Summer Session Aid

Summer Session at Clemson University, Clemson South Carolina

Financial aid is primarily awarded in the nine-month academic year, but specific programs are available year-round to students who attend summer sessions. For students who have already used aid in the fall and spring, South Carolina state scholarships may be available to eligible full-time students. The Federal Pell Grant is available to eligible students enrolled at least half-time. However, students who borrowed the Federal Direct Loan maximum during the academic year are not eligible for additional Direct Loan assistance in the summer unless they have progressed to a higher grade level with a higher loan limit. As an alternative, students may benefit from the Federal Direct PLUS (for parents or graduate students) or a private loan. Students in particular programs, such as Cooperative Education, may have unused stipends from fall or spring that can be used in the summer. Please note that the aid used in the summer counts against lifetime limits.

Application for Summer session aid requires the Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment in addition to the FAFSA. Students should NOT submit the Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment until their Summer session schedule is FINALIZED. Financial aid will be processed based on a student's registered credit hours in the iROAR portal.

  • Loans

    Summer loans are not processed automatically based on the submission of the FAFSA. Students planning to attend the Summer session in 2022 must submit the Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment online and a 2021-2022 FAFSA (if not already submitted) by the suggested deadline of April 1. Students participating in Summer Start do not have to submit the Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment; we will start processing Summer Start aid in mid-May. Students or parents applying for a Federal Direct PLUS Loan must complete a loan application/promissory note online at studentaid.gov. If applying for a private loan, students and their co-signers must complete a loan application/promissory note directly with their lender of choice. First-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete a promissory note and entrance loan counseling at studentaid.gov.

    Students progressing to a higher grade level with a higher loan limit may apply for the difference between their current loan limit and the higher amount. They must reach the higher grade level at the end of the Spring Semester; credit hours earned in the summer will impact loan limits for the next academic year. The Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment will be held until Spring Semester grades are complete if credit hours earned in the spring need to be counted.

  • State Scholarships

    Students with the Palmetto Fellows or the LIFE Scholarship may request to receive a summer disbursement of their scholarship if they meet the eligibility requirements for their scholarship. To learn about these eligibility requirements, please review the guidelines on the Summer Disbursements of State Scholarships webpage.

  • Students Returning from Cooperative Education

    Cooperative Education students who wish to receive their unused fall or spring scholarship stipends in the summer must enroll in at least 12 credit hours during the Summer session. A total of 24 credit hours must be completed for the year in order for renewable University scholarships to be awarded for the following year. (More restrictive criteria apply for renewal of the Palmetto Fellows Scholarship or LIFE Scholarship.)

For most types of aid, students must be enrolled at least half-time (currently six credit hours for undergraduates, five hours for graduate students) for the period of the aid request. 

Students receiving Out-of-State Tuition scholarships may receive a prorated amount for the Summer session based on meeting renewal requirements and available funding. The Financial Aid Request Form for Summer Enrollment deadline for Out-of-State Tuition Scholarships is May 10.