Apply for Federal and State Aid
Applying for federal and state aid begins with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is a student’s application for all federal grants, work-study, state aid and loans. The only official site to complete the FAFSA is FAFSA Application (if you go to a site that charges a fee or asks for credit card information, you have gone to the incorrect site). The FAFSA must be completed every year.
How to Apply forFinancial Aid
View Types of Aid
Apply for admission to TSU because your TSU admissions application serves as your university merit-scholarship application.
Undergraduate Admission | Graduate/Professional Admission
Create your FSA ID
StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID)
Complete the FAFSA
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Tennessee State University's Federal School Code is 003522.
Apply for TSU department scholarships and other scholarships
Monitor your myTSU email account and visit your financial aid status page in the myTSU student portal for any incomplete or requested information.
Review/accept your financial aid offer via the myTSU student portal.
YOU MUST also confirm your attendance prior to payment deadlines in order to receive your financial aid.
How to CreateYour FSA ID
Your FSA ID is the username and password you will need to create in order to sign your FAFSA form electronically and access certain U.S. Department of Education sites. You can also use your FSA ID as a legal signature to sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN), apply for repayment plans and complete loan counseling. An FSA ID will be necessary for all individuals (students and parent(s)) when completing the FAFSA. Parents will be referred to as “Contributors,” and they will be asked to provide information on an student’s FAFSA. If a student and their contributor(s) already have an FSA ID, they will not need to create a new FSA ID, however, additional verification steps may be needed to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA.
Setting Up Your FSA ID Account
To create a FSA ID account, go to studentaid.gov and register with your Social Security number and your personal mobile phone number or email address. If you are a dependent student, one of your guardians will also need their own FSA ID to sign your application electronically. Your FSA ID must be unique-you and your parent can't share the same account username and password. Remember, your FSA ID serves as part of personal identifier as well as an electronic signature.
Creating a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) – Without SSN
For contributors (i.e. parent) who do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) and have previously signed the FAFSA by printing and mailing in the 'Parent Signature page' will now need to create an FSA ID to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA. You can create an FSAID regardless of if you have an SSN or not.
Types of Aid
Details on Federal Financial Aid
Financial aid is money to help pay for college or career school. Grants, work-study, loans, and scholarships help make college or career school affordable.
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Federal Work Study Job Postings
Students who have been awarded and accepted Federal Work-Study in MyTSU are eligible to apply for on-campus and approved off-campus positions. Below, you will find a list of available job descriptions with details about each role.
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Grants
Award amounts vary based on a student's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) and enrollment status. Awards will be adjusted if the student is not enrolled full-time (12 or more credit hours).
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Scholarships
Scholarships are an excellent way to fund your education. Many scholarships are one-time only, so plan on continuing your research for scholarships each year. You must be admitted to TSU in order to apply.
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Loans (federal and private)
Subsidized loans are awarded on the basis of financial need as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Learn MoreResourceS
Everything you need to start your journey is just a click away. Explore admissions resources, discover academic programs, learn about financial aid opportunities, and connect with our team for personalized guidance every step of the way.
Start Early
It is important to realize that in many cases, financial aid alone is not enough to cover all university expenses, especially for our out-of-state students. We recommend that you start early and apply for any scholarships that you are eligible for. Do not wait until registration time to discover that you do not have adequate funding to cover your tuition and fees. Contact us early so we can help!