Academic Progress Status
The Academic Progress Status section of your Student Aid Summary tells you whether or not you are meeting Penn State’s Satisfactory Academic Progress Standards. Students must meet these standards in order to remain eligible for student aid.

Aid Program Name
The Aid Program Name section of the Student Aid Summary lists all the sources of aid you are eligible to receive for the 2009-10 academic year, based on the information you submitted on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your aid may consist of loans, grants, scholarships, and/or federal Work-Study. These aid programs exist to assist students with the greatest financial need and are intended to supplement the contributions of students and/or their families. We encourage you to click on each of these aid sources to learn more about each of them. When reviewing the aid programs you were awarded, please keep in mind that:

Scholarships are limited
Penn State scholarships are limited and highly competitive. We regret that we are not able to recognize all students who have achieved significant academic honors. University scholarships make-up only 23 percent of all financial aid awarded to students. For more information about Penn State scholarships, you can read the Student Aid and Scholarships Policy and view a PDF of the 2009-10 Scholarship Brochure on our Web site.

Many Penn State students apply for and receive private scholarships from community organizations, church groups, and other private philanthropies. You can search and apply for private scholarships through free, Web-based search engines such as those found in the Scholarships section of our Web site.

Educational loans are the primary source of student aid funds
Due to limited student aid funding, including University scholarships, Penn State is unable to meet the full demonstrated financial need of most students. The primary source of student aid at Penn State is educational loans. Approximately 75 percent of Penn State undergraduate students with financial aid receive loans, as many students and their families make use of student and parent loans (for parents of dependent undergraduate students only) to pay for their education.

As a student aid recipient, we also encourage you—and your parent(s), if you are a dependent student—to become familiar with the Office of Student Aid Web site. Our Web site will help you navigate the world of financial aid at Penn State and answer some of your questions.

Essential Costs for 2009-10
This section of the Student Aid Summary lists estimated costs for the 2009-10 year at Penn State, based on full-time enrollment, the campus you will attend, and whether you are an in-state or out-of-state student. Keep in mind Penn State’s final tuition and fees will be set by the Board of Trustees in July.

In addition to these estimated costs, you will also need to budget for other miscellaneous out-of-pocket expenses, such as laundry, personal care items, transportation, school supplies (other than books), and childcare (if you are an independent student with children).

Financing strategies for paying your costs
Using your Student Aid Summary, compare your total expected amount of student aid with your estimated costs to calculate the amount you will owe the University and/or need for miscellaneous expenses. By calculating this amount, you can begin to plan for how you will meet your 2009-10 estimated costs (whether through your own or family resources, additional educational loans, or a combination of financing strategies). We encourage you to work this summer to earn money to pay for your books and related miscellaneous living expenses.

If your total expected amount of student aid does not cover your education costs and miscellaneous living expenses, you can explore additional financing strategies on our Web site to help you plan for how you will meet the difference between the aid you will receive and your estimated costs for attending Penn State. Our office recommends that students (and parents of dependent students) take advantage of federal loans before considering higher-cost private loans because federal loans offer the best rates, terms, repayment options, and protections for both students and parents.

What's next
After you review your Student Aid Summary, there are several important steps you will need to take to complete the student financial aid process:

1. Know your rights and responsibilities – As a student financial aid recipient, it is your responsibility to know and comply with the rules governing the aid you receive. Be sure to visit the Students Must Know section of the Office of Student Aid Web site to review your rights and responsibilities. Keep in mind that you must maintain satisfactory academic progress in order to remain eligible.
2. Monitor your Penn State e-mail account – Check your Penn State e-mail account regularly for important notifications regarding your student financial aid. Most communications from the University will be sent only to your Penn State e-mail account.
3. Confirm your registration – You will receive an eBill notification via e-mail in July (for the fall semester) and in November (for the spring semester). Be sure to complete/confirm your registration on the tuition bill every semester--even when your aid covers your bill or when you are expecting a refund—to ensure your aid disburses into your Bursar Account on time.

Still have questions about your student aid? Review the FAQs section of our Web site for answers to commonly asked questions. We also invite you to Ask The Lion, by typing a question to receive an immediate answer online. You can also click on the Contact Us link to view our hours of operation, telephone number, or to e-mail our office.