financial aid basics

WHAT AFFECTS MY AID?

Title IV Federal School Code
001153


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Location

Bayramian Hall, first floor
(west of the Oviatt Library)
1-818-677-4085

Summer Hours, May 28-Aug. 16, 2013

Monday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Thursday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Friday: 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

On Monday, June 3, we will be open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. for the financial aid document deadline date.
On Wednesday, July 3, we will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Counseling Hours

Monday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Tuesday and Wednesday: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
(referral slip required from the first-floor financial aid window)

Please be in line at least 30 minutes before closing; hours are subject to change.

Related Links

FAFSA Application

Enrollment FAQ

Award and Planning Guide

Maximum Units and Completion Ratio

In order to determine financial aid eligibility, federal, state and institutional rules require an annual review of student progress toward an eligible degree or certificate. During this review, progress is measured by calculating a completion ratio (units attempted vs. units completed) and the maximum units allowed while attempting degree completion.

How are maximum units calculated?

Add all of your units attempted at Cal State Northridge, including repeated course work, withdrawals, failures, incompletes and no credits. Then, add all transfer units accepted at Northridge.

As a graduate, second bachelor's, credential or doctoral student, you must complete your degree within 125 percent of units required for your degree. If you have been enrolled in more than one post baccalaureate program, units for all programs are counted towards the maximum attempted unit cap.

Example: Sally has transferred in 110 units. This includes 70 units from community college and 40 units from Cal State Los Angeles. Sally has also attempted 45 units at Cal State Northridge. Add the 110 units transferred and 45 units at Northridge to calculate a total of 155 maximum units.

As an undergraduate, you must complete your degree within a maximum of 150 attempted units or within 125 percent of units required for your degree.

How is a completion ratio (units attempted at Northridge vs. units earned at Northridge) determined?

Take all of the units earned at Northridge and divide it by the units attempted at Northridge.

Units earned include any Northridge course you enrolled and received a passing grade in, from A-plus to D-minus or CR.

Units attempted include all units attempted at Cal State Northridge and do not include transfer units. The Financial Aid & Scholarship Department counts grades of F, I, NC, W and WU as units attempted with zero units earned, but these are not counted as units attempted on a student's transcript. Therefore, when determining a satisfactory pass rate, Cal State Northridge transcripts may not match the units counted by the Financial Aid & Scholarship Department.

Course work taken at Cal State Northridge includes remedial, credit/no credit and repeat course work, as well as failing grades, incompletes and withdrawals.

Example: Sammy is admitted for the spring semester and enrolls in 12 units, which count as total units attempted. At the end of the spring term, Sammy completes one three-unit course with a passing grade, withdraws from one three-unit course with a grade of W, and receives an NC for three units of remedial math and three units of English. Sammy's completion ratio is 25 percent (3 units earned divided by 12 units attempted).