Paying for college can be challenging, but CSN’s Office of Financial Aid is here to help. Explore the resources on this page to learn about available financial aid options and the steps needed to complete the process.
The 2026–2027 academic year begins with the Fall 2026 semester. Due to the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), important financial aid changes are coming this year.
2026–2027 FAFSA and Awarding Update
2026–2027 FAFSA importing and financial aid awarding are temporarily delayed while required system updates are completed in accordance with recent federal financial aid changes.
We anticipate that 2026–2027 ISIR importing and awarding will begin the week of July 13, 2026.
CSN is working as quickly as possible to process aid accurately and keep students informed.
Fall 2026 Loan Eligibility Changes
Beginning Fall 2026:
- Students must be enrolled in 12 or more eligible credits to qualify for the maximum loan amount.
- Students enrolled in 6–11 eligible credits may apply for loans, but may qualify for a prorated amount.
- Additional loan information will be available when Fall 2026 awarding begins in mid-July.
CSN is currently processing summer loans. Students may visit the Office of Financial Aid starting mid-July to discuss Fall 2026 loan options.
Fall 2026 Important Dates
- Payment Deadline: August 3, 2026
- First Day of Fall Term: August 24, 2026
- Group 1 Anticipated Disbursement Begins: August 19, 2026
- Groups 2 & 3 Anticipated Disbursement Begins: September 9, 2026
Financial Aid Disbursement Groups
Group 1: Returning Students
Group 1 includes eligible continuing students who:
- Earned 14 or more CSN academic credits by the end of Spring 2026.
- Are in Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Good Standing.
- Completed all financial aid requirements, including To Do List items, at least two weeks before the semester begins.
Eligible Group 1 students may receive financial aid beginning one week before classes start. Students in Group 1 are not eligible for a Financial Aid Advance because aid is scheduled to disburse before the semester begins.
Students who do not meet the Group 1 requirements will be placed in Group 2 or Group 3.
Groups 2 & 3: New Students or Students with Fewer Than 14 Earned CSN Credits
Groups 2 and 3 include new students and continuing students who have not earned at least 14 CSN academic credits by the end of Spring 2026.
Students must complete all financial aid requirements, including To Do List items, at least two weeks before the semester begins to be eligible for Financial Aid (FA) Advance.
If eligible, FA Advance begins one week before the official start of the semester, see below for FA Advance detailed information.
Groups 2 and 3 disbursements begin approximately two weeks after classes start and after instructors confirm academic participation.
Important Reminders
- Class attendance and academic participation are required for all students.
- Students must be enrolled in at least 6 eligible credits to receive loan funds.
- First-time borrowers are subject to a 30-day loan disbursement delay.
- Students with pending financial aid that covers tuition and fees do not need to make a tuition payment by the August 3, 2026 payment deadline.
- Students without pending financial aid due to incomplete requirements, major changes, ineligible courses, or an unprocessed FAFSA should contact the Cashier’s Office about payment plan options to protect their classes from being dropped.
Need Help?
Please carefully review the FAQ below, as the information provided may answer your question. If you need additional assistance, contact the CSN Office of Financial Aid using one of the options below:
- Email finaid@csn.edu from your CSN student email and include your NSHE ID number
- Call 702-651-4303
- Visit the Office of Financial Aid during regular business hours
- Schedule a virtual appointment
FA Advance FAQs
A Financial Aid (FA) Advance allows eligible students to use a portion of their pending financial aid to purchase required books and course materials before funds are officially disbursed.
The amount is based on the number of eligible credits you are enrolled in and is not extra money. It comes from your existing financial aid and is made available early to help you prepare for the start of the semester. This is not gift aid, it is your financial aid being used in advance for required expenses.
Financial Aid Advance is available only to Group 2 and Group 3 students and requires that you have scheduled financial aid available to cover the amount.
Students who meet all the following requirements two weeks before the official start of the semester:
- You must have no pending items on your ‘To Do List’ in MyCSN,
- Your 2026-2027 financial aid pending must be more than the amount you owe CSN. Log into your MyCSN, view the "View Financial Aid" section. Click on the link for the year 2027 and scroll to the appropriate semester. Review the accepted column.
- Your aid total (including loans) must exceed your total bill plus the FA Advance amount
- Be registered for fall classes; waitlisted courses do not count.
Date of notification is TBD.
Once your FA Advance amount has been established based on your enrollment level, no additional adjustments will be made, even if you add a class at a later date.
- Students in 12+ credit hours get $600
- Students in 9-11 credit hours get $450
- Students in 6-8 credit hours get $300
- Students in 1-5 credit hours get $150
If you do not receive a Financial Aid Advance or miss the deadline, you will need to purchase your textbooks and other required educational materials using cash or a credit card.
Financial aid will not be disbursed until at least three weeks into the term. To avoid delays, we strongly encourage you to finalize your eligible enrollment at least two weeks before the semester begins. Please note that there are no exceptions to the semester’s FA Advance deadline.
FAQ
Students should be actively engaged and participating in courses from the very first day of class, including web and hybrid courses. This includes class discussions, projects, reports, quizzes, tests, homework, etc.
Non-active and continual participation will lead to enrollment cancellation, reduction or loss of aid, and the student incurring the charge for the class(es) they did not attend/participate in.
Students are encouraged to communicate with their faculty instructors regarding any attendance or participation concerns.
There are no exceptions to the rules regarding delayed disbursement.
Login to your MyCSN. Under “Finances” you will find the option to “enroll into direct deposit”
We strongly advise you to open a bank account and sign up for direct deposit through MyCSN, under “Finances." For any questions or concerns, contact the Office of the Cashier at Cashiers.Office@csn.edu.
Yes. If you have pending aid that exceeds your tuition balance, your financial aid will be disbursed a few weeks into the semester. Your classes will be protected from cancellation due to non-payment, and there will be no late payment penalties. However, if you have applied for a Payment Plan, continued payments are required to avoid late fees.
Yes, a hold labeled "FA Protect From Enrollment Cancellation" is considered a positive hold, protecting your classes while aid is pending. It is temporary, added before cancellation, and removed afterward. For Fall 2026, classes will be dropped starting August 3rd, 2026, if you do not have an approved payment plan or pending aid, you are at risk of having your classes dropped. If using loans to help pay your tuition, you must accept the loan.
FATV Video
How to Apply for Aid
Students can apply for financial aid like grants or student loans using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
CSN uses your FAFSA information to determine your federal aid eligibility. Please list CSN in the School Selection portion of the FAFSA. Our Federal School Code is 010362.
These FAFSA videos provide quick easy help with the financial aid application process.
Additional assistance can be found by - reviewing How Financial Aid Works.
Financial Aid Workshops
Our office has paused FAFSA Workshops due to low attendance. We will update our website if/when they are resumed: FAFSA Workshops webpage.
Upcoming Dates
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Appeals & SAP Reinstatements - Submission Deadline
Portal to submit summer SAP Appeals & SAP Reinstatements opens Tuesday, June 30th, 2026
Office Updates
SAP Workshops will resume soon.
Maintaining Your Aid
How to Check Your Financial Aid Status
After you have successfully submitted your FAFSA you can check on the status of your financial aid in your MyCSN. To do so;
- Login to your MyCSN Student Center from the GoCSN Portal
- Check all recent messages in your Communication Center
- Address any items listed in your To-Do List
- Ensure you have no negative Holds
- Select “View Financial Aid” under Finances
- Select the Aid Year you wish to view
- Accept/Decline Awards as applicable
Contacts:
In-Person (Recommended Option)
Office Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
CSN Financial Aid Call Center
Phone: 702-651-4303
Call Center Hours:
Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Email Us
You may email us general questions. An expected response time for emails is 3 business days.
Note: Please include your NSHE id number
Virtual Appointments
Our office offers limited hours to assist students virtually using MS Teams.
Schedule a virtual appointment