Financial Aid

Eligibility for federal student aid can differ based on financial need and other factors. The financial aid administrator at the school you plan to attend will determine your eligibility.

Demonstrate financial need (except for certain loans).
Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate.
Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
Have a valid Social Security Number (unless you're from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau).
Pass a test approved by the U.S. Department of Education, meet other standards your state establishes that the Department approves, or complete a high school education in a home school setting that is treated as such under state law.
Be working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program.
Certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational purposes.
Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe money on a federal student grant.
Register with the Selective Service if required. You can use the paper or electronic FAFSA to register. Register at www.sss.gov, or call 1-847-688-6888. (TTY users can call 1-847-688-2567).
Maintain satisfactory academic progress once in school.

ELIGIBILITY

The information you reported on your FAFSA is used to calculate your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The formula used to calculate your EFC is established by law and is used to determine your family's financial strength, typically from the understanding of your family's income and assets. The EFC is used to qualify your eligibility for federal student aid and indicates how much financial responsibility you and/or your family are expected to pay toward your cost of attendance for the school year. You may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant if your EFC falls below a certain number. To qualify for a Federal Pell Grant you must meet all other eligibility requirements.

There are helpful worksheets that can show how the EFC is calculated at www.studentaid.ed.gov/pubs. You can download one of the EFC worksheets by clicking here. When visiting the studentaid.ed.gov site, click on the award year appropriate to you under "EFC Formula."

The amount of your Pell Grant depends on your EFC, your cost of attendance (determined by the financial aid administrator at your school), and your enrollment status (full time, three-quarter time, half time, or less than half time).

For other financial aid programs, the financial aid administrator at your school calculates your cost of attendance and subtracts your EFC, the amount of a Federal Pell Grant you are eligible for, and any aid you will get from other sources. The result is your remaining financial need:

COST OF ATTENDANCE

- EFC
- Federal Pell Grant Eligibility
- Aid From Other Sources
- Remaining Financial Need

NOTE: Costs unrelated to the completion of a student's course of study are not included in calculating that student's cost of attendance.

A financial aid administrator can consider special or unusual circumstances such as unusual medical expenses, tuition expenses, or unemployment and can adjust your cost of attendance or some of the information used to calculate your EFC. The administrator, upon determination, can also change your status from dependent to independent under specific circumstances. You'll be required to provide your school with documentation for any justified changes. The decision to change or not to change your dependency status is based on the aid administrator's judgment. A final decision is made that can not be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.

The first step towards financial aid and other student loans is determining your qualifications for aid and loan types. To complete the 2007-2008 FASFA application, click here.

Contact a Finanical Aid Counselor to help walk you through any queestion you may have. An Educated Counselor can be reached by calling 1-888-947-2356, or click here to chat with a live counselor.