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Free Application for Federal Student Aid

The FAFSA is a standard form that collects demographic and financial information about a student (and their family). You must complete a new FAFSA every academic year which typically includes the Fall semester and Spring/Summer semesters of the following year.

For example, the 2025-2026 FAFSA will cover the following academic year:

• Fall 2025 (First Term)
• Spring 2026 (Second Term)

*You will have to stop by the Financial Aid Office and fill out a Summer Aid Request Form to see if you have any remaining aid available for Summer semester

Creating an FSA ID

The first step in applying for financial aid is creating a Federal Student Aid Identification (FSA ID)which is essentially your login information for accessing the FAFSA. 

• Go to > "Create an Account > "Get Started"

You will need the following information to set up your account: 

• When creating an account, you will provide identifying information such as your name, date of birth and social security number.
  • It may take a few days for the Social Security Administration to verify your social security number, you will not be able to submit the FAFSA until this is done. So, it is important to get this step out of the way beforehand.
• Next, you will need to provide an email address that can be accessed during this process as it must be verified. 
• We advise using your personal email address versus using your school email address, incase you ever lose access to it.
• Ideally, you will provide a mobile phone number, which is highly recommended as an account recovery option. However, if you do not currently have a mobile phone, it is not required.
• Next you will need to choose and answer four challenge questions as an additional account recovery option, store your answers somewhere safe or memorize your answers.
• The last step in completing two-step verification or authentication. You can download an app, send a code to your phone or send a code to your email. 

Updated Terms on the FAFSA

Parent/Spouse > Contributors

If you are identified as a dependent student, your parent(s) will be identified as contributors and will have to create their own FSA IDs to provide their information.

• If married and filed jointly, only one parent needs to complete the parent portion and simply provide the spouse/other parent's personal information
• If divorced, parent is defined as "who provides the greater portion of the student's financial support."
  • If parents provide equal support, parent is defined as  who makes the greater income."

*Please refer to the latest FAFSA guidelines for the most accurate information regarding your situation (i.e. separated but living together, remarried, etc.).

If you mark married on the FAFSA, you will be deemed an independent student, and you will have to provide your spouse s personal information. If you filed taxes separately, they will be identified as a contributor and must create an FSA ID to provide their financial information.

Dependency Status > Personal Circumstances

*Answering yes to any of these, will grant you provisional independence status, requiring follow up with Financial Aid Office

*If your parents refuse to provide their information,you will only qualify for unsubsidized loans

• 24 years or older
• Completed Bachelor's degree
• Marital status/Dependents
• Veteran, currently serving active duty, armed forces
• Orphan, foster care, ward of the court
• Emancipated or in a legal guardianship with someone other than your parents
  • For example, if you are being raised by your grandparents/other family members who have not legally adopted you 
• Risk of being/Homeless, self-supporting, etc.
  • For example, if you do not have a relationship with your parent(s) and are unable to get in contact with them and you are supporting yourself, unstable living situation, parent(s) are incarcerated, etc.

IRS Data Retrieval Tool > Direct Data Exchange (DDX)

Everyone must give consent to allow their information to be transferred from the IRS, including non-tax filers.

Household Size > Family Size

Based on # of people claimed as exemptions on tax forms . If different than tax form, there's an option to enter manually.

Student Aid Report > FAFSA Submission Summary

Previously when you were finished with the FAFSA, you would get a Student Aid Report (SAR) that would populate an Expected Family Contribution number (or EFC for short). Schools would use this number to package students financial aid offers with lowest number given being zero, indicating families considered to have no ability to contribute towards a student education. It is now being called Student Aid Index (or SAI), giving it a more accurate and simpler determination of financial need. The SAI has a threshold reaching as low as -1500 indicating students with exceptional need. The number of children you currently have attending college will no longer affect this number; however, the question will still appear on the application for institutional purposes.

What is Financial Aid?

Financial aid is money given to students to help them pay the cost of attendance for their education. It can either come from the federal government, which is the largest provider of aid, state governments, the school itself, or a variety of other public and private sources. 

Gift Aid includes scholarships and grants which do not typically have to be repaid. A scholarship can be given to students who have financial need, a special characteristic, skill, talent or ability. Students may have to follow certain guidelines to stay eligible for aid. Most grants are awarded based on financial need through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Self-Help Aid includes work opportunities and loans. The individual takes responsibility for receiving this type of aid by working or eventually paying back the loan. Unsubsidized loans are available to all students. Subsidized loans are available to students who show financial need. To qualify for either loan you must be enrolled in at least six credits. Some state work study options do not require financial need, however, federal work study options do require it. Stop by the Financial Aid Office and fill out a Work Study Request form to see if you qualify for either. 

FEDERAL TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID

To apply for any of the following funding sources, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Prospective students who apply for financial aid must also apply for admission to MSU Billings before any consideration or decisions on financial aid, including scholarships, can be made. 

However, students do not have to be formally accepted to add MSU Billings on to their FAFSA!

Federal Pell Grant: Unlike loans, the Pell Grant does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded only to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor's or professional degree. In some cases, you may receive a Pell Grant for attending a post-baccalaureate teacher certification program. For many students, Pell Grants provide a foundation of financial aid to which other aid may be added. Awards range from $750-$7,395 per academic year. 

Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG): For undergraduate students with exceptional financial need   that is, students with the lowest Student Aid Index (SAI) the SEOG gives priority to students who received a Pell Grant and does not have to be paid back. 

Federal Direct Loan Program: Enables eligible students and parents to borrow from the U.S. Department of Education instead of from a bank or other lending institution. This allows borrowers to work with a single entity when repaying loans or dealing with loan related issues. The Direct Loan program offers a range of flexible repayment options to meet borrowers  varied financial circumstances. Repayment does not begin until six months after you graduate, after you stop attending or if you fall below six credit enrollment. The most common loans in this program are the Stafford Subsidized Loan, Stafford Unsubsidized Loan and Parent PLUS Loan: 

• Subsidized loans are awarded to students on the basis of financial need. You will not be charged any interest before you begin repayment or during authorized periods. 
• Unsubsidized loans are not awarded on the basis of need. You'll be charged interest from the time the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. 
• Parent PLUS Loans are an additional option for parents that require a separate application from the initial FAFSA.

NON-FEDERAL TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID 

AMERICAN INDIAN TUITION WAIVER

The eliminates tuition costs charged to a qualifying undergraduate student making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). However, it does not waive any other charges (i.e. fees, residence hall, meal plans, etc.). A completed FAFSA with a Student Aid Index (SAI) that is less than the student's overall Cost of Attendance is required. Students who have already submitted documentation and received the waiver do not need to reapply. Qualifications can be found at Tuitions Waivers.

TRIBAL HIGHER EDUCATION FUNDING 

Each tribe with Tribal Higher Education Funding may award funds based on their own criteria.

• Contact your tribe's Higher Education office for eligibility and application deadlines. Tribes may require the Financial Aid Office to complete a Needs Analysis Form.

NOTE: We recommend that you submit this form at least two weeks prior to the tribal deadline every year you are applying for it.

SCHOLARSHIPS 

Incoming freshmen and new transfer students must be admitted to the University or City College campus before completing the scholarship application. The MSUB General Scholarship Application is available to both incoming and current students. Native American students are also encouraged to fill out other outside scholarships.

Yellowjacket Excellence Scholarship

A FINANCIAL PLEDGE TO BENEFIT INCOMING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS STUDENTS 

Our financial commitment to you depends upon your unweighted high school GPA and automatically renews for those who remain full-time, degree-seeking, and are making satisfactory academic progress (SAP). Funding of this commitment is contingent on the completion of the admissions application and required documentation/transcripts. This is a Fall start scholarship only. 

To be considered for the YES, students must: 

• Submit an application for admission (complete with GPA on the Self Report Form). 
• Submission of final high school transcripts are required to confirm the high school GPA and scholarship before Fall classes begin.

Other Resources

TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) provides holistic and student-centered services, resources, and educational opportunities that support and improve graduation rates for eligible students. Support and encouragement are offered in a number of ways. We work towards the removal of barriers inhibiting academic completion, model acceptance and respect for all, and cooperate with faculty, staff, students, and community agencies to foster student success.

TRIO SSS aims to offer a "one-stop shop" of services to program participants at MSUB University campus and City College campus.

Fall 2024 Native American Student Program Enrollment

MSU Billings awarded nearly $45,000 in scholarships to our Native American students in Fall 2024

Athletics

We offer athletic scholarships for our 14 varsity sports and Co-Ed Cheer. Please visit and contact coaches directly to inquire about opportunities to join Yellowjacket Athletics! #StingersUp!

Tribal Resources

If you are an enrolled tribal member, contact your tribe to see if they have additional funding available.

Browning, Montana 59417
#9 Old Person Street
406-338-7539

Crow Agency, Montana 59022
Gary H. Dawes, Higher Education Coordinator
gary.dawes@crow-nsn.gov
406-679-1276

Pablo, Montana 59855
Miranda Burland, Scholarship Officer
miranda.burland@cskt.org
406-675-2700 Ext. 1074

Harlem, Montana 59526
Treytin Stiffarm
656 Agency Main St.
406-353-2466 Ext. 8376

Poplar, Montana 59255
Goldie Red Eagle, Education Assistant
gredeagle@fortpecktribes.net
406-768-2394

Lame Deer, Montana 59043
Darlene Hamilton, Counselor
darleneh@rangeweb.net
406-477-6770

St. Labre Indian School
Ashland, Montana 59004
David Charpentier, Scholarship Coordinator
dcharpentier@stlabre.org
406-860-0429

Box Elder, Montana 59521
Amanda Belcourt, Scholarship Officer
abelcourt@stonechild.edu
406-395-4269

Montana Little Shell Chippewa Tribe
Great Falls, Montana 59404
511 Central Ave W
frontdesk@lstribe.org
406-315-2400