Q: What financial aid can be used to pay a prior balance?
A: The remaining financial aid option to pursue for a past due balance is a private student loan, see the SFS office loan comparison tool here, https://sfs.temple.edu/financial-aid-types/private-student-loans
- Keep in mind:
- If a student secures a private student loan for a past due balance, they need to complete and submit the Prior Semester Balance Private Loan Certification Request Form , and it should be emailed to the office via [click-for-email] using subject line Prior Balance or uploaded via the student’s Costs & Aid tab of TUportal.
- All loans are processed for the year and split evenly between the fall and spring semesters
- Federal aid cannot be applied to a prior semester balance.
Q: When is the spring semester balance due?
A: Billed per semester: Link to Due Date Schedule
- Fall 2025 semester bill was due September 11, 2025
- Spring 2026 semester bill due January 22, 2026
- The total account balance is due for the semester by the due date listed in the above chart. For the fall and spring semesters, students that do not pay the total account balance by the due date will be automatically enrolled in the University’s Deferred Payment Plan and assessed a $50 non-refundable payment plan fee. The Deferred Payment Plan provides additional time to pay your balance. The Deferred Payment Plan is not offered in the summer semesters. The final due date for payment plan participants for the fall and spring semesters is listed below:
- Spring 2026 = March 5, 2026
- Students that do not pay the total account balance by the final due date will be assessed a $200 late payment fee and have a financial hold placed on their student account preventing them from enrolling in a future semester (until the current semester debt is resolved).
Q: What are the Payment Plans?
A: Temple University offers two payment plans outlined below to help students and their families
Deferred Payment Plan – allows additional time to pay the current balance
- Automatically enrolled if owes a balance after the semester bill due date
- Assessed a $50 non-refundable payment plan fee to extend the due date
- The final semester bill due date under the Deferred Payment Plan:
- Spring 2026 semester final Due Date: March 5, 2026
Temple Installment Payment PLAN (TIPP) – allows students/families to make payments early – best secured the month of May prior to the fall semester start.
- Annual plan allows students to make up to ten regularly scheduled monthly payments starting in May towards future charges (5 payments for fall and 5 payments for spring)
- Interest-free pre-payment plan
- Administered through the Bursar’s Office by Nelnet Campus Commerce
- $80 non-refundable fee to enroll in TIPP
- TIPP will be available approximately April 15th each year to sign up for the payment plan and will close approximately August 8th
- TIPP application, https://online.campuscommerce.com/signin/4NPQF
- It is important to note that calculations for this plan are based on estimates of tuition costs and aid
Q: Is there a Late Payment Fee?
A: Yes - Students who do not pay the total account balance by the final semester due date are:
- Assessed a $200 late payment fee
- Have a financial delinquency hold placed on their record
- prevents future semester registration
- restrict university services
- restricts the issuance of transcripts and diplomas
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Q: Are there any opportunities for additional grant/scholarship funding?
A: Students that have been provided with a financial aid offer have been offered their maximum financial aid funding based on their eligibility. For additional scholarship opportunities, students can access ScholarshipUniverse, a scholarship matching tool for internal (Temple) and external (outside of Temple) scholarship opportunities
- Access via a student’s Costs and Aid tab within their TUportal student account.
- Create an academic profile and answer as many questions as possible to ensure a student is matched to multiple scholarship opportunities
- Students can apply for all matched scholarship opportunities
- Students can also review their Temple University school/college advising or dean’s office website for specific academic/department scholarship opportunities (most will be for the upcoming school year).
Q: When does Financial Aid Disbursement begin?
A: Some financial aid funding begins to disburse to eligible student accounts two business days prior to the start of the semester. Your account must meet the following criteria for financial aid to be disbursed.
- Disbursement dates for the academic year can be found under the disbursement policy on the Student Financial Services website.
- Completed all financial aid requirements listed on the Costs and Aid tab of TUportal
- Enrolled at least half time, or full time depending on the type of aid
- Complete the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling requirements through studentaid.gov. This is necessary for federal student loans, including PLUS loans, to disburse.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) FAQs
Q: Who is the parent on FAFSA?
A: "Who's the Parent" Tool to better determine which parent should contribute their information to the FAFSA
Q: Who or what is a ‘Contributor’ to the FAFSA?
A: A ‘Contributor’ is a person who is contributing their information to the application. This includes the student, the student’s spouse (if applicable), the parent of the student, and the parent’s spouse (if not filing jointly with the parent). The contributor consents to the use of their tax information to calculate the student’s financial aid eligibility.
Q: When can parents/contributors without a Social Security Number obtain an FSA ID?
A: Direct students to view, https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-support/contributor-social-security-number the studentaid.gov website for more information on how to submit a FAFSA form if the student’s contributor doesn’t have an SSN.
Q: Can one person complete both the student and parent sections of the FAFSA?
A: No. Each contributor must have their own FSA ID and complete their section independently.
Q: Will my FAFSA information be automatically transferred to PHEAA for the PA State Grant (PASG)?
A: No. Once students submit their FAFSA, they will immediately be presented with a link to access their PA State Grant application. They will need to complete the application, as the information will not be shared by FAFSA. More information is available, https://www.pheaa.org/
Q: How will I know if my FAFSA was successfully submitted?
A: Students will receive an email confirmation from the U.S. Department of Education noting their FAFSA submission date, their estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) because of the income/asset information provide on the FAFSA and estimated Federal Pell Grant eligibility (if applicable). Students will then receive a FAFSA Submissions Summary and email notification once the data has been sent to their chosen schools.
Q: How can I make a correction to my FAFSA?
A: Students should access FAFSA by logging in to their studentaid.gov account.
Q: How is a student’s dependency status determined?
A: The FAFSA includes questions to determine a student’s dependency status. Accurate dependency status is important because it affects the amount of Federal Student Loan funding a student may borrow both annually and over the course of the degree program, as well as what income must be reported on the FAFSA.
- A dependent student is under age 24 and required to file the FAFSA with their parents’ biographical and income information.
- An independent student is a student who does not have to report parent information on the FAFSA due to their age or unique situation (e.g. graduate student, married, currently serving on active duty (other than training), student is a veteran, has children or other people (excluding spouse) they provide the majority of the financial support (has documentation), at time since the student turned 13, were an orphan (no living biological or adoptive parents) and has documentation, were a ward of the court (has documentation), were in foster care, is/was legally emancipated minor as determined by a course, is/was in a legal guardianship – has documentation).
Q: How can I appeal for independent status since my parents do not support me financially?
A: It is important to note that reaching the age of 18 or 21 or living apart from your parents does not affect your dependency status. Being self-sufficient does not make you an independent student. Neither does your parents’ refusal to sign the FAFSA or provide financial support.
Q: When will my financial aid offer be available?
A: Spring 2026 new student financial aid offers are prepared daily. Eligible students will be notified via email once the offer is available to view in the portal.
A: Fall 2026 new student financial aid offers will be prepared in mid-February for students that file the 2026-27 FAFSA.
A: Fall 2026 returning student financial aid offers will be prepared in late June for students that file the 2026-27 FAFSA.
- Returning Students need to be registered for Fall 2026 and complete any outstanding financial aid requirements
Q: How can I access my financial aid offer?
A: Deposited students can access financial aid offers on the Costs & Aid tab of TUportal, click the “View my Financial Aid Offer” link that will open the aid offer
A: Non-Deposited students can access financial aid offers via their Applicant Portal (point of contact with Office of Undergraduate Admissions)
Q. How can I accept my financial aid?
A. Students do not accept gift aid (scholarship and grant funding). Students can accept offered Federal Work Study and/or Federal Student Loan funding within the Costs & Aid tab of their TUportal – select the Financial Aid Package option under their Aid Offer.
- Non-Deposited students cannot access the option to accept funding.
Q: Why didn’t I receive a financial aid offer?
A: Reasons vary, but include:
- Admission application is pending review.
- Financial aid offers have not begun processing.
- Student has not filed the FAFSA
- Check FAFSA aid year is correct.
- Check that Temple University was listed as one of your school choices.
- The student has outstanding financial aid requirements that they need to complete to receive an aid offer
Q: I noticed on my Financial Aid Offer that my housing status is wrong, how do I change that?
A: New students report their housing status on the Common Application, while returning students answer a one question annual survey in their TUportal? The three housing statues are: on-campus in Temple housing, off-campus with a signed lease, or commuting from home.
- The email should come from the student’s Temple email address
- The message should include the student’s housing status for the academic year/semester: “I am commuting for the spring 2026 semester//2025-26 academic year.”
- Changing to commuting: The student’s Cost of Attendance will decrease, which may impact financial aid eligibility and result in a reduction of aid.
- Changing to on-campus: The student’s semester bill should reflect the on-campus housing charges
- Changing to off-campus: Students need to provide a copy of their off-campus lease
Q: Does Temple University automatically process Federal Direct Loans, or does the student initiate this process?
A: Students will be reviewed for Federal Direct Loan funding (subsidized loan and/or unsubsidized loan) after submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to Temple University. Loan funding will be offered on a student’s financial aid offer. Students must take action to accept or decline their offered Federal Direct Loan funding.
Q: How much Federal Direct Loan Funding can a student borrow?
A: The maximum amount a student can borrow is based on their dependency status and grade level (total credits earned)
- Students can view the loan amounts per grade level on SFS’s website
Q: What is the difference between Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan funding?
A: Subsidized loans are offered to undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need determined by the FAFSA. Interest does not accrue on the Subsidized loan while the student is enrolled at least half-time.
A: Unsubsidized loans are not based on financial need, and interest accrues while the student is enrolled in school.
- Currently, the interest rate is 6.39% (for loans first disbursed on or after 7/1/25 and before 7/1/26)
- Visit SFS's website for more info on both loan options
Q: How do I secure additional loan funding?
A: Students who need additional funds to cover their education-related expenses will need to apply for additional loans. There are two additional loan options for undergraduate students to consider:
Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan for Dependent Undergraduate Students is available to parents of dependent undergraduate students who apply and meet the minimum credit requirements. Cannot be used for a prior fall 2025 balance if not enrolled in spring 2026 classes.
- Parents can apply using the parent’s FSA ID on studentaid.gov
- Currently, the interest rate is 8.94% for Direct PLUS loans first disbursed on or after July 1, 2025 and before July 1, 2026.
- Parent credit approved–federal loan in the parent’s name, and the parent is responsible for repayment. The parent will need to complete the PLUS Master Promissory Note, and Temple will begin processing PLUS applications in late July.
- Parent credit denied– the student may be eligible to borrow an additional unsubsidized loan funding & should notify SFS for further instructions
- Loans are processed for the year and will be split evenly between the fall and spring semester using an August 2025 – May 2026 loan term. It is essential to factor costs for both fall and spring into the loan application
Private Student Loans are agreements between the borrower, co-signer, and the private lender. Private student loans are managed through private lenders, issued in the student’s name, and require a credit-worthy co-signer.
- Eligibility, rates, terms, and conditions vary per lender
- Loans are processed for the year and will be split evenly between the fall and spring semester using an August 2025 – May 2026 loan term. It is essential to factor costs for both fall and spring into the loan application
Q: What is a private student loan?
A: Private Student Loans, https://sfs.temple.edu/financial-aid-types/private-student-loans, are non-federal loans from a bank, credit union, or private lender to cover college costs, unlike government-backed loans, and its terms (like interest rates) depend on your or a co-signer's creditworthiness. They often fill gaps left by federal aid but lack federal borrower protections and flexible repayment options, featuring fixed or variable rates based on credit, potentially requiring a cosigner for better terms, and funding anything within your school's cost of attendance.
Q: How do I find a private student loan lender?
A: Temple University is not permitted to recommend private loan lenders. We encourage students to research different private loan lenders, comparing their interest rates and repayment terms. ELM Select is a free resource for students to use to compare private lender information used by students in the past.
Q: What is Temple’s Priority Deadline to submit the FAFSA?
A: The 2026-27 FAFSA is now available to submit, and Temple University’s priority deadline is February 1. File early!
Q: The FAFSA does not reflect my family's current financial situation. Is there an appeal for FAFSA?
A: Possibly – the Special Circumstance Appeal.
- Appeals are only considered for additional federal Pell Grant eligibility – no guarantee will result in additional aid
- 2025-26 Special Circumstance Appeals are open– need to be registered and attending the spring 2026 semester to initiate
- 2026-27 Special Circumstance Appeals are expected to open in late Spring
- Prospective students who have not submitted their enrollment deposit should contact sfs@temple.edu for access to the appeal form when we begin reviewing
- Students can visit the Policies section of SFS's website for the steps to initiate the appeal, possible circumstances, suggested documentation and deadlines to submit an appeal.
Q: What is my eligibility for financial aid as a graduate student?
A: Graduate students can submit the FAFSA to be reviewed for federal student aid. Scholarship funding is determined by the student’s graduate program upon admission. Graduate students should contact their academic department with questions related to scholarships.
- The annual Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan amount is $20,500 (divided evenly between fall and spring semesters)
- Graduate students can also apply for the Federal Direct Grad PLUS loan if additional funding is needed. Students need to submit a separate application for the Grad PLUS loan on studentaid.gov
Q: How can new international students request financial aid?
A: Temple University offers merit scholarships to international students with strong academic records. No separate application is needed for consideration for a merit scholarship, as your admissions application serves both purposes. Additional international student information https://sfs.temple.edu/apply/international-students
Q: How much are the enrollment and house deposits? When are they due? How can I make the payments?
A: Enrollment and housing deposit are due May 1, 2026, https://admissions.temple.edu/apply/admitted-students
- $200 non-refundable Enrollment (tuition) deposit
- $250 housing deposit
- Paid electronically through Applicant Portal
Q: Can you provide an estimation of the cost?
A: Students should review the university’s Tuition Calculator to estimate tuition, university fees, housing, and food budget for the year (please note the current calculator lists rates for the 205-26 school year – we do anticipate these rates will increase in July).
- https://bursar.temple.edu/tuition-fees/tuition-rates-tuition-calculator
- Rates based on current academic year tuition rates
- Board of Trustees meets in mid-July to set the upcoming academic year’s tuition rates
- Advise students/families to add 3-5% increase to tuition costs
- Students can select on-campus housing and meal plan options to include in their estimation
- Students can input estimated financial aid figures, personal savings, and other resources to be deducted from their total cost
Q: What are on-campus housing costs?
A: Housing costs vary per building and room type
Q: What are the meal plan costs?
A: Meal plan costs vary per option
- Rates typically published in early summer – July
Q: How do new students request on-campus housing and/or meal plans?
A: Once you submit your enrollment and housing deposits, you can select your own housing and meal plan through our online selection process, which is available in MyHousing via TUportal
Q: Can I change my residency (in-state vs. out-of-state) status?
A: Newly admitted students need to contact Admissions with questions related to their residency status
- An official in the admissions office determines the student’s residency status based on the information provided on the student’s admission application
- Impacts tuition assessment, costs, merit scholarships, and institutional need-based grants
- Issues – students should view their Applicant portal to access a Residency Appeal link
A: Returning students should view the Registrar’s website for information about residency and the petition process
Q: What is First Year Orientation?
A: New students will attend a first-year orientation to meet new people, learn how to get involved as a Tempe student and register for courses
- After students submit their enrollment deposit, they should complete the Next Steps on TUportal to sign up for orientation
- Students should contact Admissions with questions related to Orientation
