New Student Aid FAQs

If you are an incoming freshman and have filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) prior to March 1 you can expect an award letter as quickly as the university can determine your aid eligibility.

If you are a returning student and have filled out your FAFSA for the upcoming school year, you will receive your award at the end of June or early July. The spring term must end and final grades must be submitted before awarding for continuing students can begin.

Students receiving financial aid in excess of direct charges for a given term may apply for a refund after the official add/drop period if a credit appears on their account. Contact the One Stop Office at [email protected] to initiate the request. If approved, your refund check will be available in approximately two weeks.

If credit is anticipated at the start of the semester once financial aid funds are received, you may request a book voucher. Book vouchers are available at the Office of Financial Aid.

You must notify the Office of Financial Aid whenever your housing status changes. Students who reside off campus, but not at home, are also required to provide a signed copy of their lease for review by a financial aid counselor. Moving off campus may change your financial aid eligibility. Contact your financial aid counselor for further details.

No, you are not required to use one of these lenders. If you choose a lender outside of Rider's preferred lender list, the Office of Financial Aid will gladly process your loan with your requested lender. We work closely with all recognized lenders to ensure the best possible service for Rider families.

Links to free outside scholarships are maintained at Scholarships and Grants.

Yes, with approval and documentation. Consult with your financial aid counselor and your academic advisor to determine your eligibility and responsibilities.

If you have not received an award, you will be receiving a tentative financial aid package from our office explaining what type of financial aid you are entitled to receive. If our office has requested additional information be sure to respond in a timely manner.

Verification is a process used to make sure that the information applicants report is accurate. Rider University will contact the student via email indicating that they have been selected for this process. All admitted students can see the documents that are required for this process on their Unsatisfied Requirements on the Financial Aid Portal which can be found on the myRider portal. These documents should be completed and returned promptly. Failure to return documents in a timely manner will result in losing your tentative award package.

Tax documents for federal verification can be submitted via our uploading system, One Stop Documents Upload. Please review your Unsatisfied Requirements on your Financial Aid Portal on the myRider portal for your list of  required documents.

Financial aid from Rider University’s resources and the resources of others may be used by full-time students to offset charges for tuition, fees, and on-campus room and board. However, the total amount of federal, state, institutional, and outside grants and scholarships generally cannot exceed the cost of tuition. Adjustments to scholarships and other monies may be necessary to remain within these guidelines.

On your bill there will be a list of direct charges from the University. Any financial aid you have been awarded will also be included on your billing statement. The amount owed is the difference between your direct charges and your estimated financial aid proceeds. Don’t forget to exclude any loan origination fees when determining your balance. If your award letter includes Federal Work Study please keep in mind that this amount is not credited to your account; instead you’ll be receiving wages if you obtain an on-campus or contracted (community service) job. If you still have questions on how much you owe after reviewing your bill independently, please reach out to the One Stop Office for assistance.

No, you should submit the application for your aid not to be affected for the next school year. While the 2025-2026 priority deadline was February 1, you should submit the FAFSA AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

All students receiving financial aid from federal, state, and/or Rider University sources must be making Satisfactory Academic Progress at Rider to establish and retain eligibility for student financial aid. Students who do not meet the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy standards will have their financial aid eligibility terminated, or will be placed on financial aid probation. Students must submit an Agreement to Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress for Financial Aid to the Office of Financial Aid within two weeks of receiving notice of aid termination or probation. This agreement must outline how the student will meet all of the requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress by the end of the next period of study. See Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy or look in the Reference Guide you received with your award letter.

It may be best not to apply for alternative financing until you have received your bill in mid-July in order to be certain of exact charges. If you would like to estimate how much you will need to finance, you may subtract your total direct charges from your estimated financial aid award (excluding any Federal Work Study and loan origination fees).

Our office will not start processing loan applications until early July. If you submit an application too far in advance it may expire before the application can be processed.

A 10 month, interest free, payment plan through the Tuition Payment Plan is available for students and their families who wish to participate.