Hot Items
This page contains items that are new or breaking news in the financial aid application process. Below are items related to all academic years for which you can currently apply for financial aid. Please make sure you are viewing the items related to the year for which you are applying.
2024-2025 Academic Year
For the 2024-25 academic year, major changes are being made in how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be completed.
The major thing to be aware of right now is that the start of FAFSA filing will be delayed until sometime in December 2023.
These changes are so significant that we've dedicated an entire webpage to this topic. Please check out our FAFSA Changes webpage for all the information you will need to know about the delayed startup.
2023-2024 Academic Year
Our Financial Aid Policies: 2023-2024 Academic Year are now available for your review. It is very important that all students become familiar with this information. When you accept the Terms and Conditions of your financial aid package, you are certifying that you have reviewed this information.
Challenge Response System
This section applies to Currently Enrolled Students. It does not apply to prospective students until they are officially enrolled (registered for classes) at Messiah University.
In order to provide better security for your sensitive data, as of October 1, 2018, offices at Messiah University will use the Challenge Response System (CRS) to view your Privacy Word so that we can identify anyone inquiring about your non-directory information. Messiah employees will be able to validate the identity of an individual contacting (via phone call, email, walk-in) their office. Sharing of your non-directory information (as identified in the student handbook and college catalog) will only be provided to approved college officials with a legitimate need to know and those identified on a student’s FERPA release who are able to provide the privacy word.
What does this mean for you? To discuss your grades, financial account, financial aid or other private information with you, your parent, guardian or other person you designate, College officials will require you, and persons listed on your FERPA release, to correctly provide your PRIVACY WORD when contacted. Otherwise, they will need to end the conversation until the PRIVACY WORD can be conveyed. If you haven't established your PRIVACY WORD, please go to www.messiah.edu/crs to create or review your PRIVACY WORD.
Make sure you share your PRIVACY WORD with anyone you want us to talk with about your information.
Those people must also be listed on your FERPA release. Click Here to review FERPA information.