Transcript Applying for Financial Aid 2009-2010 - Cal-SOAP

Applying for
Financial Aid
2009-2010
What Will You Learn Today?
•
•
•
Types and sources of financial aid
•
Answers to your
individual questions
Required financial aid application forms
How to complete the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Cal Grant GPA
Verification Form
2
Types of Financial Aid
• 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
3
Sources of Financial Aid
•
Federal government
•
State government
•
•
Colleges and universities
Private agencies,
companies, foundations,
and your parents’
employers
4
Cal Grants
•
Cal Grant A Entitlement Awards – for high school
•
Cal Grant B Entitlement Awards – for high school
•
Cal Grant C Awards - for students from low income
seniors and recent high school grads with a Grade Point
Average (GPA) of at least 3.0, family income and assets
below the state ceilings, who demonstrate financial need
seniors and recent high school grads with a GPA of at least
2.0, who come from disadvantaged or low income families,
whose family income and assets are below the state ceilings,
and who demonstrate financial need
families pursuing vocational programs of study
5
Eligibility for Cal Grants
•
To be eligible for a Cal Grant, the
student must also:
• be a U.S. citizen or eligible
noncitizen
• be a California resident
• attend an accredited California
college or university in
2009-2010 at least half-time
6
Residency and Cal Grant
Eligibility for 2009-2010
• If unmarried and under 18 years of age, the student will be
considered a legal resident of California if:
• parents have been legal residents of California for one year immediately
prior to March 2, 2009, or
• student has lived in California with other legal California residents, other
than parents, for two years immediately prior toMarch 2, 2009, or
• parents in the Armed Forces are stationed in California on active duty at
the time the student enrolls in college, or parents’ military home of record
is California.
• If married or 18 years of age or older, the student establishes his/her own
residence status. The student must be a legal resident of California for one
year prior to March 2, 2009.
7
2009-2010 Cal Grant Application
Requirements
• By March 2, 2009, complete and submit:
Free
Application
for Federal
Student Aid
(FAFSA)
Cal Grant
GPA
Verification
Form
Check with your high school or college counselor for more
details on how to file the Cal Grant GPA Verification
Form
8
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 be eligible, foster youth must have
been in
California foster care on their 16th birthday and
not have reached their 22nd birthday before July 1,
2009
• To apply, the foster youth must complete:
2009-2010 FAFSA
• California Chafee Grant Program
Application
•
To learn more about the
Chafee Grant, go to:
www.chafee.csac.ca.gov
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Need-Based Grants
• Federal Grants
•
Pell Grants
•
•
•
$ 4,731 maximum per year
Academic Competitiveness Grants
•
$750 for the first year
•
$1,300 for the second year
Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grants (SEOG)
•
$4,000 maximum per year
10
Need-Based Grants
•
Community College Board of
Governors’ (BOG) Fee Waiver
•
Waives the California Community
Colleges’ enrollment fee for financially
needy California residents
•
To learn more about this BOG Fee
Waiver, go to
www.icanaffordcollege.com
•
CSU State University Grant (SUG) –
amounts vary
•
•
UC Grant – amounts vary
Independent College Grants - amounts
vary
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Types of Applications
•
•
•
FAFSA
Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
Other applications or forms as required by
the college such as
•
•
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CSS Financial Aid PROFILE
Institutional Scholarship and/or
Financial Aid Application
2008 federal tax returns (along with
schedules and W-2s) or other income
documentation
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FAFSA Information & Tips
•
File early, but no later than
March 2, 2009
•
Use estimated 2008 income
information if taxes are not
complete at time of FAFSA
submission
•
Student and at least one parent
whose information is reported
must complete and sign the
FAFSA
13
Federal PIN
•
•
•
•
PIN (Personal Identification Number) serves as
the electronic signature on ED documents
Both student and at least one parent need PINs to
sign the FAFSA electronically
May be used to:
• Check on FAFSA status
• Verify and correct FAFSA data
• Add additional schools to receive FAFSA
data
• Change home and e-mail addresses
If an e-mail address is provided, PIN will be emailed to the PIN applicant within hours
Apply for student and
parent PINs TODAY
at:
www.pin.ed.gov
14
Getting Ready
•
Before starting the FAFSA, gather:
• Student driver’s license
• Student Alien Registration Card
• Student and Parent
Social Security cards
2008 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
2008 federal income tax form (even if not completed)
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
15
The FOTW Worksheet
A Five Section Form
Section 1
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
– is about the student
– determines student dependency status
– collects parental information for dependent
students
– collects student finances and information
about the independent student
– allows students to list up to ten schools to
receive information from the FAFSA
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Section 1
(page 2)
STUDENT INFORMATION
Section 1
Your Last Name
Jones
•
•
The FOTW will ask for the student’s first and last
name as well as a middle initial
Make sure to report the student’s name exactly as it
appears on the student’s Social Security Card
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Section 1
Your Social Security Number
1 2 3
4 5
6 7 8 9
Double check your Social Security Number when
entering it on the FOTW. Both your name and Social
Security Number will be compared through a database
match.
19
Section 1
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
• Conditional permanent residents with I-551C
• Eligible noncitizens with I-94
If neither a citizen or eligible noncitizen, you are ineligible for federal/state aid,
but might still be eligible for institutional funds
20
Section 1
Alien Registration Number
0 1 2
3 4
5 6
7 8
If eligible noncitizen, write in your eight- or ninedigit 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
21
Section 1
Citizenship Status
NOTE: if you are undocumented
• if you are applying to any California public
college or university, check to see if you might
be eligible for in-state tuition costs
• check with colleges and universities to see if
institutional financial aid is available
• apply for all private scholarships for which you
may be eligible
• watch for changes in federal and state laws
regarding the eligibility of undocumented or
under-documented students
For more information and a
• start inquiring in elementary, middle or high
list of scholarships, go to
school to see if it is possible for younger
www.latinocollegedollars.org
students to become permanent residents
22
Section 1
Your State of Legal Residence
CA
•
•
Residency relates to your permanent home state
• if you are dependent, the state of legal residence is usually the
state in which your custodial parents live
State of legal residence is also used
• to determine eligibility for state grants
• in the need calculation to determine the appropriate allowance
for state and other taxes paid by that state’s residents
23
Section 1
Selective Service Registration
•
Male students who are 18 years of age or older
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
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Section 1
Federal Student Aid Question
•
Answer “No” if you have never received federal
student grants, federal student loans or federal workstudy
•
You should also answer “No” if you have never
attended college. If you answer “No” to this
question, skip question 23
25
Section 1
Drug Conviction Question
• Answer “Yes” if you have been convicted of possessing or
selling illegal drugs while you were receiving federal student
financial aid
• Answer “No” if:
•
•
•
You have no drug-related convictions of any kind but simply
received student financial aid while a college student
Conviction was for alcohol or tobacco
Conviction was removed from your record or occurred before age
18 (unless tried as an adult)
26
Section 1
Parents’ Educational Level
Indicate highest level of schooling completed by your
biological or adoptive parents (for state award purposes
only)
• Use birth parents or adoptive parents - not stepparents
or foster parents
• This definition of parents is unique to these two
questions
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Section 1
Degree Objective
Indicate your most
immediate degree or
certificate objective for
2009-2010
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Section 1
Your Expected Enrollment Status at the Start of the
2009-2010 Academic Year
•
Report your enrollment plans for the college
you are most likely to attend
•
If unsure, report “Full-time”
29
Section 1
Work-Study and Student Loans
If you are interested in either work-study (student
employment) or student
loans, or both, mark the appropriate box
• Indicating interest does not obligate you
to either work or borrow, nor will it
cause you to lose grants and scholarships
• Answering “neither” may restrict some options for
limited work-study or loan funds
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Section 2
(page 3)
STUDENT DEPENDENCY
STATUS
Section 2
Determination of Student Dependency Status
32
Section 2
Determination of Student Dependency Status
33
Section 2
Determination of Student Dependency Status
•
•
If you answer “no” to all questions in this
section, go to Section 3. For FAFSA filing
purposes, you are considered a dependent
student and are required to provide parental
information
If you answer “yes” to any question in this
section, skip Section 3 and go to Section 4. You
are considered an independent student for
FAFSA filing purposes and are NOT required to
provide parental information
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Section 3
(page 4)
PARENTAL
INFORMATION
Section 3
Parental Information
See Page 4 of FAFSA on the
Web Worksheet about who
is considered a parent
– Biological or adoptive
parent(s)
– Stepparent (regardless of
any prenuptial
agreements)
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Section 3
Parental Information
•
Do not provide information on:
– Foster parents
• If the student is in foster care, he/she is
automatically considered an independent
student
– Legal guardians or grandparents or other relatives
• The student must attempt to get biological parental
information
• Colleges may use Professional Judgment to allow
the student to file as independent
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Section 3
Parental 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 2008 federal tax return, use W-2
forms and/or other employment records to
estimate total income
12 ,356
,
0
(no cents)
38
Section 3
Parents’ Marital Status as of Today
Month and Year Your Parents were Married,
Separated, Divorced, or Widowed
M
M Y
Y Y Y
39
Section 3
Parent E-Mail Address
[email protected]
• Fill in your parents’ e-mail address that will be
valid at least until you start college
• If you provide your parents’ email address, the
FAFSA processor will let them know your FAFSA
has been processed
40
Section 3
Father’s and Mother’s SSN, Last Name, and Dates of
Birth
2 3 4
5 6
7 8 9 0
JONES
0 5
0 3
0 0 0
0 0
1 9 5 9
0 0 0 0
PARKER
0 7
1 9
1 9 6 0
NOTE: Provide this information for your
parent(s) who complete Section 3 of
the worksheet
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Section 3
Parents’ State of Legal Residence
CA
M M Y Y Y Y
•
Indicate the two-digit state code for your
parents’ permanent address
•
Leave question 74 blank if at least one of your
parents whose information is used on this form
began living in the state before January 1,
2004
42
Section 3
Parents’ Tax Return Filing Status for 2008
• Indicate your parents’ current tax filing status for 2008
• Which tax return did or will your parents file for 2008?
• Even if your parent(s) did not file a 1040A or 1040EZ, read
the instructions to see if they would have been eligible to do
so
• The FOTW Web site will ask if your parents have completed
their 2008 tax return
43
Section 3
Parents’ Household 2008 Federal Benefits
Indicate if you, your parents, or anyone in
your parents’ household received benefits in
2008 from any of the federal programs listed
44
Section 3
Parent Dislocated Worker
A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she:
• is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing
a job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation
• has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job
• was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic
conditions or natural disaster
• is a displaced homemaker
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Section 3
Parent 2008 Adjusted Gross Income
45,250
•
•
If your parents have not yet filed their 2008 federal tax
return information, it is fine to estimate information for
these questions
If your parents have completed their 2008 federal tax
return, use 2008 tax return information to complete this
item. Pay attention to specific line-items on 2008 federal
tax return, if completed
Reminder: If the answer is zero or the question
does not apply, enter 0
46
Section 3
Money Earned from Work by Parent(s) in 2008
45,250
40,500
Use W-2 forms and other records to list all income in
2008 earned from work (including income earned from
self-employment)
47
Section 3
Parents’ Income Tax Paid in 2008
2,130
•
What was the amount your parents paid in
income tax for 2008?
– Use U.S. Income tax paid (or to be paid)
• not the amount withheld from your parents’
paychecks
48
Section 3
Parents’ 2008 Tax Exemptions
05
•
Enter your parents’ exemptions for 2008 Exemptions
can be found on their IRS tax return
• Be sure to include all persons being claimed on
your parents’ 2008 federal tax return, regardless of
whether they are included in your parents’
household size question
49
Section 3
Parents’ Household Information for 2009-10
05
•
Include in your parents’ household:
• yourself
• your parent(s)
• your parents’ other dependent children, if
your parents provide more than half their
support or the children could answer “no” to every question in
Section 2, regardless of where they live
• other people, if they now live with your parents and will continue to
do so from 7/1/09 through 6/30/10, and if your parents provide
more than half their support now, and will continue to provide
support from 7/1/09 through 6/30/10
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Section 3
Family Members Attending College in 2009-10
2
•
•
•
Always include yourself even if you will attend college
less than half-time in 2009-2010
Include other household members only if they will
attend at least half time in 2009-2010 in a program that
leads to a college degree or certificate
Never include your parents
NOTE: Some financial aid offices will require proof that
other family members are attending college
51
Section 3
2008 Additional Financial Information
12,600
10,200
2,500
Enter the total from this Additional Financial Information
Sheet on Question 94 on page 5, Section 3
52
Section 3
2008 Untaxed Income
1,700
6,200
500
Enter the total from this 2008 Untaxed Income Sheet on
Question 95 on page 5, Section 3
53
Section 3
Parent Asset Information
•
List the net value of your parents’ assets
as of the day you complete the FAFSA
•
If net worth is one million
dollars or more, enter $ 9 9 9 , 9 9 9
•
If net worth is zero, enter 0 $
,
0
NOTE: Some financial aid offices may request supporting
documentation for the answers to these questions
54
Section 3
Parent Cash, Savings, and Checking
2,155
Report the current balance of your parents’ cash,
savings, and checking accounts as of the day you
complete the FAFSA
55
Section 3
Parent Investments
7,900
•
•
Net Worth means current value minus debt
Investments include:
• real estate (other than parents’
•
•
•
•
•
home)
trust funds
UGMA and UTMA accounts
money market and mutual funds
certificates of deposit
stocks and stock options
• bonds and other securities
• Coverdell IRAs
• 529 plans owned by
•
•
parents
installment and land sale
contracts
commodities, etc.
56
Section 3
Parent Business and Investment Farms
23,600
•
Business/Investment Farm includes:
– market value of land, buildings, machinery, equipment,
and inventory. Debt means only those debts for which
the business was used as collateral
NOTE: DO NOT include the home you live in, the value of life
insurance and parent retirement plans (pension funds, annuities,
non-education IRAs, Keogh plans, etc), or the value of a family
owned and controlled small business with 100 or fewer full-time or
full-time equivalent employees
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Section 4
(page 6)
STUDENT FINANCES
Section 4
Student Finances
•
Questions (34 – 40) are identical to the parent
financial questions we covered in Section 3
•
In these questions in Section 4:
• Report your 2008 income
• If you are single, ignore references
to “spouse”
• If you are married, report spouse’s
income and assets
59
Section 4
Student Veterans’ Education Benefits
For more information on Veterans’ Education Benefits,
contact the VA at:
(800) 827-1000
or
www.va.gov
60
Section 4
Student Finances (Independent Students)
Answer questions (96 – 103) in
Section 4 only if you answered
“yes” to at least one question in
Section 2 – Student Dependency
Status
61
Section 4
Student Finances (Independent Students)
Include in your household:
•
•
•
you (and your spouse if married)
your children, if you will provide more than half their
support
other people, if they now live with
you and you provide more than
half their support, and will
continue to provide that level
of support from 7/1/09 through 6/30/10
62
Section 4
Student Finances (Independent Students)
•
Count yourself even if you will attend college
less than half-time in 2009-2010
•
Include others only if they will attend at least
half-time in 2009-2010 in a program that
leads to a college degree or certificate
63
Section 4
Household Federal Benefits (Independent Students)
Indicate if you, your spouse, or
anyone in your household received
benefits in 2008 from any of the
federal programs listed
64
Section 4
Dislocated Worker (Independent Students)
A person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she:
• is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing a job
and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation
• has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job
• was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic
conditions or natural disaster
• is a displaced homemaker
65
Section 5
(middle of page 7)
COLLEGES TO RECEIVE
INFORMATION
Section 5
School Information
001170
001328
023456
034567
First, list the California school you are most likely to attend, and
then list others to which you are applying for admission
67
Section 5
School Information
•
•
•
List up to ten schools to which you are applying
For faster and more accurate processing, write in both the
Title IV school code and the school name
• Check with each college’s financial aid office, your high
school counselor, or the U.S. Department of Education’s
website (www.fafsa.ed.gov) for a listing of federal
school codes of the colleges to which you are applying
Select the housing plan that best describes the type of
housing you expect to have while attending each listed
school
68
Section 5
School Information
Strategies for Listing Colleges
• List at least one California college or
•
•
university first
In Question 97, list those schools with the
earliest financial aid deadlines, regardless of
whether they are in-state or out-of-state
If the student is applying to more than ten
schools, wait for the processed Student Aid
Report (SAR) and add additional schools via
the Web or by phone
NOTE: Each UC and CSU campus must be listed separately
69
70
TYPES OF FAFSAs
•
•
FAFSA on the Web
Paper FAFSA
71
FAFSA ON THE WEB
•
Internet application used by students
and parents to complete electronic
FAFSA at
www.fafsa.ed.gov
•
Processed more quickly than paper
version
•
Sophisticated on-line edits so that
errors are less likely to be made
•
Student and at least one custodial
parent should get a federal PIN at
www.pin.ed.gov
72
Application Filing Tips
FAFSA on The Web
•
•
Gather necessary documents ahead of time
Complete a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet available at
www.fafsa.ed.gov
•
•
•
•
•
•
Allow ample time to complete form for submission by deadline
Check the FAFSA for accuracy prior to submission
Save all work periodically
Sign the application using student and at least one parent’s PIN
Print out a copy of the FAFSA before submitting data
Keep a copy of the Submission Confirmation Page
73
Application Filing Tips
Paper FAFSA
•
•
•
•
•
•
File early and meet all deadlines
Check the FAFSA for completeness and accuracy
Sign and date FAFSA
Make a copy of the FAFSA before mailing
Mail the FAFSA
• Do not write any comments on the FAFSA
• Do not include letters, tax forms, or worksheets
• Use regular mail (not Registered or Certified)
Obtain a U.S. Postal Service Certificate of Mailing
(cost is only $1.05)
74
Student Aid Report (SAR)
•
•
Regardless of whether the student uses
FAFSA on the Web or submits a paper
FAFSA, a SAR will be sent to the student
– An electronic SAR will be sent if student
provides an email address
– A paper SAR will be mailed if no
student e-mail address is provided
An electronic copy of the data will be sent
to each college or university listed by the
student in Section 5
75
What Happens Next?
Students and the colleges the student listed receive Student Aid Report
(SAR) from federal processor
↓
Students who complete FAFSA and Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
receive California Aid Report (CAR)
↓
Students and families review SAR and CAR for important information
and accuracy of data
↓
Colleges match admission records with financial aid applications and
determine aid eligibility
↓
Colleges mail notices of financial aid eligibility to admitted students who
have completed all required financial aid forms
76
Special Circumstances
•
Contact the Financial Aid Office if there is:
– Loss or reduction in parent or student income or
assets
– Death or serious illness
– Natural disasters affecting parent income or assets
– Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered
by insurance
– Reduction in child support, social security benefits
or other untaxed benefit
– Financial responsibility for elderly grandparents
– Any other unusual circumstances that affect a
family’s ability to contribute to higher education
77
Summary of the
Financial Aid Process
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Submit all required forms, including the FAFSA, by each
college’s published deadlines (but no later than March 2)
By March 2, submit a Cal Grant GPA Verification Form
Keep a copy of all forms submitted
Review the electronic Student Aid Report (SAR)
Acknowledgement or the paper SAR sent to the student
Review the California Aid Report (CAR)
Watch for financial aid award notifications from colleges
to which the student has been admitted
Be sure to apply for financial aid this year and every
year as soon as possible after January 1 to receive the
best financial aid award possible
ASK QUESTIONS!
78
Contact us at:
858.569.1866
www.sandiegocalsoap.com
California CASH for COLLEGE
Cal-Grant & FAFSA Event
High School Seniors and Parents
$1000 Scholarship Opportunity
FAFSA Individual Assistance
Tax Preparation (1040EZ)
San Diego State University, Love Library
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Time: 9am-12noon
Come at any time and plan to stay an hour.
www.sandiegocalsoap.com → Click on “Events”
More dates and times…
Cash for College Events
 Sat.,
Jan. 31 9am-Noon
– San Diego State
University: Love Library
 Sat.,
Feb. 7 9am-Noon
– Lincoln High School
– San Ysidro High School
 Fri.,
Feb. 20 9am-Noon
– Imperial Valley College
 Sat.,
Feb. 21 9am-Noon
– Chula Vista High School
– Mira Costa College
– TBA
 Sat.,
Feb. 28 9am-Noon
– Southwest High School
– CSU San Marcos
– Madison High School
For more info., directions, and registration:
www.sandiegocalsoap.com → Click on “Events”
Questions and
Answers
81