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Undergraduate Admission

Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer

» Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer

Financial aid offers will be available at the time of admission or shortly thereafter. Admitted students who are offered financial aid will be able to view their financial aid offer in their Application Status Page (after logging in, click on the link to view the latest update to your application).

The letter will include:

  • Financial aid awarded, which could include scholarships and grants, loans and federal work-study
  • Direct costs in attending Chapman (tuition, fees and room and board)
  • Final cost in attending Chapman (both with and without loans)
  • Indirect costs in attending college (books, living expenses, etc.)

Award TypesA financial aid counselor meeting with a student

These are the types of awards you may see in your financial aid letter. Note that in addition to these awards, you may be offered Chapman department or mission-driven awards after admission.

Scholarships and Grants

Scholarships and grants are free money awarded to you by Chapman, the federal government or other organizations, such as non-profits.

Loans

Loans must be repaid after you graduate. The loans in your financial aid offer are provided by the U.S. Department of Education and could include:

  • Subsidized Direct Loans, which are for students who demonstrate financial need (as determined by the FAFSA). The federal government pays interest on subsidized loans while you’re a student (i.e., they are interest free until you graduate).
  • Unsubsidized Direct Loans, which are available to all students. Interest begins accruing on these loans immediately after they are disbursed to Chapman. Although there is no pre-payment penalty, you are not required to make any payments toward these loans while you are in school at least half time (6 units).

Federal Work-Study

Work-study provides part-time employment opportunities on campus (or with an approved off-campus employer). 

The amount you are awarded is not applied to tuition. Instead, you will have to get a job and will then receive your award through pay received for hours worked. Your pay can help with payments to the university or be applied to your indirect costs (books, living expenses, etc.). You can learn more about student employment here.


Next Steps After Viewing Your Awards

There are several steps you can take while planning out how you will pay for college. Some common steps include:

1. Accept Your Awards

You can accept or decline your federal direct loans and/or work-study through your financial aid offer and complete appropriate To-Do List items on your My.Chapman Student Center.

2. Finish Loan Requirements

If you are accepting a federal loan and are a first-time borrower at Chapman, you will need to visit the Federal Student Aid website to:

3. Apply for Outside Scholarships

There are countless college scholarships funded by individuals, companies, foundations and charitable organizations. You can learn more on our Outside Scholarships page.

4. Apply for Additional Loans (if necessary)

If you need to take out an additional loan to cover costs, you could take out a:

  • PLUS Loan for Parents
  • Private Loan
  • Chapman Interest-Free Loan

Visit the Financial Aid Loans page for more information.

5. Update Housing Status (if applicable)

Your financial aid offer will be based on the housing status you indicated on the FAFSA. Make sure to notify the Financial Aid office via the Request for Revision Form if you need to update your housing status.

6. Pay Tuition or Sign up for a Payment Plan

You will be able to pay tuition in full or enroll in a monthly payment plan. You can learn more on our Billing page.

 


Financial Aid Appeals

If your financial situation has changed since submitting your FAFSA, or there are extenuating circumstances you would like us to consider, you can file a financial aid appeal.

You can learn more about the process on our Financial Aid Appeals page.

 

Contact Admission


Email us:

Call us: (714) 997-6711

Text us: (714) 942-5474

Send your documents:
Chapman University
Attn: Office of Admission
One University Drive 
Orange, CA 92866

Campus Contacts


Financial Aid:
finaid@chapman.edu

Housing:
reslife@chapman.edu

Orientation: 
orientation@chapman.edu

Office of Parent Engagement:
pantherfamily@chapman.edu