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Summer Financial Aid Checklist
Apply For Aid
Complete the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application is required for federal financial aid, including student loans.
- When completing the FAFSA, you will need a Personal Identification Number (PIN). If you need to provide parent information on the FAFSA, your parent will also need a PIN. It is important to remember your PIN as you will use it frequently.
- USC-Columbia's school code is 003448.
- If you already have a FAFSA on file with another school for the same school year, add the USC-Columbia school code to the school list on FAFSA.
Check the status of your FAFSA. Federal aid will not be awarded until your application is complete.
- Remember that it could take one to two weeks for USC-Columbia to receive the results of your application.
Complete the Summer Financial Aid Application on VIP
- The Summer financial Aid Application is available on VIP starting April 1st, 2013.
- The deadline to complete this application is May 1st, 2013.
If you plan to attend another school during the summer, read the Financial Aid Checklist for Transient Students.
If you plan to study abroad over the summer, read the Financial Aid Checklist for Study Abroad Students.
Check your awards on VIP. You will automatically be considered for Federal Grants.
- You must be enrolled in at least six hours during the summer to be eligible for loans (Maymester, Summer I, and Summer II may be combined to achieve this total requirement).
Parents of dependent undergraduate students may apply for a Federal Direct Plus Loan if more aid is needed.
Graduate students may apply for a Graduate PLUS Loan if additional aid is needed.
Only as a last resort, you may consider applying for a Private Educational Loan.
If you wish to make changes to your awards or assumed hours of enrollment, print your award letter from VIP, make the desired changes, and send the updated award letter to the Financial Aid Office with your signature.
New for Summer 2013: If you are awarded a Direct Student Loan or a Perkins Loan for Summer 2013, you must accept your award before using it to pay your fees. You can accept or decline your Direct Student Loans or Perkins Loan on VIP.
First-time Direct Loan and Direct Graduate PLUS Loan borrowers should complete Federal Direct Loan Counseling by signing in at http://www.studentloans.gov.
If awarded a Federal Perkins Loan, complete your Promissory Note and other loan requirements at http://www.sc.edu/bursar/studentloan.shtml (click on the "Initial Loan Processing" tab).
Complete your Federal Perkins Loan MPN if awarded a Federal Perkins Loan.
This is required every year, each time you borrow a Federal Perkins Loan.If you have been awarded Federal Work Study, you may click here to search for job postings. If you have not been awarded Federal Work Study and you wish to be considered for it, please contact us.
Read all Award Terms and Conditions and our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for detailed information about your awards and how to use them.
Make sure any non-institutional scholarship checks are sent to:
The Bursar's Office; 516 S. Main St.; Columbia, SC 29208.
- You may need to endorse a check if it is made co-payable to you and the University.
Use Your Aid to Pay Your Fees
Review Optional Fees and Pay Your Fees using VIP.
- You must authorize the use of your available financial aid towards the payment of your fees by using VIP. Failure to do this will result in the cancellation of your scheduled classes. Aid does not disburse automatically. You must authorize through VIP.
- Note that once the fees are paid, your bill will no longer be available through VIP. If you wish to keep a copy for your records, print the bill before you pay.
- You may also want to print a copy of the confirmation page for your records