Types of Financial Aid

Federal Pell Grant
A federally-funded grant awarding $400 to $5550 per academic year for undergraduate students demonstrating high financial need.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) Program
A federally-funded grant for undergraduate students demonstrating high financial need. Awards will be made to eligible students with the lowest expected family contributions who receive Pell Grants in that year.

Michigan Tuition Grant and Michigan Competitive Scholarships
The Michigan Department of Education awards tuition grants and scholarships annually to Michigan residents that demonstrate financial need.

CCS Tuition Grant
Institutionally-funded need-based grant program. Amounts vary based on need.

Applicants to CCS are automatically considered for CCS Scholarships once they complete their admissions requirements. Awards are based on the portfolio review and academic achievement of the applicant and range between $5,000 – 10,000 per year. Recipients must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.5 to continue receiving these scholarships.

A competition held in late February 2012 will determine the winners of the CCS competitive, Walter B. Ford II Award of Excellence scholarships, the highest scholarships CCS offers for the incoming fall 2012 semester. Applicants to the college, who have achieved academic and artistic excellence, may be nominated by their high school or college art instructor, or by a CCS Admissions Counselor. Instructors may nominate as many students as they would like, who meet the qualifications below.

Qualifications require a CD portfolio of the highest caliber with images in JPEG format at 300 DPI. Students in high school are required to have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and an ACT score of 18 or higher or an SAT score of 950 or higher. Students coming from a community college must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.

Students awarded the Walter B. Ford II Award of Excellence Scholarship Competition must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 to continue receiving these scholarships while enrolled at CCS. CCS awards scholarships based strictly on academic excellence and artistic ability. Scholarships are awarded for the purpose of assisting students with tuition costs. Students receiving tuition assistance from their employers will have their actual tuition scholarship reduced accordingly.

The teacher nomination deadline for the 2012 Walter B. Ford II Award of Excellence Scholarship Competition is December 15, 2011. Nominees will receive the necessary application information and further details regarding the qualifications and the proper submission of their work. Competitors must be admitted and have submitted their AOE competitive CD by February 15, 2012. Applicants who do not meet the deadline or the qualifications may still be eligible for a CCS Scholarship any time throughout the year. Applicants to CCS are automatically considered for CCS Scholarships once they complete their admissions requirements. Awards are based on the portfolio review and academic achievement of the applicant and range between $6,000 - 11,000 per year.

The following scholarships are offered by the College for Studies to eligible students based on the donor’s requested awarding criteria. Students who are awarded these scholarships or are eligible to apply will be notified by their Admissions counselor or by the Office of Financial Aid.

The Facebook Scholarship competition invites all applicants to submit one image of their choosing for judging on CCS's Facebook page. The image that receives the highest number of "likes" will be awarded a one-time, $1000 scholarship for the fall 2012 semester (if admitted), to be used for full-time enrollment at the College for Creative Studies. For more information go here.

Students are encouraged to seek out outside scholarship opportunities. CCS will accept any outside scholarships students obtain. CCS does not reduce institutional aid when additional scholarships are received, unless all tuition and fees are paid by the additional scholarship. In rare cases, a student may lose Michigan Tuition Grant/Competitive Scholarship or Subsidized Stafford loan eligibility if they exceed their Demonstrated Need calculation or may have loan funds reduced if they exceed their Cost of Attendance calculation (contact Financial Aid office for more information).

Federal Subsidized Stafford Student Loan Program

A federally-subsidized, need-based loan program. Repayment begins six months after graduation, upon enrollment of less than half-time, or upon withdrawal from the College.

Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Student Loan Program

A federal, non-need-based loan program available to independent students or dependent students whose parents have been denied a PLUS loan. Repayment begins six months after graduation, upon enrollment of less than half-time, or upon withdrawal from the College.

Federal Parent PLUS Program

Supplemental loans to parents of dependent students based on credit application. Repayment begins within 60 days after the loan is fully disbursed.

Alternative/Private Loans

Private supplemental student loans offered by various banks based on a credit application. Most student applicants will require a co-signer. Contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information.

Federal Work-Study Program
The federally-funded program provides on-campus jobs for students demonstrating financial need. Awards will be made to eligible students with remaining need to the extent of available funds on a first-come, first-served basis.

Michigan Work-Study Program
The state-funded work program provides on-campus jobs for Michigan residents demonstrating financial need.

Student Employment Program
The College-funded work program meets campus needs and employs students ineligible under federal or Michigan work-study programs.

Click here to see available positions for work study. If you have additional questions about work study please contact Dorin Campbell at 313.664.7497.