New Student FAQs | Financial Aid

New Student Information

was my fafsa received?

We will send an e-mail to notify you that we received your FAFSA. We typically begin this process in December for all student's who have included Stony Brook's school code on their application: 002838.

Did I miss anything?

We will let you know! If you did, we will add an item to your SOLAR To Do List. Many To Do List items are asking you to submit additional documentation. If this is the case, we recommend submitting the document to us via SOLAR. Please watch our SOLAR Upload tutorial if you need assistance.

Will I receive a merit based scholarship?

All freshman are evaluated for merit based scholarships (no applications are required). Recipients will be notified via-email.

Where is my financial aid award package?

In order to receive an award package, we must have a valid FAFSA on file. Additionally, you cannot have any outstanding To Do List items.

A To Do List item will be assigned and viewable in SOLAR informing you that your awards are ready to view/accept.

Award packaging typically begins mid-March for all incoming freshman and transfer students not taking classes in the Health Sciences Center.

Students who are taking classes in the Health Sciences Center should receive their award packages in June if their program begins in July. Students beginning in the Fall semester will receive their award packages in July.

How is my financial aid applied to my bill?

Accepted financial aid will appear as anticipated aid against your university bill, with the exception of estimated awards and Federal Work Study. Financial aid will disburse directly into your student account. Financial aid disbursed in excess of university charges will result in a student refund. For more information, please visit our "Aid and Your Bill" page.

Frequently Asked Questions

We will let you know! If you did, we will add an item to your SOLAR To Do List. Many To Do List items are asking you to submit additional documentation. If this is the case, we recommend submitting the document to us via SOLAR. Please watch our SOLAR Upload tutorial if you need assistance.
In order to receive an award package, we must have a valid FAFSA on file. Additionally, you cannot have any outstanding To Do List items.

A To Do List item will be assigned and viewable in SOLAR informing you that your awards are ready to view/accept.

Award packaging typically begins mid-March for all incoming freshman and transfer students not taking classes in the Health Sciences Center.

Students who are taking classes in the Health Sciences Center should receive their award packages in June if their program begins in July. Students beginning in the Fall semester will receive their award packages in July.
Accepted financial aid will appear as anticipated aid against your university bill, with the exception of estimated awards and Federal Work Study. Financial aid will disburse directly into your student account. Financial aid disbursed in excess of university charges will result in a student refund. For more information, please visit our "Aid and Your Bill" page.
Stony Brook will send a scholarship award letter via e-mail to those students selected to receive a merit-based scholarship. The e-mail process begins in the early part of the new year and typically follows an offer of admissions (7-10 business days).
A scholarship committee reviews the entire academic record contained in the admissions application, and awards merit-based scholarships to a very small percentage of admitted students. The students who are offered admissions to Stony Brook all have incredibly impressive academic achievement. We offer students a prestigious education at an affordable price. Stony Brook University has very limited funding to award merit based academic scholarships. Therefore, only a small percentage of students are awarded merit-based scholarships.
Our office recommends that students review the scholarship section of our website at stonybrook.edu/finaid/scholarships to familiarize yourself with scholarship opportunities that attending students can apply for. In addition, you may want to consider outside scholarship search websites such as http://www.fastweb.com and https://www.finaid.org/scholarships/ as their websites are frequently updated with new opportunities. We also post scholarship opportunities on our social media platforms. Follow our office on social media for scholarship opportunities, financial tips, event information, and more!
Your financial aid may not cover all the expenses that you may incur while attending classes. Utilize one of the calculators on our website to determine your "gap” between your financial aid award package and anticipated charges as either a NYS Resident or Out of State student. These calculators will allow you to evaluate the difference in cost between residing on-campus, off-campus, or commuting from a family residence. The calculator is designed to assist you in determining the amount of funding you may need to cover these "out of pocket" costs, and the available options to cover the expenses, or "filling the gap."
The following are available options to 'fill the gap' between your college expenses and your financial aid awards:
- You may pay the balance due in full each term. Payments can be made by cash, check, money order, or major credit card. To make a payment with a credit card, login to the SOLAR System and click on “Account Summary/What Do I Owe?”. Additional billing information is available on the Bursar/Student Accounts website.
- You may pay the balance due in installments by signing up for the University's Time Option Payment Plan (TOPP).
- Parents of dependent undergraduate students may borrow a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan by completing a Direct PLUS Loan Application at studentaid.gov. Visit the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan information link for further information.
- Students can apply for a private educational loan. For further information, visit the Private Educational Loan
Federal Work Study is offered through the federal campus-based aid program, and provides employment opportunities to eligible matriculated students.

Priority consideration is given to students who file a FAFSA by the priority deadline (listed below). Be sure to answer ‘Yes’ to the FAFSA question asking if you are interested in receiving Federal Work Study.

Priority Filing Deadline – February 15th
The award amount is based on the student's financial need, the availability of funds to the campus, the number of hours the student can work per week, and the current pay rate. Students receive Federal Work Study funds in the form of a bi-weekly paycheck for the hours worked. On campus job opportunities are listed on the Career Center Website.
Federal Direct Subsidized Stafford Loans

Subsidized Stafford Loans are need-based loans. The student must be enrolled in a degree program with six or more credits each semester to be eligible.

First time borrowers will be required to complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling before loan funds can be disbursed.

While you are enrolled in at least 6 credits, and throughout your 6-month grace period, the federal government pays the interest on Subsidized Stafford Loans.

Your loan grace period is defined as the 6 months immediately following your graduation, or the date at which your enrollment dropped below 6 credits.

Repayment begins 6 months after you graduate or are no longer enrolled for 6 or more credits. Payments are made directly to your loan servicer.

Federal Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loans

Unsubsidized loans are non-need-based loans, and are available regardless of financial need. The student must be enrolled in a degree program with six or more credits to be eligible.

First time borrowers will be required to complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling before loan funds can be disbursed.

The federal government does NOT pay the interest. Interest begins to accrue as soon as the loan funds are disbursed. Students may choose to pay the interest that accumulates or have it capitalized – meaning, the interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan, and additional interest will be based upon the higher amount. Paying the interest as it accumulates will reduce the amount of interest that must be repaid.
If the financial situation of either you and/or your parents (if dependent) has changed significantly, and this change was not reflected on your current FAFSA application, you may be eligible to request a Re-evaluation of your financial aid eligibility. A request will only be considered if your current FAFSA reflects an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) greater than 0.

If you meet any of the above conditions and would like to be considered for a re-evaluation, please contact our office, after July 1^st. Provide full documentation to support your request for this re-evaluation.

Conditions that apply:
- You or your parent(s) earned money on your current FAFSA application and have since experienced a loss of employment. This may be a result of a disability, natural disaster, or a recent termination of employment.
- You or your parent(s) received unemployment compensation or some untaxed income or benefit on your current FAFSA application and have lost that income or benefit (e.g. child support, social security benefits, etc.).
- You have already applied for Federal Student Aid and since that time you or your parent(s) have separated, divorced or been widowed.
- You or your parent(s) had healthcare/dental expenses that were paid out of pocket.
- You or your parent(s) experienced a significant change in your financial situation that did not result from one of the above listed conditions. Clearly define these changes in writing and attach it to the Re-evaluation application.

The following questions are for New York State Residents Only:

You must complete a FAFSA application and then complete the TAP application by visiting www.HESC.ny.gov.

Administered by the New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) and is available to full-time* undergraduate matriculated students who are New York State residents. Additional information and application procedures are available on the HESC web site. Satisfactory Academic Progress is a requirement.

*FULL TIME ENROLLMENT FOR TAP REQUIRES A MINIMUM ENROLLMENT OF 12 CREDITS.
There is a separate application needed to be considered for the Excelsior Scholarship.

The scholarship provides eligible NY State resident students up to $5,500 annually for assistance with tuition only. New Yorkers making up to $125,000 may be eligible. It is important to review the basic criteria and application requirements on the HESC website.
The Excelsior Scholarship is a tuition specific award, meaning it only pays towards tuition charges. It is also a last dollar award and the $5,500 amount will be reduced by other grant/scholarship assistance received, even if those grants/scholarships are not earmarked to pay tuition only. Therefore, if you receive awards such as Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG, NY Tuition Assistance (TAP), SUNY Tuition Credits, other NY grants or scholarship, Stony Brook grants or scholarships, or any external scholarships, your Excelsior Scholarship will be reduced or you may not be eligible to receive an award.