Financial Aid Application Process
Financial aid is awarded on a first come, first served basis. Therefore, applying immediately will increase your likelihood of being awarded CIU aid.
1. CIU Admissions Application
Complete the application online at www.applyweb.com/apply/ciu/
- Prospective students may apply for financial aid before they have been accepted at CIU. However, no financial aid will be awarded until the student has been accepted. Current students skip this step and proceed to step 2.
2. FAFSA – The Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov
- You must complete the FAFSA in order to be considered for federal, state, or institutional financial assistance programs. For more tips on completing the FAFSA click here.
- You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident alien in order to complete the FAFSA. International students do not complete the FAFSA.
- After completing the FAFSA, you will receive an email from the CIU Office of Student Financial Services with a new CIU Finaid PIN and link to the CIU Online Financial Aid System.
- Submit the forms and documents necessary to complete your FAFSA. The list of materials to submit is under the "Documents" tab and the forms to submit are under the "Forms" tab.
3. CIU Scholarship Application
- R.C. McQuilkin Scholarship Weekend participants, please call Erin Dodson at 803.807.5035 to receive instructions on completing the online scholarship application.
- The 2008-2009 Scholarship Application is located on the CIU Online Financial Aid System. Click "Apply Online."
- Please note: you will only be able to access the System once you have completed the 2008-2009 FAFSA and have received your CIU Finaid PIN.
- If you filled out the 2007-2008 Scholarship Application, you will still need to fill out the application on the CIU Online Financial Aid System.