I'm ready to start financial planning — what's my first step?
Committing to years of tuition is a real decision, and wanting a clear first step — rather than jumping in blind — is exactly the right instinct. The good news is the process itself is well-defined; you don't have to guess at it.
Getting Started With Financial Planning
Committing to years of tuition is a real decision, and wanting a clear first step — rather than jumping in blind — is exactly the right instinct. The good news is the process itself is well-defined; you don't have to guess at it.
Step 1: Estimate your Cost of Attendance (COA)
Your COA is the federal government's term for your full estimated yearly cost — tuition, books, supplies, transportation, and living expenses combined. It's the number financial aid eligibility is actually built around (per 34 CFR 668.51–61). (Source: Five Branches Financial Aid Policies, checked 08/2026.)
Step 2: File the FAFSA
| What | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | www.fafsa.ed.gov |
| School code | 03131300 (Five Branches University) |
| Needed | An FSA ID (username/password) to sign electronically |
| Frequency | Filed fresh each academic year |
(Source: Five Branches "Applying for Financial Aid," checked 08/2026.)
Step 3: Respond promptly if selected for verification
Some FAFSA filers are randomly selected to confirm accuracy — this may mean submitting an Independent Verification Worksheet and an IRS tax return transcript. Responding quickly keeps any aid disbursement on schedule.
Step 4: Receive your Financial Aid Award Letter
The Financial Aid Office reviews your file and issues an award letter outlining what you qualify for.
A rough sense of scale, from figures the school has published (not current pricing — always confirm on the live page):
| Program | Total tuition | Per year/trimester | Last checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| DAOM (postgraduate) | $25,000 | ~$12,500/yr | 08/2026, DAOM Cost & Financial Aid page |
| DAcHM/MAcHM (dual-degree) | ~$72,822 (catalog figure) | ~$18,205/yr | 07/2026 catalog snapshot — check the Tuition & Fees page for current numbers |
| Bridge Completion | $8,505 standard tuition (reduced to $6,804 with 20% discount for FBU master's grads) | billed per trimester | 08/2026 — check the Bridge Tuition page |
Tuition is billed per trimester (three registration periods a year), and installment plans exist if paying in full upfront isn't realistic. Worth knowing: non-degree-seeking (NDS) study is not eligible for federal aid, so that route works differently if you're only trying a course first.
For working through your own numbers, www.finaid.org and studentaid.gov both have loan and repayment calculators.
Which program are you leaning toward — that'll shape what your actual numbers look like?
Sources
- Five Branches University — Applying For Financial Aid 2 checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Faqs checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Financial Aid checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Financial Aid Policies checked 2026-08
- Five Branches University — Resources checked 2026-08
- The school's own published catalog and website checked 2026-07
- Five Branches University — Tuitions And Fees Bridge checked 2026-08
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