Radford University Financial Aid and RA Housing Credits

The financial aid award process for the upcoming fall and spring terms ( $2026$ - $2027$ ) is currently underway for returning students.
The student's FAFSA is confirmed to be on file; unlike the summer term, no additional application is required.
Expected Release: Award offers are anticipated to be sent out toward the end of June or during the first week of July.

The student's Student Aid Index ( $SAI$ ) is higher than the previous year due to increased family income.
Award Impact: The upcoming aid package is expected to be smaller than the previous year's package.
Grant and Loan Status: Eligibility for the Pell Grant is unlikely, though the student may still qualify for state grants, institutional scholarships, and student loans.

RA benefits cover the cost of room and board.
Billing Method: The student will remain charged for room and board, but a corresponding "RA credit" will be applied to the account to offset the balance.
Departmental Oversight: This credit is managed by the Bursar's Office based on a list provided by the housing department; it will not appear on the Financial Aid dashboard.
Timeline: Fall bills are scheduled for release on $July \, 9$ , and the credit should be visible on the account statement by that time.

Amani: "Do you see anything, like, for my financial aid? Because I know this year that my financial aid might be less because my mama made more last year. So is there a potential… anything that I might have to pay out of pocket?"
Connor: Stated that because the $SAI$ is higher, the aid package will be different. He confirmed there would likely be fewer grants and scholarships but noted that exact out-of-pocket costs cannot be determined until the financial aid is fully set up.
Amani: "I have a question about if so I have I got the RA job at Radford Carillion, and I wanted to know if the room and board would show directly on my financial aid or would it come off?"
Kayla: Explained that RAs are still charged for room and board, but an RA credit is placed on the account. She noted that while it acts like a scholarship, it is not technically a financial aid award and must be viewed through the account bill rather than the financial aid dashboard.