Note: Separate instructions and policies apply to the Arch Program. The information and instructions below pertain to students who are taking summer courses, but not participating in the Arch Program.
Federal Student Aid: Federal financial aid for summer sessions can include Federal Direct/PLUS loans, Pell Grants, and Supplemental Grants (SEOG).
About Federal Direct Loan Eligibility: The Direct Loan program has annual loan maximums which are typically divided by the two standard terms of enrollment within each award year for our students. If you use a portion of your Direct Loan(s) during the summer and plan to enroll for all three terms of an award year, you will have less available for the Fall and Spring Semesters than you may have realized in prior years. This is because your annual maximum will be divided equally into three terms instead of two. Your loans will be awarded to match your enrollment pattern indicated on your completed Summer Aid Application.
New York State Grants: NYS grants such as TAP may be used in the summer if you will be accelerating your graduation date by taking summer classes or if you are enrolled for your Summer On-Campus for The Arch program. TAP eligible students must request funding for the Summer Semester on their TAP application. For students not in The Arch, payment of summer TAP may be delayed by over a year due to NY State funding rules: if this takes place your funds will be applied to your student account in October 2024. This delay does not apply to The Arch Summer On-Campus.
Rensselaer Scholarships & Grants: Students may utilize a semester of their eligibility for RPI scholarship and/or grant for Summer enrollment. Using RPI gift aid during the summer counts a full semester used out of the eight semesters (or ten if Architecture) of RPI gift aid a student is eligible to receive as an undergraduate. For students enrolled part-time, these funds will be prorated based on the number of credits you take. You must take at least six credits to be eligible for RPI gift aid.
The proration formula for Rensselaer aid is:
| Number of Credits | Proportion | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | 6/12 | 50 |
| 7 | 7/12 | 58.333 |
| 8 | 8/12 | 66.667 |
| 9 | 9/12 | 75 |
| 10 | 10/12 | 83.333 |
| 11 | 11/12 | 91.667 |
To qualify for need-based RPI aid you must demonstrate financial need, as determined by the Office of Financial Aid.
How to Apply
Note: Because you may pre-register on-line for courses without making payment, it is strongly recommended that you do not register for courses until receiving an official financial aid award notification from the Office of Financial Aid or you may risk owing Rensselaer more than you anticipated.
After your FAFSA has been received by the Office of Financial Aid, you’ll need to review your SIS account to see if other items are required for your financial aid application and submit any other required financial aid application and submit those documents as soon as possible. (i.e. parent/student IRS tax transcripts).
You must complete the Undergraduate Summer Financial Aid Application and return it to the Office of Financial Aid by May 1, 2024.
Applications received after this date will be reviewed AFTER those that have filed by the deadline. THIS FORM IS FOR UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS NOT PARTICIATING IN THE ARCH PROGRAM ONLY! No separate application is required to apply for aid for the Arch program. We will notify you vial email of your when your financial aid award is ready to view on your SIS account.. If you register for less than the number of credits you estimate on this form, your aid may be reduced or cancelled. It is your responsibility to notify us in writing of any change in the number of credits you plan to take.
Summer Undergraduate Financial Aid Application
Required documents should be submitted with the student’s name and Rensselaer ID Number (RIN) showing at the top of the page. You may send the documents to the Office of Financial Aid via fax to (518) 276-4797 or by using the secure Document Upload tool accessible from our home page: https://admissions.rpi.edu/aid. Do not send documents containing personal information or financial details via e-mail.
We will notify you via email when your financial aid award is ready to view on your SIS account. It is your responsibility to notify us in writing of any change in the number of credits you plan to take. Prompt notification is necessary so your awards can be updated to reflect your actual enrollment and to help avoid delays in disbursement of funds to your billing account.
