If you want to be considered for Federal financial assistance,
you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA). The quickest way to do this is online at:
http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Who is eligible to receive Federal Student Aid?
To be eligible to receive federal student aid, you must meet
certain requirements:
- You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen (permanent
resident, resident alien, refugee and asylee registered
with Selective Service (see http://www.sss.gov/
for more information) attending a participating school,
working toward a degree or certificate and making satisfactory
academic progress.
- Also, you must not owe a refund on a federal grant or
be in default on a federal education loan.
- You must have financial need (except for unsubsidized
Stafford Loans).
- You must not have any drug convictions.
Other requirements may apply. You should always contact your
school’s financial aid office for more information.
Financial aid is generally not available for undocumented students
and illegal aliens. The majority of all student aid, including
Federal student aid, requires the recipient to be a US citizen
or permanent resident (green-card holder) or an eligible non-citizen.
There are, however, a few states that allow undocumented students
to qualify for in-state tuition rates. There are also several
private scholarships available to undocumented students.
General Questions about Eligibility and Applying
1. I probably don’t qualify for aid. Should I apply
for aid anyway?
Yes. Many families mistakenly think they don’t qualify
for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid
by failing to apply for it. In addition, there are a few sources
of aid such as unsubsidized Stafford and PLUS loans that are
available regardless of need. The FAFSA form is free. There
is no good excuse for notapplying.
2. Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial
aid at a particular university?
No. You can apply for financial aid any time after January
1. To actually receive funds, however, you must be admitted
and enrolled at the university.
3. Why can’t I submit my financial aid application
before January 1?
The need analysis process for financial aid uses the family’s
income and tax information from the most recent tax year (the
base year) to judge your eligibility for need-based financial
aid during the upcoming academic year (the award year). Since
the base year ends December 31, you cannot submit a financial
aid application until January 1. After all, your parents might
earn a year-end bonus or realize capital gains from selling
stocks on December 31. If you submit the financial aid application
before January 1, it will be rejected.
4. Do I have to reapply for financial aid every year?
Yes. Most financial aid offices require that you apply for
financial aid every year. If your financial circumstances
change, you may get more or less aid. After your first year
you will receive a “Renewal Application” which
contains preprinted information from the previous year’s
FAFSA. Note that your eligibility for financial aid may change
significantly, especially if you have a different number of
family members in college. Renewal of your financial aid package
also depends on your making satisfactory academic progress
toward a degree, such as earning a minimum number of credits
and achieving a minimum GPA.
5. How do I apply for a Pell Grant and other types of need-based
aid?
Submit a FAFSA. To indicate interest in student employment,
student loans and parent loans, you should check the appropriate
boxes. Checking these boxes does not commit you to accepting
these types of aid. You will have the opportunity to accept
or decline each part of your aid package later. Leaving these
boxes unchecked will not increase the amount of grants you
receive.
6. Are my parents responsible for my educational loans?
No. Parents are, however, responsible for the Federal PLUS
loans. Parents will only be responsible for your educational
loans if you are under 18 and they co-sign your loan. In general
you and you alone are responsible for repaying your educational
loans. On the other hand, if your parents (or grandparents)
want to help pay off your loan, you can have your billing
statements sent to their address. Likewise, if your lender
or loan servicer provides an electronic payment service, where
the monthly payments are automatically deducted from a bank
account, your parents can agree to have the payments deducted
from their account. But your parents are under no obligation
to repay your loans. If they forget to pay the bill on time
or decide to cancel the electronic payment agreement, you
will be held responsible for the payments, not them.
7. Where can I get information about Federal student financial
aid?
Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at
1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 1-800-730-8913 (if hearing
impaired) and ask for a free copy of The Student Guide:
Financial Aid from the US Department of Education. This
toll-free hotline is run by the US Department of Education
and can answer questions about federal and state student aid
programs and applications.
You can also write to Federal Student Aid
