Types of Aid

A scholarship is gift aid given to you to help fund your education. Most scholarships awarded at SU come from Salisbury University and the SU Foundation’s endowments with unique eligibility and scholarship renewal requirements. There are also many scholarships available to you from other, external organizations. Keep in mind, scholarship money does not have to be repaid.

• Presidential & Transfer Academic Merit scholarships for incoming freshmen and transfer students - SU offers a range of general merit scholarships to in-state, out-of-state and international students that do not require a separate application. Prospective incoming freshmen and transfer students will automatically be reviewed for these awards provided timely applications for admission are filed.
  • Eligibility - Freshmen candidates are reviewed based on high school GPA and SAT or ACT scores. Award consideration is based upon a numerical standard and the competition of the applicant pool. Transfer students must have a transfer GPA of 2.5 or higher. Merit scholarship awards are limited to the fall and spring semesters for undergraduate studies only.
  • Timing - Incoming freshmen are advised to file early action admission applications (by December 1) for guaranteed scholarship consideration. The scholarship reviews will continue beyond the early action date if funding is still available.
  • Renewal – All students are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA and complete 24 credits each year in order to annually renew their academic merit scholarships. Scholarships do have a maximum amount of semesters for which you may receive them so please refer to the Scholarship Policies page for more details.
• The Good Neighbor Scholarship is available to incoming freshmen and transfer students who have a permanent home address in Delaware, Virginia, Washington D.C., West Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. No separate application is necessary. Students qualifying for in-state tuition, non-resident regional tuition rate, and those receiving tuition remission/tuition waiver and/or students who are receiving any type of scholarship/grant that funds the differential between in-state and out-of-state tuition charges are not eligible to receive the Good Neighbor Scholarship. Recipients of the Good Neighbor Scholarship cannot receive the Salisbury University Transfer Grant or Transfer Merit Scholarship.
• The SU Fund is a need-based, last dollar institutional grant for full-time undergraduate, first bachelor’s degree seeking students who demonstrate financial need. The determination of the grant amount is based on financial need, the receipt of other gift aid and the student’s academic level determined via their HS GPA and test scores. The minimum award amount is $300. The amount of funding available to award varies each year and is based on the allocation of funds from the institution and the number of eligible applicants. Funding is limited and is awarded on a first come, first serve basis annually so file the FAFSA early and prior to March 1. The receipt of the SU fund is not guaranteed year to year and requires the annual submission of the FAFSA.
• The SU Transfer grant is available to incoming transfer students with a FAFSA expected family contribution (EFC) between $0 - $5,999.
• International scholarships are available, please contact the Admission’s office for more details.
• For all other institutional scholarship opportunities, check out SU's Academic Works scholarship site and complete the general application to be matched up with scholarships you may be eligible for at the University.

A grant is essentially free money or gift aid given to you to finance your education. It can come from the state or federal government, from SU or from private sources and it doesn’t have to be repaid.

• Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's or a professional degree. You apply for a Pell grant via the annual FAFSA.
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) are federal grants administered directly by the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships at SU. You apply for a FSEOG grant via the annual FAFSA.
• SU Fund is an institutional grant for full-time undergraduate, first bachelor’s degree candidate students who demonstrate financial need via the FAFSA. The minimum award is $300. Funds are limited.
• The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) awards a variety of grants and scholarships to students that are Maryland residents. These awards are based on merit and/or financial need and are in addition to aid awarded by the institution. Students who wish to be considered for state aid must submit the FAFSA by March 1 each year. For a full list of programs, deadlines, separate application and eligibility requirements please visit the MHEC website
  • Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program & Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program - The purpose of the Edward T. and Mary A. Conroy Memorial Scholarship Program is to provide student financial assistance to certain individuals due to their eligible military or public safety service or due to their eligible family or marital relationship to such an individual. The purpose of the Jean B. Cryor Memorial Scholarship Program is to provide student financial assistance to eligible children and surviving spouses of school employees who, as a victim in an act of violence occurring in the line of duty, either died or sustained an injury that rendered the school employee 100 percent disabled.
  • To review the eligibility requirements for this state award, please visit MHEC’s website. After reviewing the eligibility requirements and determining that you may be eligible for this state award, please complete the corresponding application and provide it to the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships by July 15, 2019.

• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH) -This is a federal grant available to selected undergraduates (at least Junior standing), post baccalaureate and master’s programs and plans in education. Students must be enrolled in eligible programs and have earned a cumulative GPA of at least 3.25. Students must complete the TEACH Grant initial and subsequent counseling and sign an Agreement to Service (ATS).

If scholarships and grants can’t cover the entire cost of your education, you can secure a loan from the federal government or from a private institution like a bank to cover the difference. Generally speaking, Federal student loans include many benefits (such as fixed interest rates and income-driven repayment plans) not typically offered with private loans. In contrast, private loans are generally more expensive than federal student loans.

• Direct Subsidized Loans are available to eligible, undergraduate students with financial need via a completed FAFSA.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students; there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need.
• Direct Parent PLUS Loans are available to eligible parents for the purpose of higher education expenses related to eligible students. Credit checks are required. In order to apply for a Direct PLUS loan, please visit the U.S. Department of Education site to complete the application and follow the instructions provided.
• Federal Loan Deadlines
  • 2019-2020 Academic Year Loan Period: May 12, 2020
  • 2019 Fall Only Loan Period: December 10, 2019
  • 2020 Spring Only Loan Period: May 12, 2020
• PLUS LOAN REMINDERS:
  • You/your parent DO NOT have the ability to accept the PLUS Loan on the GullNet.
  • The maximum a parent may request is cost of attendance minus other aid. These figures can be found on your GullNet (Self Service> Campus Finances> Accept/Decline Awards).
  • Your parent is NOT required to borrow the maximum amount offered.
  • You will notice an Award Amount and a Net Amount on your GullNet. The Net Amount is what will be applied to your University bill. The difference is the federal government processing fee.
  • Parents may choose to defer payments until 6 months after the date the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time or begin repayment within 60 days of disbursement.
  • A GullNet checklist item will remain on your "To Do" list as Initiated until your parent declines the PLUS offer or until they complete the Parent PLUS loan application process.
• Grad PLUS Loans are federal loans that graduate and professional students with good credit history may borrow to help pay educational expenses if you are enrolled in at least 5 credits per semester.
• Private educational loans are available to students but may require a credit check and/or endorser to be considered eligible.

For more federal Direct loan information
For more Federal Parent PLUS loan information.
For more information about Private vs Federal Loans

Entrance Counseling for Student Loan Borrowers

First time borrowers must complete an entrance counseling session as well as sign a master promissory note for any loans that they choose to accept. The entrance counseling sessions can be completed online and usually only needs to be done once. Entrance counseling covers comprehensive information on the terms and conditions of the loan and of the borrower’s responsibilities. Most promissory notes will also only need to be completed once. Both requirements must be completed before the loan can be disbursed. Login to StudentLoans.gov to complete entrance counseling.

Exit Counseling for Student Loan Borrowers

Students who have received a loan(s) under the Direct Loan Program or Perkins Loan Program, must complete exit counseling each time they drop below half-time enrollment, graduate, or leave school. Exit counseling provides important information in preparation to repay your federal student loan(s). Login to StudentLoans.gov to complete exit counseling.

The Federal Work Study program enables you to earn money for part-time employment to help pay for your education. In most cases, you would be employed by SU in the Work Study program. In order to be considered eligible for the Federal Work-Study Program, students must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available at fafsa.ed.gov. Only students who demonstrate financial need will be considered for the work study program. If, after you after completed your FAFSA form and you feel your application demonstrates a financial need, you are encouraged to complete the Federal Work Study Questionnaire and submit to the Financial Aid Office.

The Maryland Prepaid Tuition Plan is a savings plan that allows parents to set aside funds to pay college tuition for their dependents. The university does not bill the tuition plan directly. Normally, once the first bill of the semester is received, parents forward a copy of the bill to the Maryland Prepaid Tuition Plan and the tuition plan sends payment to the university on behalf of the student.

For more information about the State of Maryland's plan, visit www.collegesavingsmd.org. Prepaid tuition plans are also available in many states and procedures for requesting payment from the tuition plan may vary. For information regarding prepaid tuition plans outside the State of Maryland, please contact a representative from your individual state program.

Some companies offer tuition remission for their employees or dependents of employees. We encourage students to investigate tuition remission programs through their employer or with their parent's employer.

Regular, benefit-eligible employees within the University System of Maryland (USM) may take advantage of tuition remission for themselves or their dependent children. Tuition remission, if applicable, is a benefit where tuition or a portion thereof is paid by the employer. The level of benefit depends upon the hire date of the employee.

Contact Human Resources at your place of employment for more information.

VA benefits are administered by the Registrar's office so to begin using your VA Education Benefits, supporting documents are needed for the University to certify your enrollment with the VA. To access your benefits, you must first complete an Application for Education Benefits online through the VA’s website. If you have not received your Certificate of Eligibility, please provide the Veteran's Office with a copy of your completed Application.

Once you receive your Certificate of Eligibility, to receive enrollment certification at SU, the Veterans Benefit Certification Request needs to be completed each semester.

Beginning with the 2018-2019 award year, a Pell-eligible student whose parent or guardian died in the line of duty while serving as a public safety officer is eligible, under the Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship, to receive a maximum Federal Pell Grant award.

Federal Pell Grants are awarded to both full- and part-time undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelors or professional degree. In certain situations, an eligible student can receive up to 150% of their scheduled Federal Pell Grant for an award year.

Please note that any changes to the FAFSA data may result in an adjustment to your Federal Pell Grant, including but not limited to:

• Review of your FAFSA due to Verification.
• Enrollment less than full-time (12 credits for undergraduate).
• Corrections made by staff due to conflicting university data.

To qualify, a student must:

• Be otherwise Pell-eligible.
• Have a Pell-eligible EFC greater than $0.
• Be less than 24 years of age OR enrolled at an institution of higher education at the time of their parent or guardian’s death.

A public safety officer is defined as:

• An individual serving a public agency in an official capacity, with or without compensation, as a law enforcement officer, firefighter, or chaplain;
• An employee of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who is performing official duties of the agency, if those official duties–
  • are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and
  • are determined by FEMA to be hazardous duties;
• An employee of a state, local, or tribal emergency management or civil defense agency who is performing official duties in cooperation with FEMA, if those official duties–
  • are related to a major disaster or emergency that has been, or is later declared to exist with respect to the area under the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act; and
  • are determined by the agency to be hazardous duties;
• A member of a rescue squad or ambulance crew who, as authorized or licensed by law and by the applicable agency or entity, is engaging in rescue activity or in the provision of emergency medical services; or
• A fire police officer, defined as an individual who is serving in accordance with state or local law as an officially-recognized or designated member of a legally organized public safety agency and provides scene security or directs traffic in response to any fire drill, fire call, or other fire, rescue, or police emergency, or at a planned, special event.

A parent or guardian includes non-custodial parents, step-parents, and parents of independent students. In all cases, the parent/guardian status at the time of death is the qualifying eligibility criterion. This may be different from the current parent/guardian status.

If you meet the above criteria please contact our office for the application and documentation required to apply for this scholarship.

If you are admitted to a master’s-level program at SU, you are eligible for a teaching, research or administrative assistantship. By working for the University, your tuition will be waived. View Graduate Assistantships at SU!