Common Questions

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Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid

What is Financial Aid?
Lamar University offers many financial aid options to help you pay for college costs. Financial aid is any grant, scholarship, loan, or work-study offered to help a student meet his/her college expenses. Financial aid is comprised of federal, state, institutional and private fund(s). The amount of financial aid a student received is determined through federal, state and institutional guidelines. Grants are aid that does not have to be repaid; loans must be repaid. Interest rates and repayment terms for loans vary by program. Work-study is aid based on an hourly rate for work performed.

How do I apply for aid at Lamar University?
All it takes at Lamar University to apply for aid is the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and a University Application for Financial Aid. Certain types of aid, usually loans, do require additional paperwork. Visit the How to Apply page...

What records will I need to apply for financial aid?
Useful documents include your tax return from the previous year, as well as your parents' tax return if dependent, or your spouse's return, if applicable. Other records such as W-2 forms, business/farm records, and bank statements are also very useful. Please make sure that the school has received all required documents such as grade or financial aid transcripts if you are a transfer student.

How long does the awarding process take?
It usually takes 4 -6 weeks from the time your FAFSA is complete and all additional required documentation is submitted to the Financial Aid Office to the time the award occurs. If you haven't heard anything from us after that time period, please check with us to make sure we have everything that is needed.

What are your office hours?
Our office in Wimberly Building room 216 is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday: 8am - 5pm; Tuesday: 8am - 4:30pm. If you are unable to visit the office you can email us at financialaid@lamar.edu or call 409-880-7011 to speak with a Financial Aid Specialist.

Why is it when I try calling your office I can never get through?
During peak times, our phone lines often stay busy. You can email your questions to financialaid@lamar.edu, send us a fax at (409) 880-8934, or stop by our office in Room 216 of the Wimberley Building for assistance.

How do I find out what documents am I missing to complete my financial aid application?
Missing student requirements are listed in the Self Service Banner Account under “Student Requirements”.
Go to Check Your Status page...

My parents did not claim me on their tax returns this year - can I file my FAFSA as an independent student?
The Department of Education defines an independent student as someone who fits into one or more of 12 specific categories. Answering "yes" to any one of the 12 questions on the FAFSA will result in the student becoming independent. Unfortunately, none of the following individually or in combination with one another will merit a dependency override. Those circumstances are:
  1. Parents refusing to contribute to the student's education
  2. Parents unwilling to provide information on the application or for verification
  3. Parents not claiming the students as a dependent for income tax purposes
  4. Student demonstrating total self-sufficiency.

Please note that students receiving a dependency over-ride at one school is not binding at another institution.

If any student feels that they have unusual circumstances, they may contact the Financial Aid Office to discuss their situation.

How do I accept my awards?
Award packages are offered electronically in your Self Service Banner Account. See Check Your Status page...

What happens if I "decline" the financial aid that was awarded to me and I didn't mean to, or I have changed my mind?
Notify the Financial Aid Office immediately in writing. Include a detailed description of exactly what you wish to change; additional forms may be required after review of your request. A delay in contacting the office could result in the loss of grant or loan funds.

Should I send in my tax forms and other paperwork before you ask for it?
You should not submit tax forms and/or other paperwork unless we specifically ask for these documents. After your FASFA has loaded in our system, you will receive an email stating you have outstanding requirements. The documents needed are listed in your Self Service Banner Account. See Check Your Status page...

My SAR indicates that I was selected for "Verification". What does this mean?
This indicates that the Financial Aid Office must verify the information you provided on your FAFSA when you applied for aid. You will need to submit the verification worksheet and signed copies of tax returns including corresponding W-2's for the previous work year, and other required documents for the Financial Aid Office.

How can I obtain Texas residency status for tuition purposes?
There are several pieces of information that are reviewed before awarding a previously out-of-state student resident status. If you are an incoming freshman or a returning student and have questions about whether you can be considered for in-state tuition rates, please contact the Admissions Office at 409-880-8888.

How many hours do you need to enroll for to receive financial aid?
A minimum of six hours for any Federal or State aid (Pell Grant is the only Federal Aid that can be awarded for students enrolled for less than three hours - if they qualify).

If my financial aid is more than the amount that I owe, when will I receive the balance?
If you have a credit balance, residual funds are transferred to your Cardinal One Debit Card by the Cashier's Office. For Cardinal One Card questions, please contact the Cashier's Office at 409-880-8390.

Why is my financial aid not credited to my account?
There are several things that could cause this to happen. If you have an outstanding Student Requirement aid will not disburse or if you are enrolled in less than full time we may have to adjust your budget before we can disburse your funds. If you were awarded prior to the end of a long semester or summer term and did not maintain satisfactory academic progress during that semester/term, the aid would not disburse since you may no longer be eligible.

How much can I expect to receive in grant monies?
Financial aid grant money is based on the number of hours a student is enrolled for, the Cost of Attendance (COA), and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your true and correct FASFA is your application for grants and loans.

How will my Federal Stafford Loan be credited to my bill?
The Master Promissory Note you completed when applying for your loan will allow the loan proceeds to be sent electronically to LU by means of EFT, which stands for Electronic Funds Transfer. Funds received will be credited to your bill and a residual refund generated if there is a credit balance.

I am an incoming freshman student and the Direct Stafford Loan I was awarded is not showing up on my bill. Why?
As a first time borrower on the Federal Direct Stafford Loan Program, we are required to delay the first disbursement of your loan for 30 class days. Since these funds will not be available at the time your bill is due, it will not appear on your bill. If the Federal Stafford Loan is needed to help pay for tuition and fees, you may contact the Cashier's Office about the possibility of obtaining an institution emergency loan.

Why is the amount I received from my Federal Direct Stafford Loan different than the amount that shows on my bill?
As you are aware, the Federal Direct Stafford Loan is a federal program funded through the Department of Education (DOE). The structure of the program allows the DOE to extract a percentage from the loan for processing and insurance against default. This information as well as the net amount of your loan should be reflected on the disclosure statement you received from the DOE. Typically, this fee amounts to 1%. To calculate the net amount, multiply the gross amount of your loan by 1% and then subtract this amount from the gross amount of the loan. This would be the same on all loans made under the Family Federal Education Loan Program - including Federal Stafford Loans (subsidized and unsubsidized) and Parent Loans.

My parents applied for a Federal Parent Loan. How will this be applied to my bill?
The Federal Parent Loan (PLUS) works similarly to the Federal Direct Stafford Loan except that it is a loan made to your parent instead of to you. The PLUS Loan will be applied as a credit to your bill. Any residual balance will be generated in the form of a refund to your Cardinal One card or a check to your parent depending on the instructions given on the Parent PLUS Loan Worksheet.

I am eligible for Hazlewood, what do I need?
You must be sure that the VA office has qualified first. The Veterans Affairs office at Lamar University is separate from the Financial Aid Office and we encourage students with questions about VA to contact the VA Office directly. The Veterans Affairs Office is located in Room 101 of the Wimberly Building to aid veterans in obtaining their educational benefits. More information including benefit programs and contact information can be found at http://dept.lamar.edu/records/veterans.htm.

How do I request a tax transcript?
You can obtain a free transcript on the IRS.gov Website (www.irs.gov) by clicking Order a Transcript under the Online Services option, or by calling 800-908-9946 and following the prompts in the recorded message, or by completing and mailing a 4506-T request for a transcript to the address listed on the 4506-T form.