TSU Financial Aid FAQ
Texas Southern University (TSU) Financial Aid FAQ: Your Guide to Funding Your Education
Understanding financial aid is key to making informed decisions about your education, and Texas Southern University (TSU) is here to help. Our Financial Aid FAQ provides answers to essential questions about eligibility, application processes, deadlines, and available aid options. Whether you're a prospective student or currently enrolled, this guide ensures you have the clarity and support needed to maximize your financial aid opportunities.
Explore our comprehensive FAQ page and take control of your education funding today!
Monday - Friday (8AM - 5PM)
Both offices are located in the E. O. Bell Building. Student Accounting is in the basement. The Registrar's office is on the second floor.
Some students are eligible to sign a deferment online. To do so:
- Log in to your MyTSU
- Underneath “Financial Aid” section click “Financial Aid Deferment”.
- If you are not eligible to sign online, go to the financial aid office and speak with an advisor.
- Every semester you must sign a financial aid deferment if you are enrolled in 6 or more credits.
To speak with an advisor, you must go to the financial aid office in the West Garage. Upon arrival, sign in at the kiosk, take a ticket, and an advisor will be with you as soon as possible.
To schedule an appointment, go to the Financial Aid website, and click "Schedule an Appointment", under the "Information Section"
No, we want to make sure we service you to the best of our ability. In order to do so we must make sure we have all the information from you. We do not have a drop box for your forms.
To submit them, sign in on the kiosk and click "Submit Documents". You will then wait to be called to see a Financial Aid Counselor at the desk.
Your 1098 tax form will come from Student Accounting. You will receive your tax forms in the mail or you may access the forms online through your MyTSU portal under the Financial Aid section or you can speak with someone in Student Accounting if you are having trouble retrieving them.
Although federal loans are included in the student’s federal award package, the student is not obligated to take the entire loan amount. In order to complete the loan process, the student must:
- Accept or reduce the Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan on the MyTSU portal.
- Complete Entrance Loan counseling at www.studentaid.gov. Entrance Loan counseling is a mandatory information session designed to inform the student of his rights and responsibilities.
- Register in a minimum of 6 credit hours per term.
- Complete a Master Promissory Note at www.studentaid.gov. The Master Promissory Note will not be available until July 15th of each year.
If you do not want to receive the loans, the student can decline the loan. There is not any punitive actions associated with reducing or declining the Federal Direct Loans. Click here for additional information on federal loan programs.
You will receive a disbursement notification from the Department of Education/Direct Loans that will notify you of your estimated disbursement date(s). Your student loans will disburse within 3 working days of this date. You can also check with the Office of Student Financial Assistance or By calling the University Call Center at 713-313-7071
To complete your Entrance or Exit Counseling, Log in online at www.studentaid.gov with your FSA ID
Under the Title “I Want To” you will click the 2nd tab “Complete Loan Counseling”. You will either click “Entrance Counseling” or “Exit Counseling”.
Note: The student loan website is not always available on weekends
You can complete the MPN online at www.studentaid.gov. You must wait approximately 48-72 hours after accepting loans and completing the Entrance Counseling.
- Log in online at www.studentaid.gov
- Click on the 3rd tab that labeled “Complete Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note)”
- For Subsidized/Unsubsidized for Undergraduate/Graduate (unsubsidized) student click the 1st tab
- For PLUS MPN for Graduate/Professionals for Grad PLUS loans click the 2nd tab
- For Parent PLUS loans click the 3rd tab
A student is eligible for a financial aid refund once all of their tuition and fees are paid for resulting in access money being refunded to the student or guardian. Students that are eligible for a refund can visit the Student Accountant office in the basement of the bell building. Texas Southern University delivers your refund with BankMobile Disbursements, a technology solution, powered by BMTX, Inc. Visit this link for more information: https://bankmobiledisbursements.com/refundchoices.
You must come in person and visit the financial aid office. You may also call the university operator on (713) 313-7071 and ask to speak with the Financial Aid department; or go to the Financial Aid website, and click “Schedule an Appointment”, under the "Information Section"
No, the FAFSA is used to apply for Financial Aid Funding. You may be considered for grants, college work-study, and loans with the information supplied on the FAFSA.
Supplemental forms or documentation may be required to complete the processing of your aid. You may review the status of your application and request for additional document on the MyTSU Web portal.
Students applying for scholarships will be required to submit the scholarship application by visiting the Scholarship Office in the Recreation building on the 2nd floor.
No, the U.S. Department of Education uses the financial and household information supplied on the FAFSA to calculate the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) toward the student’s educational expenses. This information is electronically shared with the institutions listed on the FAFSA. The institution is responsible for reviewing the application, requesting certain mandatory documents requested by the U.S. Department of Education, and awarding each student based on their individual application.
Yes, the FAFSA is now available beginning October 1st of each year for submission.
It takes 3-5 business days for the University to receive your FAFSA from the time you successfully submit your online FASFA application online through www.fafsa.ed.gov
The U.S. Department of Education randomly selects applicants who submit the FAFSA for verification by the institutions prior to awarding the student’s financial aid. In some cases, students may submit conflicting information that causes concerns about the accuracy of the information. Institutions also must resolve any conflicting information prior to disbursing aid to a student and subsequently select the student to remedy the inconsistencies in the information entered on the FAFSA.
You can check to see if you have any additional documents or student requirements when you log in to your MyTSU Web portal.
You will know your Financial Aid has been awarded by reviewing your awards on the MyTSU Web portal. Once logged in to the MyTSU Web portal:
- Click on the Students Tab
- Click on Award Information
- Click on Award by Aid Year
- Select the 2016/2017 (whichever aid year you are in) aid year and click submit
- Click on Award Overview
- Stroll down to Financial Aid Award
You will know your Financial Aid has been paid to your account by reviewing the Award History on the MyTSU Web portal. Here you will see what has paid to your account.
When a student’s rate of progress (less than 67%) or G.P.A. (less than 2.0 for Undergrad
& 3.0 for Grad) is not at a satisfactory level they must complete a SAP APPEAL in
order to receive financial aid.
Note: Everyone who applies for a SAP APPEAL may not be approved for the appeal. Please
follow all the directions on the SAP APPEAL form and speak with a financial aid counselor
to receive proper instructions on the SAP APPEAL process.
- Randolph Byrd
- Wanda Zeno
- Quentae Wyse
- LaChunda Moreno
- Syreeta Blacklock
- Richelle Jones
- Katie Bell
- Dr. Davis
- Gabrianna McDowell
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FAQs - For Parents
Click here to complete the FAFSA Online. You will need your 2015 Federal Tax Return, W-2 Forms, most recent bank statements and information for untaxed income such as SNAP benefits, social security benefits or untaxed pension and annuities to complete the process. TSU’s school code is 003642.
Your student has access to the TSU web portal at https://portal.tsu.edu. The student may log into the portal 24 hours a day, seven days a week to review the financial aid requirements. Items with an “E” indicate the item is outstanding. Items with an “R” indicate the items are received and items with a “S” indicate the item is satisfied.
Your student may access the Portal to review their financial aid application. Locate "Financial Aid" and Click, “My Award”
Although federal loans are included in the student’s federal award package, the student may decline or reduce the federal loans included within the award package. Prior to any loans being disbursed to the student’s account the student must complete Entrance Loan counseling at www.studentaid.gov. Additionally, the student must complete a Master Promissory Note at the same website. The Master Promissory Note will not be available until July 15th of each year.
The Federal Parent Loan is a credit-based loan offered to parents of dependent students to assist with the student's educational costs. The parent who is applying for the PLUS loan must complete the direct loan application for parents, the credit review process, and sign a Master Promissory Note at www.studentaid.gov; click on Parent Borrowers and then click on Apply for a PLUS Loan.
The application and credit request is the initial step in applying for the Parent Loan. If the credit decision is approved, the parent may borrow funds on behalf of an undergraduate student up to the designated cost of attendance minus any other aid or resources awarded to the student.
If the Parent Loan is denied, the student may borrow an additional unsubsidized loan up to the federal limits. Federal limits are restricted to $4000 for freshmen or sophomores and $5000 for juniors and seniors. Click here For additional information on federal loan programs.
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