Navigating Financial Aid at Liberty University: A Comprehensive Guide

Paying for college is a significant investment, and Liberty University offers various financial aid options to help students achieve their educational goals. This guide provides a detailed overview of the financial aid process, requirements, and available resources at Liberty University.

Understanding the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the cornerstone of accessing financial aid at Liberty University. Completing the FAFSA is essential for consideration for federal grants, work-study programs, loans, and Liberty University scholarships. U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens must complete the FAFSA each school year to determine their eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid.

Key Points about the FAFSA:

Availability: The 2025-26 FAFSA became available in November.
Direct Data Exchange: You and your FAFSA contributor will be required to provide consent to the IRS via the Direct Data Exchange to provide your tax information to the Department of Education.
FAFSA Submission Summary: Once the completed FAFSA is received by the Department of Education (ED), the information provided is used to generate a FAFSA Submission Summary. This summary includes the date the FAFSA was completed and processed, the Data Release Number (DRN), the Student Aid Index (SAI), and the student's estimated federal financial aid eligibility.
Liberty's School Code: When completing the FAFSA online, add Liberty University using the school code 010392 to ensure the university receives your FAFSA record.
Priority Deadline: Submit the FAFSA to the Department of Education (ED) by Liberty's institutional fall priority deadline of January 15th each year in which federal and institutional financial aid is desired.

Verification Process

If selected for Verification, you must submit all requested documents to confirm the accuracy of the information reported on your FAFSA. Your account will not be reviewed until all documents are received.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

Liberty University strives to provide the most accurate Cost of Attendance (COA) for each academic year. The COA is a crucial factor in determining your financial need and aid eligibility.

Off-Campus Living: To provide you with the most accurate cost of attendance, we need to determine if your off campus living arrangement is with your parent(s).
Laptop/Computer Expenses: To provide you with the most accurate Cost of Attendance for an academic year, you may self-certify if you have purchased or rented a laptop or computer during a semester in the applicable academic year.

Types of Financial Aid

Financial aid is available to eligible students to help meet education-related expenses. The types of financial aid available include grants, scholarships, employment, loans, and sources of external aid.

Read also: Liberty University Fees

Grants and Scholarships

Grants and scholarships are considered "gift aid" and do not need to be repaid. They are often awarded based on financial need, academic merit, or specific talents.

Federal Pell Grant: The Federal Pell Grant is a need-based grant available to undergraduate students.
Liberty University Scholarships: Liberty University offers a variety of scholarships based on academic achievement, talent, and other criteria. Your high school grades and test scores could be worth at least $1,750 per year - and up to a full tuition scholarship.
Talent-Based Scholarships: Do you sing or play an instrument? Want to fly a plane? Feel called to leadership? Liberty’s multiple ministry teams - like the Sounds of Liberty, LU Praise, and the Liberty Worship Collective - offer scholarship positions.
Outside Scholarships: Scholarships may be awarded from foundations, churches, retail businesses, etc.
Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (VTAG): Established in 1972, the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant Program (VTAG) is designed to assist Virginia residents who attend accredited private, non-profit colleges and universities in Virginia (excluding religious training or theological education). Graduate students enrolled in a program related to health professions (CIP code 51 programs) may be eligible. Applications must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office before the published annual deadline of September 15 in order to be considered for the maximum award amount.

Important Considerations for Grants and Scholarships:

Your combined federal grants, state grants, and Liberty aid cannot exceed the combined cost of actual tuition and Tier 2 room and standard board charges. If the combined aid exceeds the total cost as specified, Liberty’s aid will be reduced to resolve the excess aid.
The Federal Pell Grant is not included as a factor in the GSR for Resident students.

Employment (Work-Study)

The Federal Work Study program provides part-time employment opportunities for students who have a demonstrated financial need based on the FAFSA. A part-time job on or off campus can also bring in funds for school. Federal work-study positions can provide you up to $5,000 per academic year, depending on your FAFSA.

Key Points about Work-Study:

The $5,000 in FWS funds cannot be applied toward the student's account balance during their initial Financial Check-In (FCI) completion.
Students who earn FWS wages will not have this income count against them in their SAI on the following year’s FAFSA.

Loans

Loans must be repaid to the lender based on the terms of the signed master promissory note and agreed repayment plan, typically after the student leaves school.

Federal Direct Student Loans: Federal Direct Student Loans are low interest loans available to students who are enrolled at least halftime, and these loans do not require a credit check.
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans: Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loans are federally backed student loans, guaranteed by ED. A Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan is a credit-based loan, unlike Federal Direct Student Loans, and requires a student to be enrolled in at least a half-time course load. Additionally, the Graduate PLUS Loan can cover educational expenses up to the student’s cost of attendance, less other financial aid.

Important Considerations for Loans:

Graduate students may be eligible for unsubsidized loan funds in which the student pays interest while in school. The student has the option to capitalize the interest (add it to the principle) while in school or making payments on the interest while in school.
Repayment begins six (6) months after students graduate, withdraw, break enrollment, or drop below half-time status.
We encourage all borrowers to only borrow what is needed to cover educational expenses.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for financial aid at Liberty University, students must:

Be degree-seeking.
Have a FAFSA on file to receive any residential Liberty aid and all federal aid.
Maintain Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) to continue receiving institutional or federal student aid.

Student Aid Index (SAI) and Financial Need

The FAFSA Submission Summary includes the Student Aid Index (SAI), which is used to determine the student’s financial need, including both federal aid and Liberty-provided scholarships and grants. The student’s financial 'need' is the difference between the Cost of Attendance and the SAI. The amounts for these educational expenses are the student’s estimated Cost of Attendance at Liberty University, and they become the student’s budget for financial aid purposes. Financial aid recipients are selected based on demonstrated financial need, academic success, and other merits.

Read also: History of Liberty's Flames

Enrollment Requirements

Most Liberty financial aid awards are based on full-time enrollment in aid-eligible courses, which is a minimum of 12 credit hours for an undergraduate student per semester. Federal student loans and federal grants usually require a minimum of half-time enrollment. Please note that normally 15 hours per semester is required to complete a 120-credit hour bachelor’s degree within four years.

Financial Aid Offer

Each financial aid recipient is issued an official Financial Aid Offer, which is the University’s official estimate of a student’s financial aid and costs to attend for the academic year. It is the student’s responsibility to review the Financial Aid Offer and notify the Financial Aid Office of any additional aid being received and of any desired reduction or cancellation of the aid offered.

Impact of Course Changes on Financial Aid

When students cease attendance in all aid-eligible classes in a given semester, they will be subject to a proration of all federal, state, and institutional aid. This proration takes into account the total number of days that the student was enrolled. Dropping a course may reduce the number of sub-terms for which a student is enrolled and may result in a recalculation of all of the components that make up the cost of attendance. Lastly, if a student registers full-time and subsequently withdraws from one or more courses which results in his or her remaining enrollment changing from full-time to part-time, the student will be charged the part-time tuition rate for the remaining courses in that semester.

Disbursing Aid

Disbursing aid is the process in which the school pays funds directly to the student's school account from either internal or external aid sources, which is different from a refund.

Consumer Information

Liberty University, as permitted by federal regulation [34 CFR 668.41], electronically disseminates consumer information, including the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act information. Upon request, the institution will provide a free paper copy. Anyone signing or processing financial aid forms or seeking information or assistance at Liberty University must read, understand, and comply with the requirements disclosed, which are available 24 hours a day at www.Liberty.edu/ConsumerInfo.

Additional Financial Aid Programs

Federal TEACH Grant

The Federal TEACH grant program is the first federal grant program that requires a service agreement and has the potential of converting to an unsubsidized loan with compounded interest from the original disbursement date.

Student Financial Services (SFS)

Student Financial Services exists to empower students to make informed decisions regarding funding their Liberty University education by providing unrivaled access to institutional resources, federal and state aid, and military benefits. The Financial Aid Office coordinates and administers the financial aid programs for the University and provides financial assistance to all eligible students.

Responsibilities

The student and the student’s family are responsible for the cost of higher education. A student who needs financial assistance is expected to contribute by working or borrowing a reasonable portion of the funds needed for educational expenses.

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA)

The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on July 4, 2025, and includes significant changes to the federal student loan programs, most of which become effective on July 1, 2026. You can review all changes by clicking the button below.

Appeals and Contact Information

A student may appeal the decision to cancel eligibility for a scholarship by sending a detailed, written and signed letter stating any mitigating circumstances to be considered. Employees who are not eligible to receive a portion of their CE benefits due to an unusual credit hour count, such as 5 hours, may appeal the denial of their eligibility to allow them to use CE for up to the 18 credit hours limit. Anyone suspecting fraud, waste, or abuse involving ED funds or programs should contact the Inspector General's Office.

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