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Eligibility for federal student aid is based on financial
need and on several other factors. The financial aid
administrator at the college or career school you plan
to attend will determine your eligibility.
Here are some of the criteria you must meet:
- Demonstrate financial need
(except for certain loans)
- Demonstrate by one of the
following means that you’re qualified to enroll in
postsecondary education:
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate
• Pass an approved ability-to-benefit (ATB) test
• Meet other standards your state establishes that we have approved
• Complete a high school education in a home
school setting approved under state law
- Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program
- Be a U.S. citizen or eligible
noncitizen
- Have a valid Social Security
Number
- Register with the Selective Service if required (you can use the paper or electronic FAFSA to register)
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress once
in school
A law suspends aid eligibility for students who have
been convicted under federal or state law of selling or
possessing drugs. If you have a conviction for these
offenses, call the Federal Student Aid Information
Center to find out how
this law applies to you. Even if you’re ineligible for
federal aid, you should still complete the FAFSA
because you might be eligible for nonfederal aid from
states and private institutions.
If you have a question about your citizenship status,
contact the financial aid office at the college or career
school you plan to attend.
How Will I Know What I’m Eligible For?
The information you report on the FAFSA is used to
calculate your Expected Family Contribution, or EFC,
which is a measure of your family’s financial strength.
The EFC is used to determine your eligibility for federal
student aid. The formula for the EFC calculation is
established by law.
If your EFC is below a certain number, you’ll be eligible
for a Federal Pell Grant, assuming you
meet all other eligibility requirements. The amount
of your Pell Grant depends on your EFC, your cost of
attendance (which the financial aid administrator at
your college or career school will figure out), and your
enrollment status (full time or less than full time).
For our other aid programs, the financial aid administrator
at your college or career school takes your cost
of attendance and subtracts your EFC, the amount of
a Federal Pell Grant (if you’re eligible), and aid you’ll
get from other sources. The result is your remaining
financial need:
Cost of Attendance
— EFC
— Federal Pell Grant Eligibility
— Aid From Other Sources
———————————————
=
Financial Need
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What is Cost of Attendance?
Your cost of attendance is basically the sum of
- your actual tuition and fees
(or the school’s average tuition and fees);
- the cost of room and board
(or living expenses for students who don’t contract
with the school for room and board);
- the cost of books, supplies,
and miscellaneous expenses (including a reasonable
amount for a personal computer); and
- an allowance for transportation.
Other costs can be included, such as those related to a
disability. Check with the schools you’re considering
for more information.
I Think I Have Special Circumstances.
Are Those Considered in Determining How
Much Aid I Can Receive?
A financial aid administrator can consider special or
unusual circumstances. The
financial aid administrator at your college or career
school can change your status from dependent to independent
if he or she believes there’s a good reason to do
so. You’ll have to provide documentation to justify the
change. The decision to change or not to change your
dependency status is based on the aid administrator’s
judgment, however, and it’s final. You can’t appeal the
decision to the U.S. Department of Education.
In some cases, your financial aid administrator might
adjust your cost of attendance or the information
used to calculate your EFC to take into account special
circumstances you might have. These circumstances
could include your family’s unusual medical expenses,
tuition expenses, or unemployment. Again, the aid
administrator’s decision to consider special circumstances
is final and cannot be appealed to us.
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