Financial Aid and Scholarships

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Providing answers to your financial aid questions.



Have questions regarding the financial aid process
, receipt of funds, or impact of enrollment on your aid?  Review the following FAQ’s for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions from students at Cal Poly Pomona

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Information on HEERF Grants, including who is eligible for an automatic grant. is published on the Cal Poly Pomona HEERF Student AId webpage.

As of now, Cal Poly Pomona has not received any additional CARES Act funding and the previous distribution that we received last year has been fully awarded to students.

We understand that many students and families experience significant changes in income or family situations that are not reflected in the base-year income used to determine the student’s expected family contribution.  Our counselors can help with the appeal process that will allow us to evaluate the impact of your special circumstances on your ability to pay for college. 

All actions resulting from the appeal process are contingent upon fund availability and any processing deadlines which may be in effect at the time of approval.  If you think some aspect of your financial situation was overlooked or if a significant change has occurred to your household's financial situation, you should consider submitting a Family Contribution Appeal.  Contact our office and speak with one of our team members about your situation.  If a review of your situation is warranted, our financial aid counselors will provide you with instructions on submitting an appeal & documentation. 

The most common examples of situations resulting in a re-evaluation include: 

  • Job Loss (either for the student, their spouse, or the parents of a dependent student)
  • A significant reduction in income or resources
  • Death of a parent or spouse
  • Dependent care expenses
  • A large unforeseen medical expense

If you are a currently enrolled student, resources for financial, food and housing, and wellness needs can be found through the Cal Poly Pomona Broncos Care - Basic Needs Program.   Broncos Care is a comprehensive, campus-wide program that identifies and immediately serves some of Cal Poly Pomona's most at-risk students, which include our displaced students, food insecure students, and students experiencing an emergency or crisis. 

The transition to a Grade/No Credit grading option has the capacity to negatively affect your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.  Courses that receive a grade of NC are considered to be Attempted but not Completed.  This will negatively impact your Pace of Completion; the units will count in your Maximum Time Frame.

If you are currently on an Academic Plan as part of your Financial Aid Probation, part of the terms of the Academic Plan require you to successfully complete all courses on your plan.  Receiving a grade of NC in any course is considered not meeting the terms of your plan – and could result in your being disqualified from receiving further financial aid.

The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships conducts the SAP evaluation at the end each semester as usual. Students will receive an email providing the results of the evaluation. If you are notified that you are failing to meet one or more SAP standards and have been impacted by COVID-19, you may submit a Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form to request a reevaluation. You may be asked to provide documentation supporting your situation.  Submission of the appeal does not guarantee approval. All decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

You can find the required disclosures and reporting information on the Cal Poly Pomona HEERF Student AId webpage.

General Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions

You should apply for financial aid every year.   

  • The new financial aid application becomes available each October 1st (for the next academic year). 
  • The priority filing deadline for the new application is March 2nd (10 pm west coast time). 
  • Complete your aid application for each new academic year any time between October 1st and March 2nd to be considered for the greatest number of aid programs.
  • You must file by the priority deadline to be considered for Cal Poly Pomona or California State financial aid. 

No! You do not have to wait until you’ve been admitted to complete the FAFSA or DREAM Application. In fact, if you wait until you've been admitted to apply, you may miss the March 2 priority filing date to qualify for Cal Poly Pomona & California State Grant.  

  • You can complete the FAFSA or DREAM Application regardless of your admission status
  • You must have an admission application on file with Cal Poly Pomona before we can begin processing your aid application 
  • You must admitted to Cal Poly Pomona before we can award you financial aid
  • You must be enrolled in classes at Cal Poly Pomona before we can release your aid 

You can apply for financial aid at any time – through the end of the academic year.   When you file your application may impact the type of aid you are awarded. 

The awarding of Cal Poly Pomona and California State aid is based on meeting the priority deadline.  If you missed the priority deadline, you will not be able to be awarded from these programs. 

  • FAFSA Applicants:   Federal Grants & Federal Loans are available – regardless of when you apply. 
  • DREAM Applicants:  You may still want to complete the DREAM Application even if you missed the priority deadline as some scholarships or private loans may require you to have completed the application. 

If you are pursuing an Undergraduate Degree or a Teaching Credential, and you are considered a “dependent student” for financial aid purposes – you will need to report parent information on your application.  For more information on determining if parent information is required on your application review the Am I Dependent or Independent? fact sheet from Federal Student Aid.”  

If your marital status changes after you file your FAFSA or DREAM Application, you must speak to our office to determine whether an update to your application is required (our office will make the update – if approved). 

Note: Most information on the application cannot be updated because it must be accurate as of the day you originally signed your FAFSA or DREAM Application.  There are a few exceptions – contact our office if you feel a change is required.  

Admitted & Current Cal Poly Pomona students who can document a significant change in income or resources should contact our office for information about submitting a Family Contribution Appeal.  

Our counselors can help with the appeal process that allows us to evaluate the impact of your special circumstances on you & your family’s ability to pay for college. 

The appeal process is available beginning in February – prior to when the awarding process begins. You do not have to have been awarded in order to submit an appeal; however, if your application has been selected for verification by either Federal Student Aid or the California Student Aid Commission, you must first submit all required documents before your appeal can be reviewed by our office.  

You will receive a financial aid package notification after your file has been completed and reviewed and your eligibility for aid has been finalized. 

  • If you were required to submit documents for review, once all documents have been submitted your file will be routed for review. It can take up to one week for us to complete the review of your file; after which it can take up to one additional week before your aid package is available for your review. 

Your award notification email will refer you to MyCPP where you can review the details of your Award Summary (the types and amounts of aid for which you qualify), including the sources of financial aid you are eligible to receive for the academic year, as well as a term/semester specific breakdown of your awards. 

There could be many reasons, but first check to ensure that all documents that were requested in the Student Forms site have been submitted – and that you completed the process. Also, check the site to ensure we have not returned a document to you for correction. Your file will not be reviewed until all documents are received. 

If you have successfully completed the document submission process, you should see the following message: 

Congratulations!
No action is required while the Financial Aid Office is reviewing your file. You may view documents that have been submitted by clicking on the links below. 
Contact the Financial Aid Office with any questions. 
It can take up to one week for us to complete the review of your file. You will receive an email once the review has been completed. After the review is complete, it can take up to one additional week before your aid package is available for your review.  

Once you register for classes, your tuition and fee charges for the semester will be added to your account. Tuition and fees are typically due prior to when financial aid is released; however, if your aid summary has been finalized, your aid will show as Pending Financial Aid and will postpone the required payment of your fees until your aid can be released (typically 10 days prior to the start of classes). 

  • If your pending financial aid is greater than your tuition and fee charges, you do not need to make any payment towards your tuition and fees prior to your aid being released 
  • If your pending aid does not fully cover tuition and fees, you must pay the difference by the extended payment deadline (September 9th) to avoid having a Registration Hold placed on your account. 
  • If you have signed up for an installment plan, you are still required to make any payments that are due until your financial aid is released. 
  • Pending financial aid does not defer your installment plan payments. 

If you have not been awarded financial aid, or have no pending aid displayed, by your fee payment deadline, you will need to contact Student Accounting & Cashiering Services to make payment arrangements and avoid cancellation of your classes. 

Pending Financial Aid is the amount of aid Cal Poly Pomona expects to credit to your student account; it’s displayed on MyCPP (and your bill) so that you can see how much aid is expected for the semester, and how much you will need to pay toward your account balance. Your financial aid will show as Pending Financial Aid until the funds have been released; pending aid will postpone the required payment of your fees: 

  • If your pending financial aid is greater than your tuition and fee charges, you do not need to make any payment towards your tuition and fees prior to your aid being released. 
  • If you have signed up for an installment plan, you are still required to make any payments that are due until your financial aid is released. Pending financial aid does not defer your installment plan payments. 

Pending Aid / financial aid cannot be used to pay your enrollment deposit.

If your pending financial aid does not fully cover your tuition and fees, you must pay the difference out of pocket by the fee payment deadlines to avoid being dropped from your classes. 

  • If you have signed up for an installment plan, you are still required to make any payments that are due until your financial aid is released. Pending financial aid does not defer your installment plan payments. 
  • If you have questions regarding the charges on your account, please first review the information on the Student Accounting & Cashiering Services website. If you still have questions, please contact them at (909)869-2010 or by email at sacs@cpp.edu.  

Each year, students must complete a new aid application. The types of financial aid offered are based on the information you submitted on your financial aid application (either the FAFSA or the California Dream Act Application) – and may consist of grants, scholarships, loans, and/or federal work-study – depending on your eligibility. 

The aid application uses tax & income information from 2 years prior. Your (and/or your parent’s) income and asset information may have changed since the prior year’s data. Even small changes can affect certain eligibility for aid. Each year the federal government, and California State, reviews and modifies the formulas used to calculate a family’s financial strength that is reflected in the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on the aid application. The EFC is then used to determine eligibility for the various types of aid. 

There are many additional factors that might change your eligibility of aid from year to year. It could be that the following circumstances apply to you: 

  • Timing of your application (missing the Priority Filing Deadline) 
  • Timing of response to requests for additional documents to complete your file 
  • Your willingness to accept various types of financial aid (as indicated by you on your application) 
  • The availability of funds 
  • Your eligibility for certain awards based on award “lifetime” limits 

If you have specific questions about your eligibility for aid, please feel free to contact our office. 

Federal financial aid is made up of grants, work study programs and loans.

Loans offered to students and parents are subsidized in part by the federal government, making them more attractive than commercial loans. The ability of students to defer repayment until after they leave school is also a feature not found in most commercial loans. Therefore, student loans are considered aid. Federal grant money is reserved for the most needy students and families. Middle- to high-income families therefore might see little or no federal grant money in their packages.  

When your financial aid is released to Student Accounting & Cashier Services, your aid is applied directly towards any University charges that are on your account for the semester. 

  1. Financial aid will first apply to tuition and campus fees, including any payment plan you have signed up for. 
  2. Financial Aid will then apply to any university housing charges 
  3. If you have any financial aid credit remaining, these funds will be refunded to you as a direct deposit or as a paper check 

It can take up to 3 business days from the date of your financial aid disbursement for the funds to show in your bank account. Be sure to sign up for Direct Deposit as this is the fastest, and most secure, way to receive your funds.  

Most financial aid funds are released to Student Accounting & Cashiering Services – and applied toward any outstanding university-related chargesincluding any installment plans. The first possible date funds can be released is 10 days prior to the first day of classes – each semester. 

Initial Release Dates for Financial Aid

2022 - 2023 Academic Year:

Aid will begin being released on the following dates:

  • Fall 2022:  August 15, 2022
  • Spring 2023:  January 12, 2023

After the above dates, financial aid is released on a daily basis (Monday - Thursday) throughout each semester. 

Aid on a Varying Disbursement Schedule 

Some aid programs follow a different release schedule than institutional grants or federal loanswhich follow the standard schedule listed above. 

External Scholarships  

  • External scholarships are posted to your account as a credit once the donor or agency has sent the funding to Cal Poly Pomona. Once Student Accounting & Cashiering Services receives your scholarship check, your scholarship will be posted to your account.  If there are no outstanding Cal Poly Pomona charges on your account, funds will be issued to you through a refund (Direct Deposit or by paper check).  
     
    NOTE:  The earliest scholarship funds can be released is the initial release date for each semester; funds cannot be released prior to this date – regardless of when funds are received by the university. 

Scholarships Paid as Stipends  

  • Stipend payments may be released on a multiple payment schedule, rather than all at once. To see the release dates of your Stipend, click on the View Scheduled Disbursement Dates link on your Award Summary screen in your MyCPP Student Center 

Federal Work- Study  

  • Federal Work-Study provides opportunities for employment on campus.  Once you have secured a position, you will be paid on a regular, monthly basis – according to the Cal Poly Pomona payroll calendar.  For more information, visit our Federal Work Study page. 

Private Loans  

  • Release of funds from private loans is dependent upon when that funding is received from the lender.  Once funds have been received at Cal Poly Pomona, they will be released to Student Accounting & Cashiering Services for processing. 

No. You must be enrolled at least half-time to receive most types of aid; however some awards may be reduced if you are enrolled less than full-time. Your official enrollment will be verified at the end of the Add Period (the 10th day of classes for the semester) 

At Cal Poly Pomonafull-time and half-time enrollment for financial aid is defined as follows: 

  • Undergraduate and/or Credential Students 
    • Full-time = 12 units (or more) 
    • Half-time = At least 6 units 
  • Master’s Degree and/or Doctoral Students 
    • Full-time = 6 units (or more) 
    • Half-time = At least 3 units 

Changes in enrollment may result in a change to your tuition & fees or to your financial aid eligibility 

  • If you add class after your aid has been releasedyou will be responsible for paying any additional tuition and fees.
    • If the additional course increases your eligibility for aid, the additional funds can be applied to your tuition & fees.
    • If there is no increase in aid eligibility – you will need to pay the additional tuition & fees yourself.  

If you withdraw from one or more classes during the semester an adjustment of your awards may be required.  If your aid is adjusted – you may have to repay some (or all) of the aid you already received. 

Dropping a class can also impact your eligibility to receive aid in future semesters.  Review our Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) page for more information. 

You should always contact our office, before dropping a classto determine what impact your decision may have.  

Summer is considered to be the end of the academic / aid year; as a result, there is limited funding available for current Cal Poly Pomona students attending the Summer semester.  

Summer financial aid funding is generally limited to federal and private loan programs only. Eligibility for federal loans will depend upon your remaining/unused loan funds from the Fall and Spring semesters. Private loan eligibility will vary from program to program. 

Financial Aid Available for Summer Semester 

  • Federal Direct Student Loans: Undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible if they have not used their annual (or lifetime) limit for their grade level during the current academic year. 
  • Federal Grad PLUS Loans: Students enrolled in a Graduate Degree program may apply for a Summer Grad PLUS Loan to help with the cost of attending classes in summer. 
  • Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS): Parents may apply for a Summer Parent PLUS Loan to help undergraduate students with the cost of attending summer session. 

As a reminder, you must be enrolled at least half-time during the semester in order to receive aid.  

If you are starting your program in the fall semester, you should submit your financial aid application by the March 2nd priority deadline and complete any documents requested from our office.  

If you are starting your program in the spring semester, you should submit your application as early as possible. You should also notify our office if you are graduating from one program at the end of the fall semester and starting a new program in the spring.   

Financial aid is offered based on your planned attendance.  If you will be attending both Fall & Spring semesters, your aid must be split between the two semesters. 

  • If you will be graduating at the end of the Fall semester you can have us re-award your aid based on Fall only enrollment (once your Fall graduation date is approved by Cal Poly Pomona). 
  • If you were originally offered aid for the fall and spring semesters and end up not attending the fall semester, notify our office so we can re-offer your aid for the spring semester only. 

Any loans that you have been offered will show on MyCPP until: 

  • You decline the loan offer 
  • You pass the deadline to accept your loan offer 
  • Your loan offer is cancelled (by our office) 

If you would like to accept a loan offer, but the loans no longer appear on MyCPP, you may be able to have them re-offered.  Connect with us during regular business hours to discuss your options.

If you take an approved Leave of Absence from Cal Poly Pomona, notify our office so that we can re-award your financial aid based on your actual expected enrollment (Fall only, Spring only, or Not Attending). 

In addition, when you are enrolled less than half-time, the grace period on any education loans you have borrowed will begin.  If you do not enroll for at least half-time study before the end of your grace period, your loans will enter repayment.   

If you plan to attend another school, aid that has been awarded and/or received at Cal Poly Pomona for the semester could impact your ability to receive aid at the other school   

An enrollment status of at least “half-time” is required in order to receive funds from California State & Cal Poly Pomona aid programs, as well as most Federal aid programs. 

  • If your enrollment for a semester never reaches half-time status – your aid will not be released. 
  • If you drop below half time status after aid has been released, you may be required to return some (or all) of the funds. 

In addition, when you are enrolled less than half-time, the grace period on any education loans you have borrowed will begin.  If you do not enroll for at least half-time study before the end of your grace period, your loans will enter repayment.   

If you plan to attend another school, aid that has been awarded and/or received at Cal Poly Pomona for the semester could impact your ability to receive aid at the other school   

Financial Aid funds and information is not transferred from school to school.   Each school will determine your eligibility for assistance. 

  • If you need your financial aid information (FAFSA or DREAM Application) sent to another school, you must add the school code to your current aid application.   
  • If you are leaving in the middle of the academic year, you must cancel your financial aid here in order to be awarded funds at another school.   Contact our office to cancel your financial aid at Cal Poly Pomona. 

Signing Up for Direct Deposit at Bronco Direct 

You need to log in to Bronco Direct to sign up for Direct Deposit. You can also view step by step instructions. 

What do you need? 

  1. Bank account number and 
  1. Routing number 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION TO SIGNUP OR UPDATE YOUR DIRECT DEPOSIT 

Direct Deposit now requires a 2 Step Authentication 

2-Step authentication is used to verify your identity by requiring a password and passcode before access is given to an application or computer system. The passcode can be sent to your mobile device. The current service choice for 2-Step is called DUO . 

  • To self-enroll in DUO and activate your Bronco Account for 2-Step, refer to eHelp DUO self-enrollment instructions. 
  • Once 2-Step is activated on your Bronco account , your Bronco password & DUO passcode (2-steps) are required to access selected campus services. This includes BroncoDirect/PeopleSoft, MyCPP, Blackboard, Office 365, as well as others. 

Questions about 2-step authentication: Please contact the IT Service Desk. 

Account Security 

Cal Poly Pomona has adopted a new procedure to help keep your campus direct deposit account secure. 

Cal Poly Pomona will freeze your campus direct deposit account in the event of any change to your bank account or routing number. The freeze is for five business days in order to give you time to contact us and report any unauthorized changes.  

CPP payment plans make it easy to plan, budget and pay tuition payments on-time, interest-free, and without any surprises. Students and authorized users can enroll in an available plan and make payments via direct debit from your bank account or by using Visa, MasterCard, Discover or AmericanExpress. 

Enrolling in CPP Payment Plan 

During the enrollment period for payment plans, follow the instructions below: 

  1. Visit the Student Accounting & Cashiering Services site and click on "Enroll in a Payment Plan" link. 
  2. Click Payment Plans tab 
  3. Click Enroll Now 
  4. Select the Term, review and select an available plan  
  5. Click Continue 
  6. You will see a summary of charges and credits that are eligible for the plan 
  7. Click Display Payment Schedule. Payment amounts and due dates will display  
  8. Click Continue 
  9. In the Payment Method list, select the preferred payment method. Options are:  
    1. New Electronic Check 
    2. Credit or debit card 
    3. Previously stored information

      If scheduled payments are required, the $35.00 enrollment fee will be charged immediately, and monthly payments will automatically post on the due dates.

  10. Read the Payment Plan Agreement  
  11. Click I Agree 
  12. Click Continue 
  13. Read the ACH agreement and click the, “I agree to the above terms and conditions” box  
  14. Click Continue 

Additional charges, adjustments or payments on the student account that occur after enrollment in a payment plan may result in an adjustment to your plan. If this occurs, an email will be sent explaining the effect on the payment plan amounts. 

All payment plans have a $35.00 enrollment fee.