Aviation

Financial Aid for Aviation Students

The first step in receiving Federal financial aid for all programs is to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  This can be done at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by paper FAFSA available in the Student Financial Services Office.  Students should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1 each year.  Federal Perkins Loan funds, Federal SEOG funds, Federal and State Work-Study funds, and Alliss Scholarship funds are limited, and awarded on a first come first served basis for those students who qualify.   These funds are usually exhausted by  MSU’s priority processing date of March 15. 

Student Financial Services will receive the results from the FAFSA at approximately the same time the student receives their Student Aid Report from the Department of Education.  Student Financial Services will determine the types of  Federal and/or State financial aid for which the student is eligible.  The student will be sent an award packet containing an award letter and further instructions on forms that must be completed and returned to Student Financial Services to finalize funding based on eligibility known at that time. 

Students enrolled in the Aviation program have additional costs that the average student does not incur.  Aviation students are eligible to receive additional aid for flight training labs under certain conditions.  Aviation students must be enrolled for the specific flight training lab for which they are requesting funding, during the term for which they are requesting funds; (i.e. you must register for Private Pilot Flight Lab during the same semester you request additional funding for Private Pilot Flight Lab.)  The Code of Federal Regulations (34 CFR) as it pertains to Federal Financial Aid states: “an institution may disburse Title IV Higher Education Assistance program funds [financial aid] to a student or parent for a payment period only if the student is enrolled for classes for that payment period and is eligible to receive those funds.” [34 CFR, 668.164(b)(1)]   34 CFR also states an institution may contract with another institution to provide up to 50 percent of the training for a program.  [34 CFR, 668.5]  Minnesota State University, Mankato has contracted with Mankato Aviation to provide the flight training for aviation students.  Therefore, to receive funding for flight training labs, both conditions must be met.  A student must be registered for the specific flight training lab for which they are requesting funding during the same semester the student requests additional funding AND the student must be flying those flight training hours with Mankato Aviation.

Students who wish to obtain additional financial aid funding for flight training must complete a Budget Adjustment Request Form.  Student Financial Services will determine if the student meets the eligibility criteria.  Additional costs are funded with student loan sources.  Eligibility is not guaranteed, because of the lenders’ criteria, which includes a credit worthiness review.

Aviation students must follow the same registration guidelines for flight labs as all other students follow for classes in other majors, i.e. no new registrations will be taken by the Registrar’s Office for flight labs after the initial 5-day drop/add period for the regular academic term or prior to the second day of classes for summer terms.  If the student chooses to begin flight activity during a term, but after the initial enrollment period has passed, the student must register the following term.  Aviation students must receive an MSU Flight Lab Enrollment Certificate from an instructor in the Aviation Department before they register for a flight lab.  The student must then register with Mankato Aviation for that flight lab and arrange for an instructor and flight times.  Mankato Aviation then forwards a copy of the MSU Flight Lab Enrollment Certificate to Student Financial Services.  Students must maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress at all times.  (Refer to the Satisfactory Academic Progress guidelines on the Student Financial Services web site.)   When these requirements are in place and eligibility has been confirmed, the Budget Adjustment Request will be processed.

Students will be sent a Budget Adjustment Request Results Notification form.   Additional Subsidized or Unsubsidized Stafford loans will automatically be processed if the student has remaining eligibility for them.  All additional Stafford loans will be disbursed in two installments.  If you are offered a Stafford Loan for the first time in a given academic year, your acceptance will be required.  This acceptance must be indicated on the Loan Transmittal Form provided with your award letter.  The majority of Aviation students will need to borrow the cost of Aviation flight training from an alternate loan source.  This information will accompany the Results Notification.  Additional funding will only be given once for a particular flight training lab regardless of whether the student was able to complete training within the recommended number of flight instruction training hours.

Student Financial Services will confirm student’s registration before the Budget Adjustment Request Form will be processed.  On-going confirmation of enrollment in and active participation with Mankato Aviation for flight training will occur each term.  If the student decides not to fly during the term for which aid was received or does not fly with Mankato Aviation, all additional aid received for flight training labs during that semester must be repaid immediately. 

Related:
MSU Department of Aviation