Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid at Criswell College begins with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid form. Students may also apply for institutional aid by completing the Criswell Supplemental Application for Financial Aid. Once all paperwork is submitted and verified by all parties the financial aid package will be finalized. Prior to finalizing financial aid packages, some applicants may be selected for verification. If selected, the applicant will be required to submit additional documentation as requested by the Financial Aid Office in order for the U.S. Department of Education to approve the applicants request for federal aid. As international students are typically ineligible for federal aid, they only need to submit the Criswell Supplemental Application for Financial Aid. All students seeking federal or institutional aid must be enrolled in a degree program.

Priority Application

Priority application gives students entering in the Fall semester the opportunity to receive higher consideration for institutional aid, specifically for scholarships that cover a substantial or entire portion of tuition. To be eligible for priority consideration, all application components must be turned in to the Financial Aid Office no later than April 15.

Financial Aid Application Deadlines

  • New Students: To be eligible for institutional aid, all application components must be received by the Financial Aid Office no later than July 15 (Fall) or December 15 (Spring). Students submitting late applications will only be eligible for federal aid, which is awarded on a rolling basis.
  • Returning Students: To be eligible for institutional aid, all application components must be received by the Financial Aid Office no later than April 15. Students submitting late applications will only be eligible for federal aid, which is awarded on a rolling basis.
  • Church Matching Grant Forms/Checks: July 1 for Fall semester; December 1 for Spring semester

Current students should submit the applications by April 15 in order to receive the maximum federal and institutional aid. Late applications will be processed when aid becomes available and students will be expected to make payment arrangements with Student Accounts using personal resources at the time of registration.

How to complete your Financial Aid Application Process

Step 1. Complete the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is online and available through the Financial Aid Portal. The Criswell College FAFSA school code is: 04121800.

Processing applications by mail is a lengthier process. Students should allow four to six weeks for processing.

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators provide a helpful tool for completing the FAFSA: Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for Student Aid. The Financial Aid Office is also glad to walk students through the process.

If a student designates Criswell College as a school to receive the FAFSA information, this information will be received via an electronic Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). The student will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) upon completion of FAFSA processing by the government.

Step 2. Complete the Criswell Supplemental Application for Financial Aid

Available through the Financial Aid Portal, the Criswell Supplemental Application for Financial Aid must be submitted annually by every financial aid applicant. Submissions must be received by December 1 for the Spring semester and April 15 for the Fall semester.

Students may contact the Financial Aid Office for any additional questions regarding financial aid at Criswell College.

Forms

All financial aid forms can be accessed through the Financial Aid Portal.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION
Criswell College admits students who are Christians of good character, without regard or reference to race, national or ethnic origin, color, age, disability, or sex (except where regard to sex is required by the College’s religious tenets regarding gender and sexuality) to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of these classifications in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school-administered programs.