FAQs

Questions About Accepting Aid

This is the maximum PLUS Loan amount that your parents can borrow. To apply for a Federal Parent PLUS loan, your parent must complete a Master Promissory Note and annual PLUS Loan Request. Please carefully follow these PLUS Loan Instructions.

No. Your aid offers are based on the aid that we are able to offer you and your estimated annual Cost of Attendance Budget, which includes estimated TU charges and allowances for other expenses, such as books and living expenses.

If your expected charges exceed your aid offers, you must pay the remaining balance by the Due Date on your online eBill. If your aid exceeds your charges, the Student & University Billing Office will send you a refund after your bill is paid. For more detailed financial aid refund information, please visit our Aid Disbursements & Rebates; and for more detailed billing information, visit or call the Student & University Billing Office at 410-704-2100. 

These are the most common situations. For more information, see Award Changes & Reductions. Please notify our office of any changes listed below so we may adjust your financial aid promptly.  

  • Part-time enrollment
  • Receipt of additional aid
  • Corrected FAFSA errors
  • Changes or corrections to Housing status
  • Academic Progress Policy violations
  • Dropped/withdrawn courses
  • 2nd Repeats of passed courses
  • Reapplication requirements

To avoid late or unexpected aid changes, please read Your Award Guide and promptly complete all the steps on the instructions for accepting aid. 

 

Other Questions

We will primarily communicate with you through your TU student email account. You must read all aid emails, complete all aid tasks, and must notify your parents about all requests for parent data. (See below for instructions on how to automatically forward copies of your financial aid emails to your parent's email accounts.)

We will also post documentation requests to the To Dos list on your Towson Online Services Student Dashboard.  Please check your To Dos weekly. 

From your TU email account, go to Settings and select the source you want forwarded — . Select More to filter messages “to” and “from.” Be sure to disable “all forwarding” and apply the filter.

Federal rules prohibit us from discussing your aid data with parents or others unless without your authorization. 

To grant authorization, login to the Towson Online Service Student Dashboard.  Then, choose Financials, Financial Aid Forms, the current Aid Year, and complete the Release of Information form.

 See Aid Deadlines.
Your award is based on the housing information you provided on your FAFSA. If your housing plans change, please complete the online Housing Verification Form as soon as possible. The change may affect your federal, state and institutional aid offers.
The federal government determines a student’s dependency status based on several factors, including but not limited to; age, marital status, and support of dependent children. For more information visit this federal Dependency Status page. 
The TU Student & University Billing Office provides 1098T Tax Information to assist students and families with determining their eligibility for federal IRS income tax credits.
If you are pursuing a second bachelor’s degree, you can borrow additional federal students loans if you haven’t reached your aggregate undergraduate borrowing limit.  You won't be eligible to receive most need-based grants.