Financial Aid Counselor

Salary and Benefits

Salary Range: $5,083.00 per month to $7,228.00 per month. PLEASE

NOTE: The starting salary placement depends on qualifications

and experience and is anticipated to be in the range of $5,083.00

per month to $6,155.00 per month.

Cal State East Bay offers a broad range of benefits that includes

medical, dental, vision, retirement (CalPERS), 401k, 457, 403(b),

dependent and health care reimbursement accounts, life insurance,

vacation and sick, 14 paid holidays, one personal holiday and

tuition fee waiver.

For more information on the benefits program, please visit our benefits website. The CSU Total Compensation

Calculator demonstrates the significance of our benefits

package.

Classification

Student Services Professional II

About Cal State East Bay

Cal State East Bay's beautiful main campus is located in the

Hayward hills with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay

shoreline. Situated above the city of Hayward, the campus offers an

ideal setting for teaching and learning and yet easy access to the

many cities along the bay. The University has a satellite campus in

Concord, a professional development center in Oakland and a

significant presence online. Founded in 1957, Cal State East Bay is

one of 23 universities of the California State University system

(CSU). Cal State East Bay is recognized as a regionally engaged and

globally oriented university with a strong commitment to academic

innovation, student success, engaged and service learning,

diversity, and sustainability.

About the Position

Please Note: Review of applications will begin on February

27, 2026.

The Financial Aid Counselor provides high-quality service and

guidance to prospective, new, and continuing students and their

families throughout the financial aid application and awarding

process. This position is responsible for determining student

eligibility for financial aid in accordance with institutional,

state, and federal regulations and exercising independent judgment

in the administration of financial aid operations.

The incumbent maintains working knowledge of policies and

procedures across related campus departments—including the

Registrar, Student Accounts, Human Resources, and Athletics—and

understands their impact on student financial aid eligibility. The

Financial Aid Counselor applies strong counseling and conflict

resolution skills to assist students and families in understanding

financial aid challenges and identifying appropriate solutions,

while maintaining strict confidentiality in compliance with FERPA

regulations.

The Financial Aid Counselor participates in state, regional, and

national professional development activities to remain current on

federal and state financial aid regulations and program changes.

Core responsibilities include reviewing financial aid eligibility,

updating student awards, counseling students and families on

financial aid matters, and processing verification, appeals, and

C-flag reviews.

Responsibilities

Financial Aid Analysis and Advising

• Following complex Federal and California state regulations and

CSUEB policies and procedures, reviews and analyzes financial aid

applications, checking for accuracy and consistency; revises

awards, and reviews change of circumstance appeals; determining

adequate documentation, follows up for further information and/or

makes assumptions to complete review and any changes to award.

• Provides coordination with other on campus offices and

coordinates all reporting to the US Department of Education and the

California Student Aid Commission for programs. This includes

revising awards based on funding from those sources.

• Certifies student loans and corrects information utilizing the

financial aid management systems (CMS Peoplesoft) and Common

Origination and Disbursement (the Federal database) to reflect

changed awards.

• Must thoroughly understand federal regulations and CSUEB

policies and procedures but exercise considerable independent

judgment. For complicated cases, follows up for further information

and/or makes decision using experience and judgment to complete

analysis and award.

• Providing financial aid advising in the One-Stop at Perry’s

Nest at least once a week, including virtual appointment

scheduling.

• Provides support and coaching to the financial aid customer

service team and advises students and parents with questions and

concerns. Uses sound judgment to recommend solutions to problems

and changes in program procedures.

• Reviews awards following add/drop to make necessary changes to

financial aid based upon the number of units a student is taking.

Also revises awards based on other changes to eligibility.

Coordinates with appropriate offices as required.

• Assist with responding to department emails, phone calls and

text messages.

• Train and mentor Federal Work Study students assistants and

Student Ambassadors in the One-Stop on all aspects of a federal and

state financial aid program.

• Calculate Return of Title IV Funds.

Program Lead, Coordination, and Special Populations

• Reviews and interprets federal and state regulations and using

considerable independent judgement, develops and distributes

documentation, and trains colleagues on new policy and

procedures.

• Serves as the primary lead and in-house expert relative to a

specific student aid program.

• Designs and develops efficient and regulatorily compliant

procedures to facilitate the delivery of financial aid services to

a targeted population. This includes the development of materials

and the creation of just-in-time communications to provide students

with information before they need to ask for help.

• Responsible for all processes and procedures related to a

federal, state or campus based financial aid program; this includes

reconciling, reviewing weekly and monthly reports to ensure

accurate reporting to and from external entities. Providing

information to Finance, Student Financial Services and reporting

information on behalf of the Financial Aid Director.

• Works directly with external entities such as the California

Student Aid Commission and the Department of Education to report

required data and resolve issues.

• Completes end-of-semester and year reconciliation to confirm

all eligible students awarded appropriately and funds from agencies

received by the federal and state deadlines. Ensures accuracy and

completeness of all data.

• Creates and maintains documentation for business process

guides, policy and procedures, and job aids to ensure regulations,

policy, and business processes are up to date and followed for

lead/coordinated programs.

• Creates, maintains, and delivers training to client services

team for lead/coordinated programs or other financial aid

information as needed.

Outreach and Student Counseling

• Represents CSUEB’s Financial Aid and Scholarships at on and off

campus financial aid events. Deliver Financial Aid presentations

and workshops.

• Works collaboratively across departmental and functional lines

to ensure financial aid services meet the needs of various student

populations, promoting the recruitment and retention of students,

and to equitably distribute limited federal, state, and

institutional student aid resources.

• Counsels and assists with more complex situations and concerns.

Often deals with sensitive and emotionally charged issues. Explains

the basis for recommendations, decisions or actions and if the

student has additional options.

• Represents the Financial Aid & Scholarships office on

committees with professionalism, integrity and creativity, focusing

our replies on regulatory options that will support the campus and

warning of potential compliance issues.

Minimum Qualifications

Experience

• The equivalent of two (2) years of professional experience in

one of the student services program areas or in a related

field.

• Experience should give evidence of competence and indicate the

potential for further growth.

• A master’s degree in a job‑related field may be substituted for

one year of professional experience.

Education

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university

in one of the behavioral sciences, public or business

administration or a job‑related field.

• Additional specialized experience during which the applicant

has acquired and successfully applied the knowledge and abilities

shown above may be substituted for the required education on a

year‑for‑year basis.

Preferred Skills and Knowledge

• Ability to quickly grasp Federal, State, and Institutional

Regulations.

• Understand FERPA and maintain confidentiality.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to conduct financial aid workshops/presentations as

needed.

• Maintain a professional demeanor and empathize with

students.

• Ability to work independently in scheduling opportunities

continuing training.

• Attends workshops sponsored by the Department of Education and

State affiliates.

• Proficient in MS Excel, MS Word, MS PowerPoint.
• Experience with PeopleSoft Student Information System.
• Experience with CampusLogic.
• Proficiency in another modern language.
• Experience in Financial Aid Administration.
• Customer Service Experience with the ability to provide advice

and guidance on difficult issues/regulations.

Condition(s) of Employment

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including LiveScan,

as appropriate), that may include, but is not limited to: criminal

records check, verification of academic credentials, licenses,

certificates, credit history, professional references and/or

verification of work history is required for employment. Cal State

East Bay will issue a conditional offer of employment to the

selected candidate, which may be rescinded if the background check

reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the

candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information.

Unsatisfactory results may also affect the continued employment of

current Cal State East Bay employees who were conditionally offered

the position.

All background checks are conducted through the university's third

party vendor, Accurate. LiveScan is conducted through the

University Police Department.

EEO Statement

All university programs and activities are open and available to

all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin.

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal

State, East Bay provides equal opportunity in education and

employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential

treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every

student and employee has access to the resources and support they

need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their

communities. The CSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act

of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act,

California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California

Constitution), other applicable state and federal

anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We

prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based

on race or any other protected status, and all forms of

discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university

programs, policies, and practices.

Other Information

All California State University campuses, including Cal State East

Bay, are smoke and tobacco-free. For more information, please visit

our website here.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus

security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of

Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, the Cal State East

Bay Annual Campus Security Report is available here.

Sponsorship

Cal State East Bay is not a sponsoring agency for Staff or

Management positions and we are not an E-Verify employer.

Mandated Reporter

The incumbent in this position may be considered a mandated

reporter under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act

and will be required to comply with requirements set forth in the

CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Learn more about working at the California State University and

the impact of our mission.

Advertised: February 11, 2026 (5:00 PM) Pacific Standard

Time

Applications close