Types of Financial Assistance Available

Federal and State Grants
Scholarships
Work Study
Loans

Federal and State Grants

Federal and state grants typically do not require repayment and are renewable if certain conditions are met.

The Federal Pell program provides assistance in the form of a grant to undergraduate students. Federal Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who are pursuing their first bachelor's degree. For many students, Pell Grants provide the foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added. Federal Pell Grants at Long Island University are applied to tuition charges only. To determine a student's eligibility, the US Department of Education uses a standard formula to evaluate the information reported on the FAFSA. This formula produces a Student Aid Index (SAI) number. The Student Aid Report (SAR) will contain this number and will inform students whether they may be eligible for Pell. Students can only receive one Pell Grant per award year, from one college at a time. How much Pell is received depends on the student's SAI, their cost of attendance and whether the student attends school for a full academic year or less. Other determining factors are listed below.

In addition, the following criteria must also be met:

• Students must be US citizens or eligible non-citizens
• Students must be accepted to a degree seeking eligible program
• Students can receive Pell Grants for up to 12 full-time semesters, or the equivalent
• The Pell Grant is only awarded to students pursuing an undergraduate degree
• Students may not be in default on any prior federal student loans or owe the federal government a refund of financial aid previously received
• Students and their parents must be willing to verify the information provided on the FAFSA
• Students must maintain federal satisfactory academic progress

Award Amounts

For the 2024-2025 Academic Year, the Pell Grant ranges from $740 to as much as $7395, depending on family income and other financial factors. Eligible students may receive the Pell Grant as a part-time or full-time student. The amount of Pell received as a part-time student may vary due to enrollment status.

Maximum Time Frame

The amount of Federal Pell Grant funds a student may receive over his or her lifetime is limited to be the equivalent of 6 years of Pell Grant funding. The Department of Education keeps track of students' LEU by adding together the percentages of Pell Grants students received for each award year. Students can determine how much Pell they have used and what they have remaining by visiting: studentaid.gov/.

Additional Information

Further details on the Pell grant program can be found on the Federal student aid website located at: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell#award-amounts

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG) – Awarded to Pell Grant recipients with additional financial need on a first-come, first-served basis. You can receive between $100 and $4,000 per year, depending on your financial need, when you apply, the amount of other aid you receive, and the availability of funds.

• Aid for Military Families – As a designated “Military Friendly School,” LIU has a proud and distinguished history of serving its nation’s active duty service members and veterans and their families. The U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs (VA) offers generous education benefits for veterans and their families.

• Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and Enhanced Tuition Awards (ETA) – New York’s largest grant program, helps eligible New York residents attending in-state postsecondary institutions pay for tuition. TAP grants are based on the applicant’s and his or her family’s New York State taxable income and can range up to $5,165 per year. Students who apply for and are approved for ETA can receive up to $6,000 per year so long as all program requirements are met each term and annually. Apply for TAP and ETA online tap.hesc.ny.gov. LIU’s TAP and ETA school code is 0403.

• NYS Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) – The APTS provides grant assistance for eligible New York State residents who are part-time students enrolled in approved undergraduate studies.

• Arthur O. Eve Higher Education Opportunity Program (HEOP) – This program is specially designed for New York State residents who are economically disadvantaged and educationally underprepared. Co-sponsored by the New York State Education Department and LIU, the program offers a wide range of support services including tutoring, academic advisement, financial aid, and career and personal counseling.

• Other New York State Grants and Awards
  • Flight 3407 Memorial Scholarships
  • Flight 587 Memorial Scholarships Military Service Recognition Scholarship 
  • NYS Scholarships for Academic Excellence 
  • NYS World Trade Center Memorial Scholarship
  • NYS Aid to Native Americans 
  • NYS Math and Science Teaching Incentive Scholarship
  • NYS AIMS
• Veterans Tuition Awards
  • NYS Regents Awards for Children of Deceased and Disabled Veterans
  • NYS Memorial Scholarships for Families of Deceased Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, Police Officers, Peace Officers, and Emergency Medical Service Workers

Scholarships

LIU Scholarships

Long Island University maintains an extensive program of scholarships and grants-in-aid based on academic merit and demonstrated financial need. Awards are usually made as part of the admission process. Institutional scholarships may be combined with government supported grants and loans into a single financial aid package. Scholarships and grants are normally applied towards tuition. They can range from several hundred dollars to full tuition and do not require repayment. Scholarships may be reduced or canceled if requested applications and verification documents are not received by the stated deadlines. Need-based scholarships do not automatically renew for the same amount in subsequent years. Changes in need calculations, late FAFSA submission, or refusal of a subsidized student loan may result in a modified award.

Undergraduate Students – U.S. citizens and permanent residents must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov to be considered for a financial aid package.  All undergraduate students are considered for scholarships based on their academic merit. Availability of institutional merit-based scholarships varies according to academic program. Students who file a FAFSA will be considered for institutional scholarships based on merit and demonstrated financial need. U.S. citizens and eligible residents may qualify for U.S. government and New York State fellowships and grants based on merit and financial need.

Scholarships are available from a wide variety of organizations based on merit, nationality, specific areas of study or talent, and more. Look at private organizations, like your church or your parents’ employer.  They often have scholarships available that no one applies for because they don’t know they exist. Utilize FREE Web-based scholarship searches like FASTWEB and the College Board to find additional resources for your education. Some private scholarship programs are specifically designed for students who were rejected for federal financial aid, so even if you don't think you'll qualify for federal aid, file the FAFSA.

Work Study

The Federal Work-Study Program provides on-campus jobs to students with financial need. The money earned may be applied to students’ tuition, educational needs, or personal expenses. To receive Work-Study a student must apply for financial assistance by completing a FAFSA form and demonstrate need as determined by the federal government. Students can work up to 20 hours per week after the start of each semester. Summer employment is also available. Work study monetary awards are listed on students’ My LIU accounts. To apply for a work study position on campus, click here.

Loans

All federal and private loans must be repaid with interest. Borrow wisely. To learn about responsible borrowing, estimate repayment, and managing student loans, visit studentloans.gov.

• William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program – The Direct Loan Program is the best financing option for a student to pursue and should be considered before any private educational loan options. The loan is available to students regardless of the level of financial need. There are subsidized and unsubsidized options available.
• The Federal Direct PLUS Loan is a credit-worthy loan for the parent or legal guardian of a dependent student or a graduate student who has borrowed the maximum annual amount of Direct Loan assistance. The loan is available to students regardless of the level of financial need. For details on how to apply for a parent visit studentloans.gov. To apply for the Graduate PLUS loan, simply go into your MyLIU account and select Campus Finances, Financial Aid, and Select Aid Year to Review. From here, choose Accept/Decline awards and either accept your PLUS loan to borrow the maximum amount available, or select reduce if you want to borrow a lesser amount, for instance, if you only want to cover billed charges. Please speak with your counselor or coach if you have questions on how much to request if reducing your loan to take into consideration loan fees.
• HRSA Health Professions Loan (HPL) – HPL Loans are available to pharmacy majors who provide parental information on their FAFSA application. The loan carries a fixed interest rate of five percent and ranges in amount, depending on need and availability of funds. Repayment for the HPL Loans begin one year after graduation, termination of at least part-time studies or immediately for students who change their major from Pharm.D.