Financial Aid (FAFSA)

View the Graduate Student Financial Aid Page for a variety of resources.

If you have questions throughout the process, please contact the USD Office of Financial Aid to speak with a financial aid counselor at (619) 260-2700 (option 4) or by sending an email to [email protected]. Be certain to use your USD email, include your USD Student ID, and indicate that you are an online graduate student. 

View the Federal Student Aid Tutorial summarizing the terminology updates and changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA form.

Follow the steps below to complete the financial aid process:

1. If you have not already done so, please submit/complete your 2023-2024 FAFSA application. USD’s FAFSA School Code* is 010395-00.

   *If you are enrolled in the online Master of Theological Studies in Franciscan Theology (MTS-FT) program, you will use the FST FAFSA School Code G11792.

2. After you have submitted your FAFSA, monitor your MySanDiego student portal for messages and notifications. You should also monitor your USD email as the Office of Financial Aid will also send communications to your USD email address. It is your responsibility to monitor both the portal and your USD email to progress through the financial aid process.
3. When the award is available in the portal, you should review and accept an award amount that best fits your financial need. Please note that you may be offered an award exceeding the amount required to cover the cost of tuition. USD recommends only taking the award amount that you need.
4. The U.S. Dept. of Education requires you to complete Entrance Loan Counseling, a credit authorization for Graduate PLUS Loans, and a Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note). All information and instructions for these items can be found within the award on your Financial Aid portal.

• Follow the instructions provided within the award to complete the federal requirements to have the funds posted to your Student Account.
• Download a PDF instruction sheet for navigating the Financial Aid Portal

Important Items to Note

• During regular processing periods, the red flags in your portal begin to update 5-7 business days after requirements are completed on www.studentloans.gov. Please do not complete any requirements more than once as multiple submissions can delay updates. Contact the Office of Financial Aid at [email protected] or (619) 260-2700 (option 4) with any questions. For more information, see this Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan guide.
• Federal Direct Loan funds are disbursed no earlier than ten calendar days prior to the first day of the semester.
• If you are denied a Grad PLUS credit application, you can appeal, pursue an endorser, or no longer pursue the loan.
• If you are interested in pursuing a private/alternative loan, please follow the instructions and submit the Loan Request form and submit it to the One Stop team at [email protected].
• Please reference the following steps to submit your FAFSA:

Military & Veteran’s Benefits/Assistance

If you are planning to use VA benefits for funding, it is your responsibility to initiate the certification process. Start the process by requesting your Certificate of Eligibility (COE) from the VA office.

After being registered for your courses and receiving your COE, please follow the steps* on the “Request to Certify” page for details on how to get your benefits certified. 

*If you are enrolled in the online Master of Theological Studies in Franciscan Theology (MTS-FT) program, contact the FST Admissions email [email protected] for more information. FST students should not contact the USD Military and Veterans Program Office since benefits are certified separately.

As a reminder, students need to submit their request to certify for each term that they are enrolled at the University of San Diego.

Students who are eligible for VA benefits are certified as residential students or online depending on their program modality. Regardless of modality, all eligible online and residential students are certified as “full-time” for housing rates.

If you have additional questions about your benefits certification, contact the Military and Veterans Program Office at (619) 260-7483 or [email protected]. Online MTS-FT students should contact [email protected].

Making a Payment / Paying Out of Pocket

Students who wish to pay their account balances out of pocket can do so by following these steps:

• Go to your My.SanDiego.edu portal.
• On the left-hand side, click on the “Torrero Hub” dropdown and select “My Student Account.”
• Click on the “My Online Student Account” hyperlink in the “My Student Account” Box.
  • Make sure to disable all ad and pop-up blockers on your browser.
  • A new window leading to your My Online Student Account should open.
• To make a payment, click on the “Make a Payment” button at the bottom right or click on “Make a Payment” on the left-side navigation.
  • Your account balance will be available on the top right of the page.
• Click on the “Student Account Payment” box.
• A section with your balance will appear on the right. You are able to change the amount you would like to pay if needed. Once it is correct, click on the “Add to Payment” button.
• You will then see the amount you are paying under “Student Account Payments.” Click the “Continue” button at the bottom right to move forward with the payment.
• In the next step, you will see the amount you would like to pay as well as payment methods. You can add a bank account or use previously saved payment methods. Once your option has been selected, click “Continue.”
  • For a new payment method, you will need to add the payment information. The only payment methods available through your portal are checking or savings account payments. USD does not accept credit or debit card payments.
• Verify that all of your information looks correct. If it is correct, click “Pay” at the bottom of the page. A confirmation should pop up on your screen, and you should receive a confirmation email. The payment will also appear on your recent activity after 24 hours.

Please note: USD does not accept Credit or Debit cards. 

If you have any questions about paying out of pocket, please contact One Stop by phone at (619) 260-2700 or by email at [email protected].

Monthly Payment/Installment Plans

Students who wish to set up official payment plans should follow these steps:

• Go to your My.SanDiego.edu portal.
• On the left-hand side, click on the “Torrero Hub” dropdown and select “My Student Account.”
• Click on the “My Online Student Account” hyperlink in the “My Student Account” Box.
  • Make sure to disable all ad and pop-up blockers on your browser.
  • A new window leading to your My Online Student Account should open.
• Click on “Enroll in Installment Payment Plan.”

The payment plan must be set up by the first day of the semester. There is a $50 contract/setup fee for each semester a payment plan is used.

Please note: USD does not accept Credit or Debit cards. 

If you have any questions about paying out of pocket, please contact One Stop by phone at (619) 260-2700 or by email at [email protected].

Third-Party Payment/Tuition Assistance

Students utilizing third-party payment are still responsible for making sure payment is made in full by the first day of the semester. Accounts with balances after the official payment due date may be subject to course cancellations or holds during the semester; holds can prevent upcoming registration, graduation, or transcript issuance. If a third party will be paying for some or all of your tuition, the third party has a couple of options to take.

1. Mailing a Physical Check to USD
   If mailing a check is the best option, please plan for shipping and processing time before the received amount is reflected on your student account. Any third party sending a check should write your student ID, name, and the term for which tuition should be applied. Ex. “Diego Torero, 009876543, Spring 2024 Tuition”

   Checks can be mailed to the following address:

   • University of San Diego
     Attn: Cashier’s Office
     5998 Alcala Park
     San Diego, CA 92110
2. Using the “Guest Payer” Link
   There is a “Guest Payer” option where anyone can submit payment for a student’s tuition on a semesterly basis if provided the necessary information:
   • Request an itemized statement for your third party to reference during the process.
   • Instruct the third party to visit the “Guest Payer” link.
   • At the login screen, click “Pay as a guest.”
   • Using the itemized statement, the third party should enter your Student ID and Last Name.
   • Click the “Student Account Payment” option and then enter the total tuition listed for the term. It will then require the appropriate party to enter their respective routing and account number (credit and debit cards are not accepted forms of payment). Once submitted, the funds will be applied to your account.

To assist this process, your Program Coordinator can help with the process by preparing an itemized statement, providing a degree plan, and/or preparing a letter for your company. Examples of third-party payers include your employer or a scholarship organization.

International Payments/Wire Transfers

For international students, USD has a partnership with FlyWire that allows students to pay for tuition using their at-home currency with competitive exchange rates, which are often better than those offered at banks!

• An e-mail confirmation is sent to the student when payment is received by USD.
• Flywire Support
  • US Toll-Free: 1-800-346-9252
  • International: 1-617-207-7076
  • Email: [email protected]

For domestic students, contact the One Stop Student Center by phone at (619) 260-2700 or via email at [email protected] for instructions.

International Private Loan Lenders

MPower is a private loan lender that has fixed-rate and variable-rate private loans available for graduate students who meet certain requirements. This lender has its own screening process, customer service assistance, and processes, so the One Stop Student Center is unable to answer specific questions about their loans.

• MPower Support: (202) 417-3800

Prodigy Finance is a private loan lender that offers loans without requiring a US citizen or Permanent Resident as a cosigner. This lender has its own screening process, customer service assistance, and processes, so the One Stop Student Center is unable to answer specific questions about their loans.

• Prodigy Support: (866) 533-3304 or [email protected]

Additional Funding Opportunities

Be sure to check the minimum requirements for eligibility, and please note that all students in online degree programs are enrolled “part-time.”

USD Scholarship Resources

• Opportunities for Financial Assistance
• Alumni Endowed Scholarship Fund

External Scholarships & Resources

• FastWeb.com – free scholarship search platform
• LendEDU.com – tools, calculators, & resources about paying for education
• ProdigyFinance.com – a lender that offers flexible international student loans
• Prospanica.org – scholarships dedicated to students of a Hispanic/Latino heritage
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness – for US students who have loans and are considering a public service career
• San Diego Foundation Scholarship – for students who have been a resident of San Diego for at least 1 year

Itemized Statement Request

Students that need an itemized statement for a given term can submit the Itemized Statement Request form.