Limited financial aid is available for students who enroll in at least 6 units of Summer Session courses. The summer term consists of one 14-week session. The Financial Aid Office begins creating summer financial aid awards in mid-April.
When your financial aid award is ready to be viewed online, you will receive an email notification prompting you to log into myMills via the Mills Resource Portal. Students interested in receiving financial aid for summer must complete and submit the Summer Financial Aid Application (PDF). Students also must complete the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application, if they have not already. The last date to file a 2020–21 FAFSA is June 30, 2021. The Federal School Code for Mills College is 001238.
Mills considers the summer term the end of the academic school year. Therefore, your eligibility is based upon your remaining annual limits for grants and loans for the 2020–21 academic year. Students who receive their maximum grant and/or loan eligibility during the fall and spring semesters may not have remaining eligibility for summer financial aid.
Eligibility Requirements | What’s the Process | Types of Aid | Cost of Attendance
To be eligible for summer financial aid, you must:
OR
OR
*If you have already completed the 2020–21 FAFSA and had the results forwarded to Mills, you do not need to complete it again.
**Students who have completed all of their degree and major requirements prior to summer are NOT eligible.
Continuing Mills students who are enrolled in a minimum of half-time units (see Eligibility Requirements above) need to apply for summer financial aid by completing the Summer Financial Aid Application (PDF). Summer awarding will begin in April. You can view and accept/decline your summer awards via the Mills Resource Portal once your award is ready.
Summer financial aid awards are disbursed no earlier than 10 days before the start
of Summer Session.
The US Department of Education Appropriations Act, 2017, allows a student to receive Federal Pell Grant funds for up to 150 percent of the student’s Pell Grant Scheduled Award for an award year. To qualify for the additional Pell Grant in summer, you must be Pell eligible and enrolled at least half-time (minimum 6 units).
It is important to note that this change will not result in extra Pell Grant being awarded to a student. The maximum time frame that eligible students may receive Pell Grant is for the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters. In the past, a full-time student could receive only two disbursements per year. Now students will be able to receive up to three Pell disbursements in one academic year.
Continuing undergraduate students who currently receive Cal Grant funds may request to have a portion of their funds applied to tuition expenses during the summer semester. In order to receive the full semester amount of your Cal Grant, you must be enrolled in a total of 12 units.
If you are enrolled in fewer than 12 units, your Cal Grant will be prorated as follows:
If you enroll in fewer than 6 units you will not be eligible to receive the award.
Please note: The California Student Aid Commission considers the summer session a full semester of eligibility. Choosing to use your Cal Grant during the summer semester will reduce your total program eligibility by one semester. Most students are awarded eight semesters of Cal Grant eligibility (if you enter the program as a first-year student). By choosing to use your Cal Grant funds during the summer semester, you may not have enough remaining eligibility to assist with your tuition costs during your fourth year. You may verify your remaining Cal Grant eligibility online by creating an account on WebGrants for Students.
To be considered for a Summer Cal Grant, you must submit a Summer Cal Grant Request form (PDF) to the Financial Aid Office along with your Summer Financial Aid Application (PDF).
To determine your Federal Direct Loan eligibility, refer to the information listed below to find the maximum loan amount available for your grade level at the beginning of summer. If you have advanced to the next grade level (e.g., sophomore to junior) at the completion of the spring semester, you are eligible for the difference between what you have already borrowed and the Federal Direct Loan maximum for your new grade level.
The annual (fall/spring) Federal Direct Student Loan maximums for dependent students are:
| First-year | $5,500 |
| Sophomore | $6,500 |
| Junior/Senior | $7,500 |
Independent undergraduate students or dependent undergraduate students with a 2019–20 Direct PLUS Loan denial are eligible to receive additional Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan funds:
| First-year/sophomore | $4,000 additional |
| Junior/Senior | $5,000 additional |
If your parents were approved for a Federal Direct Parent Plus Loan during the fall/spring academic year but are denied the Federal Plus Loan for summer, you are eligible to receive the additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan based on your summer grade level.
Your parent may apply to borrow a Federal Direct PLUS Loan to cover your summer charges if you are an eligible dependent undergraduate student, have completed a 2020–21 FAFSA, plan to enroll at least half-time (minimum 6 units), and your parents meet the credit requirements.
All Parent PLUS Loan borrowers must complete a new Directs PLUS Loan for parents application for the summer term; select period 5/21–8/21. After your parent submits all required application materials, and upon notification of credit approval and the completion of a promissory note, we will add the loan to your summer financial aid award.
If your parents were approved for a Federal Direct Parent Plus Loan during the fall/spring academic year, but are denied the Federal Plus Loan for summer, you are eligible to apply for an additional Direct Unsubsidized Loan based on your summer grade level.
You may consider a private educational loan to help with your summer term costs. Eligibility is based on your credit and/or co-borrowers credit, as determined by the lender and your enrollment status.
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of your educational expenses for a given period of enrollment. It is the cornerstone of establishing your financial need, and it sets a limit on the total aid that you may receive. The COA includes both direct and indirect costs, such as tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation, and personal expenses.
When a student withdraws from all courses, regardless of the reason, the student may no longer be eligible for the full amount of Title IV funds originally awarded. This is called Return to Title IV (R2T4). The calculation of Return of Title IV funds is based on published schedules and the date that you drop all classes during a summer session.
The return of funds to the Department of Education is based on the premise that a student earns financial aid in proportion to the length of time during which the student remains enrolled. A prorated schedule determines the amount of federal student aid funds the student earned at the time of their withdrawal. For example, a student who withdraws in the first week of the semester has earned less of their financial aid than a student who withdraws in the fourth week.
Once the 60 percent point in the semester is reached, a student is considered to have earned all of the financial aid originally awarded and will not be required to return any funds. The 60 percent point for Summer Session 2020 is July 14, 2021.
Federal regulations require a recalculation of financial aid eligibility if a student:
Students who do not begin attendance in classes are not eligible for federal financial aid and must repay all aid originally received.
Under federal regulations, summer is considered a single term of enrollment and students who cease attendance before the end of the period for which aid was awarded will be considered as having withdrawn.
Any time your summer enrollment plans change, and you are considering enrolling in fewer units than indicated on your summer application, we recommend that you contact the Financial Aid Office to find out if your changes in summer enrollment will decrease your eligibility for aid.
| Living On-Campus | Living Off-Campus | Living with Parents | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition* | $3,672 | $3,672 | $3,672 |
| Fees | $128 | $128 | $128 |
| Books and Supplies | $663 | $663 | $663 |
| Room and Board | $5,720 | $5,720 | $2,794 |
| Transportation | $0 | $515 | $515 |
| Personal | $1,175 | $1,175 | $1,175 |
| Average Loan Fees | $31 | $31 | $31 |
| TOTAL COA | $11,389 | $11,904 | $8,978 |
*Based on 6 credits (half-time)