Requirements & Notices

Please Note: The information provided on the web page is not year specific. When you have finished reading the information contained here and access CSU X-Press, please be sure to select the appropriate year within CSU X-Press that corresponds to the notification that you received from the Office of Student Financial Aid.

You have been directed to this web page because of one of the following reasons:

There are certain “student requirements” which need to be fulfilled before CSU can either prepare a Financial Aid Award Package for you or finalize the awards that were established for you based upon the information provided on your FAFSA,or
CSU has a message or information for you that may, or may not, require your attention regarding your financial aid package or financial aid eligibility.

To review your status and properly respond (if required), please click on the link provided at the bottom of this web page to be taken to CSU X-Press. If you are a continuing or returning student you can link to CSU X-Press through Cougar Connect. If you are a new student, a direct login for CSU-X-Press is provided below.

If this is your first time entering the CSU X-Press web site please follow the directions on the screen in order to access the site. Please pay careful attention to the order and format in which information should be entered.

Your CSU ID number is listed at the top of the e-mail/letter notification that directed you to this web site. Please use your CSU ID number as your User ID when entering CSU X-Press.

Once you have accessed the web site you will immediately be prompted to change the PIN (Personal Identification Number).

You will need your PIN to access the web site in the future.

Please, Don't Forget It!

After entering the site:

Click on the Financial Aid link.
On the next screen click on the Financial Aid Status link.
Select the Aid Year referenced in the e-mail/letter we sent you.

When you progress to the next screen, you will see the following statement: “You have unsatisfied student requirements for this aid year.” (in the middle of the screen) please click on “student requirements” and review what is required from you before your financial aid package can be finalized. Please try and fulfill all requirements as soon as possible. Your financial aid package will not be finalized until you have done so.

If we have any special notices or information for you they may be also be viewed on this web page.

If you have no unsatisfied student requirements (or after you have reviewed what you need to do) and/or you have read the special notices, you may exit CSU X-Press.

While you are in the CSU X-Press web site please take a few minutes to look at all the information available to you in addition to financial aid information.

If you have a problem entering the CSU X-Press web site please call (773) 995-2304 (during normal business hours of 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday, to have your PIN re-set. If you have a problem accessing Cougar Connect please contact the ITD Help Desk at (773) 995-3696.

Deadlines to submit Verification Paperwork

The last day that we will accept Verification paperwork, for the 2023-2024 academic year, is Tuesday, September 3, 2024.

The last day that we will accept Verification paperwork for the 2024-2025 academic year is Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

To review and properly respond to this offer of financial assistance, continuing students may access and review their packages by entering Cougar Connect and continuing on to CSU X-press.

Students who have yet to be admitted, but have completed a FAFSA and have listed Chicago State University as one of the schools to which they would like their financial aid profiles submitted, may access and review their packages through CSU X-press.