Summer 2025 Financial Aid: On Grounds

Eligibility Requirements

Financial aid for summer is available for eligible undergraduate students currently enrolled in a degree program at the University of Virginia.

  • Students must have a completed 2024-2025 FAFSA on file and must have completed all items on their To Do List in the Student Information System (SIS). The 2024-2025 FAFSA must be completed by June 30, 2025, to be considered for Summer Session 2025 financial aid.
  • Students must be meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards. Students on SAP suspension will not be awarded financial aid for Summer Session until they are either meeting the SAP standards or they have successfully appealed their SAP status.
  • All students (with the exception of students who qualify for the Pell Grant) must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours for summer.
  • All the credit hours for all student (including Pell Grant-eligible students) must be either on-Grounds, through a UVA-sponsored study abroad program, or a combination thereof. 
  • Students who were required to submit a CSS Profile for 2024-2025 will be considered for grant funding.
  • All the credit hours must be either on-Grounds, in approved virtual courses, through a UVA-sponsored study abroad program, or a combination of the three. SFS will not award students financial aid for study at another institution during the summer. Financial aid for Summer Session is not the same as for fall or spring, and students should not automatically assume they will receive grant funding to pay for Summer Session. Also, to be eligible for summer on-Grounds grant funding for summer, you must be enrolled in 6 credit hours on-Grounds. 
How to Apply for Summer Session On-Grounds Financial Aid

Students who already have a FAFSA for the 2024-2025 academic year will automatically be reviewed for financial aid eligibility for Summer Session, including grant funding. Students who want aid for summer and have not completed a FAFSA should do so at their earliest opportunity.

Students must also enroll (and remain enrolled) in at least 6 credit hours for summer before their financial aid eligibility will be reviewed. Financial aid for Summer Session is not the same as for fall or spring, and students should not automatically assume they will receive grant funding to pay for Summer Session. Summer on-Grounds grant funding is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so students are advised to enroll in Summer Session as soon as they are able to do so. Wait list classes do not count towards the 6 credit hour requirement to be eligible for aid.

On-Grounds Summer Session enrollment begins March 25th. 

Find Information regarding Summer Session on-Grounds registration

What Happens If I Don't Get Offered Aid?

If you enroll after all grant money has been awarded, and if you have already used your federal loan eligibility for the academic year, your options for financial aid include

  • applying for a private education loan (credit check and co-signer likely required)
  • having a parent apply for a Parent PLUS Loan for the summer at studentaid.gov.

It's very important to drop your summer class(es) if you do not have a solid plan for payment. Incurring a finance hold for non-payment may prevent your ability to take classes in the fall term. Fall financial aid cannot pay prior term charges, including summer charges. A finance hold will also prevent any refunds of fall financial aid that is greater than your charges.

Cost of Attendance

The on-Grounds cost of attendance for Summer Session includes tuition and fees, books/supplies, living expenses, Direct Loan fees, and travel. This information is available on the 2024-2025 Cost of Attendance page.

 
Types of Financial Aid Available

Grants

University grant aid for Summer Session is limited and is based on financial need. Priority for this grant funding is given to students based on their enrollment date and is awarded in the order in which students enroll. Because Summer Session is not a required term, University grant funding is not guaranteed even if a student is eligible for grant funding for the fall and spring terms. Please note that for Summer 2025 Summer Session on-Grounds University grant aid will not exceed $3,295 for Virginia residents and $10,951 for non-Virginia residents (there is a separate amount for BIS non-Virginia residents).

Students who receive the Federal Pell Grant during the academic year also may be eligible for this grant as part of their Summer Session financial aid, even if they do not receive a University grant.

Loans

SFS will award a student any Direct Loan eligibility that a student has remaining for the 2024-2025 academic aid year. The annual Direct Loan limits are listed on the chart below:

Annual Direct Loan Limits

Academic Level in SIS

Dependent Student

Independent Student (or dependent student whose parent was denied a PLUS Loan

First Year

$5,500

$9,500

Second Year

$6,500

$10,500

Third Year and above

$7,500

$12,500

 
  • To determine the remaining Direct Loan eligibility available for the summer term, view the financial aid awarded for 2024-2025 in SIS. Compare the total amount of Direct Loans awarded for 2024-2025 to the limits listed on the above chart. If a student has remaining Direct Loan eligibility, the student will be offered their remaining annual eligibility for summer up to the cost of attendance.
  • Once Direct Loan eligibility is exhausted, the only other option for financial aid will be a Direct Parent PLUS loan (for undergraduate dependent students) or a private education loan.
  • The loan term dates to use for students who wish to apply for a private education loan for summer are based upon the Summer Session calendar. Once those dates are determined and published, check back here for specific dates to use. This loan term will alert Student Financial Services that the loan should be certified for summer only.
How the Financial Aid Process Works

Student Financial Services usually begins awarding Summer Session on-Grounds financial aid within two weeks of the start of Summer Session on-Grounds enrollment (early April) and on a rolling basis thereafter. Students will receive an email notification once Student Financial Services has reviewed their financial aid eligibility. This email will detail how students are able to view their awards and outlines options to cover educational expenses if students are not awarded financial aid or the aid awarded does not cover their summer on-Grounds cost of attendance. 

Financial Aid Disbursement Dates and Payment Due Dates
  • All students who undertake any form of academic study within the University are required to pay the comprehensive fee in addition to tuition. Payment of the comprehensive fee is due in full by May 21, 2025, or five days after a student enrolls, if a student enrolls on May 21, 2025, or later. Tuition for each session is due the third day of the session. Information regarding Summer Session 2025 on-Grounds tuition and fees is available on the Summer Session website.
  • The scheduled disbursement dates for Summer Session on-Grounds financial aid are listed on the chart below:

2025 Summer Session Disbursement Dates

Session

Disbursement Date

Session I

May 21, 2025

Session II

June 18, 2025

Session III

July 16, 2025

 
  • Students that have been awarded Summer Session on-Grounds financial aid will have a credit for summer on their student account.
  • Students whose anticipated aid covers their Summer Session balance should not receive a financial hold.
  • Students whose anticipated aid does not cover their full Summer Session balance are responsible for paying the difference by the due dates listed above.
  • Students will not be dropped from their Summer Session on-Grounds courses for non-payment; however, a financial hold will remain on their account until any past due charges have been paid.
  • Please note that payment plans are not available for Summer Session.
How to Determine Out-of-Pocket Costs

Financial aid awards are based on the Summer Session on-Grounds cost of attendance which includes tuition, living expenses, books/supplies, Direct Loan fees, and travel. To determine your out-of-pocket costs, you will need to subtract your Summer Session financial aid award in SIS from the Summer Session on-Grounds cost of attendance. If applicable, you may pay these costs with your own resources and/or apply for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan (for undergraduate dependent students) or a private student loan.

Examples of Cost of Attendance and Financial Aid

Example #1

You are a 3rd year Virginia resident who enrolled in one summer session for a total of six credit hours. You have also already been awarded $7,500 in Direct Loan funding for the fall and spring terms and have no remaining Direct Loan eligibility available for the summer term. Your cost of attendance is $6,005 of which $3,295 is tuition and fees. You received a Summer On-Grounds Scholarship for $3,295. Your tuition and fee charges are covered. To cover the remaining cost of attendance of $2,710, you must either pay the amount with your own resources and/or apply for a Direct Parent PLUS loan (for undergraduate dependent students) or a private student loan.

Example #2

You are a 3rd year non-Virginia resident who enrolled in each summer session for a total of nine credit hours. Your cost of attendance is $21,766 of which $15,624 is tuition and fees. You received a Summer Direct Subsidized Loan for $5,500 and a Summer Direct Unsubsidized Loan for $2,000. To cover the remaining cost of attendance of $14,266, you must either pay the amount with your own resources and/or apply for a Direct Parent PLUS loan (for undergraduate dependent students) or private student loan.

How Enrollment Changes Will Impact Financial Aid Eligibility

To remain eligible for summer on-Grounds grants and Federal Direct loans for summer, students must be enrolled in at least 6 credit hours for summer. These credit hours must be taken over the course of the summer term, but not all 6 credit hours have to be earned in one session. Enrollment in 6 credit hours are not required for eligible students to receive the Pell Grant. If a student drops below 6 credit hours for summer, financial aid awards may be reduced or canceled. In addition, a student’s financial aid may also be reduced or canceled if the student drops, withdraws, or fails to attend all scheduled summer sessions for which the student has registered. Please note that summer aid is awarded based on the number of credit hours taken. If a student’s enrollment for summer changes, it is the sole responsibility of the student to notify Student Financial Services so that financial aid can be adjusted accordingly. A student will be responsible for repaying any amount of excess aid awarded if aid has disbursed and a student later makes enrollment changes that impact aid eligibility for summer. 

Find Information regarding the Summer Session on-Grounds schedule changes and refund policy

Fall Admits Enrolling in Summer

Students admitted for the fall 2025 term who are enrolling in summer 2025 classes are not eligible for the Summer On-Grounds Scholarship. If you wish to be considered for federal financial aid during the summer term, you must submit a 2024-2025 FAFSA by June 30, 2025. Further items may be requested through the SIS To Do List, and those items must be completed before a review for available funding can occur.