Summer Session

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Summer Session

Students who wish to be considered for summer financial aid must be registered for at least six (6) credit hours before requesting financial aid for the summer term.

Once registered, complete the Summer Aid Application, which can be found on the Helpful Resources page located in the Financial Aid/Scholarships tile on your HUB homepage.

Note that Federal Pell Grants will be packaged for all eligible students enrolled in summer courses. It is not necessary to complete a Summer Aid Application if you are only seeking a Pell Grant for summer. Pell will be packaged and disbursed after the summer census date in July.

Utilizing Federal Direct Loans during the summer term will reduce the amount offered for the fall/spring terms. Annual eligibility limits apply to the academic year.

Summer Financial Aid Deadlines:

  • Last day to complete the Summer Aid Application: Aug. 7, 2026
  • Last day to accept summer Direct Loans: Aug. 11, 2026
Step What You Need To Do Instructions
1 Complete the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) You must be registered for at least six (6) credit hours before completing the Summer Aid Application. If you drop below six (6) credit hours, you will not be eligible for Federal Direct Loans or TAP.
2 Confirm that you are a matriculated University at Buffalo student for the  summer term. A matriculated student is a student who has applied and been officially accepted to the university through an undergraduate or graduate admissions process and is eligible to pursue a degree-granting program.
3 Meet all Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) standards to qualify for federal financial aid. After every payment period/term, a review of a student’s progress is conducted to determine if SAP standards were met. A student’s failure to meet SAP standards may result in the loss of federal financial aid eligibility.
4 Be compliant with the Return of Title IV regulations in order to maintain summer federal financial aid eligibility.
  • If you drop or resign all of your courses or fail to pass at least one course during the summer enrollment period, your financial aid will be recalculated to determine the amount of aid you "earned" and therefore able to retain.
  • Any “unearned aid” will be charged back to your student account and returned to the U.S. Department of Education. This action may result in a balance owed the University at Buffalo.
  • IMPORTANT: A financial aid hold will be placed on your record to prevent future disbursement of federal aid until the Return of Title IV process is complete.
5 Register for summer classes and then complete the  Summer Aid Application available via HUB Student Center. Log into MyUB and select the Financial Aid/Scholarships tile. Open the Helpful Resources page listed in the navigation bar on the left side of the page and click on the Summer Aid Application link. You can only submit an electronic application once.
6 Submit all requested documents to our office. If additional information is needed to complete your application, we will add items to your HUB To-Do List. Your financial aid will not disburse to your student account until all documents have been processed.

Types of Summer Financial Aid

  • Federal Pell Grant: You will be automatically considered for a Federal Pell Grant for the summer if you have filed the FAFSA and are determined eligible to receive Pell. Pell funds will disburse to your student account AFTER the summer census date. Please note that your initial package will reflect a Pell amount based on assumed full-time enrollment. The amount will be adjusted to reflect your eligibility based on your actual summer enrollment after the Summer Census date
  • Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized): If you receive Federal Direct Loans during the summer term, it will decrease the amount available during the subsequent fall/spring semesters. Federal Regulations allow an annual 12 month maximum loan limit depending on your year in college. Loan limits are as follows: Dependent students: Freshmen $5,500; Sophomore $6,500; Junior & Senior $7,500. Independent students: Freshmen $9,500; Sophomore $10,500; Junior & Senior $12,500; Graduate $20,500.
  • Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan: Parent borrowers must also complete the Parent PLUS Loan application on Studentaid.gov and pass a basic credit check to be eligible. Parents may borrow up to the amount of the student’s cost of attendance minus other financial aid received, including any other educational loans. Select the summer disbursement term for a summer loan (May-August).
    • To request a loan to be applied to the summer term, enter 5/26/2026 – 8/14/2026 as the loan period.
  • Federal Direct PLUS Loan for Graduate Students:  You must also complete the Graduate PLUS Loan application on Studentaid.gov and pass a basic credit check to be eligible. You may borrow up to the amount of the cost of attendance minus other financial aid received, including any other educational loans. Select the summer disbursement term for a summer loan (May-August).
    • To request a loan to be applied to the summer term, enter 5/26/2026 – 8/14/2026 as the loan period.
  • New York State TAP Grant: We do not recommend that you use TAP for the summer term as it will reduce the amount of your final TAP payment.  Please remember that students are eligible for  TAP payments for a total of eight (8) semesters (10 semesters for EOP students).
    • TAP is only available to undergraduate New York State residents and can only be requested for the summer if you have earned at least 24 credits at the University at Buffalo and were enrolled full-time in the previous spring semester.
    • NOTE: If you are eligible for a full-time summer TAP payment, you will receive it in October of the current calendar year and your spring TAP payment will be deferred until October of the following calendar year. If you are eligible for a part-time summer TAP payment, it will be deferred until October of the following calendar year.
  • Private/Alternative Loan: You may select any lender of your choice. Please allow up to 3 weeks for processing. Specify UB’s school and branch code of 002837- 00 on your application.
    • To request a loan to be applied to the summer term, enter 5/26/2026 – 8/14/2026 as the loan period.

Refunding Your Financial Aid

Disbursement of summer funds will be based on your summer enrollment. Federal Direct Loans will begin disbursing after the first day of classes if you are enrolled for a minimum of six credits. The Federal Pell grant will be disbursed after the summer census date for ALL summer sessions.

Refer to the Student Accounts Office refund schedule for more information regarding refund timing and direct deposit options.

Related Resources