Applying for Aid
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Financial Aid Application Procedures
Financial Aid is awarded for one year only and renewal is not automatic. All forms of need-based financial aid must be reapplied for annually. In addition to complying with renewal criteria for the different aid programs described in the following sections, students who wish to be considered for financial aid must submit all required applications and paperwork in a timely manner.
Each year a student must file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is good for all federal and state programs. The FASFA is also used to determine Institutional grant and scholarship eligibility. The deadline for the FAFSA is May 1 if a student wants to be considered for the state PHEAA grant. Additionally, first priority is given to students who file early. Certain scholarship and grant programs have limited funding, which cannot be awarded beyond the program funding.
When reapplying for financial aid, students will receive a FAFSA reminder and a pin number to reapply on line at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. The renewal FAFSA will require the student and parent, and if independent, the student's spouse to complete only the items flagged for update rather than having to complete a whole complete FAFSA.
Federal Aid Programs
Students must meet the following requirements to be considered for any of the federal financial aid programs:
- Must have a high school diploma or GED
- Must be enrolled as a matriculating student in an eligible degree program or a certificate program
- Must be a U. S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Must maintain satisfactory academic progress
- Must not already hold a bachelor's degree (this requirement does not apply to the Stafford, Federal Work Study, or Perkins Loan program)
- If required, must be registered with Selective Service
- Must not owe any refund on Federal Aid and not be in default on Federal educational loans
- Must not have been convicted of any illegal drug offense that would make you ineligible for Federal Aid.