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Financial Aid FAQs

What is the FAFSA? It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is used to apply for federal student financial aid, such as grants, loans and work-study. In addition, most states and schools use information from the FAFSA to award non-federal aid. Students should never pay someone to help them complete it.

If a student is not living with his/her parents and receives no support from them, can they file as a self-supporting student? Students who are under the age of 24 must file as a dependent student unless they meet certain criteria. This means they must supply their parents’ information when they file the FAFSA. To be considered independent, a student must meet at least one of these criteria:

• Be born before Jan. 1, 1987.
• Be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral program.
• Be married on the date of application.
• Have children who receive more than half of their support from the student.
• Have dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with the student and receive more than half their support from the student at the time of application.
• Both parents are deceased, or the student is or was in foster care, or the student is or was a ward or dependent of the court at any time since turning 13.
• Be on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training.
• Be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• Be an emancipated minor as determined by a court in the student’s state of legal residence.
• Be in legal guardianship as determined by a court in the student’s state of legal residence.
• Be an unaccompanied youth who is homeless.

Can a student obtain financial aid if they plan to attend school part time? Almost all financial aid programs are available to students who attend school at least half time. Some institutions give preference to full-time students.

How does a student apply for financial aid? They must complete the FAFSA. Students may apply online at www.fafsa.gov. The online application is interactive and offers assistance as students work through it. The online form also notices when applicants have supplied contradictory answers, saving applicants’ time in processing. Paper versions of FAFSA forms also are available by calling (800) 4-FED-AID.

What is a PIN? PIN stands for Personal Identification Number. This number serves as a student’s identifier to allow access to personal information in various U.S. Department of Education systems. It allows students to sign their federal student aid applications online and to correct application data online. A PIN is required to complete the FAFSA and can be obtained by visiting pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp.

Does a student need to be admitted to a school before applying for financial aid? No. Students can apply for aid before being admitted. However, some schools may require applicants to apply for admission before a financial aid package will be awarded. Students must be enrolled before they can receive funding from financial aid.

Who should apply for financial aid? Anyone who is considering pursuing postsecondary education should apply, even if they don’t think they’ll qualify.

Is a student who defaulted on a student loan eligible to receive additional financial aid in order to return to school? In this case, students should arrange a payment schedule with the holder of their defaulted loan. If payments are made on time, the student may regain eligibility for financial aid.

If a student receives a scholarship, does it affect the amount of financial aid he/she receives from the college? It may. Students should contact the financial aid office at their school to get specific information on how they treat scholarships.

What happens to a student’s loans if he/she takes a semester off? If a student has a subsidized or unsubsidized Stafford loan, he/she has a six-month grace period. Perkins Loans have a nine-month grace period. Depending on how long the student is out of school, he/she may need to begin repayment. When the student returns to school, he/she should complete an in-school deferment form. The grace period can only be used once for the life of the loan, so if a student uses the grace period before graduation, he/she will have to begin repaying the student loans immediately after graduation.

When should students apply for financial aid? Students should complete and send in the FAFSA as soon as possible after Jan. 1. In Montana, the priority deadline is March 1. Families can use estimates on the FAFSA if they haven’t completed their taxes for the current year. They shouldn’t leave any sections of the FAFSA blank. In addition, students should contact the Financial Aid office at their school to see what other guidelines apply and if other information is required.

What is the EFC? EFC is an acronym for Estimated Family Contribution. Cost of attendance minus EFC equals a student’s financial need. Colleges use this calculation to create financial aid packages for students. To obtain an estimate of EFC, students should visit www.fafsa.gov and click on “FAFSA4caster.”