Types of Financial Aid
Rensselaer offers federal, state, and institutional aid, including scholarships, grants, work-study, and loans.
Understanding Your Financial Aid Awards and Billing
To view your financial aid awards and estimated cost of attendance, log into the SIS portal, navigate to the Financial Aid section, and select your award package by aid year, where you'll also find essential billing, award, and eligibility information, as well as resources for financing your education at Rensselaer.
Conditions for Financial Aid Award Adjustments
The Rensselaer Office of Financial Aid reserves the right to revise your financial aid award according to federal, state, and institutional policies or due to emergency situations (e.g., natural disasters) that impact campus operations.
Disbursement of Financial Aid
Financial aid, excluding work programs and external scholarships, is disbursed to students' billing accounts before each term if all application requirements are met, with adjustments based on enrollment level and provisions allowing Pell Grant recipients to charge book expenses to their accounts.
Federal Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Students receiving federal aid must show satisfactory progress toward completing their degree. This progress is evaluated based on three criteria: Term GPA, Cumulative GPA, and PACE (the timeframe for completing the degree).
Financial Aid, Tuition and Fee Refunds
Tuition and fees apply to in-person, hybrid, and/or remote instruction. No refunds or credits will be provided should there be a change in course format (i.e. full remote instruction) due to pandemic or any other reason.
Eligibility and Renewal Policies
Undergraduate students can receive financial aid for up to eight semesters (or ten for architecture students), with fixed merit-based awards, renewable need-based awards requiring annual FAFSA submission, and federal/state grants dependent on yearly FAFSA results.
Loan Fees and Interest
Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans offer students financial aid based on enrollment status, with set interest rates, fees, repayment terms, and annual borrowing limits that increase by academic year, and additional unsubsidized funding available for eligible students.
