make the fund available (if opting for direct deposit).
Student Business Services Refund Process
*Students who are receiving "non-tuition fellowships" from their academic departments do not receive these payments through their student account as a refund. Students are referred to their academic department for information about how and when those funds are distributed.
Students sometimes make mistakes and accept more aid than they need. If you find that you have aid in excess of what you want, you can reach out to Graduate Financial Aid by email at gradfinaid@chapman.edu within 30 days of disbursement to request that the amount you do not wish to borrow is returned to the lender.
Student Business Services processes the refunds to students. Keep in mind that it can take a few days for your refund to process and for your bank to make the fund available (if opting for direct deposit).
Student Business Services Refund Process
*Students who are receiving "non-tuition fellowships" from their academic departments do not receive these payments through their student account as a refund. Students are referred to their academic department for information about how and when those funds are distributed.