690 likes | 784 Views
Applying for Financial Aid 2012-2013. Gift Aid - Grants or scholarships that do not need to be repaid Work - Money earned by the student as payment for a job on or off campus Loans - Borrowed money to be paid back, usually with interest. Types of Financial Aid. Federal government
E N D
Gift Aid - Grants or scholarships that do not need to be repaid Work - Money earned by the student as payment for a job on or off campus Loans - Borrowed money to be paid back, usually with interest Types of Financial Aid
Federal government State government Colleges and universities Private agencies, companies, foundations, and parents’ employers Sources of Financial Aid
Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – 3.0 GPA (proposed 3.25 GPA) Meet state income and asset ceilings Financial need per FAFSA Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards – 2.0 GPA (proposed 2.75 GPA) Students from disadvantaged or low income families Meet state income and asset ceilings Financial need per FAFSA Cal Grant C Awards - for students from low income families pursuing vocational programs of study Cal Grants for CA High School Grads
To be eligible for a Cal Grant, the student must also: be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen (eligible AB540students may qualify in 2013-14) be a California resident attend an accredited California college or university at least half-time in 2012-13 Eligibility for Cal Grants
Check with your high school or college counselor for more details on how to file the Cal Grant GPA Verification Form 2012-2013 Cal Grant Application Requirements • By March 2, 2012, complete and submit: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
California Chafee Grant • The California Chafee Grant program provides up to $5,000 annually to current and former foster youth for college or vocational training at any accredited college in the U.S. based on available funding • To apply, the foster youth must complete: • 2012-2013 FAFSA • California Chafee Grant Program Application To learn more about the Chafee Grant, go to: www.chafee.csac.ca.gov
Other applications or forms required by the college such as: Other Applications • CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE • Institutional Scholarship and/or • Financial Aid Application • 2011 Federal tax transcript or 2011 federal tax returns (along with all schedules and W-2s) or other documentation
FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) • Internet application used by students and parents to complete electronic FAFSA at: www.fafsa.gov • On-line edits and skip logic • On-line help • Student and one custodial parent must get a federal PIN at: • www.pin.ed.gov
PIN (Personal Identification Number) serves as the electronic signature on ED documents Both student and one parent need PINs to sign the FAFSA electronically, update information and add colleges If an e-mail address is provided, PIN will be e-mailed within minutes If parents do not have a Social Security number and cannot obtain PIN, print and mail FAFSA signature page Federal PIN Apply for student and parent PINs at: www.pin.ed.gov
File early, but no later than March 2, 2012 Use IRS data exchange option. If using estimated 2011 income information, resubmit with IRS data after filing tax return Student and at least one parent whose information is reported must complete and sign the FAFSA FAFSA Information & Tips
Before starting the FAFSA on the Web (FOTW), gather: Social Security card 2011 federal income tax form (even if not yet completed) 2011 W-2 Forms & other earnings documents Records of untaxed income Current bank statements Business, farm, and other real estate records Records of stocks, bonds, and other investments Create a file for copies of all financial aid documents submitted Getting Ready
Another Useful Form -FAFSA on the Web Worksheet The 2012-2013 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet may be used to organize your information before entering it on FAFSA on the web. This is a reference tool only. Do not mail or submit to FAFSA or the college.
FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) Go to the 2012-2013 FAFSA on the Web to apply for financial aid for Fall 2012 – Spring 2013. Check the college’s website for procedures for summer financial aid.
Section 1 - Student Name • Enter student’s first and last names • Make sure to report the student’s name exactly as it appears on the student’s Social Security card
Section 1 - Student Social Security Number • Both student name and Social Security Number will be compared through a database match with the Social Security Administration. Errors will cause the FAFSA to reject.
Section 1- Home State Residence • Home state residence • if the student is dependent, the Home State is usually the one in which the custodial parent(s) lives • Home state is also used • to determine eligibility for state grants
Section 1 - Student Marital Status • Enter your marital status as of the date the FAFSA on the Web is submitted • If married or remarried, you will be asked to provide information about your spouse
Section 1 - Student Citizenship Status • If U.S. citizen, status will be confirmed by Social Security match • If eligible noncitizen, status will be confirmed by Department of Homeland Security (DHS) match. This includes: • U.S. permanent residents with I-551 (Green Card) • Conditional permanent residents with I-551C • The holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any of the unexpired following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” T-Visa holder (or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or • valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services designating “Victim of human trafficking.” • Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty 20
Section 1 - Eligible Noncitizen If eligible noncitizen, enter your Alien Registration Number (ARN) • Precede an eight-digit ARN with a zero • Copy of Permanent Registration Card might be requested by the financial aid office If neither a citizen or eligible noncitizen, the student is ineligible for federal, but might still be eligible for institutional funds and some California state aid 21
Check for eligibility for in-state tuition/fee costs and some state aid Check with colleges and universities about CA Dream Act institutional financial aid and private scholarships Apply for all other private scholarships for which you may be eligible Visit www.CalDreamAct.org to learn more about the new California Dream Act signed into law in 2011 Section 1 - Undocumented Students • For more information and a list of scholarships, go towww.latinocollegedollars.org • http://www.maldef.org/assets/pdf/Scholarship_List_2010_2011.pdf www.finaid.org/otheraid/undocumented.phtml
Section 1 - Selective Service Registration • Male students who are between the ages of 18 and 25 years must be registered with Selective Service to receive federal and state aid • Answer “Register me” only if you are male, aged 18-25, and have not yet registered. • You may also register by going to: www.sss.gov
Section 1 - High School Completion Status When the student begins college in the 2012-2013 school year, what will be the student’s high school completion status?
Section 1 - Grade Level in 2012-13 When you begin the 2012-2013 school year, what will your grade level be?
Section 1 - Degree or Certificate Objective • In the 2012-2013 school year, what degree or certificate will you be working on?
Section 1 - First Bachelor’s Degree • Students starting college in 2012-13 should mark “No” to this question • Only students who will be pursuing a graduate or professional degree during 2012-13 should mark “Yes”
Section 1 - Parents’ Educational Level Indicate highest level of schooling completedby the student’s biological or adoptive parents (for state award purposes only) • This definition of parent is unique to these two questions • Biological parents or adoptive parents are notstepparents or foster parents
Section 1 - Student Aid Eligibility Drug Convictions • Students who have never attended college will not be asked either of these questions • Students who have attended college will be asked if they received federal student aid • If the answer is “yes,” students will be asked if they were convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs. • Students who have been convicted of a drug offense while in college and receiving federal financial aid will be asked additional questions to determine if they are still eligible to receive federal financial aid.
Section 1 - High School Question • High School Question • Enter the name, city and state of the high school you attend • When you select “Confirm”, a list of high schools will appear. Select the high school you attended. • If no matches are found, select “Next” to save the search information and continue with the FOTW application
Section 2 - School Selection • FAFSA on the Web allows you to list up to 10 colleges/universities that your FAFSA information will be sent to • List the California school you are most likely to attend first for calculation of your Cal Grant eligibility • Colleges can be deleted and added after you receive your SAR report • NOTE: Each UC and CSU campus must be listed separately
Section 2 - School Selection • Select the housing plan you expect to have while attending each school you have listed • Type of housing may affect the amount of financial aid for which he/she is eligible. • Remember, selecting the On Campus housing option is not an application for On Campus housing. Check with the colleges/ universities for housing information when you apply for admission
Section 3 - Determination of Student Dependency Status • If you check “No” in all of the boxes about Dependency Status, you will be asked to go to Section 4. For FAFSA filing purposes, you are considered a dependent student and will be required to provide parental information • If any one of the items in this section applies to you, you are considered an independent student for FAFSA filing purposes and are NOT required to provide parental information
Section 4 - Parent Information • If the answer to any question is zero or the question does not apply, enter 0: • Report whole dollar figures: • Recommendation: If your parents have not filed their 2011 federal tax return, use W-2 forms and/or other employment records - such as final 2011 pay check stubs - to estimate total income • Remember, rather than miss any filing deadline, use estimated 2011 income information 0 (no cents) 12,356
Who is considered a parent? Biological or adoptive parent(s) In case of divorce or separation, provide information about the parent and/or stepparent the student lived with more in the last 12 months Stepparent (regardless of any prenuptial agreements) Section 4 - Parent Demographics
Do not provide information on: Foster parents or legal guardians If the student is in foster care or has a legal guardian, he/she is automatically considered an independent student Grandparents or other relatives are not considered parents unless they have adopted the student - If special circumstances exist, colleges may use Professional Judgment to change a student’s status to “independent” Section 4 - Who is Not a Parent
Section 4 – Parents’ Marital Status • Report your parents’ marital status as of the date they complete the FAFSA • Depending on your parents’ answer to this question, they might be asked about the date of their marital status
Section 4 - Parent Information • You will need your parents’: • Social Security Numbers • Last names • First name initials • Dates of birth
Provide a parent e-mail address that will be valid at least until the student starts college If a parent provides an e-mail address, the FAFSA processor will let them know your FAFSA has been processed Section 4 - Parent E-mail Address 43
Section 4 - Parent Household Size • Include in the parents’ household: • the student • parent(s) • parents’ other dependent children, if the parents provide more than half their support or the children could answer “no” to every question in Section 3, regardless of where they live • other people, if they now live with the parents and will continue to do so from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13,andif the parents provide more than half their support now, andwill continue to provide support from 7/1/12 through 6/30/13
NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require proof that other family members are attending college Section 4 - College Students in the Parent Household • Always include the student • Never include the parents • Include other household members only if they will attend at least half-time in 2012-2013 in a program that leads to a college degree or certificate
Section 5 - Parents’ 2011 Tax Return Filing Status • The parents will be asked to provide information about their tax filing status for 2011
Section 5 – IRS Data Retrieval • If parent(s) answer “Already completed,” they will be given the option to transfer their 2011 income tax information directly from IRS records to the FOTW • If parents must have filed taxes electronically within the last two weeks or by mail within the last eight weeks • If not, parents should use their actual 2011 IRS tax return to complete the FOTW so the student does not miss any important financial aid deadlines 48
Section 5 – Parents not able to use IRS Data Retrieval • If taxes were filed electronically more recently than 2 weeks or by paper more recently than 8 weeks, enter AGI from tax return. • If parents have not yet filed their 2011 federal tax return, estimate 2011 income information • Use IRS Data Retrieval to update FAFSA information once the tax returns have been submitted to IRS • NOTE: Parents who do not provide actual data by using the IRS Data Retrieval option may be required to obtain an official tax transcript from the IRS and submit it to the college.
Use W-2 forms and other records to determine all income in 2011 earned from work (including business income earned from self-employment) for father/stepfather and/or mother/stepmother Section 5 - Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2011