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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Applying
Completing the FAFSA
Awarding
Financial Aid Appeals
General
APPLYINGQuestion: What is EITC’s school code? Answer: EITC’s school code is 011133. Question: What is financial aid? Answer: Financial aid is money provided to help fill the gap between your own resources and the amount needed to pay for the cost of attending college. The primary responsibility for meeting the cost of a college education rests with the student and family to the extent they are able to pay. A formula established by Congress and written in law, takes into account your family income and assets. Financial aid may include grants, loans, scholarships and work-study. Answer: Most students are eligible for some sort of financial assistance whether it is gift aid such as grants or self-help aid in the form of student loans and/or college work-study. Question: How do I apply for financial aid? Answer: You must complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). We recommend you complete the FAFSA online. Question: What is the FAFSA “Priority Deadline”? Answer: EITC priority deadlines are: To be considered for priority, EITC must receive your FAFSA information by these dates. Question: What does the “Priority Deadline” mean? Answer: This means you may be considered for additional financial aid if you qualify and funds are available. Qualifying students will receive their money the first day of class. Question: How often do I need to apply for financial aid? Answer: A FAFSA must be completed for each academic year. The new FAFSA is available on January 1st each year. If you completed a FAFSA the previous year you will only need to complete a Renewal FAFSA which can be found on the FAFSA website. Question: What is a PIN and how is it used? Answer: A PIN is your Personal Identification Number. It can be used to sign your FAFSA electronically. If you are a dependent student, a parent must also have a PIN. Your PIN can also be used to sign your Master Promissory Note online should you take out a student loan. Completing the FAFSAQuestion: My parents are divorced. Whose information do I put on the FAFSA? Answer: Use the income/information of the parent with whom you lived with more during the last 12 months. If you did no live with one parent more than the other, use the income of the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months or during the most recent year that you received support from a parent (including money, gifts, loans, housing, food, clothing, etc.) If the parent whose information is reported and that parent is remarried, the student must also include the step-parent’s income information. Question: Why do I have to provide parent information? Answer: Students that do not meet the requirements for independent status must use their parent information. Congress has stated that families have primary responsibility for funding a college education therefore, if you are a dependent student you must provide your parent’s information. If there are extenuating circumstances as to why a dependent student cannot list their parental information please contact the Financial Aid Office. Question: I will be getting married. How should I fill out my FAFSA? Answer: Marital status can not be changed on the FAFSA once it has been submitted. If you submit your FAFSA as single you must remain single until the new academic year. Students may want to discuss with a financial aid officer the options they have before submitting their FAFSA. Question: What if my or my parents' financial circumstances have changed? Is there anything I can do to update the information? Answer: If you have changes in your financial circumstances (i.e. job loss, loss of child support, death in the family, divorce, disability or other extenuating circumstances) since you completed the FAFSA, you may appeal to have your situation reviewed by the Financial Aid Office. This appeal can be filed during the beginning of the spring semester (January). If approved, your aid eligibility and financial need may be recalculated, based on the new information. Contact the Financial Aid Office for more information. AwardingQuestion: I have a work-study award. What is “work-study”? Answer: Work-study is awarded to students who demonstrate financial need and want to work while attending college. The work-study program provides on-campus jobs for students and allows them to earn a specific dollar award. You will earn at least federal minimum wage and be paid by the hour. Work-study students may not work more than 20 hours a week. Question: How do I apply for work-study? Answer: Complete the FAFSA by the priority deadlines. If you are not initially awarded work-study, you may complete a Request for Adjustment Form. Once work-study is added to your award letter, you must request an eligibility form from the financial aid office. After you receive an eligibility form, you will be given an application. Question: Will scholarships and other resources impact my other financial aid awards? Answer: According to Federal Regulations scholarships and other outside resources that help students with their educationally related expenses are used in calculating eligibility for federal aid. The most common types of resources are scholarships, veterans' benefits, WIA, vocational rehabilitation awards, tribal awards, etc. The demonstrated financial need (as determined through a processed FAFSA) to meet education costs is reduced as a result of these scholarships and other resources. If scholarship or outside resource information is received after initial awarding has taken place, the amount of federal aid awarded (with exception of the Pell Grant) may be required to be reduced or canceled if the total amount of all awards exceeds the annual cost of attendance. Financial Aid AppealsQuestion: I am on Financial Aid probation. How do I get my financial aid reinstated? Answer: Once you have gone a semester on your own and made up the credits you were put on probation for, you may complete a General Appeal Form asking for your financial aid to be reinstated. You must wait until grades have been posted for the semester you are making up before you can submit your appeal. Question: What is a maximum credit appeal? Answer: To be used when a student reaches the maximum time frame allowed by Satisfactory Academic Progress. Maximum time frame for an associate’s degree is 96 credits and 48 credits for a one-year certificate program. If the student does not successfully complete the conditions of the appeal the student may be denied further financial assistance. GeneralQuestion: What do I need to do to allow my parents/spouse access to my financial aid information? Answer: The Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) limits the information that can be released concerning a student’s records. In order for a student’s parent/spouse to access a student’s file the student must fill out and submit a Release of Information Authorization. Question: How many credits do you have to take to be considered full-time? Answer: For financial aid purposes, full-time status is 12+ credits for fall through summer semester. For fee paying purposes in fall and spring semester, full-time is 10 or more credits (you pay full-time fees once you are enrolled for 10 or more credits) and 6 or more for summer semester. Question: Do I have to attend full-time to receive financial aid? Answer: Not for a Pell Grant. Financial aid is awarded based on the number of credits a student is enrolled: Full-time: 12+ credits If you are awarded a student loan, you must be in registered in at least 6 credits to receive the loan. Question: If I attend fall and spring semesters will I have any financial aid for summer semester? Answer: If you attend full-time fall and spring semester, you will have no financial aid left for summer semester. However, if you attend less than half-time fall and spring semester and you were awarded Pell, you will have some left for summer. If you only have loans and you had a fall and spring disbursement you will not have any money left for summer. Question: I want to attend less than half-time. Can I still take out a student loan? Answer: No. In order to qualify for a loan or have your loan put into deferment you must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits). However, it is possible to receive a Pell grant award for less than half-time if you are eligible. Question: Why was I selected for verification? Answer: Students at EITC are selected for verification in two ways:
Note: All documentation will be collected by EITC Financial Aid Office. |
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