Apply for Aid

Our job is to make applying for financial aid as easy as possible for you and your family. Let's get started. 

Applying for financial aid seems like a daunting task, but the Office of Financial Aid is here to help. 

Eligibility for Aid

The amount of financial aid you can receive depends on several factors, which can include things like your level of enrollment, whether you live on- or off-campus, and if you have financial need.

The FAFSA

The application process for financial aid begins with the submission of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA helps Dominican determine a student’s eligibility for grants and loans by asking for income and asset information for the student, their parents or spouse (if applicable).

  • Create a FSA ID
    If you're new to FAFSA, you will first need to create a FSA ID. The FSA ID is used to login to the FAFSA web portal, as well as all other federal student aid websites.

  • Complete the FAFSA
    On October 1, students may begin submitting the FAFSA for the next academic year. The FAFSA must be submitted before March 2 in order for students to be eligible for several types of financial aid. You will complete this form through the FAFSA web portal or the myStudentAid app. Download the app in the Apple or Google app store. Dominican's school code is 001196. 

    Please note — you should never pay a fee to file a FAFSA or pay someone to submit a FAFSA on your behalf. There are no costs associated with filing a FAFSA. 

Important Dates

October 1 FAFSA submission for the following academic year begins.
March 2 Dominican's FAFSA priority deadline. Cal-Grant and California Dream Act Application deadline. 
June 1 Priority deadline for all financial aid forms and documents.

Start Here
 

Applying for Aid Instructions

Here you will find specific instructions for applying for aid and what to expect after you've submitted your application. 

After submitting the FAFSA or CA Dream Act, you will receive an award notification by mail that details the amount of financial aid for which you are eligible. There are two types of award notifications may receive:

  • Official Award Notification: Awards are finalized based on the information in the FAFSA or CA Dream Act. 
  • Preliminary Award Notification: Awards are estimates based on the information in the FAFSA or CA Dream Act. Additional documentation may be required in order to make the award official

Please note — Adult Degree Completion Students will also need to complete the Dominican Financial Aid Application.

If you receive a Preliminary Award, additional forms will be included in the letter. Please complete and return these forms by April 1. Please note — you may also need to provide income tax documents when submitting your materials to the Office of Financial Aid. You may securely upload and submit any requested items through Dominican’s Financial Aid Portal.

If you have any questions about this process, please contact us. 

After submitting the FAFSA or CA Dream Act, you may or may not need to submit additional forms and documents to create your financial aid awards for the next year.

If you need to submit additional forms and documents, you will receive an email request from DUrForms. 

Login to DUrForms to upload and submit any requested items. Only students who have been requested to submit items should access DUrForms.

Returning Adult Degree Completion Students will also need to submit a Dominican Financial Aid Application. This item will not appear in DUrForms.

When all requested items have been received and reviewed, an award notification will be sent by email.

Graduate students should complete a Dominican Financial Aid Application. If you are not applying for Federal Aid, Dominican’s Office of Financial Aid will send your financial aid award notification.

Federal Unsubsidized Loans

Most graduate students are eligible for up to $20,500 each academic year in Federal Unsubsidized Loans and are eligible to apply for additional loans if needed. To apply, please complete the FAFSA.

After you submit the FAFSA (and the Dominican Financial Aid Application), Dominican’s Office of Financial Aid will send your financial aid award notification.

Learn more about specific loan types on the Graduate Loans page.

Financial Aid Resources

The following resources can help you through the financial aid process: 

Dominican students using laptop

Net Price Calculator

The Net Price Calculator is designed to provide your financial aid eligibility based on an estimate of your expected costs. This estimate will demonstrate how you and your family can use financial aid to help bridge the gap between the total costs and your ability to pay.

Find Your Net Price

Please contact us. We're here to help!