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 cumulative GPA  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. You must also enroll full time 12 credits or more each semester. 
• 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. Starting with the incoming fall 2020 class, students from the following New England States are also eligible: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. 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. You must also enroll full time 12 credits or more each semester.
• 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.
  
  
• 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).
  
  
• Sea Gull Pell Promise is an institutional grant for new full-time undergraduate students starting in the Fall 2022 semester. The grant will cover any tuition costs remaining once eligible students’ scholarships, grants and benefits are applied. Students must have been admitted directly out of high school with a minimum 3.75 high school grade point average and qualify for a Pell Grant by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). They also must be Maryland residents.
  
  
• COLLEGE ASSISTANCE MIGRANT PROGRAM: Initializing Migrant, Minority & Marginalized Power through Opportunities & Widening Educational Opportunities
  About CAMP
  What is CAMP? The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) assists students who are migrant or seasonal/temporary farmworkers (or children of such workers) enrolled in their first year of undergraduate studies at colleges and universities. The funding provides academic, financial, and social/health supports to ensure success.
  
  What is I’M³ POWER CAMP Scholars Program? It is a CAMP Program in the Samuel W. and Marilyn C. Seidel School of Education at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland. The I’M³ POWER CAMP Scholars Program provides significant financial supports as well as other educational supports to migrant or seasonal/temporary farmworkers and their families who wish to attend Salisbury University to pursue any major. Please visit the Camp Grant page for more information.

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
  • 2021-2022 Academic Year Loan Period: December 10, 2021
  • 2021 Fall Only Loan Period: December 10, 2021
  • 2022 Spring Only Loan Period: May 13, 2022
  • 2022-2023 Academic Year Loan Period: December 12, 2022
  • 2022 Fall Only Loan Period: December 12, 2022
  • 2023 Spring Only Loan Period: May 16, 2023
• 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 (GullNet Homepage / Financial Aid / (select award year) / 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 StudentAid.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 StudentAid.gov to complete exit counseling.

Federal Work-Study Program at Salisbury University

The Federal Work-Study Program increases students' opportunities to earn money by working part-time during the school year (up to 10-15 hours per week).

The Federal Work-study (FWS) program allows eligible students to earn paychecks to help support their educational expenses by getting part-time jobs with Salisbury University departments. This program helps create additional job opportunities for FWS students by providing federal funding that is used to pay their wages.

FWS funds are limited and require financial need from FAFSA. If your financial aid award notification includes a FWS award, then you are eligible to pursue FWS jobs. Your total earnings cannot exceed your FWS award amount, and your actual earnings will depend on your hours worked and your hourly wage.

The hourly rate for on-campus employment will be at least the current Maryland minimum wage ($13.25).

Eligibility Requirements for Federal Work-Study

The university receives an annual budget of FWS funds from the federal government and offers the available funds to students who demonstrate higher levels of financial need. Students without FWS awards may still pursue many other part-time job opportunities both on and off-campus.

• You must first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online at studentaid.gov.
• You must meet general eligibility requirements which include: Official FAFSA for current aid year (verification must be completed if required)
• You must have financial need from FAFSA
• You must enroll at least half-time (six credits or more) for each semester
• You must accept your federal work study if you wish to pursue a position
• You must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and be a degree-seeking undergraduate student
• After accepting your Federal work study offer, please complete the candidate registration form by visiting Career Connections Website . After clicking the Career Connections link you will be prompted to enter in your SU username and password. Then you will be prompted to complete a candidate registration form – You must follow the steps outlined on the page. Starting in early April you may begin looking for available FWS job opportunities. Be sure to check back on the Career Connections website often as FWS supervisors continue posting FWS job openings. It is your responsibility to contact the supervisor regarding an open FWS job positing.

Why choose Federal Work–Study?

There are many benefits:

• Income: Extra money for things you want and need.
• Opportunity: Although you are not guaranteed a job if you are awarded Work–Study, you are much more likely to be hired if you have Work–Study eligibility. In addition, your job will be close to where you study.
• Student–Friendly Schedule: Your employer knows your first priority is as a college student. Employers try to be as flexible as possible in scheduling work hours around your class schedule.
• Future Financial Aid Eligibility: As a financial aid need-based program, Work–Study income (although taxable) does not affect your future financial aid eligibility in the next tax year.
• Work Experience: Students who have job experience and who have worked while attending school are more attractive to future employers. Your supervisor may become an excellent reference.
• Academic Success: Campus research has shown that Work–Study students connect with the campus community, learn about resources available to students, and establish stronger relationships with faculty and staff. This correlates with the fact that students with Work–Study jobs are more likely to stay in school, perform better academically, and graduate.

If you decide not to use your Work–Study award, there is no effect on your grant aid. If you have not been awarded your maximum loan amount, you could qualify for more loan money. If you wish to cancel your Work-Study award and request remaining loan eligibility please contact the Office of Financial & Scholarships.

To review FWS frequently asked questions FWS FAQ's

• The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 temporarily expands SNAP eligibility to include students enrolled at least half-time in an institution of higher education, who either:
  1. Are eligible to participate in state or federally financed work-study during the regular school year, as determined by the institution of higher education, or
  2. Have an expected family contribution (EFC) of $0 in the current academic year.

Students who indicated “Yes” on the 22/23 FAFSA that they are interested in Federal Work-Study and are eligible, were automatically awarded Federal Work-Study in their financial aid award. Students who do not have a work-study award, can email The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at finaid@salisbury.edu for additional information on seeking federal work-study eligibility information.

Please note: *Per the USDA: Under SNAP regular rules, only students who actually participate in state or federally funded work study are eligible. The new, temporary exemption expands SNAP eligibility to students who are eligible to participate in federal work study during the regular school year, without the requirement that they actually participate. *

• Additional guidance will be updated, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Services (USDA) SNAP COVID-19 guidance is shared. You may also find the most current FAQs, concerning the student provisions related to SNAP expansion.

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.

The Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC) Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) 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 at Salisbury University by July 15 ^th of the upcoming academic year.
   
• Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) - Beginning with the 2019-2020 award year, the qualified children of undocumented immigrants who are eligible for in-state tuition under 15–106.8. of the MD Education Article​ also are now eligible to apply for various State financial aid grants and scholarships. For the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) User Guide, please click here .
  
  The Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) is available to applicants who are ineligible to receive federal aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The MSFAA allows qualified children of undocumented immigrants, who qualify for in-state tuition under §15–106.8. of the MD Education Article​ to apply and be considered for certain types of State need-based financial aid, such as the: Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards Program, the Part Time Grant, the Maryland Community College Promise Scholarship, and the Richard W. Collins III Leadership with Honor Scholarship. For a list of Frequent Asked Questions (FAQ) please visit the  FAQs for the Maryland State Financial Aid Application (MSFAA) web page.
  
  

• Credit Completion Requirements for MHEC’s Need Based Aid - During the 2016 Maryland Legislative Session, the College Affordability Act of 2016 (Chapters 689 and 690) was enacted to encourage on-time completion in the MHEC Howard P. Rawlings Educational Excellence Awards Program. This change directly impacts students receiving the Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant, Educational Assistance (EA) Grant, and/or Campus-Based Educational Assistance Grant (CB-EAG). Now, students who received an award for at least two years since the 2015-2016 academic year must meet certain Credit Completion Requirements in order to receive their renewal award for current and future academic years.

  If you received either the GA, EA, and/or CB-EAG for at least two years since the 2015-2016 academic year, you are required to successfully complete at least 30 credits in your most recent year of receiving the award in order to receive your full (non-prorated) renewal award for the upcoming academic year and thereafter. I f you successfully complete at least 24 credits but less than 30 credits at the end your second year or thereafter, your award will be prorated (reduced) in the upcoming academic year. Credits earned in the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer terms of an award year all count towards the 30 credit requirement. Successfully completed courses are those in which a student received any grade higher than an “F” or “W”. Audited courses do not count as successfully completed. You may only repeat a course one time and have that repeated course count as successfully completed.

  If you have questions about your award, please feel free to refer to the communication you received from MHEC. You may also log in to your MDCAPS account and send secure message to MHEC, contact MHEC by telephone at 410-767-3300 or contact MHEC via e-mail at osfamail.mhec@maryland.gov.

  Below are two charts which provide an estimate of what you may receive in an award year based on the number of credits completed. Please note that these award amounts have been estimated by MHEC:

  Estimated Award for Guaranteed Access (GA) Grant Recipient with On Campus Housing Status:

  Completed Credits	Estimated Award Amount
  23 or Less	$0
  24	$13,500
  25	$14,000
  26	$14,600
  27	$15,200
  28	$15,700
  29	$16,300
  30 or More	$16,900

   

  Estimated Award for Educational Assistance (EA) Grant Recipient with On/Off Campus Housing Status:

  Completed Credits	Estimated Award Amount
  23 or Less	$0
  24	$2,400
  25	$2,500
  26	$2,600
  27	$2,700
  28	$2,800
  29	$2,900
  30 or More	$3,000

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!

The Maryland Success Grant is awarded to full time Maryland undergraduate and graduate students with an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) up to $9,999 from the current FAFSA. Students must also be meeting the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Policy for financial aid eligibility. This is a one-time only non-renewable grant.