Virginia Tech® home

Frequently Asked Questions

Connecting with Us

We are located at 800 Washington Street SW in the Student Services Building. Stop by our office on the 2nd floor. We have staff available to help you between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Our Ask HokieBird chatbot is a great tool for getting your questions answered even when the office is closed. The chatbot is available on our homepage.

Financial Aid Package Questions

 

  • Early Action, and Regular Admission students will receive an award letter shortly after receiving an acceptance letter from Admissions.
  • Returning students will receive an award notification after the spring term ends and we evaluate Satisfactory Academic Progress - usually early to mid-June. We will email your VT email when your financial aid offer is ready to view in Self-Service.  

 

Check out the Fall 2023 Financial Aid and Scholarships checklist for information to stay on track for fall!

If your family's financial situation has changed since filing 2021 taxes (for example a parent has had a change in employment or parents have separated/divorced) please call our office to speak to an advisor. You can also visit our FAFSA Data Appeal webpage for more information about filing an appeal.

Billing Questions

On campus room and board is approximately $6340 per semester. The Expenses & Financial Aid webpage is a good resource for cost information.

You may have outstanding documents or requirements to complete. Please make sure to check your VT email or Hokie SPA for any requested documents as this can delay your aid. For example, to receive a student loan, you must complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and the Entrance Counseling module at studentaid.gov.

Student account payments can be made via Hokie Wallet. You can visit the Pay Tuition & Fees page on the Bursar’s Office website for more information.

Yes, the Bursar's Office offers a payment plan option. There is a $45 application fee per semester to use the plan. You can find more information on Paying in Monthly Installments on the Bursar’s Office website.

Loan Questions

  • The Subsidized loan is only available to undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. The Federal Government pays the interest while enrolled in school at least half-time, during the grace period, and during periods of authorized deferment.

  • Unsubsidized loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students. Eligibility is not based on financial need and the borrower is responsible for paying all interest. Interest accrues after the loan first disburses. 
    Both loans have a 6-month grace period after graduation or falling below half-time enrollment before repayment begins

You can review and accept your student loans via Hokie SPA.  See our webpage View Your Financial Aid Package for more information.

Yes, we can. You must submit your request no later than 30 days after the disbursement. If the loan has already paid or you have received a refund, the loan amount will have to be paid back to the Bursar's office immediately.

The parent PLUS application is available at studentloans.gov. The decision is based on past credit history and parents will know if they are approved or denied upon completion of the online application.

Immediately following completion of the Parent PLUS loan application, you are informed of approval or denial. The next step is to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN). Your PLUS loan will be processed in about two weeks.

Private student loans are made by private lenders such as banks and credit unions while federal student loans are made by the government. There will also be different terms for loan fees, interest rates, and repayment options so be sure to compare different lenders before deciding. You can find information on the differences between federal and private student loans on the Federal Student Aid website here.

Please review the information on private student loans on our Private/Alternative Loans webpage.

Scholarship Questions

Yes. You will need to visit the Bursar's Office website page Report Outside Scholarships so your scholarship can be reflected on your student bill.

Many scholarships require students to take action before the scholarship can be applied to the student’s account. First, check Scholarship Central to see if you need to complete a Thank You Letter, sign a FERPA release, or acknowledge that you have read information important to your scholarship. Next, if you received a scholarship from our office, check Self-Service to see if you have accepted your scholarship and acknowledged your Terms & Conditions.

Other Questions

Yes, financial aid will cover your off campus living expenses. Each year students are awarded based on Cost of Attendance (COA), which includes housing. Since you will be living off campus you will not be billed for on campus housing, but housing figures stay in your COA. You may get aid up to your COA. You will receive a financial aid credit balance refund for any remaining credit on your account after covering VT billable expenses. You use these funds to pay your off campus living expenses.

Check the Eligibility for Virginia In-State Tuition Privileges for more information. You can email the Domicile Specialist at domicile@vt.edu with questions.

Financial aid may be available for study abroad. Please visit our Study Abroad page for more in-depth information.

Financial aid may be available for summer classes. Read more on our Summer webpage. Also, a Parent PLUS or alternative loan may fill the gap if you need additional funding.