Financial Aid

The Financial Aid Process

There are two steps to apply for financial aid for Class 191, starting September 28, 2026:

Step One

Complete the 2026–2027 FAFSA. This FAFSA will determine how much Pell Grant and Direct Loans you are eligible to receive for the program. The U.S. Department of Education will electronically send CSPN a copy in about three business days, as long as you remember to add our school to your FAFSA. Our OPE ID (school ID code) is 012248. Searching by OPE ID is the easiest way to find our school.

Note: the 2026-2027 Award Year will be the only FAFSA you need to complete for the Fall Class #191.

Step Two

Complete either the Independent Verification Packet or the Dependent Verification Packet. Your completed FAFSA should have told you if you are an Independent or a Dependent student. The completed Verification Packet should be returned to CSPN as soon as possible, either by mail or by email to tvickroy@cspnohio.edu, or by dropping it off in person. Please call (216) 901-4400 first to schedule an appointment.

Only original forms and digital PDFs will be accepted—pictures of completed Verification Packet pages sent by email will not be accepted
Your FAFSA account and/or your Student Aid Report (SAR) should have told you if you are an Independent or a Dependent student for financial aid purposes; if you are still unsure, complete the Independent Verification Packet unless you were born after 12/31/2003, you are unmarried, and you have no children—then complete the Dependent Verification Packet. In some cases, the Financial Aid Office may determine after a review that you need to complete the Dependent packet, but this is rare.
Your initial award offer will assume you want the maximum direct loan available to you. However, you are not locked in to that amount and will still have the ability to deny it or change it to an amount you are comfortable with prior to the first actual disbursement

Visit the Financial Aid Office

The Financial Aid Office is available by appointment. Please schedule by email.

Additional Financial Aid Resources

The following financial aid is available for those who qualify:

Pell Grants
Federal Direct Loans
Scholarships
$2,000 minimum scholarship for all Cuyahoga County residents. This amount may change subject to funding and total enrollment.

Pell Grants

The Pell Grant is a federal award that does not have to be repaid and ranges from $0 to $7,395.00.

To apply, students must complete a Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online.

Apply Now

Federal Direct Loans

A Federal Student Loan is a loan you must repay that comes in two ways: subsidized and unsubsidized. A subsidized loan means you will not be charged interest on your loan while you are in school; an unsubsidized loan means interest will be charged while you are in school.

Subsidized loans are available for up to $3,500 if you qualify. An additional $6,000 in unsubsidized loans may be available as well. These loans are not subject to credit approval and are available to most students regardless of credit history. Instructions for filing are in the Student Financial Packet that you will receive at the CSPN information session.

How to apply for a Direct Loan:

Go to the online application
Use your Federal Student Aid (FSA) user ID and password
Complete the Entrance Counseling
Sign the Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Complete the Informed Borrower Form for the 2023–2024 Award Year by visiting studentaid.gov and logging in with your FSA user ID and password
Complete your Exit Counseling when instructed

Apply Now

Other Student Loans

Other student loans may also be available to you. The loan limit is individually based, and the interest rate is usually much higher than a Direct Loan. For these loans, you need to have good credit or a cosigner with good credit. You will need to contact different banks to see who offers these loans. Wells Fargo has two alternative student loan programs; PNC Bank and Charter One Bank have loans available as well. Another loan program is Campus Door. Check with local agencies to see what would offer you the best loan package.

CSPN has no relationship with nor does it endorse any bank mentioned here. The banks listed here are suggestions for your convenience.

John Huntington Fund for Education Scholarships

The school scholarship is offered to Cuyahoga County residents. This scholarship is made available thanks to the generosity of the John Huntington Fund for Education. Eligible applicants who apply for a scholarship may receive an estimated amount of around $2,000 for the program. The level of funding and demand will affect the final amounts awarded. This scholarship can only be used for tuition at CSPN and is non-transferable.

Students will be required to write an essay on one of two topics. Please download this Scholarship Instruction Sheet for details.

Interested students should contact the Financial Aid Office for details on how to apply for this scholarship. More information is available here.

Other Scholarship Opportunities

These are other scholarship opportunities that students may wish to pursue. CSPN has no relationship with these entities; they are simply listed here as a convenience for students looking to supplement or bridge the gap our other financial aid programs may leave.

Provided as required by the final regulations 668.6(b), published in the Federal Register:

Request Financial Assistance

If you are in need financial aid, contact our Financial Aid Office to discuss your options.

Request Assistance