Financial aid timeline
Mark your calendars!
The financial aid timeline for undergraduate students includes friendly reminders and important deadlines we don't want prospective and current students to miss.
The U.S. Department of Education must launch the FAFSA each year by OCTOBER 1.
Messiah's Financial Aid Office recommends that you file your FAFSA form as soon as possible each year. The university's preferred deadline is April 1.
Even if you applied and were accepted prior to January, the Financial Aid Office will not release admitted students' offers until January 15.
- An important note: New and transfer students who have filed or elected to waive their FAFSA will be among the first packages released.
- Students will receive a notification in their MyAid financial portal when your financial aid offer is ready.
Preliminary award letters may be posted to your account prior to January 15, but eligible need-based aid will not be added until after processing is complete.
April 1 is the priority deadline for filing the FAFSA form for all Messiah undergraduate students.
If you are a continuing student (a currently enrolled, undergraduate), we strongly recommend that you ensure your FAFSA is received and valid in your MyAid financial portal by April 1.
Enrollment deposits are due for new and transfer students by May 1.
Submit your enrollment deposit
Also by May 1, if you are a Pennsylvania state resident...
Your FAFSA form must absolutely be filed to be considered for state need-based aid, like the PA State Grant. NO EXCEPTIONS.
PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) does not provide exceptions to this rule, so please be sure you have checked the status of your FAFSA form in your studentaid.gov account and your Messiah's MyAid financial portal by April 1.
Financial aid offers for the upcoming academic school year are available to continuing students July 15 each summer!
Students will receive a notification in your MyAid financial portal when your package is ready.
Please note; the Financial Aid Office does not begin packaging students until June each summer. Should you have any questions regarding your upcoming offer or have a specific reason for an estimated award letter (i.e. an outside scholarship), please contact the Financial Aid Office, as these are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
Is your package not yet available because you have additional items to complete? Not sure how to navigate the MyAid portal? Visit the MyAid financial portal to learn more.
In order for any aid to disburse to your account, every student must:
- Sign your financial aid Terms & Conditions
- Complete a Financial Responsibility Agreement
Terms & Conditions
The process to accept your terms & conditions in MyAid financial portal will be released at a later date. Please check back in summer 2026.
Financial Responsibility Agreement
Each semester, all undergraduate students will be required to complete a "Financial Responsibility Agreement" before registering for courses. By signing the Agreement, each student is acknowledging they are fully responsible for paying their educational cost while enrolled at Messiah each semester. When registration opens each semester, there will be an FRA hold automatically applied to a student's record. Students can easily remove their "FRA hold" themselves by signing their Financial Responsibility Agreement through Falcon Link.