Everything You Need To Know Before Applying for the American University Financial Aid

The American University (AU) in Washington, D.C., is one of the United States' most prestigious schools. To be admitted to this student-centered research institution, you must have significant academic achievements and pay a large sum of money for tuition. Since most students are unable to cover all the costs, the University created a strong financial aid program.

Look no further if you want to learn everything about the American University financial aid and let DoNotPay assist you in receiving a sufficient financial award!

What Type of Financial Aid Does the American University Offer?

The American University offers a variety of financial aid options, which are divided into three categories:

1. Need-based aid:
   1. Federal grants:
      1. Federal Pell Grant
      2. Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
      3. Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant
   2. American University (AU) grants:
      1. AU Grant
      2. Supplemental AU Grant
   3. Loans:
      1. Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans
      2. Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan
      3. Alternative Credit-Based Loans
2. Merit-based aid:
   1. Freshmen merit awards and scholarships:
      1. First-Year (Freshman) Merit Awards
      2. Frederick Douglass Distinguished Scholars Program
      3. American University District Scholars Award
      4. United Methodist Scholarship
      5. American University National Merit Scholarships
      6. Athletic Scholarships
      7. Tuition Exchange Scholarships
      8. Restricted/Endowed Awards
   2. AU Transfer Scholarships:
      1. Phi Theta Kappa Scholarship
      2. Southern Management Scholarship
      3. United Methodist Scholarship
      4. Athletic Scholarships
      5. Tuition Exchange Scholarships
   3. AU Graduate Scholarships:
      1. United Methodist Graduate Scholarship
      2. Hart A. Massey Fellowship
      3. Restricted/Endowed Awards
   4. Frederick Douglass Scholarship Program
   5. Outside Scholarships
3. Student employment:
   1. On-campus student jobs
   2. Professional jobs and internships
   3. Part-time/neighborhood jobs

If you are interested in applying to one of the programs mentioned above and need detailed information, contact the University's Financial Aid Office.

See the table below to get a basic understanding of each of the three categories:

Who Is Eligible for the American University Need-Based Aid?

To qualify for a grant, scholarship, or loan offered by the American University, you must belong to one of these categories:

1. Prospective freshman students
2. Prospective transfer students
3. Washington Semester Program students
4. Current undergraduate students
5. Graduate students
6. Online Graduate Program students
7. Graduate Certificate Programs: Premedical Program
8. Prospective international students

You are qualified to receive need-based aid only if you are a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or an eligible noncitizen living in the States for reasons other than studying.

Graduate students who are enrolled at least half-time (Master’s or Ph.D. program) can qualify for federal work-study or federal loans, while online graduate students enrolled at least half-time in a Master’s program can qualify only for federal loans.

If you are a student attending the AU Washington Semester Program, you should contact your home institution to apply for financial aid.

How To Apply for the American University Financial Aid

To apply for financial aid, you must take the following steps:

1. Apply for AU
2. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
3. Complete the College Scholarship Service (CSS) Profile

Additionally, you’ll need a:

• Parent and Student Federal Student Aid Identification
• Parent and student Social Security numbers
• Federal tax forms
• Non-custodial parent contact information

Deadlines for applications for the financial aid and award notifications depend on your student status—i.e., whether you are applying:

1. On Regular Decision
2. On Early Decision
3. As a transfer student
4. As a current student

Regular Decision Freshman Applicants

First-year student applicants must submit their applications by January 15. They will get notified about their reward by April 1.

Early Decision I Applicants

Early Decision students who also want to apply for need-based financial aid must submit their application by November 15. They can expect a notification about their reward by December 31.

Early Decision II Applicants

Early Decision II students must submit their applications by January 15. They will get notified about their reward by February 15.

Transfer Applicants

All transfer applicants have to submit the FAFSA and CSS Profile by May 1. They can expect a notification about their reward after May 1.

Current American University Students

Current students must submit their applications by May 1. They will get notified about their reward in late June. Financial aid awards are usually made for one academic year.

After you review the offer, you may accept or decline it (fully or partially). The amount of aid you get depends on your FAFSA form.

The procedure becomes final when you send all the required documents to the American University Financial Aid Office and sign an award letter. You can also accept your award on myAU Portal.

What if You Get Rejected or the Financial Aid Isn't Enough?

When the Financial Aid Office evaluates your application, it may decide to deny your request or grant you less than you anticipated. If this occurs, you have the right to appeal the University's decision.

In case you don’t know how to write an appeal letter, sign up for our service. DoNotPay can help you save time and effort by writing and sending it on your behalf.

Let DoNotPay Compose Your Appeal Letter!

To get your appeal letter in a split second, all you need to do is:

1. Log in to DoNotPay
2. Select the Appeal for More Financial Aid product
3. Enter the name of the university you want to attend, along with the names of other universities that offered you a higher support amount
4. Answer a few simple questions from our chatbot

After you do that, our app will generate a customized letter and make sure it reaches the American University Financial Aid Office in no time!

Check out a few more guides that teach you how to get more financial aid from various colleges, such as:

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