General FAQs

Federal Work-study is a need-based award that is given to students who, based on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, show financial need and are interested in working on campus in a variety of departments or off campus in one of our designated not-for-profit community service agencies.  If you are eligible for Work-study, it will be listed on your MSOE Financial Aid Award Offer or you will receive a separate notification from the MSOE Financial Aid Office.  Open Work-study positions can be viewed by visiting our Student Employment website at www.msoe.edu/financial-aid/workstudy.

** For Additional Information**

When applying for a Work-study position, you will need to complete the Student Employment Application which can be found under the Application Process section on the website.  That application can then be sent to the supervisors listed for the positions of interest.  We encourage students to apply for multiple positions and to follow up with the supervisor to set up an interview.  Once hired by a department or agency, a Work-study student needs to complete the necessary Human Resources paperwork.   This paperwork consists of a Student Employment Contract which can be found under the Application Process section, an I-9 form showing eligibility to work in the United States, a W-4 form which a student elects their federal/state withholdings, and a direct deposit form.  A student cannot begin working until all of the necessary paperwork is completed.

The MSOE Financial Aid Office operates on a walk-in basis, and any available member of our office would be able to assist you; therefore, an appointment is not necessary. If you would prefer to make an appointment, contact the MSOE Financial Aid Office to schedule a meeting.

Yes; declining some of your awarded financial aid will not affect your other awards. You can accept/decline your Award Offer online at www.msoe.edu/finaid.

Your financial aid is based on the number of credits that you are enrolled in; therefore, if the number of credits you are enrolled in changes, your financial aid may change as well. If you drop a course after Friday of week one, your financial aid typically does not change for the term, but you need to be aware of the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy . If you are considering dropping a course, please contact the MSOE Financial Aid Office.

If you withdraw from all classes before completing 60% of the quarter, the MSOE Financial Aid Office will determine, based on institutional, state, and federal refund policies, whether a portion of your financial aid must be returned to the appropriate entity.  For more information, please review our Refund Policies. You are encouraged to contact the MSOE Financial Aid Office before withdrawing to review any changes to your financial aid and charges.

The MSOE Financial Aid Office typically awards your full year's worth of financial aid eligibility throughout the fall, winter, and spring terms. Therefore, if you have enrolled for all three terms, you typically are not eligible for institutional, state, or federal financial aid during the summer term. However, you may still be able to apply for a Federal Direct PLUS loan or an alternative loan. If you started mid-year or took a term off, you may be eligible for federal financial aid if you are enrolled for at least 6 credits as an undergraduate or 3 credits as a graduate student. For more information about receiving summer financial aid, please contact the MSOE Financial Aid Office.

• In order to be eligible for federal or state financial aid, you must either be a U.S. Citizen or an eligible non-citizen. Generally, you are an eligible non-citizen if you are:
  1. A U.S. permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551)
  2. A conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
  3. The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations:
     • "Refugee"
     • "Asylum Granted"
     • "Parole" (I-94 confirms paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired)
     • "Cuban-Haitian Entrant"
• If you are in the U.S. on an F1 of F2 student visa, or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, or a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations), you are not eligible for federal or state financial aid.
• International students may be eligible for a MSOE International Scholarship and should contact the MSOE Admission Office for details.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) GI Bill website has developed a "Road Map for Success" page that will help you determine what benefit is best for you and how to apply for it. Once you have determined what benefit is best for you, please contact MSOE's Certifying Official Steve Midthun. You are encouraged to apply at least two months prior to attending MSOE. MSOE will request that you complete and submit certain documents needed for certification. Once you are registered, the MSOE Certifying Official will certify your enrollment with the VA. Please allow 4-6 weeks after the start of each term to receive payment.

If you decide to move off-campus, there will be no change to your financial aid. If you are currently using your financial aid to cover your on-campus living expenses, you will be able to continue to receive financial aid to help cover your off-campus living expenses. Typically, students living off-campus with financial aid to cover their living expenses receive a refund check from our Student Accounts Office each term.*Please note that even if financial aid will not change because a student moves off-campus, financial aid can still change each academic year based off the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) information.