Scholarships and Types of Aid

We're pleased to award $9 million in scholarships annually to students enrolled full-time at BU. Priority consideration is given to grades and extracurricular activities.  Scholarships are available in many academic programs of study as well as in the arts and athletics. Awards are also offered to students who reside in certain communities or who meet other special criteria.  Students submit an online application to apply for all scholarships at Bloomsburg University, which are awarded by various departments based on specific criteria determined by the donors. Our online scholarship application is available for incoming, as well as current students. The application will match the applicant to as many Bloomsburg University scholarships as they're eligible for. 
Examples of items students are evaluated on include GPA, SAT/ACT score, major, extracurricular activities, and hometown. Some scholarships have financial need criteria, and we recommend that you submit your completed FAFSA as early as possible each year.

Apply

• First-year and transfer students: Most scholarships are awarded by the Admissions office. Students who apply prior to January 15 are given priority consideration. Students who are awarded a scholarship will receive an award notification, and the scholarship will be posted to the student's financial aid record.
• Current students: Applications are available after January 1 and the deadline to apply is March 19.

The BU Emergency Scholarship is available to provide funding for qualified students who are confronted with an emergency financial need that, if not met, could result in an inability to complete classes. Please note: poor use of financial aid funding, credit card debt, enrollment in summer/winter, or receiving a small amount of grants does not constitute an emergency. This scholarship is for true emergencies only and is not meant as a supplement to your financial aid package. Deadline varies based on funding availability.

To be considered for this scholarship, your emergency situation should fall into one of these categories:

• Exhausted all financial aid resources (including student and parent loans) and an outstanding balance still remains on your account.
• Confronted with an unexpected personal crisis causing the inability to meet college financial obligations (examples: change in family income/support, loss of a job, death of an immediate family member, pending eviction or home foreclosure, burglary, or fire). For loss of income, you must also submit a Special Condition form to have your financial need reviewed.

Eligibility Requirements

• GPA 2.0 or greater
• Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress
• Complete a FAFSA 
• Complete a Pennsylvania State Grant application (If a PA resident) 
• Accept your Federal Direct Student Loans
• Apply for additional funding such as Federal Direct Plus Loan or Private Alternative Educational Loan.

  Apply

Various scholarships are available through the PASSHE Foundation.

Learn more

The Ready to Succeed Scholarship (RTSS) is administered by PHEAA.  With the exception of financial need, students must meet all other Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility requirements with three additions:

• Demonstration of outstanding academic achievement by attaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.25 as of the time that the student’s school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program (Spring for Bloomsburg University).
• Completion of at least one academic year—defined as having earned at least 24 credits or its equivalent—by the time that the student’s school checks academic progress for the Pennsylvania State Grant Program (Spring for Bloomsburg University).
• Proof of total annual family income not in excess of $110,000.

There is no separate student application for the RTSS program.  Students will be nominated for award eligibility by approved, participating institutions.  In order to be eligible, students must have completed the FAFSA and Pennsylvania State Grant forms.  If any additional information is needed, the student will be contacted by PHEAA.

Students may receive up to three years of full-time RTSS awards.  This can occur in conjunction with the Pennsylvania State Grant award counter, meaning that a student eligible to receive up to four years of Pennsylvania State Grant funding may also receive up to three years of RTSS funding. The receipt of a RTSS award does not impact Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility.  This means that a student who has exhausted the RTSS counter, but not the Pennsylvania State Grant counter, may still receive Pennsylvania State Grant funding so long as s/he meets Pennsylvania State Grant eligibility requirements.  However, students who have exhausted their Pennsylvania State Grant counter are not eligible to receive RTSS funds.  It should be noted that receipt of a bachelor’s degree automatically ends a student’s RTSS eligibility, even if their RTSS counter has not been fully exhausted.

The maximum combined annual award amount for RTSS and Pennsylvania State Grant is $2,000 for a full-time student. If that student receives more than $1,500 in Pennsylvania State Grant funds, they will not receive any RTSS funds.  If, however, that full time student only receives $1,500 in Pennsylvania State Grant funding, they may be eligible to receive up to $500 in RTSS funds.

Learn more about our "Marching Into Success Band Scholarships" for new students attending one of the Commonwealth University of PA Campuses who also wish to participate in marching/concert bands.

The Army ROTC Scholarship is available on a competitive basis for two-year, three-year, and four-year periods. It pays tuition and fees and offers a semester stipend for materials and books (approximately $300), plus a monthly allowance for the duration of the scholarship.  For more information, call the Army ROTC Office on the Bloomsburg campus, 570-389-2123, or contact the Army ROTC Instructor Group at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, at 570-577-1013/1246. 

The Air Force ROTC program also offers financial aid opportunities.  For more details, contact the Air Force ROTC Office on the Bloomsburg campus 570-389-2196 or in Wilkes-Barre 1-800-945-5378, ext. 4860.
 

Your high school guidance office personnel are often very knowledgeable about scholarships though local sources such as service and fraternal clubs, industry, religious organizations, teachers' associations, foundation, PTAs and more. We encourage you to explore the myriad of scholarship opportunities available from your high school, as well as religious, civic, and community organizations.

Already received a scholarship?  Congratulations!  Make sure to let us know and submit your scholarship checks and award letters to the:
Student Billing Office
336 Arts & Administration Building
400 East Second Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815

• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply. No separate application is required.
• Be an undergraduate student who is pursuing your first bachelor's degree.
• Meet general eligibility requirements.
• Available for the equivalent of twelve full-time semesters.
• Eligibility may differ from year to year.

• Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply. No separate application is required.
• You must have exceptional financial need to receive as determined by the FAFSA.
• Be an undergraduate student who is pursuing your first bachelor's degree.
• Meet general eligibility requirements.
• Available for the equivalent of twelve full-time semesters.
• Eligibility may differ from year to year.

For Pennsylvania Residents

• Complete the FAFSA by May 1. You may apply for a Pennsylvania State Grant immediately after completing the FAFSA through a link on the confirmation page or by visiting the PHEAA website and creating an account.
• Visit the PHEAA website for eligibility requirements.
• Pennsylvania State Grants are also available for summer. Visit the PHEAA website for more information, instructions, and to apply.

PHEAA Website

For Non-Pennsylvania Residents

State grants may be available to out-of-state students from your home state. We encourage you to investigate the availability of such financial assistance.

Subsidized and Unsubsidized

The federal government pays the interest on a subsidized student loan during in-school status, authorized deferment periods, and the grace period. The student is responsible for paying the interest on an unsubsidized student loan during all periods. Learn more information about Federal Student Loans Basics for Students.

Application: The student may apply online.  The student will complete the Federal Direct Student Loan Master Promissory Note Application (MPN).  A borrower using the MPN will usually need only to sign a promissory note once, at the time they first borrow.  They may borrow additional loans, based on the same note, during the same year or subsequent years. 

Deadline:  Applications must be certified by the Office of Financial Aid by the last day of the semester. To be disbursed, the student must accept the loan, complete the master promissory note (MPN), and complete entrance counseling before the last day of enrollment for the term in which the loan is processed. The student must be enrolled at least half-time at the time of disbursement.

Eligibility: Credit worthiness is not required for this loan.  General eligibility requirements must be satisfied by the student to receive Federal Direct Student Loan assistance. In addition the student must be enrolled on at a least half-time basis (undergraduate - six credits, graduate/doctoral - three credits) in the semester for which the loan is for.

Loan Limits: Get more information on loan limits.

Interest Rate/Fees:  Rates will vary depending upon when the loan was first disbursed. Get current rate information.

Loan Reductions/Cancellations: The student may request the Federal Direct Student Loan be reduced or canceled.  Get more information to reduce/cancel loan. 

Repayment:  Federal Direct Student Loan repayment begins when the student graduates, withdraws, or enrolls less than half-time and has used the allowable grace period - usually six consecutive months.  The length of repayment is between 10 and 25 years, depending on the amount borrowed and the type of repayment plan selected.  The student may also pay the balance of the loan, plus any interest due, early and without a penalty.  For repayment examples, please see studentaid.gov.

Loan Counseling:  Federal regulations require that first time Federal Direct Student Loan recipients must complete entrance counseling requirements before receiving their loan funds.   Federal regulations also require a student to complete exit counseling prior to graduation or at the time a student either drops to less-than half-time enrollment or withdraws from Bloomsburg University.  Get more information on counseling.

The Federal Direct Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) is available to parents of dependent undergraduate students who want to borrow funds to help pay for educational costs.  Learn more information about Direct PLUS Loan Basics for Parents.

Application:  The parent may apply online.  Parent borrowers applying for the loan will complete the Federal Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note Application (PLUS MPN).  A parent borrower using the PLUS MPN will usually need only to sign a promissory note once for each student, at the time they first borrow.  To request additional funding in the same or subsequent years, the parent borrower may do this online.  

Deadline:  Federal Direct PLUS Loan applications must be certified by the Office of Financial Aid by the last day of the semester.  In order for the loan to be disbursed, the parent borrower must complete all steps of the PLUS Application Process at least one day prior to the end of semester.  The student must be enrolled at least half-time at the time of disbursement.

Eligibility: Credit worthiness is required for this loan.  General eligibility requirements must be satisfied by the student to receive Federal Direct PLUS Loan assistance. In addition the student must be enrolled on at least six undergraduate credits in the semester for which the loan is for. 

Parent borrowers must be the dependent student's biological parent or adoptive parent.  A stepparent is also eligible to borrow a PLUS loan only if their income and assets were used on the dependent student's Free Application for Federal Aid.  A legal guardian is not considered an eligible borrower.  Both parents may receive a PLUS loan as long as the total aid package does not exceed the student's cost of attendance.   In addition the borrower must be a citizen or eligible non-citizen, not in default on a federal student loan, not owe a refund on any federal student aid program, and is credit worthy.  A parent is not eligible for a PLUS loan if the federal government holds a judgment lien on their property, they are incarcerated, or they are in default or have an over payment of federal aid.

Loan Limits per Academic Year:  The maximum parents may borrow in Federal Direct PLUS Loan per academic year is the difference between cost of education minus other financial aid received.

Aggregate Loan Limits:  There is no aggregate limit.

Interest Rate/Fees:  Rates vary depending upon when the loan was first disbursed.  Get current rate information.

Loan Reductions/Cancellations: The parent borrower may request the Federal Direct Student Loan be reduced or canceled. Get more information to reduce/cancel loan.

Repayment:  Parents may choose to defer payments on a PLUS loan until six months after the date the student ceases to be enrolled at least half-time.  Accruing interest may either be paid by the parent borrower monthly or quarterly, or be capitalized quarterly.  A parent may take between 10 and 25 years to repay the loan, depending upon the amount owed and the type of repayment plan selected.  Parents may also pay the balance of the loan, plus any interest due, early and without a penalty.

Federal Direct GradPLUS Loans are available to graduate and doctoral students who have exhausted their Federal Direct Student Loan eligibility in an academic year.

Get more information on Federal Student Loan Basics for Students.

Application: The student may apply online.  The student will complete the Federal Direct PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note Application (PLUS MPN).  A borrower using the PLUS MPN will usually need only to sign a promissory note once, at the time they first borrow.  To request additional funding in the same or subsequent years, the student borrower may do this online. 

Deadline:  Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan applications must be certified by the Office of Financial Aid by the last day of the semester.  In order for the loan to be disbursed, the student must complete all steps of the GradPLUS Process at least one day prior to the end of the semester.  The student must be enrolled at least half-time at the time of disbursement.

Eligibility:  Credit worthiness is required for this loan.  General eligibility requirements must be satisfied by the student to receive Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan assistance.  In addition the student must be enrolled at least half-time (three credits per semester) in a degree graduate/doctoral program.   The student must first exhaust Federal Direct Student Loan eligibility.

Loan Limits per Academic Year:  The maximum the student may borrow in Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan per academic year is the difference between cost of education minus other financial aid received.

Aggregate Loan Limits:  There is no aggregate limit.

Interest Rate/Fees:  Rates vary depending upon when the loan was first disbursed.  Get current rate information.

Loan Reductions/Cancellations:  The student may request the Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan be reduced or canceled. Get more information to reduce/cancel loan.

Repayment:  Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan repayment for both the principal and the interest generally begins within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed.  There is no grace period for these loans.  This means interest starts to accrue as soon as the first disbursement is made.  The student may qualify for an in-school deferment as long as they are enrolled at least on a half-time (six credits per semester) basis.  A student may take between 10 to 25 years to repay the loan, depending upon the amount borrowed and the type of repayment plan selected.  Students may also pay the balance of the loan, plus any interest due, early and without a penalty.

Loan Counseling:  Federal regulations require that first time Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan recipients must complete entrance counseling requirements before receiving their loan funds. Federal regulations also require a student to complete exit counseling prior to graduation or at the time a student either drops to less-than half-time enrollment or withdraws from Bloomsburg University.  Get more information on counseling.

Check with your state's Higher Education Agency for any loan programs that may be available to you.

• Pennsylvania
• New Jersey
• All States

Applying With the Correct Loan Term
When applying for a loan, please make sure you are applying with the correct loan term. In most cases loans funds will be split evenly between the semesters based on the loan term that is requested. For instance if you submit a loan for $10,000 and indicate the term of the loan as August to May, $5,000 will be disbursed in fall semester and $5,000 will be disbursed in spring semester.  Please note that the loan funds may be possibly split unequally between semesters based on other aid you are receiving and differences in enrollment between semesters.

While we do not encourage excessive borrowing, we realize that not all students can meet their educational expenses with traditional sources of financial aid.  Private Educational Alternative Loans are available through many lenders.  We encourage student borrowers to carefully investigate these loan programs.  Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Financial Aid prior to pursuing Private Educational Alternative Loans.  Students should first exhaust all other sources of funding including Federal Direct Student Loan, additional Federal Direct Student Unsubsidized Loan based upon Parent PLUS Denial, Federal Direct PLUS Loan (undergraduate only), and Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan(graduate/doctoral only) before borrowing a Private Educational Alternative Loan.

• Compare the benefits of borrowing a Federal Direct Student Loan before a Private Educational Alternative Loan.
• Compare the benefits of borrowing a Federal Direct PLUS Loan before a Private Educational Alternative Loan.
• Compare the benefits of borrowing a Federal Direct GradPLUS Loan before a Private Educational Alternative Loan.

The university does not have a preferred lender listing for private educational alternative loans. We recognize that you have many choices when considering a loan. To assist you we have provided information on lenders who have made loans to our students. The lenders are listed in random order. This is not an all-inclusive listing and you are not in any way required to use any of the lenders listed. You may choose a lender that best meets your needs and requirements. We may not recommend lenders. The list of lenders may be found at ELMSelect.

ELMSelect

Applying With the Correct Loan Term
When applying for a loan, please make sure you are applying with the correct loan term. In most cases loans funds will be split evenly between the semesters based on the loan term that is requested. For instance if you submit a loan for $10,000 and indicate the term of the loan as August to May, $5,000 will be disbursed in fall semester and $5,000 will be disbursed in spring semester. Please note that the loan funds may be possibly split unequally between semesters based on other aid you are receiving and differences in enrollment between semesters.

Part-time employment is a great way to earn some extra money and so much more!

Work-Study Benefits

• Experience
• Flexible Hours
• Networking (Making friends)
• Time Management

Work-Study Facts

• You are permitted to work a maximum of 20 hours per week during enrollment If classes are not in session, you're able to work up to 37.5 hours per week
• You cannot work more than 8 hours a day.
• You aren't able to work during your scheduled class time.
• Employment awards may change.
• Available for summer but must be enrolled at least half-time for next semester.
• Earnings are not deducted from your bill; you get a paycheck!
• Federal work-study may be available for students with financial need
• There may be institutional state work-study for other students
• View other general eligibility requirements 

To Apply

View available positions and contact information.  Apply directly with the hiring supervisor.

Vocational rehabilitation provides training and services for physically or mentally disabled or handicapped persons. Students who are enrolled in an educational program may be eligible for financial aid when their disability or a handicap interferes with their vocational goals. Information is available from the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation at 570-826-2011 or 800-634-2060 or 570-826-2023 (TTY) or 888-651-6117 (Toll Free TTY).

Veterans Benefits may be available to veterans of the armed services who qualify for educational assistance under the Veterans Administration's programs. Contact a local Veterans Administration Office for more information.

The Pennsylvania National Guard offers scholarship and loan opportunities. Information is available from a local National Guard representative.

The Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program, created by Act 16 of 2019, seeks to remove barriers in accessing a postsecondary education for youth who are or have been in foster care. It allows eligible foster youth to complete their studies, graduate with less debt, and have the opportunity to build a network of support.

Key Facts

• Waiver cannot be used for room and board, only applied toward tuition
• Waiver may be used for up to five academic years, whether or not consecutive, or until the age 26

Eligibility

• Pennsylvania resident under the age of 26
• Received a high school diploma or equivalent approved credential
• Eligible for services under Pennsylvania’s John H. Chafee Foster Care Program for Successful Transition to Adulthood
• Identified as a youth in foster care or a youth discharged from foster care at age 16 or older
• Exited foster care on or after age 16 to adoption or permeant legal custodianship
• Enrolled as an undergraduate, at least half time in a postsecondary institution such as BU that is approved by the U.S. Department of Education for Title IV student assistance programs
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress, as determined by the postsecondary institution.
• Not be in default on a federal student loan

How to Participate/Apply

1. File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
2. Submit a Chafee ETG Application  
3. Enroll at BU or another eligible PA postsecondary institution 

Contact/Help

For assistance with financial aid applications and financial literacy.
Marla Kane – Associate Director
Office of Financial Aid
Phone – 570-389-4495
Email - mkane@commonwealthu.edu