How do I get my financial aid?

All federal aid funds and school-certified alternative loans are applied directly to your student account in the Office of Bursar Operations.  If the amount credited to your account is greater than the amount you owe to the University, you will be issued a refund for the credit balance.  Following, you will find useful information regarding completing registration on your fee bill and ensuring that your funds are disbursed in a timely manner. 

The Schedule Booklet is a source of important information regarding registration, fee bill availability, payment dates, and much more.  USE IT!!

Fee Bill Information    

Fee bills are made available on PAWS.  To access your fee bill, log in to PAWS and click ‘Registration Services’ then ‘Fee Bill.’  You are responsible for ‘completing registration’ on your fee bill.  Click here for instructions.  Completing registration notifies LSU that intend to attend the upcoming semester and ensures that your classes will not be purged.

For students who have completed the financial aid process and accepted an award package, financial aid will appear as an ‘Anticipated Financial Credit’ on your fee bill. 

In order for financial aid to appear as an Anticipated Credit on your fee bill, Undergraduate students are required to have at least six hours to receive loans for summer, fall and spring loans.

If you need to add course(s) to meet the above requirement, please do so through PAWS.  Your fee bill will update automatically.

If you are unable to pay the entire amount due, you may select the “Deferred Payment” option by clicking “Registration Services” on PAWS.  This will allow you to pay only half of the amount due and pay the other half in installments throughout the semester.

Disbursement Information for Financial Aid (including Pell, SEOG, ACG, SMART, Perkins loans, Stafford loans, PLUS loans, and Alternative loans that have been certified)

For any of the above mentioned types of aid to disburse, you must have completed all necessary steps in the financial aid process and any other steps required by the lender of any loan you have accepted.  For most programs, you must also be enrolled at least half-time at the time of disbursement.  Special Note to Pell grant recipients:  The Pell grant is prorated based on your enrolment on the day of disbursement.  If you add or drop courses during the Add/Drop period after your Pell grant has credited to your fee bill, your Pell grant will be adjusted after the Add/Drop period is over.  Additional Pell disbursements or refunds of Pell funds for which you are no longer eligible will be made after the Add/Drop period.  

Financial aid disbursement dates are set for the week prior to classes beginning each semester.  View the Financial Aid Calendar for specific dates.  If you expect to receive a credit balance, please allow up to 7 business days for the Office of Bursar Operations to process a direct deposit or refund check.

Your financial aid will not credit to your student account following the appropriate disbursement date until you complete registration on your fee bill.

To receive any financial aid refund as quickly as possible, direct deposit is recommend. You may sign up for direct deposit through the “Financial Services” link on PAWS.  (Please note this option is not available for parents expecting a Parent PLUS loan refund.  All Parent PLUS loan refunds are mailed by check to the parent.)

If you prefer to have a check mailed, please make sure that your LOCAL MAILING ADDRESS is current.  You can verify/make changes to your address by clicking “Personal Preferences”, then “Directory Information” on PAWS.

If you add courses after a financial aid refund has been processed, you should view your Billing Statement on PAWS to determine the balance due.  

The Office of Undergraduate Admissions and Student Aid will begin offering emergency loans for books on the first day of classes each semester, and will continue through the first two weeks of classes. You must be a full time student, not on probation, have completed registration, and have not received a credit balance refund from LSU. Emergency loan amounts are $300 for undergraduates and $500 for graduates.