Types of Financial Aid

The College for Creative Studies makes every effort to remove cost as a barrier to education and makes fair and equitable awards for all students. CCS uses merit and need components to determine the percentage of gift aid students receive from all sources.

Self-help aid is awarded according to the student’s need, eligibility and available funding.

Eligibility for need-based financial aid is determined by an analysis of family resources calculated by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). To receive need-based financial assistance from the College, students must:

1. Demonstrate financial need
2. Be accepted for enrollment in a degree program
3. Maintain satisfactory academic progress

Full-time students may receive financial aid for a maximum of six years (12 semesters) of full-time awards. Half-time students are eligible for a maximum of 12 years (24 semesters) of half-time awards.

Grants and scholarships from the State of Michigan may have a lower maximum number of years for both full- and part-time enrollment.

Federal Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan availability is subject to aggregate maximums. Dependent students have an aggregate maximum of 
$31,000 and independent students $57,500. This equates to 4.5 – 5 years of eligibility if the maximum yearly amounts are utilized.
Transfer students may have reduced eligibility if they utilized federal and state aid programs at previous schools.

CCS commits funds to supplement Federal Work-Study grants so that any student interested in securing on-campus employment can earn an hourly wage. Positions are updated regularly and opportunities are available across campus offices, departments and studios. If you are interested in working in a specific area of the College and do not see a job listing, you can reach out to the area/department to see if there are any work-study opportunities.

Note: Jobs are not automatically assigned to students, and hiring managers have discretion over who they hire. If you are hired, earned pay will be issued in the form of a biweekly paycheck. Students will be paid only for hours worked and may be eligible for more work-study funds than they are able to earn.