Financial Aid
Source: http://www.dickinsonstate.edu/admissions/tuition-and-cost-to-attend/financial-aid/index.html
Archived: 2026-04-23 17:09
Financial Aid
Dickinson State University
Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to footer content
Financial Aid
In this section:
Questions? Contact Us.
Office of Financial Aid
May Hall, Room 111
dsu.financialaid@dickinsonstate.edu
Text
701-660-0191
Call
701-502-4407
SECURE FILEDROP
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of the expenses a student may incur during
the academic year. Direct and indirect costs will vary among students. Actual costs
will vary based on the number of credits enrolled in, housing and dining options selected,
and the student's personal expenses.
Click here to view more on tuition, fees and cost of attendance.
Our Financial Aid staff can
Help you fill out your FAFSA forms
Offer guidance in paying for college
Give you advice on how to manage your money
Tell you about grants, loans, and other funding you can use
Help you with other financial questions
Notification of Financial Aid
You’ll be notified when you’ve been awarded various federal, state, and instructional
funds.
Returning students – through your DSU email
First-time first year students – by paper letter
You must electronically accept/decline your award(s) in
Campus Connection
before payment will be made.
Click on the
Financial Aid
tile
Select the correct
Federal Aid Year
Click
Accept/Decline
.
You must notify the Office of Financial Aid of changes in enrollment status or of
additional resources received.
Entrance and Exit Loan Counseling
If it’s your first time receiving a Direct Subsidized Loan or a Direct Unsubsidized
Loan, you must
complete
entrance counseling
, a tool to ensure you understand your obligation to repay the loan; and
sign a loan contract called a
Master Promissory Note
, agreeing to the terms of the loan.
You must go through entrance counseling before receiving your loan.
You must complete
exit counseling
when you graduate, drop below half-time enrollment, or leave Dickinson State. You'll
receive confirmation after you complete the session, and the Office of Financial Aid
will be notified that you've completed the loan counseling.
Find Q&As on subsidized and unsubsidized loans here.
Disbursement of Funds
Unless otherwise noted in your financial award package, financial aid is paid out
in two installments: one half for fall semester and one half for spring semester.
(Summer semester financial aid is paid in one installment).
About 2-3 weeks after each semester begins, your financial aid funds will be applied
toward your DSU charges (including tuition, fees, books, and room and board).
If you owe more than you’re receiving in financial aid, you’ll be responsible for
paying the balance due by the fee payment deadline.
If your financial aid total is greater than the balance you owe DSU, the extra funds
may be direct deposited into your personal bank account. If you haven’t signed up
for direct deposit, you'll have an excess financial aid check available at the Business
Affairs office in May Hall, room 109.
The fastest, easiest way to get your extra funds is by direct deposit. Set it up on
Campus Connection
:
Click the
Financial Account
tile
Click the
Direct Deposit
tab
If you have questions about your direct deposit information, please contact the
Business Affairs office
.
Verification is a requirement under the federal financial aid program regulations
(34 CFR, Part 668). In this process, DSU will confirm, through documentation, that
the information provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
is correct. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the
financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving
financial aid to which they are not entitled.
Financial aid funds cannot be disbursed until verification has been completed.
Dickinson State University Verification Policy
If you’re currently enrolled and have no outstanding charges,
you can buy books and supplies at the library
and charge them to your DSU account. You don’t have to buy your books and supplies
at the University Store, but if you choose to buy them somewhere else, you must pay
for them another way or wait until your financial aid is distributed and you have
leftover funds available.
Remedial classes count toward financial aid. If you’re admitted into an eligible program
and take remedial classes within that program, you can be considered a regular student.
The remedial courses must be at least at the high school level.
If you fail a course, you can retake it indefinitely and have it count toward enrollment
status for financial aid purposes. Once you pass the course, you can only retake it
ONE time and have it count toward enrollment status for financial aid purposes. Subsequent
repeats are not eligible to be included in enrollment status for financial aid purposes.
If you decide to withdraw from DSU, you must complete a
Cancel/Withdrawal Form
.
Withdrawing could have a negative impact on your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
and could possibly disqualify you from federal financial aid. You will need to meet
SAP requirements or get an approved appeal to have your aid reinstated.
Refund and Return Title IV (Federal Financial Aid) Funds
If you withdraw from school, you might need to pay back federal aid funds you’ve received.
Federal regulations require all institutions to develop a policy which determines
the amount of Title IV grant or loan assistance that a student has earned as of the
student’s withdrawal date. A refund of institutional charges or the percentage of
Title IV aid earned for a student, who withdraws from Dickinson State University is
calculated through the 60% point in an enrollment period. Unearned funds must be returned
in the order specified by law.
View our refund schedule
.
DSU Policy 830.2.001 Withdrawals, Refunds and the Return of Title IV Funds Policy
If you want to add or drop a class, you must complete
the Collaborative Student Request Form by logging in to
Campus Connection
and
completing these steps
If you want to fully withdraw from DSU, you must complete
the
Cancellation/Withdrawal form
on Campus Connection by
completing these steps
Consortium agreements between eligible institutions apply to all the financial aid
programs. Under a written agreement, you may take courses at a school outside the
NDUS and have those courses count toward your DSU degree or certificate. Contact the
Office of Financial Aid for more information.
When students and/or their families experience a change in financial circumstances,
the information on the FAFSA may no longer accurately reflect their financial situation.
In some cases, Dickinson State University Financial Aid Office may be able to adjust
income information based on these special circumstances.
Special circumstances
Adjustments may be considered for loss of income for the following reasons that include,
but is not limited to:
Job termination or loss of income (due to change of job, reduction in hours worked
or retirement)
Divorce or separation after the FAFSA was completed.
Death of a parent or spouse after the FAFSA was completed.
Reduced earnings due to disability or natural disaster
Loss or reduction of untaxed income or benefits
Medical or dental expenses paid out of pocket in excess of $3000
Special circumstances impact
If the special circumstances review results in increased eligibility for aid and if
funds are available, you may receive additional assistance. If your review results
in increased eligibility, you may be asked to provide documentation (such as federal
income tax documents) at the end of the calendar year to verify the accuracy of your
income projections or projected expenses. If changes need to be made and these changes
result in reduced eligibility, you may have to repay aid. Additionally, student loan
amounts are limited by federal regulation.
How to request a special circumstances review
Complete the relevant aid year FAFSA at
fafsa.gov
Contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss your changed financial circumstances.
The financial aid counselor will assess eligibility for special circumstances, and
if they determine the circumstances justify further review, they will request a written
narrative and supporting documentation. The special circumstances form can be found
at
www.dickinsonstate.edu/faforms
.
The special circumstances review cannot be processed until all documentation is submitted.
Once all documentation has been successfully submitted, please allow up to two to
three weeks for processing.
Submitting the Special Circumstances Form does not guarantee that you will be offered
additional financial aid.
Budget adjustments
All DSU students have an estimated cost of attendance, or a budget, and financial
aid staff cannot award financial aid above that amount. However, there are some scenarios
where we can adjust the cost of attendance so that additional financial aid can be
awarded.
Adjustments to Cost of Attendance do not guarantee additional financial aid will
be awarded.
If you have increases based on one or more of the following types of non-discretionary
expenses, adjustment of your academic year cost of attendance may be possible.
Childcare expenses
Computer purchase during the academic year
Additional required educational expenses
Additional tuition or transportation expenses
If you would like to request a budget adjustment, please complete the corresponding
form at
www.dickinsonstate.edu/faforms
. Budget adjustment requests are evaluated only after the original FAFSA and all supporting
documents have been reviewed. It may take 2-3 weeks to evaluate your request.
If your request results in increased eligibility for aid, you may receive additional
assistance if funds are available. Federal Direct loans amounts are limited by federal
regulation. However, additional aid options may come in the form of a Parent PLUS
loan (undergraduate dependent students only), a Graduate PLUS loan (graduate students
only) or a private/alternative loan.
Unusual Circumstances
Changes in family dynamics that justify applying as an Independent student (dependency
override):
Abandonment by parents
An abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety
The student's inability to locate his/her parent
Parents are incarcerated
The following are NOT considered unusual or extenuating family circumstances:
You do not live in your parents' home
Your parents cannot afford or refuse to help with college or living expenses
You are not claimed as a federal income tax exemption on your parents' income tax
return
Your parents are unwilling to provide their financial information to complete the
FAFSA
You and your parents had disagreements resulting in a breakdown in your relationship
If a student pursues an adjustment for unusual circumstances and the financial aid
administrator does not determine that the student should be considered independent,
the student will only be eligible for dependent-level Direct Unsubsidized Loans unless
they subsequently complete the FAFSA form as a dependent student by providing parental
information.
©
Dickinson State University
Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to footer content
Financial Aid
In this section:
Questions? Contact Us.
Office of Financial Aid
May Hall, Room 111
dsu.financialaid@dickinsonstate.edu
Text
701-660-0191
Call
701-502-4407
SECURE FILEDROP
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of the expenses a student may incur during
the academic year. Direct and indirect costs will vary among students. Actual costs
will vary based on the number of credits enrolled in, housing and dining options selected,
and the student's personal expenses.
Click here to view more on tuition, fees and cost of attendance.
Our Financial Aid staff can
Help you fill out your FAFSA forms
Offer guidance in paying for college
Give you advice on how to manage your money
Tell you about grants, loans, and other funding you can use
Help you with other financial questions
Notification of Financial Aid
You’ll be notified when you’ve been awarded various federal, state, and instructional
funds.
Returning students – through your DSU email
First-time first year students – by paper letter
You must electronically accept/decline your award(s) in
Campus Connection
before payment will be made.
Click on the
Financial Aid
tile
Select the correct
Federal Aid Year
Click
Accept/Decline
.
You must notify the Office of Financial Aid of changes in enrollment status or of
additional resources received.
Entrance and Exit Loan Counseling
If it’s your first time receiving a Direct Subsidized Loan or a Direct Unsubsidized
Loan, you must
complete
entrance counseling
, a tool to ensure you understand your obligation to repay the loan; and
sign a loan contract called a
Master Promissory Note
, agreeing to the terms of the loan.
You must go through entrance counseling before receiving your loan.
You must complete
exit counseling
when you graduate, drop below half-time enrollment, or leave Dickinson State. You'll
receive confirmation after you complete the session, and the Office of Financial Aid
will be notified that you've completed the loan counseling.
Find Q&As on subsidized and unsubsidized loans here.
Disbursement of Funds
Unless otherwise noted in your financial award package, financial aid is paid out
in two installments: one half for fall semester and one half for spring semester.
(Summer semester financial aid is paid in one installment).
About 2-3 weeks after each semester begins, your financial aid funds will be applied
toward your DSU charges (including tuition, fees, books, and room and board).
If you owe more than you’re receiving in financial aid, you’ll be responsible for
paying the balance due by the fee payment deadline.
If your financial aid total is greater than the balance you owe DSU, the extra funds
may be direct deposited into your personal bank account. If you haven’t signed up
for direct deposit, you'll have an excess financial aid check available at the Business
Affairs office in May Hall, room 109.
The fastest, easiest way to get your extra funds is by direct deposit. Set it up on
Campus Connection
:
Click the
Financial Account
tile
Click the
Direct Deposit
tab
If you have questions about your direct deposit information, please contact the
Business Affairs office
.
Verification is a requirement under the federal financial aid program regulations
(34 CFR, Part 668). In this process, DSU will confirm, through documentation, that
the information provided on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
is correct. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the
financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving
financial aid to which they are not entitled.
Financial aid funds cannot be disbursed until verification has been completed.
Dickinson State University Verification Policy
If you’re currently enrolled and have no outstanding charges,
you can buy books and supplies at the library
and charge them to your DSU account. You don’t have to buy your books and supplies
at the University Store, but if you choose to buy them somewhere else, you must pay
for them another way or wait until your financial aid is distributed and you have
leftover funds available.
Remedial classes count toward financial aid. If you’re admitted into an eligible program
and take remedial classes within that program, you can be considered a regular student.
The remedial courses must be at least at the high school level.
If you fail a course, you can retake it indefinitely and have it count toward enrollment
status for financial aid purposes. Once you pass the course, you can only retake it
ONE time and have it count toward enrollment status for financial aid purposes. Subsequent
repeats are not eligible to be included in enrollment status for financial aid purposes.
If you decide to withdraw from DSU, you must complete a
Cancel/Withdrawal Form
.
Withdrawing could have a negative impact on your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
and could possibly disqualify you from federal financial aid. You will need to meet
SAP requirements or get an approved appeal to have your aid reinstated.
Refund and Return Title IV (Federal Financial Aid) Funds
If you withdraw from school, you might need to pay back federal aid funds you’ve received.
Federal regulations require all institutions to develop a policy which determines
the amount of Title IV grant or loan assistance that a student has earned as of the
student’s withdrawal date. A refund of institutional charges or the percentage of
Title IV aid earned for a student, who withdraws from Dickinson State University is
calculated through the 60% point in an enrollment period. Unearned funds must be returned
in the order specified by law.
View our refund schedule
.
DSU Policy 830.2.001 Withdrawals, Refunds and the Return of Title IV Funds Policy
If you want to add or drop a class, you must complete
the Collaborative Student Request Form by logging in to
Campus Connection
and
completing these steps
If you want to fully withdraw from DSU, you must complete
the
Cancellation/Withdrawal form
on Campus Connection by
completing these steps
Consortium agreements between eligible institutions apply to all the financial aid
programs. Under a written agreement, you may take courses at a school outside the
NDUS and have those courses count toward your DSU degree or certificate. Contact the
Office of Financial Aid for more information.
When students and/or their families experience a change in financial circumstances,
the information on the FAFSA may no longer accurately reflect their financial situation.
In some cases, Dickinson State University Financial Aid Office may be able to adjust
income information based on these special circumstances.
Special circumstances
Adjustments may be considered for loss of income for the following reasons that include,
but is not limited to:
Job termination or loss of income (due to change of job, reduction in hours worked
or retirement)
Divorce or separation after the FAFSA was completed.
Death of a parent or spouse after the FAFSA was completed.
Reduced earnings due to disability or natural disaster
Loss or reduction of untaxed income or benefits
Medical or dental expenses paid out of pocket in excess of $3000
Special circumstances impact
If the special circumstances review results in increased eligibility for aid and if
funds are available, you may receive additional assistance. If your review results
in increased eligibility, you may be asked to provide documentation (such as federal
income tax documents) at the end of the calendar year to verify the accuracy of your
income projections or projected expenses. If changes need to be made and these changes
result in reduced eligibility, you may have to repay aid. Additionally, student loan
amounts are limited by federal regulation.
How to request a special circumstances review
Complete the relevant aid year FAFSA at
fafsa.gov
Contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss your changed financial circumstances.
The financial aid counselor will assess eligibility for special circumstances, and
if they determine the circumstances justify further review, they will request a written
narrative and supporting documentation. The special circumstances form can be found
at
www.dickinsonstate.edu/faforms
.
The special circumstances review cannot be processed until all documentation is submitted.
Once all documentation has been successfully submitted, please allow up to two to
three weeks for processing.
Submitting the Special Circumstances Form does not guarantee that you will be offered
additional financial aid.
Budget adjustments
All DSU students have an estimated cost of attendance, or a budget, and financial
aid staff cannot award financial aid above that amount. However, there are some scenarios
where we can adjust the cost of attendance so that additional financial aid can be
awarded.
Adjustments to Cost of Attendance do not guarantee additional financial aid will
be awarded.
If you have increases based on one or more of the following types of non-discretionary
expenses, adjustment of your academic year cost of attendance may be possible.
Childcare expenses
Computer purchase during the academic year
Additional required educational expenses
Additional tuition or transportation expenses
If you would like to request a budget adjustment, please complete the corresponding
form at
www.dickinsonstate.edu/faforms
. Budget adjustment requests are evaluated only after the original FAFSA and all supporting
documents have been reviewed. It may take 2-3 weeks to evaluate your request.
If your request results in increased eligibility for aid, you may receive additional
assistance if funds are available. Federal Direct loans amounts are limited by federal
regulation. However, additional aid options may come in the form of a Parent PLUS
loan (undergraduate dependent students only), a Graduate PLUS loan (graduate students
only) or a private/alternative loan.
Unusual Circumstances
Changes in family dynamics that justify applying as an Independent student (dependency
override):
Abandonment by parents
An abusive family environment that threatens the student’s health or safety
The student's inability to locate his/her parent
Parents are incarcerated
The following are NOT considered unusual or extenuating family circumstances:
You do not live in your parents' home
Your parents cannot afford or refuse to help with college or living expenses
You are not claimed as a federal income tax exemption on your parents' income tax
return
Your parents are unwilling to provide their financial information to complete the
FAFSA
You and your parents had disagreements resulting in a breakdown in your relationship
If a student pursues an adjustment for unusual circumstances and the financial aid
administrator does not determine that the student should be considered independent,
the student will only be eligible for dependent-level Direct Unsubsidized Loans unless
they subsequently complete the FAFSA form as a dependent student by providing parental
information.
©