Question: Do I have to wait until I get accepted into the program before applying for financial aid?

Answer: No, You may complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at any time, as a matter of fact we encourage you to go on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov and get started. It is the student’s responsibility to complete the FAFSA.

Question: When do I hear from the financial aid office?

Answer:  After we review the results of your FAFSA you may be contacted to resolve any issues or conflicting information. Once you have been accepted into the program and there are no unresolved issues with your FAFSA, we will mail an award letter to you.

Question: I don’t think I will qualify for Pell but can I still apply for student loans?

Answer: Yes, Your income doesn’t matter except that it may cause all or some of your loan funds to be Unsubsidized (Unsubsidized means that interest will be accruing during your in-school and grace period).

Question: I know that I am not Pell eligible because of my income, and my employer will pay for everything anyway. Why do I still have to complete the FAFSA?

Answer: Yes, because if you are Pell eligible, most employers require that Pell be applied to your fees first, and then your employer pays all or part of the balance. The financial aid office has to let your employer know if you are eligible or not, and we need your FAFSA results in order to determine this.

Question: I am not Pell eligible and my employer is paying for everything but I still need money to help out with living expenses, childcare, etc. Can I apply for student loans and keep that money for myself?

Answer: Yes, normally the only fund that your employer requires to be applied to your account is Pell.

Question: An outside agency such as WIA or BVR is going to pay for my schooling. Why do I have to complete the FAFSA form?

Answer: Because if you are Pell eligible, most agencies require that Pell be applied to your fees first, and then the agency will pay all or part of your balance. The financial aid office has to let the agency know if you are eligible or not, and we need your FAFSA results in order to determine this.

Question: I am currently attending another school. Can my aid just transfer to your school?

Answer: No, any current loans would be canceled when you leave the other school, and you will have to re-apply for new loans. You may not be able to get full new loan amounts if there is an overlapping loan period between schools. If you have Pell Grant, you will be awarded based on the percentage you have already used at the other school. For example, your award at the other school was $4050 and you used 50% ($2025). Your award here is $3700. You have 50% remaining eligibility so the maximum amount for this school would be $1850 ($3700 X 50%).

Question: I have already completed a FAFSA for this award year. Do I complete another one if I want to attend your school?

Answer: NO, you only apply one time during an award year. All you need to do is add our school code to your FAFSA.

Question: I am on my own and self-supporting. Why do I have to provide my parents' information?

Answer: Dependency status is determined by the questions you answer in Step Three on the FAFSA form. If you answer no to every question you are a dependent student for financial aid purposes and you must provide your parents information. 

Question: I answered no to all the questions in Step Three but I do have a child. Doesn’t that make me Independent?

Answer: Not necessarily. The qualifying question is do you provide more than 50% support for your children? For instance, you have little or no income, you and your child are living with your parents and they are providing most of your needs, then they would be the ones providing over 50%.

Question: My high school diploma is from a foreign country. Is that acceptable?

Answer: In order to receive financial aid your diploma must be equivalent to a U.S. diploma. It is the student’s responsibility to have the diploma reviewed by a credential evaluator. The evaluators do charge for this service. Keep in mind that this process can take several weeks, so start early.

Question: I currently have a student loan in default status. Can I still get my Pell grant? 

Answer: No, if you are in default you are not able to receive any Title IV aid, as a matter of fact you may not be able to receive other sources of funding such as WIA. Once the default is resolved you will again be eligible. Default issues need to be resolved before starting the program. If you are already in the program and go into default your aid will be suspended and you will become responsible for tuition and fees.

Question: I am going to be receiving Veteran’s Education Benefits. Do I still need to complete the FAFSA?

Answer: No, but there are two reasons why you may want to. #1, you might be eligible for a Pell grant (free money) or you may need student loans for additional assistance, both of which you would need to complete the FAFSA. #2, VA checks are mailed directly to the student and a lot of times you don’t start receiving them until after your tuition is already due. If you have financial aid in place you can use that to cover your school fees while waiting for your VA checks. If, after you start receiving checks you decide you don’t want student loans, they can be canceled at any time.

Question: I don’t have very good credit. Will this stop me from getting a student loan?

Answer: No, Stafford student loans are not credit based. There are loans however, that are credit based such as the Parent Plus Loan and alternative student loans.

Question: My parents don’t want to give their financial information for me to complete the FAFSA. Can I apply without it?

Answer: No, if parental information is required based on the questions you answered in Step 3, they must complete the parent section.

Question: My award documentation displays the disbursed date for my student loan, is that the day I will receive my money?

Answer: No, that is the day the money is disbursed from the Federal Government. It is approximately three days before the checks are cut and distributed. Checks are not mailed to the student’s home, they are signed for and picked up from the school.