Apply for aid
To apply for Financial Aid you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid available at https://fafsa.gov.
Saint Joseph's University's school code is 003367.
- When filling out the FAFSA, you will be prompted to link to the IRS website, which will display your tax information and give you the option of transferring the data to your FAFSA. We recommend taking advantage of the IRS Data Retrieval option if you and/or your parents have filed your 2020 federal taxes prior to completing the 2023-24 FAFSA. The 2023-2024 FAFSA (for fall 2023/spring 2024) became available October 1, 2022 and you must have filed your 2021 taxes prior to completing this form. If you are selected for verification and opted out of the IRS Data Retrieval process, you will have to submit an IRS tax transcript directly from the IRS to complete the federal verification process. Click here to determine if you are eligilbe to use the Data Retrieval tool.
An email notification will be sent to your SJU email account when packages are available to view and accept. If you have any questions please contact the Financial Aid Office.
To accept your aid online via The Nest:
Log into The Nest
- From the Home tab, go to Administrative Services and Select Financial Aid
- Make sure the "Award Year" selected is 2023-2024
- Select "Home" tab, review any "Responses Required" and complete the Cash Management Statement.
- If selected for federal verification, you will need to accept the statement before you can accept your aid.
- Select "Award Offer" tab to accept/decline your financial aid
- Select "Resources" tab and complete the Terms and Conditions
If you have questions please contact the Financial Aid Office via a Service Request or by phone at 610-660-2500.
To view required documents for Federal Verification:
- Log into The Nest.
- Go to Student (top right of page)
- Under Student Services & Resources (scroll to bottom)
- Under Financial Aid Section
- Click Financial Aid
- Under Financial Aid Requirements, your documents will be listed.
- Review document status, if satisfied your requirements have been received.
- Please submit signed documents within 45 business days by mail or fax at 610-660-1019.
For new student borrowers who are accepting Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans:
- Go to studentaid.gov and log into Manage My Direct Loan.
- The FSA ID is used to electronically sign your FAFSA and can be used to retrieve your completed FAFSA and make corrections in the future.
- Complete Federal Direct Loan Entrance Loan Counseling at studentaid.gov
- Sign a Master Promissory Note for Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans at studentaid.gov
- These online forms MUST be completed by first-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers at St. Joseph's University. Each is good for ten years.
To calculate the amount needed for a Parent PLUS loan or alternative loan:
- Take the Cost of Attendance (COA) figure listed in your Financial Aid Award package in The Nest under the Award Overview tab.
- Subtract total accepted grants, scholarships and federal student loans.
- Do not include work study funds in this calculation. Funds are paid directly to students for any hours worked, on a bi-weekly basis.
- This figure is your "out of pocket" expenses that you may choose to finance.
- Options for covering any out-of-pocket expense could include applying for either the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan or a private, alternative education loan.
- A parent of a dependent student can apply for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS loan at studentaid.gov and log into Manage My Direct Loan.
- If applying for the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, please remember that the parent must log in with the parent's name using the parent's FSA ID.
- To explore private, alternative education loans where the student is the borrower but a credit-worthy co-signer is required, check out elmselect.com. (choose St. Joseph's University from the drop-down list). Once you apply for the loan you select through the lender's website and receive approval, the Financial Aid Office will receive notification electronically and will "certify" the loan so that loan funds can be disbursed to your student account, directly to the University.