Financial Aid FAQs

We understand that parents want to help their students. To facilitate this, the University allows students to grant access to their SIU information via “proxy” accounts. While parents, grandparents, or other interested parties can set up a proxy account, only the student can authorize access to their SIU information. Access can also be limited. For more information on proxy access, please visit Proxy Information and Tutorials.

Proxy User Management

The screenshots show where to find your College Financing Plan on SalukiNet once you are in the "My Financial Aid" Task.

Select the aid year you are looking for and click on College Financing Plan. From there you should be able to print the information you need.

Your federal student loan amount is based, in part, on your enrollment. If you reduce your course load BEFORE your loan is disbursed, your loan may have to be adjusted under federal regulations.

Example for Undergraduate Students

If you are an undergraduate student and:

• You initially enroll in 12 credit hours for the fall but reduce your schedule to 9 hours before your fall loan is disbursed; and
• SIU anticipates your spring enrollment will be equal to your fall enrollment,
• Your total enrollment for the academic year would be 18 credit hours, or 75% of the hours necessary for full-time. Full-time is 12 hours each semester, or 24 credit hours. Your annual federal loan eligibility would be reduced to 75% of the full-time loan amount.

Your revised annual loan eligibility would then be divided equally between the fall and spring semesters.

Can My Loan Be Increased Later?

Possibly. If you increase your enrollment after your fall loan has been adjusted and your total enrollment for the academic year reaches at least 24 credit hours, your spring loan may be increased, provided you remain eligible for additional loan funds.

*Please note that this example is intended to provide general guidance. Your actual loan eligibility may vary based on your individual financial aid eligibility and other federal requirements.

The same federal rules apply to undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Full-time enrollment is based on your academic program and the length of your classes.

 Your federal student loan eligibility is based on your total enrollment for the academic year—not just one semester.

For undergraduate students, full-time enrollment for loan purposes means completing 24 credit hours during the fall and spring terms combined (typically 12 hours each semester). If your total enrollment falls below 24 hours, your annual loan eligibility may be reduced under federal regulations.

Here's an Example

Let's say you are an undergraduate year two who enrolls in:

• 12 credit hours in the fall
• 12 credit hours in the spring

At the beginning of the year, you are expected to complete 24 credit hours, so you qualify for the full annual loan amount.

Your loans are awarded as follows:

• Fall Subsidized Loan: $2,250 (disbursed)
• Fall Unsubsidized Loan: $1,000 (disbursed)
• Spring Subsidized Loan: $2,250 (anticipated)
• Spring Unsubsidized Loan: $1,000 (anticipated)

What Happens If You Drop a Class?

After your fall loan has been disbursed, you reduce your enrollment from 12 credit hours to 9 credit hours.

Now, you are expected to complete:

• 9 hours in the fall
• 12 hours in the spring

That's 21 total credit hours, or approximately 88% of the 24-hour full-time academic year requirement.

Because of this, federal regulations require SIU to reduce your annual loan eligibility to 88% of the full-time amount.

Your revised loan amounts would be:

Since your fall loans have already been disbursed, SIU will not be adjusting them and will make the adjustment to your spring loan to keep you at 88%

What If You Increase Your Enrollment Later?

If you enroll in additional credit hours during the spring and complete at least 24 credit hours for the academic year, you may qualify to have your spring loan increased. If you remain otherwise eligible, your total annual loan amount could be restored to the original full-time amount.

*Please note that this example is provided for illustration only. Your actual loan eligibility may differ based on your enrollment, grade level, remaining annual loan eligibility, and other federal financial aid requirements.

Schedule of Reduction (SOR) Calculator

This calculator estimates the total Federal Direct Student Loan eligibility when a student is enrolled less than full‑time. Results are estimates based only on annual loan limits and do not represent the subsidized/unsubsidized breakdown. Actual eligibility depends on the FAFSA and other factors.

Verification is a process through the Department of Education (DOE) to verify the accuracy of the information provided on your FAFSA. The DOE randomly selects students for this process. Part of the procedure includes identity verification due to the ongoing identity theft crisis. Log into SalukiNet to find out which documents must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office. Please submit the documents through the secure document upload at fao.siu.edu. 

The screenshots below show where to find your outstanding requirements on SalukiNet once in the "My Financial Aid Tab".

You must accept the Terms and Conditions for your financial aid to take effect. To view your Financial Aid Offer Letter, follow these steps: 

• Access SalukiNet at salukinet.siu.edu. 
• Log in using your Network ID and Password. 
• Search for the Financial Aid (My Financial Aid) task. 
• Click on the Financial Aid (My Financial Aid) task. 
• Click on the Offer tab. 
• Accept offers using the dropdown arrow and click Submit. 
• Check the box to acknowledge the terms and conditions. 
• Click Accept Offer. 

If you are accepting a Federal Direct Subsidized or Unsubsidized Loan and are a first-time borrower, you must have a Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN) on file and complete Entrance Loan Counseling. You can access the Direct Loan MPN and Entrance Loan Counseling at studentaid.gov. Use your Department of Education FSA-ID for both the MPN and Entrance Loan Counseling. 

Both the Master Promissory Note and Entrance Loan Counseling can be completed by logging into www.studentaid.gov.

Federal Direct Loan Limits and Requirements

• Loan Requirements
  • Entrance Loan Counseling
  • Master Promissory Note
  • Good for 10 years
  • Complete at studentaid.gov

Students seeking additional funding are encouraged to reach out to their academic departments to explore available funding options. Students can also apply for a private lender loan. For more information, visit Private Loans. Dependent students can apply for a Parent PLUS loan; if that loan is denied for any reason, we can process your request for additional unsubsidized funding. Parents can apply at www.studentaid.gov. We also recommend applying for additional outside scholarships. For a list of those, visit Outside Scholarships. 

Log into studentaid.gov using your FSA-ID and password.

The Financial Aid Office provides a list of private loan lenders at Private Loans List, but you may apply with any lender who offers private loans.

Private loans will not show up as authorized aid on your bill. Once the funds are received, they will be credited toward your bill.

The Financial Aid Office has not yet received your scholarship check to post. Checks are typically processed within 48 hours of receipt.

How to Accept Your Departmental Scholarship So It Can Pay

Refunds are determined by calculating the difference between what you owe and the total amount of aid awarded. If your funding exceeds your cost of attendance, you will receive a refund. You can check your refund amount on SalukiNet in the Current Account Detail Tab. Refunds are displayed as a negative number when reviewing your account.

The first round of aid is scheduled to post to student Bursar accounts during the weekend of August 7, 2026. Refunds are then processed by the Bursar’s office and sent out the following Wednesday to Friday.

To set up direct deposit, log into SalukiNet. For further questions, please refer to the Bursar’s website at Direct Deposit Information.

If you wish to remove the insurance fee from your bill, you must complete the online application at Health Insurance Application and submit it to the Student Health Center.

If you have a past due balance, you may consider applying for a private lender loan that will do a past due balance. For more information about these loans, visit Private Loans.

For more information about the SIU myTextbooks program and or how to opt out contact 618-536-3321 or email mytextbooks@siu.edu.