Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for federal financial aid is easy with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA. To access and sign the FAFSA, as well as access federal websites related to financial aid, you must create studentaid.gov account (FSA ID).

After you've created your studentaid.gov login, your next step in applying for financial assistance is to complete the FAFSA. You must complete the FAFSA annually, as soon as it becomes available, to apply for federal financial aid. Include Oakland's school code (002307) on your FAFSA to ensure we receive your application. Use the FAFSA Worksheet to prepare to complete your FAFSA.

Need help with your FAFSA? No problem! Join a virtual FAFSA workshop or speak to an adviser for assistance. We are ready to help.

State of Michigan aid programs require the FAFSA and may require additional application materials. Once your first FAFSA has been processed (1-3 days after submission), you are able to create the MiSSG student portal to access information and necessary materials about State of Michigan financial aid and manage your School of Choice. 

Until you create your student portal access, visit the State of Michigan website for students and families to learn more about the MiSSG student portal, MI Student Aid programs, and even access the MI scholarship search tool. Learn more about MI Student Aid.

Oakland University scholarships and grants are automatically offered to incoming freshmen and transfer students through the admissions process and when the FAFSA is processed by Financial Aid and Scholarships. 

Future undergraduate students can view the eligibility criteria and renewal information for OU automatic scholarships and grants. 

Students currently attending OU can view renewal criteria for their automatic scholarships and grants by visiting the Admitted and Enrolled Undergraduate Students page.

In addition to the scholarships and grants automatically awarded to incoming undergraduate students, Oakland University also offers OU Annual Scholarships from academic and student service departments. These endowed scholarships require a single application available to complete annually for admitted and enrolled students. View the available OU Annual Scholarships.

Private aid is generally considered aid received from a source other than the university, state, and federal governments. Private aid can be scholarships from organizations, foundations, and/or businesses. Private loans can come from a bank, credit union, or private lender of your choice. 

Private Scholarships
Private scholarships are abundantly available for students. Students can increase the probability they will be selected for private scholarships by increasing the number of applications submitted. Consider making a weekly goal of how many applications you want to submit or how much time you want to spend applying for scholarships each week, then aim to meet that goal each week until you graduate from OU! Search for private scholarships on large online databases, such as:

CollegeBoard.org
Fastweb.com
State of Michigan Scholarship Search

Private Loans
Private loans should be used as a very last resort, if possible. The Federal Direct Loan program usually offers lower interest rates and more flexible repayment plans than most private/alternative loans; if you're eligible you can find the federal loan(s) available to you on your MySail financial aid offer. Maximize your borrowing from all federal loans before considering supplemental funds from a private loan. Be wary of private loan offers which discourage you from working with your financial aid office, offer introductory rates, do not tie the loan interest rate to a fixed percentage of LIBOR or PRIME rate, or claim  you can apply and receive money immediately.

Once your FAFSA is received and processed, electronic financial aid offer notifications are sent to your Oakland email address, asking you to view on MySAIL the amount and types of financial aid for which you are eligible. It's a good idea to review the financial aid Policies, Terms, and Conditions and regularly check your Oakland University email - you do not want to miss the financial aid offer notifications, which will include directions for your next steps.

If there are any changes or updates to your financial aid offer, a revised notification will be sent. If a situation occurs which significantly impacts your household's current financial standing, you should call (248) 370-2550 to speak with a financial aid adviser immediately.

Financial aid is initially offered for the regular academic year (fall/winter semesters) but may be available during the summer semester. Learn more about financial aid for summer classes.

Check MySAIL