Where to Start
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid each year using TKU’s school code (035163).
- Be admitted to TKU.
- Enroll and maintain at least half-time enrollment at TKU (at least 6 credit hours per semester).
- Cancel all pending financial aid offers/awards at your other school(s).
- Apply for scholarships.
Financial Aid Process
Step 1: Submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
What you need to do
- Request FSA ID, if you haven’t created one previously.
- Gather important documents.
- Fill out the FAFSA online. TKU’s school code is 035163.
- Wait for your Student Aid Report via email. (This will give you an estimate of federal aid for the full academic year – it is not an official award offer.)
- Make sure you are applying for the FAFSA that corresponds with the correct year you anticipate enrolling.
What we do
- Download your FAFSA and match it to your student profile.
- Determine what additional steps are needed.
Step 2: Apply to TKU
What you need to do
- Fill out an application for Admission.
- Include your Social Security Number.
- Make sure your information matches your information on the FAFSA.
What we do
- Create an applicant/student profile and email.
- Send you instructions on how to access your email.
Step 3: Additional Documents
What you need to do
- Check your TKU student email for a notification on the additional documents needed. (This is typically sent within 7-10 business days after we’ve received your FAFSA and you are enrolled at TKU.)
- Log into the TKU Financial Aid Portal. Instructions for creating your account will be included in our first email to you for next steps.
- Complete any outstanding documents listed in the portal. Most documents can be completed electronically or will need to be uploaded to the portal.
What we do
- Review all documents and send any necessary corrections to FAFSA to the Dept. of Education.
- Notify you via email if any documentation is incomplete and/or insufficient.
Step 4: Award Offer Sent
What you need to do
- Make sure you are enrolled at least half-time.
- Wait for your award letter via email. (This is typically sent within 7-10 business days after enrollment and all documents in step 3 have been received.)
What we do
- Verify acceptance to TKU.
- Verify enrollment.
- Set your financial budget.
- Determine what programs you are eligible for.
- Make initial awards.
- Review your awards to ensure your awards are accurate.
- Send you an award offer notification.
Step 5: Accept Your Awards
What you need to do
- Log in to the TKU Financial Aid Portal and review your awards.
- Determine your tuition/fee costs as well as any additional expenses to ensure you are not accepting more aid than is needed.
- Accept or Decline each award. Adjustments can be made to award amounts in the portal before acceptance.
- Complete Loan Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note for any loans being borrowed.
* NOTICE: We are unable to disburse federal loans until these two steps are completed.
What we do
- Submit accepted award information to the US Department of Education.
- Begin disbursement processes one week after courses start (to verify student attendance).
Step 6: Check for Aid Disbursements
What you need to do
- Wait for disbursement notification via email.
- Check your Student Ledger to see disbursements post to your account. This typically occurs in the second week of classes after attendance is verified.
What we do
- Receive reporting from professors that student is attending courses during first week of classes.
- Send disbursement requests to Dept. of Education.
- Receive aid deposits from Dept. of Education.
- Post disbursements to students’ accounts.
Step 7: Credit Balance Refunds
What you need to do
- Determine how you want to receive any refunds from TKU.
- If you’d like to receive refunds via direct deposit, complete the eRefund form.
- If the eRefund form is not completed, a paper check will be sent to your primary mailing address.
- Keep attending classes!
What we do
- Determine which students have received more aid than needed to pay their tuition/fee balance at TKU.
- Issue refund checks and direct deposits. (KU will send all credit balance refunds to students within 14 business days once the credit appears on the student’s account.)