Applying for Financial Aid at CIU
We are looking forward to you becoming a student at CIU. Here’s the information you need to apply for financial aid.
If you need more help, please don’t hesitate to email us, call us at (803) 807-5036 or visit us in the Administration Building on campus.
- 1. CIU Admissions Application
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Complete the application online.
- 2. Complete the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid
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The quickest way to apply for federal aid is online. You’ll need CIU’s school code which is 003429.
- You will also need a new Federal Student Aid ID and password.
- If you are a dependent student, one parent (whose information is on the FAFSA) also will need an FSA ID to sign the application electronically. We have a list of FAFSA tips to help you with this process.
Within approximately two weeks after completing the FAFSA, you will receive an email from the CIU Financial Aid Office.
- 3. Complete the missing Financial Aid File documents.
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- Log in to MyCIU and go to Financial Aid.
- On the left hand side, click on "My Financial Aid," then click on the "Menu," then "Documents." Submit any missing documents.
- You do not need to submit loan documents (entrance counseling and master promissory note) if you don't plan to use student loans.
- If you are selected by the Department of Education for verification, complete and submit the necessary documents.
- 4. Accept and/or Decline Awards
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You will receive a notification of award via email. You will need to log in to MyCIU and accept or decline the financial aid awards offered.
Financial Aid Options
As a CIU student, you may qualify for a variety of financial assistance to pursue your educational goals as you prepare for careers that build on your passion for service, whether in the marketplace or ministry. That assistance can include a combination of public and private scholarships and grants, loans, as well as student employment opportunities on- and off-campus.
To determine what aid is available, please select the options below that apply to your program.
Grants and scholarships are a great way to pay for graduate school or seminary because unlike loans, they don’t require repayment. For more information, view the CIU Graduate Scholarships and Grants page.
Federal assistance to pay for college is available from several different programs. These include Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, as well as the Federal Work-Study Program, and subsidized loan programs. Grants are based primarily on financial need.
Federal Loans
Eligibility for federal loans requires that you enroll at least half-time, seek a degree in an eligible degree or certificate program and take courses that are required for your degree. If you are awarded a loan, you must accept the award and complete entrance counseling and the master promissory note.
You have the option of paying interest while in college or deferring it. Loans are available for undergraduate students.
Federal Grants
Unlike a loan, grants do not have to be repaid. The government offers two federal grants to qualified undergraduate students – the Federal Pell Grant and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant.
You must demonstrate financial need, based on the information you or your parents provide on the FAFSA. Only students who are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant may qualify to receive the Federal Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant.
Federal Work Study
The Federal Work-Study Program allows you the opportunity for part-time employment on or off campus. Work-study awards are based on financial need.
Undergraduate Federal Aid Options
| Award | Eligibility Requirements | Award Amount | Renewal Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| AwardFederal Direct Loan Subsidized/Unsubsidized (dependent student) | Eligibility RequirementsFor students with demonstrated need. U.S. government pays the interest while student is in school; unsubsidized loan is awarded if need is met. | Award AmountLoan Limits: $5,500 freshmen $6,500 sophomores $7,500 juniors and seniors |
Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
| AwardFederal Direct Loan Subsidized/Unsubsidized (independent student) | Eligibility RequirementsFor students with demonstrated need. U.S. government pays the interest while student is in school; unsubsidized loan is awarded if need is met. | Award AmountLoan Limits: $9,500 Freshman $10,500 Sophomore $12,500 Junior and Senior |
Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
| AwardFederal Direct Loan of Undergraduate Student (PLUS) | Eligibility RequirementsParents of dependent undergraduate students | Award AmountCost of attendance minus other financial aid | Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
| AwardFederal Pell Grant | Eligibility RequirementsBased on financial need; awarded based on the financial information provided on your FAFSA. You cannot already have a bachelor's degree. | Award AmountMaximum of $7,395 | Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
| AwardFederal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) | Eligibility RequirementsPell grant recipients with exceptional financial need | Award AmountVaries | Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
| AwardFederal Work-Study Program | Eligibility RequirementsBased on financial need | Award AmountVaries | Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA annually |
Federal assistance to pay for graduate school is available from several different programs. These include unsubsidized loans, federal work study programs, and Grad Plus Loans.
Federal Loans
Eligibility for federal loans requires that you enroll at least half-time, seek a degree in an eligible degree or certificate program and take courses that are required for your degree. If you are awarded a loan, you must accept the award and complete entrance counseling and the master promissory note.
You have the option of paying interest while in college or deferring it. Loans are available for graduate and seminary students.
Federal Work Study
The Federal Work-Study Program allows you the opportunity for part-time employment on or off campus. Work-study awards are based on financial need.
Graduate Federal Loan Options
| Award | Eligibility Requirements | Award Amount | Renewal Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| AwardFederal Direct Loan Unsubsidized (Low-interest federal loan. Interest begins accruing immediately. Repayment is deferred for one-time, six-month grace period after graduation or dropping below half-time enrollment.) | Eligibility RequirementsStudent must be enrolled at least half-time. Interest accrues during all periods. | Award AmountLoan Limits: Up to $20,500 per year |
Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA. Complete master promissory note and entrance counseling. Must maintain satisfactory academic progress. |
| AwardFederal Direct Loan PLUS Loan (Available to eligible students after unsubsidized loans have been exhausted.) | Eligibility RequirementsStudents must be enrolled at least half-time. Interest accrues during all periods. Additional application required. Credit check required. | Award AmountCost of attendance minus other financial aid. | Renewal PolicySubmit FAFSA. Complete PLUS loan application, PLUS loan promissory note, and PLUS loan entrance counseling. Must maintain satisfactory academic progress. |
- Eligibility Requirements: Rank in the top 75% of high school class; OR 2.7+ GPA; OR 900+ SAT or 19+ ACT
- Award Amount: Determined each year by SC General Assembly
- How to Apply: Submit FAFSA by June 30
- Renewal Policy: Submit FAFSA by June 30; complete minimum 24 credit hours per academic year; sign SC certification form
- Eligibility Requirements: Academic excellence (Contact your high school guidance counselor for details.)
- Award Amount: $6,700 freshman year; $7,500 sophomore; junior and senior years
- How to Apply: Awarded by the SC Commission on Higher Education
- Renewal Policy: Maintain 3.0 GPA and complete 30 hours per academic year; sign SC certifications form
- Eligibility Requirements: Must meet two of these three: 3.0+ high school GPA based on the SC Uniform Grading Scale; 1100+ SAT/24+ ACT; or top 30% of graduating class
- Award Amount: $5,000
- How to Apply: Awarded based on high school transcript for freshman year; awarded based on college transcript after freshman year
- Renewal Policy: Maintain a cumulative LIFE GPA of 3.0+; complete 30 credit hours per academic year; sign SC certification form
- Eligibility Requirements: High school GPA of 3.0+ based on the SC Uniform Grading Scale
- Award Amount: $2,800
- How to Apply: Awarded based on high school transcript for freshman year; may qualify for LIFE Scholarship based on college transcript after freshman year
- Renewal Policy: Not renewable. You may qualify for the LIFE Scholarship after your first year.
The State of South Carolina has created $2500 per year Enhancements for Palmetto Fellows and LIFE Scholarship recipients majoring in science or math fields. To receive the Enhancement, a student must be a second year student or beyond and meet first-year requirements.
Generous friends and alumni have been supporting CIU students for years through a variety of grants and scholarships. The Financial Aid Office works with each student individually to determine the best overall financial aid package based on eligibility at the time of admission. CIU Scholarships and Grants are available to students enrolled full-time for the fall and spring semesters and is not awarded for summer courses.
CIU partners with a variety of organizations to offer a tuition discount to students in all of our programs. These organizations include churches, non-profits, schools, gap years, and businesses. To find out if CIU has partnered with an organization you are associated with, please check out our partnership page.
Submit a donor scholarship application each year. Eligibility depends on a variety of factors that include maintaining the GPA required for your program of study. For more information on donor scholarships visit www.ciu.edu/donor-scholarships.
CIU offers a discount of $500 off per semester for full-time students and $250 off per semester for part-time students who are full-time employed or volunteer first responders.
CIU offers active-duty service members, veterans, and their eligible spouses' educational benefits in the form of a tuition discount. For more detailed information, please check out our Military page.
CIU works with all branches of the U.S. military to facilitate the use of Federal Tuition Assistance to help pay for tuition and fees for students who are active-duty military. Please check out our Military page for more information.
CIU works with the Department of Veterans Affairs to facilitate the use of VA benefits to pay for tuition and fees for our veteran students and/or their spouses and children. For more information, please check out our Veteran's Benefits page.
An outside scholarship is any scholarship not awarded by the government or the school, such as a scholarship provided by a private sector company, philanthropist or foundation. Outside scholarships are considered resources, meaning that they may reduce your financial aid package dollar for dollar. The list below is meant to be a starting point in your scholarship search and CIU has no control over the application process or receipt of these scholarships.
Not all outside scholarships may be applicable for online students.
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Scholarship Name |
Award Range |
Criteria and Eligibility |
|---|---|---|
| $1,000 |
Write an essay on the dangers of substance abuse and how you would promote it on your college campus. |
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Varies |
Undergraduate and graduate merit and need-based scholarships |
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Up to $10,000 |
Available to hard-working, high-achieving students in SC who have been accepted into CIU. |
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Varies |
Refer to the website for all available scholarships and deadlines. |
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| $2,000 |
Undergraduate or Graduate Student who is a single father, a child of a single father, or closely impacted by a single father. |
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| The Chant Thompson Legacy Scholarship | $1,000 | The Chant Thompson Legacy Scholarship is available to graduating high school seniors attending a NACCAP member high school and planning to attend a NACCAP member college or university. |
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$1,000 |
To be eligible you must be a of South Carolina resident attending a 4-year college or university in SC, be a rising sophomore, junior, or senior in college/university, be pursuing an education in a business-related field, and have a minimum 3.0 GPA. |
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Varies |
You must be studying in the ministry and must demonstrate financial need. Preference will be given to students from Cabarrus County, N.C. There are many other scholarships on this site as well. |
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$1,000 |
Eligibility for these scholarships is open to everyone and is based on academic achievement and financial need. |
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Varies |
Doctoral Fellowships for students of color. Refer to the website for all available scholarships and deadlines. |
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$2,500
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The P.E.O. STAR scholarship provides scholarships for exceptional high school senior women to attend an accredited postsecondary educational institution. |
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Up to $1,500 |
To be eligible, a student must be a Presbyterian Church member, demonstrate financial need, maintain a 2.5 GPA, and enrolled in a Presbyterian related college or university |
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Varies |
To be eligible you must be an active resident member of a South Carolina Southern Baptist Church, have church recommendation, and be able to attend a personal interview session. |
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The Military Chaplain Scholarship
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Varies |
For students pursuing future ministry as a military chaplain. |
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Up to $5,000 |
Various scholarships for seminary or graduate school students. |
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Varies |
Consult the website for more information. |
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$2,500 - $15,000 |
Be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity as defined by the U.S. Census. Be a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States. Must apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have a cumulative GPA of 2.7. |
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Varies |
Various Scholarships |
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$500-$700 |
For students who plan to serve in inner-city ministry or students with parents that have served or are currently serving as missionaries or students that come from unbelieving families who do not contribute financial support to their Christian education. |
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Varies |
For students from the following counties: Georgia - Burke, Columbia, Glascock, Jefferson, Lincoln, McDuffie, Richmond, Taliaferro, Warren, and Wilkes counties South Carolina - Aiken, Abbeville, Edgefield, Greenville, McCormick, and Spartanburg counties |
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| Hill and Ponton Veteran Scholarships | $1,000 | For veterans of the armed forces that plan to use their education to help fellow veterans. |
| Young Christian Leaders Scholarships | $1,000 | Given to High School Seniors or Currently Enrolled Full-time Undergraduates who have been endorsed by their peers, family, and spiritual leaders as a person possessing profound character, commitment to service, and financial need. |
| Ruth K. Jacobs Memorial Scholarship | $1,500 | For students registered as a junior, senior, or graduate student full time as a music major with choral church music as a primary interest. |
| Samuel Robinson Award | $2,000-$7,500 | Must be a Presbyterian Church member who is a junior or senior that can memorize and recite the catechism from memory along with writing a 2,000 word essay on a related topic. |
| Presbyterian Scholarship for Undgergraduates | $4,000 | PCUSA church members seeking first associates or bachelors' degrees as a full time student. |
| Marguerite Young Endowment Fund | $1,500 | For MDIV students preparing for full-time ministry with a minimum 2.0 GPA and studying theology. |
| Woman's Missionary Union Foundation Scholarships | Varies | For Baptist students preparing for Baptist missions service. |
| Grace Brooks and E. Perry Palmer Seminary Scholarship | $2,300 | This Scholarship is for student's with at least a 2.5 GPA and must submit a 300 word essay conveying their aspirations and plans for the future. Preferance is given to African-American students. |
| Davis Property Management Scholarship | $1,500 | For Business students currently enrolled in college. Must submit an essay between 750-1000 words related to careers in the real estate field. |
| Carolina Children's Home Scholarship | $5,000 | Student must be a permanent resident in the Midlands of SC and studying in the field of Nursing, Social Work, Psychology, Counseling, or Medicine. |
| Adam K. Veron Scholarship | $1,000 |
The applicant must submit a minimum 500-word essay on “Mistakes to Avoid as An Entrepreneur to Achieve Success In 2021.” |
| Best Helmet Collection Scholarship | $1,500 | Student must write an essay of 1200+ words on the topic “Informative Research on Best Helmet After Covid 19”. |
| Fabric Wholesale Direct Scholarship | $1,500 | Students must meet the eligibility requirements and complete the online scholarship application by the deadline listed on website. |
| Mike Giannulis Grant | $1,000 | The applicant must submit an elaborate and informative essay of approx 750-800 words on the topic, “Scaling Your Business – Six Stages of It and How to Succeed?” |
| Ian Mausner Scholarship | $1,000 | The student must write an essay of 700-850 words on the topic “What do you plan to achieve in your professional life and how is your education important to reaching that goal?” |
| The Steinberg Law Firm Scholarship | $1,000 | The applicant must submit a creative essay that answers, "Should the Electoral College be abolished?" |
| Beth DeBouvre Grant | $1, 000 | The candidates must write and submit an essay on the topic; “Things Women Entrepreneurs Do to Take Modern Digital Marketing Industry to the Next Level”. |
| SaraBeth Hartlage Scholarship | $1,000 |
The recipient will write a 800 word max essay on the following subject:“How are women changing the healthcare sector?”
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| $1, 000 |
Students must write a 500 word essay, describing:
How you will leverage your health care degree to help members in your community
How the funds will help you pursue your long-term goals
Why you should be considered for this scholarship
Please give any examples of how you have embodied a life of helping members in your community. We will choose a winner who also embodies these values.
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| Fudge Annual Scholarship | $2,000 | Students must write a 200 word response on all things student's finance centered around the scholarship's 2021 theme: In 2021 the need for careful student financial planning is more important than ever before. As we live and study during a global pandemic we face new challenges and uncharted territory." |
| Graduate Students Financial Aid Scholarships | Varies | A guide that contains a list of financial aid scholarship possibilities for graduate students. |
| Nursing Scholarships for International Students | Varies | A list of financial aid scholarship possibilities for undergraduate and graduate international students majoring in Nursing. |
| Elevate Black Entrepreneurs Scholarship | $1,000 | An African American undergraduate or graduate school entrepreneur who is currently building or who aspires to build a new business. |