Important Aid Updates

COVID-19 and Financial Aid

Posted May 11, 2020

If you or your family have experienced a COVID-19 related job loss due to the impact of the pandemic, please contact Financial Aid with the subject line COVID-19 Appeal. A financial aid counselor will get back to you with additional information.

COVID-19 Changes to Citizenship Documentation Submission Requirements

Posted April 9, 2020

The current COVID-19 pandemic has presented many challenges, and the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) recognizes the obstacles students are facing when trying to complete their citizenship or Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documentation requirement. 

If you are required to submit citizenship or DHS documentation, OSFA will begin accepting copies of your citizenship documents (US Passport, Birth Certificate, Certificate of Naturalization, etc.) during the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they have not been presented in person or submitted with a notary signature.  We will use these to process your financial aid award. 

However, once the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided, you must submit your original citizenship or DHS  document in-person at the OSFA.  If you are unable to appear in-person, you will need to complete and follow the instructions on the Citizenship Affidavit form, found in the forms section of the OSFA website, https://www2.gmu.edu/admissions-aid/financial-aid/forms.  Due to federal regulations, your financial aid funds will not disburse or be applied to your bill until your documents are complete.

Patriot Web Self Service for Financial Aid Is Changing

Posted January 8,  2020

The Office of Student Financial Aid will be moving to the new Financial Aid Patriot Web Self-Service system on January 17, 2020. The new Financial Aid Self-Service will offer much of the same information as the previous Financial Aid Self-Service; but is now more streamlined to offer a brand new look and a better experience for Mason Financial Aid students. The new Financial Aid Dashboard consists of seven page based tabs. Please click on the link below for more screenshots and information on how to navigate through the new Financial Aid Self-Service pages.

Enrollment Freeze and Disbursement of Aid 

Posted November 1, 2019

If you are eligible to receive financial aid, and have satisfied all of your financial aid requirements, your grant and loan funds (if applicable) disburse approximately 10 days prior to the start of classes for the semester (students enrolled in graduate fully online programs offered in modules, see below*). If you increase or decrease your enrollment between the disbursement date and the enrollment freeze date (the freeze date will be the last day you can drop a course from your scheduled classes – please review the semester calendar published by the Registrar’s Office for each semester’s Drop deadline), your financial aid will be adjusted accordingly to ensure that it is the appropriate amount for your enrollment. If you are issued a refund, then ADD credits or other charges to your account, you will owe money on your account and must pay this from the refund proceeds you received. Please note that if you are in a part of term course that begins later in the semester and you drop that course before it begins, your aid may be adjusted to reflect your reduced enrollment load at that time.

After the “enrollment freeze date, the OSFA will “lock” your enrollment record and do a final review of your aid eligibility. Your final aid will be based on the credits you are registered for as of midnight on the Drop (Freeze) date.

Any class you withdraw from after the freeze date will show up on your transcript as a “W” and the course will count as attempted credits when determining your Satisfactory Academic Progress.

*If you are a graduate student in a fully on-line program taught in 8-week modules, your aid disburses on day 5 of your first module