The Art Institute of California — San Diego provides "financial planning" for its students. This means that we can provide a payment plan that will allow you to budget for your first academic year. Our goal in Student Financial Services is to make your monthly payments as affordable for you as possible. After you complete the application forms, your Financial Aid Officer will review them using a federally required calculation to determine your eligibility for financial aid. The Financial Aid Officer will then work with you and your family to devise a Student Financial Plan to help you cover your educational expenses, based on your financial aid eligibility and your family circumstances. This is an outline of our process:

1. We estimate the total cost of your education. Your total costs are broken down into direct and indirect costs.
   • Examples of "direct" costs include tuition, fees, and some supplies. Click here for details on tuition and fees. NOTE - We have chosen to show you, up front, an estimate of the entire tuition and fee charges for your program of study because we believe it is in your best interest to have this information prior to starting any classes. We hope this helps you make an informed decision. The school actually charges tuition, fees, and school sponsored housing for each quarter separately and a student is never obligated to pay for charges beyond the quarter they have started.
   • "Indirect" costs include food, transportation, personal expenses, and some supplies. Standard budget figures (available for review in the Student Financial Services Department) are used to estimate indirect costs, based on where you will live when you attend The Art Institute of California- San Diego. These budget standards may be adjusted to meet unusual personal circumstances.
   • Housing expenses can be considered direct or indirect costs, depending on your living arrangements. The Housing Services Office can provide you with information on school-sponsored as well as independent apartments. Click here for more information.
2. We add up all available resources that can be used to pay educational costs. This can include scholarships, veteran's benefits, federal and state aid for which you are eligible, private loans, etc.
3. We subtract all of the available resources from the total estimated cost of your education. The difference is the amount that can be covered through the Student Financial Planning process.

Types of Financial Aid

Financial Aid is divided into three general categories:

Gift Aid
These are grants, scholarships, and other benefits that do not have to be repaid. Most grants are based on financial need, as determined by a federal formula, and are given by the federal or state governments; most scholarships are based on criteria such as grades or affiliations or other criteria, and may or may not also include a financial need component; most benefits are based on a combination of criteria.

• Federal Pell Grants
• Federal SEOG (Supplemental Education Opportunity Grant)
• California State Grant
• Art Institute Scholarships
• Other Scholarships
• Vocational Rehabilitation
• Veterans Benefits
• Tax Benefits

Loans
Loans do need to be repaid; repayment can usually be delayed until several months after the student leaves school. Some loans, such as Federal Stafford loans, are given to students in their own names; some loans, such as Federal PLUS loans are given to parents of dependent students. Some loans are based on the student's financial need; some loans require a credit check; some loans are available regardless of income. There are alternative education loans, given by private lenders to students, that may or may not require a cosigner.

• Federal Subsidized Stafford Loan
• Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan
• Federal PLUS Loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students)
• Alternative Loans
• Home Equity Loan

Work
Some students choose to work to help to pay their living expenses while attending school. The Art Institute of California — San Diego participates in the Federal Work-Study program, and also assists students to find part-time jobs in the community.

• Federal Work-Study
• Part-time job assistance