Summer Aid Information

Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships

 

A separate financial aid application is not required to be considered for Summer financial aid. If students are determined eligible for Summer aid, they will receive award notifications via ETSU email. If students do not receive award notifications, it has been determined they are not eligible for Summer aid. Students can review their awards in GoldLink.

Eligibility Requirements for Summer Financial Aid

Complete the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.gov. If the 2024-25 FAFSA has already been completed, a new one is not required.

Students must register up front for all Summer courses they plan to attend, including late start courses. NOTE: Students must notify the ETSU Financial Aid & Scholarships immediately if they change their enrollment. Any change in enrollment could affect aid eligibility. Attendance at another institution during the year may also affect Summer eligibility. 

The student will be responsible to pay the additional course fees for any courses added after Summer census.

Students must be fully admitted to a degree seeking program.

Students must meet the terms of the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy by being in good standing or by having an appeal approved. By having an appeal approved, students agree to the terms of an academic plan, which will allow them to receive aid while on an approved appeal.

Students cannot be in default on a student loan or owe a repayment to a Federal Grant.

Receipt of additional financial assistance from any source could affect Federal Aid eligibility. Failure to report other sources of aid may result in required repayment of Federal Aid funds.

Summer Aid Awards

Eligibility is based on the 2024-25 FAFSA and general requirements for financial aid disbursement. Students are unable to use future funds from the 2025-26 award year to pay for Summer 2025. Unresolved issues on student accounts may prevent Summer awarding. Additional requirements for specific financial aid funds are indicated below.

Types of financial aid available for Summer include Pell Grants, student and parent loans, and scholarship opportunities. Since Summer semester is part of the academic year just completed, only unused eligibility for student and/or parent loans can be awarded. Eligibility for loans also depends on a student’s grade level, since maximum annual loan eligibility varies with grade level.

Pell Grants are available for Summer term. Year-round Pell allows students to receive up to 150% of their regular grant award over an academic year, allowing them to take advantage of Summer classes and finish on or ahead of schedule. As with Fall and Spring, students may receive 50% of their regular grant award for Summer term courses. Summer Pell usage will not impact eligibility for the 2025 Fall semester, but it will count towards a students’ Pell Lifetime Eligibility Usage.

 

Award Information

 

  • Pell Grants

    2024-25

    Pell Grant eligible students can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Pell award each year. What does this mean? Students that were eligible for the Pell Grant in Fall 2024 and/or Spring 2025, they may qualify for a Pell Grant for Summer 2025.

    Eligibility

    To be eligible for a Summer Pell Grant, students must:

    • Have completed a 2024-25 FAFSA
    • Be Pell Grant eligible
    • Be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
    • Have lifetime Pell Grant eligibility remaining

     


    Important facts to note:

    • Pell Grant alone may not be enough to cover the full cost of attending classes in the Summer.
    • Many students use their full loan eligibility over the Fall and Spring semesters, leaving nothing available for Summer. If possible, students should reserve some of their annual federal loan eligibility for the Summer.
    • Eligible students may receive up to three Pell awards in one academic year.
    • The maximum timeframe that students may receive Federal Pell Grant is the equivalent of twelve full-time semesters or 600%. One full-time semester of Pell equals 50%.

     


    Check Lifetime Eligibility

    Students are able to check their remaining eligibility level online by logging on to StudentAid.gov using their FSA ID. 

    Minimum Credits

    • No minimum credit hour requirement for Pell grant

     

  • Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
     
    • Students must be registered at least half-time (6+ hours for undergraduate; 5+ hours for graduate) to be considered for loan eligibility. 
    • ETSU Financial Aid & Scholarships will evaluate eligibility for student loans.
    • Loans are awarded for an entire academic year.
    • Federal Direct Stafford Loans received in previous semesters for the 2024-25 academic year will affect Summer 2025 loan eligibility.
    • If a student has received the maximum amount of their loans in the previous Fall and Spring semesters, they may not have loans remaining for the Summer term.
    • However, when a student increases from a Freshman to a Sophomore or a Sophomore to a Junior at the conclusion of the Spring semester, they may be eligible for the new grade level's loan limit. In this scenario, the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships will evaluate the student's loan eligibility after Spring grades have posted. If a change in Summer loan eligibility occurs, an award notification will be sent to their ETSU Outlook email account.
    • Students who have reached the aggregate Federal Direct Stafford (lifetime) loan limits for their academic level are not eligible for additional loan funds. 

    Example:
    Josh is a dependent freshman who received $5,500 in loans during the Fall and Spring semesters. At the end of the Spring term he will have earned 30 credit hours and will be a sophomore. Given that sophomores are typically eligible for $6,500 in loans for an academic year, Josh is eligible for $1,000 in loans for the Summer term.

  • Graduate Plus Loan

    Students that have borrowed their entire $20,500 unsubsidized loan during the Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 semesters have the option to apply for the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan for Summer term. Students can apply at https://studentaid.gov. This loan is based on credit.

    Instructions:

    • Go to https://studentaid.gov
    • Click on Apply for a Direct PLUS Loan
    • Then select Direct PLUS Loan Application for Graduate/Professional Students
  • Parent Plus Loan (Parent of Dependent Students)

    To apply for a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, go to https://studentaid.gov.This loan is based on credit.

    Instructions:

    • Go to https://studentaid.gov
    • Click on Apply for a Direct PLUS Loan
    • Then select Direct PLUS Loan Application for Parents
  • Tennessee Hope Lottery Scholarships (TELS)
     
    • Recipients of TELS are typically able to use the scholarships during Summer semesters.
    • Summer hours count towards the maximum eligibility for the scholarship.
    • Summer TELS awards will be posted for eligible students, who are enrolled for Summer term, once Spring Satisfactory Academic Progress process has been completed.
    • Review guidelines for TELS eligibility.
  • TSAA Grants

     

    • TSAA grants are not available during the Summer semester.
  • Summer Disbursement of Funds
     

    Pell Grants will be disbursed prior to the start of the entire Summer Session (i.e. If the student has 3 hours during the Summer 1 Session and 3 hours for the Summer 2 Session, the Pell Grant will be disbursed to the Student's account prior to the entire Summer Session.). The Pell Grant will then be adjusted if the student drops or never attends either of the Summer sessions for which he/she is enrolled.

    Summer loans will be disbursed prior to the start of the entire Summer Session, to include all sessions, as long as the enrollment is at least half-time (6+ credits, Undergraduate; 5+ credits Graduate). Students whose enrollment is less than half-time are not eligible to receive loan funds for Summer term.

    IMPORTANT NOTE: Dropping courses may result in the student owing back money. Any change in enrollment should be reported to ETSU Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  • Am I eligible for a Federal Pell Grant this Summer?

    If you have received your annual Fall and Spring disbursements limits, you may qualify for a Summer disbursement. Federal Pell Grant has lifetime eligibility rules, which limits students to the equivalent of twelve full-time semesters of attendance. Therefore, students that have reached lifetime limits will not be eligible for continued Federal Pell Grant disbursements.

     

  • Am I eligible for my Federal Direct Loans this Summer?
     

    If you have received your full annual grade level limit during Fall and Spring, you will not be eligible for a Summer disbursement unless you have progressed to the next grade level.  If you have not borrowed your Fall/Spring annual limit, you will be eligible for the amount remaining in your annual limit. 

  • When will I get my credit balance refund?
     

    If your financial aid exceeds your charges, your balance of aid (refund) will be issued by the Bursar’s Office within 14 days of your disbursement credit. For more information contact the ETSU Bursar’s Office.

  • I am working on my second bachelor's degree. Am I eligible for aid?
     

    If you are working on your second bachelor's degree, you may qualify for limited amount and types of student loans.

  • What if I’m a Transfer Student?
     

    Eligibility for transfer students may be limited based on federal loans and/or grants received at another institution during the academic year. Transient students are not eligible to receive federal student aid from ETSU.  However, transient students may qualify to receive aid from their Home school. Students will need to speak with the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships at their home school for guidance and eligibility determination.

  • I have decided not to enroll in Summer classes. How do I cancel the aid I have been awarded?
     

    If you have not accepted your aid, simply log into your ETSU GoldLink account and decline your aid before the first day of class. If you have already accepted your aid, email finaid@etsu.edu from your ETSU email account, before the first day of class, stating you will not be attending ETSU and we will cancel your aid. To avoid charges on your account, you must drop all your courses before the first day of class.

  • I started my classes, but I have decided not to stay enrolled in Summer classes. What do I need to do?
     

    You need to speak to a Financial Aid Counselor BEFORE dropping any courses. If you drop courses after the first day of class, you could be responsible for repaying financial aid. Also, Lottery recipients could permanently lose their scholarships, so Lottery recipients should not drop courses.