Upon admission to the University, students are eligible to apply and be considered for a wide range of student aid programs. To the extent funding permits, the University assists hundreds of students each year with financial aid packages designed to, in combination with personal and/or family resources, meet their educational expenses.

These programs provide financial aid resources in the form of grants, scholarships, loans and employment opportunities. The deciding factors in the determination of a student's eligibility for financial aid are financial need, academic promise, leadership potential, special talents or a combination of these criteria.

Eligibility for need-based financial aid programs is determined by filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Once the FAFSA is filed, a federal formula is applied to the applicant's data, providing calculations that determine how much the student and family are expected to contribute towards the cost of education. The difference between the expected family contribution and the cost of education is the student's financial need. USCA seeks to identify and provide funds to meet the financial need of its students. For more information on the determination of a student's eligibility for need-based financial aid, click here.