This compilation of frequently asked questions (FAQs) serves as a valuable resource, offering clarity on common questions and demystifying the financial aid landscape.
General Aid
You can view your financial aid information in our student information system Populi. It lists all aid you have received, shows your Cost of Attendance, and you can accept and deny aid there.
Navigate to your Financial Aid tab:
- Under your name in the light gray area, click the Financial tab
- In the white area, click the Financial Aid tab
FAFSA
The Financial Aid Office processes FAFSAs within two weeks of either receiving your FAFSA or your admission to Central, whichever is last. Please note that processing for an upcoming academic year does not begin until the spring of that year (ie: FAFSAs for AY 25-26 will not begin to be processed until Feb 2025 at the earliest).
When it is processed, you will receive a Financial Aid Offer or other communication from the Financial Aid Office. If you are not admitted, we recommend you work with your counselor to complete the admission process.
Your dependency status determines whose information you must report when you fill out the FAFSA. Read more at studentaid.gov to determine your dependency.
No. You must indicate your marital status as of the date you are completing the FAFSA.
From time to time, the financial aid office may request that you send additional information to the college. This may be because your FAFSA has been selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, or it may be miscellaneous information is needed to determine financial aid eligibility. Learn more about verification here.
Aid & Scholarships
Each type of aid has its own requirements. For federal student aid, Access Missouri, Central Grant, and institutional endowed scholarships, you must reapply every year. For the SEAL Scholarship, you must apply every year to receive an add-on but not to keep what you've already received.
The answer to this question varies for each student. In general:
- Pell Grant: YES
- Institutional aid (SEAL, Central Grant, Visit Grant, etc): NO
- Loans: Maybe
- Access Missouri: NO
To know for certain, please contact the Financial Aid Office.
All aid except the SEAL Scholarship will remain the same. The SEAL Scholarship is reduced for students who live off campus or take classes solely online. View the SEAL policies here to understand the details.
Yes, you may use financial aid to pay for your residence.
International students who are not able to fill out a FAFSA can still be eligible for our institutional aid. Ask your admissions counselor about additional International & Refugee Student aid.
Loans
Federal student loans typically have lower interest rates than private loans. Loans taken by students (subsidized and unsubsidized) have the lowest interest rates, while parent loan interest rates are higher.
You need to be enrolled in at least 6 hours and be degree-seeking to be eligible for federal student loans.
The Direct Parent PLUS Loan generally takes 7-10 business days to process. Once a credit decision has been made, your parent will receive two letters, one from Direct Loans and the other from the Financial Aid Office with additional information regarding the future processing of the loan.
If your parent is denied a PLUS Loan, they will have the option to appeal the credit decision or apply with a credit-worthy co-signer. Your parent will contact the Direct Loan Origination Center, P.O. Box 5962, Montgomery, AL 36102-5692 or at 1-800-557-7394 to make these arrangements.
If your parent chooses not to appeal or apply with a credit-worthy co-signer, then you, the student, will be eligible to borrow an additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan:
- Freshman/sophomore: up to $4,000
- Junior/senior: up to $5,000