Financial Aid Timelines

Please reference this timeline often as each admission plan (November 1 Binding (Early Decision), November 1 Non-Binding (Early Action), February 15 Non-Binding (Regular Decision) ) will have different dates and deadlines.

Rolling

• Merit-based scholarship information will be released with your admissions letter, if you qualify.
  • If you are November 1 Binding (Early Decision), you will be notified no later than December 15
  • If you are November 1 Non-Binding (Early Action), you will be notified no later than February 1
  • If you are February 15 Non-Binding (Regular Decision), you will be notified no later than April 10

October

• October 1: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens*
  • Visit studentaid.gov for specific dates, announcements, and to begin your application
  • Review Baylor’s latest FAFSA updates and tips here

November

• November 1: Early deadline to submit the FAFSA for November 1 Binding (Early Decision) and November 1 Non-Binding (Early Action) 

February 

• February 1: Financial Aid Offers start to be released for Incoming Freshmen
• February 1: FAFSA priority deadline for all admissions plans
• February 15: Deposit deadline for November 1 Binding (Early Decision) applicants

May 

• May 1: Final deadline to pay enrollment deposit for November 1 Binding (Early Decision) and November 1 Non-Binding (Early Action) applicants
• Mid-May: Accept any federal loan offers in BearWeb, if needed
  • If you plan to borrow federal loans, you must complete the Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Learn more at: studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans

June 

• June 1: Priority deadline to apply for alternative loans, if needed

July 

• July 31: Billing due date for students beginning in the Fall

August

• Financial aid will disburse to student accounts up to 10 days before classes begin
• Eligible credit balance refunds will be initiated a few days before classes start. Students should sign up for direct deposit in BearWeb with BankMobile so they receive any refunds as soon as possible.

*These dates are subject to change. Monitor your email closely for updates from Baylor One Stop.

Spring Transfer

As soon as possible

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov 
  • Baylor has tips to complete the FAFSA here
• Complete the CSS Profile at cssprofile.org
  • Baylor has tips to complete the CSS Profile here

Rolling

• If you qualify, you will receive your merit-based scholarship information with your admissions letter.

November

• November 1: FAFSA priority deadline for all admissions plans
• November 1: CSS Profile final deadline*

December

• December 1: Priority date to apply for alternative loans, if needed
• Accept any federal loan offers in BearWeb, if needed
  • If you plan to borrow federal loans, you must complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Learn more at: studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans

January

• Financial aid will disburse to student accounts 10 days before classes begin.
• Eligible credit balance refunds will be initiated a few days before classes start. Students should sign up for direct deposit in BearWeb with BankMobile so they receive any refunds as soon as possible.
• January 31: Billing due date for students beginning in the Spring

* If you miss the CSS Profile final deadline, please submit the application as soon as possible to be considered for any remaining funds, but no later than February 1 of your first year at Baylor.

Fall Transfer

Rolling

• If you qualify, you will receive your merit-based scholarship information with your admissions letter. 

October

• October 1: The CSS Profile opens
  • Start your application at cssprofile.org 
  • Review Baylor’s tips to complete the CSS Profile here
• October 1: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens*
  • Visit studentaid.gov for specific dates, announcements, and to begin your application
  • Review Baylor’s latest FAFSA updates and tips here

February 

• February 1: Financial Aid Offers start to be released for Incoming Transfers
• February 1: CSS Profile final deadline for all admissions plans**
• February 1: FAFSA priority deadline for all admissions plans

May 

• May 1: Final deadline to pay enrollment deposit
• Mid-May: Accept any federal loan offers in BearWeb, if needed
  • If you plan to borrow federal loans, you must complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Learn more at: studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans

June 

• June 1: Priority deadline to apply for alternative loans, if needed

July 

• July 31: Billing due date for students beginning in the Fall

August

• Financial aid will disburse to student accounts 10 days before classes begin.
• Eligible credit balance refunds will be initiated a few days before classes start. Students should sign up for direct deposit in BearWeb with BankMobile so they receive any refunds as soon as possible.

*These dates are subject to change. Monitor your email closely for updates from Baylor One Stop.

**If you miss the CSS Profile final deadline, please submit the application as soon as possible to be considered for any remaining funds, but no later than February 1 of your first year at Baylor.

All Year

• Log into Scholarship Universe
• Apply for outside scholarships
• Visit Baylor One Stop, located on the third floor of the SUB, with any questions you have about your financial aid

October

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens*
  • Visit studentaid.gov for specific dates, announcements, and to begin your application
  • Baylor has the latest FAFSA updates and tips to help you complete the FAFSA here

After you submit the FAFSA

• Monitor BearWeb and your Baylor email for updates from Baylor One Stop
• Complete any unsatisfied requirements by submitting any requested financial aid documents/forms

February

• February 1: Committee scholarships open for consideration, available here
• February 1: Priority deadline to submit your FAFSA and complete any requested financial aid documents and forms

April

• Registration for Summer and Fall courses opens

May

• Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) will be evaluated one a year at then end of the spring term. You will have up to six weeks to submit a SAP Appeal form after receiving a SAP denial notification. 

June

• Early June: Financial Aid Offers start to be released for Current Undergraduates 
• June 1: Priority deadline to apply for alternative loans, if needed

July

• Accept any federal loan offers in BearWeb, if needed
  • If you plan to borrow federal loans, you must complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Learn more at: studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans
• Sign up for a payment plan, confirm your financial aid, or make payments on your Fall bill
• July 31: Billing due date for students beginning in the Fall

August

• Financial aid will disburse to student accounts 10 days before classes begin
• Eligible credit balance refunds will be initiated a few days before classes start. Students should sign up for direct deposit in BearWeb with BankMobile so they receive any refunds as soon as possible. 

Use the checklist below as a guide through the financial aid process at Baylor. To be eligible for federal financial aid and some alternative loans, you must be enrolled at least half-time each term. Check your Baylor email regularly for important updates from Baylor One Stop.

1. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The FAFSA will be available to all students October 1. You can start your application at studentaid.gov. You must complete a FAFSA for each academic year you enroll if you want to maintain eligibility for federal aid. Learn more here. At Baylor, the academic year begins in the Fall and goes through Summer of the following year. Baylor has the latest FAFSA updates and tips to help you complete the FAFSA here. 

     2. Explore Alternate Funding – three months before your term’s billing due date

• Does your employer provide tuition reimbursement? If so, reach out to them to see what you need to do to start the process.
• Are you eligible for Veterans’ (VA) benefits? Connect with our VA Benefits group at baylor.edu/vabenefits.
• Students should also start looking for outside scholarship funding. All prospective and current Baylor students have access to Scholarship Universe, a free and easy scholarship matching service. This should be done in advance of your billing due date. You can find your term’s billing due date here.

Note:  You can also check with your graduate program to determine if there are any specific department scholarships that may be available for you to apply for.

    3. Apply for Loans if Needed – six weeks before your term’s billing due date

Visit our Alternative Loan page to access a preferred lender list to compare rates and terms if you plan to apply for alternative loans. You can find your term’s billing due date here.

    4. Review your Financial Aid Offer – prior to receiving your bill

Your Offer is located in the Financial Aid Dashboard in BearWeb. If you have been offered federal loans, you can accept or decline that aid. If you accept, you will need to complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Learn more at studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans.

   5. Fulfill your financial obligation for your term – on the billing due date

You can find your term’s billing due date here. Your balance must be paid with personal resources and/or financial aid, or you must sign up for a payment plan. You can learn more about payment plans here.

  6. Receive Credit Balance Refunds for Term, if applicable

After financial aid is applied to your student account, you may have excess funds after your balance has been paid off. This is a credit balance. If you have a credit balance, you will be refunded this money. Payment to you will be initiated before the start of classes for your term. To expedite the refund process, you should sign up for Direct Deposit with BankMobile in BearWeb, available here.