GENERAL QUESTIONS
ELIGIBILITY
DEADLINES/TIMELINE
EXPECTED FAMILY CONTRIBUTION
FAFSA
TAXES
SCHOLARSHIPS
RESOURCES
TERMINOLOGY

General Questions

Q.  What is student financial aid?

A.  Financial aid is money from federal, state, and private institutions used to pay college costs.  There are two general types of aid: gift aid and self-help aid.  Gift aid: The two types of gift aid are grants and scholarships.  Generally grants and scholarships are the same thing- aid given to a student for which the student does not have to work or have an obligation to repay.  Self-help aid: There are also two kinds of self-help aid, loans and employment.  Loans-money used to pay current expenses with an obligation for repayment at some future time, usually with interest.  Employment- part time campus or off campus job.

Q.  How do I apply for Financial Aid?

A.  You must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You may apply online or with a paper application.  You can apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You will need a PIN number so you can e-sign the FAFSA.  A PIN number can be obtained at www.pin.ed.gov.  If you are a dependent student, also get a PIN number for your parent.  Alternatively, paper applications can be picked up at the Financial Aid Office. You will then need to mail the completed application in the envelope provided.  Whether you apply online or with a paper application, use the appropriate FAFSA School Code for all of the schools you are considering. 

In addition to the FAFSA, a separate form may be required to apply for a Cal Grant, called the GPA Verification Form.  A GPA Verification Form may be to be completed and mailed to the California Student Aid Commission.  The form is available in the Financial Aid Office or by accessing the Cal Grant website at www.calgrant.org.  Check with the Financial Aid Office to determine if this form is required.

Q.  What are college costs?

A.  College costs vary widely.  Most of the difference is in tuition and fees, which are lower at public institutions.  Other costs are much the same at public or private institutions.  Costs that are generally considered are: tuition, fees, room, meals, books and supplies, personal expenses and transportation.

Q.  I probably don't qualify for aid. Should I apply for aid anyway?

A.  Yes. Many families mistakenly think they don't qualify for aid and prevent themselves from receiving financial aid by failing to apply for it.  The FAFSA form is free. There is no good excuse for not applying.

Q.  Do I have to reapply for financial aid every year?

A.  Yes you should apply for financial aid every year. If your financial circumstances change, you may get more or less aid. After your first year you will receive a "Renewal Application" which contains preprinted information from the previous year's FAFSA. Note that your eligibility for financial aid may change significantly, especially if you have a different number of family members in college. Renewal of your financial aid package also depends on your making satisfactory academic progress toward a degree, such as earning a minimum number of credits and achieving a minimum GPA.

Q.  How do I know if I am dependent or independent and who’s information do I provide on the FAFSA?

A.  An important function of the FAFSA is determining whether you have dependent or independent student status. This depends mostly on your age, but sometimes on other things. For the 2006-2007 school year (July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007), the U.S. Department of Education considers the following students to be independent of their parent(s) and DO NOT have to provide parental financial information:

Students who:

-are at least 24 years old by December 31, 2006
-are orphans (both parents are deceased)
-are wards of the court or were until age 18
-are veterans of active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces
-have legal dependents (children or persons other than a spouse) that are supported more than 50% by the student
-will be graduate or professional students in 2006-2007
-are married
-can prove to the school unusual circumstances that show independent status

If you do not satisfy any one of the above criteria, then you must provide parental financial information.

Q: What are the Eligibility requirements for Financial Aid?

A: For federal funds you must:

• Be a US Citizen or eligible non-citizen.
• Demonstrate financial need as determined by a analysis of your FAFSA information.
• Be enrolled in a degree, certificate or transfer program at Modesto Junior College.
• Have a high school diploma or equivalent, or pass an "ability to benefit" test prior to receipt of Federal funds.
• Be registered with Selective Service if applicable. (Males born after 12/31/1951)

Q: Must I be enrolled full-time to receive financial aid?

A: Depending on your eligibility, you may receive financial aid if you are enrolled in fewer than 12 units. The amount you receive is based on the number of units in which you are enrolled. 

Q: Will my fee waiver cover my books? How often do I need to apply?

A: The enrollment fee waiver (BOGW) covers the cost of enrollment and health fees only. You need to apply for the BOGW once each academic year.

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Eligibility

Q.  Am I Eligible for Financial Aid?

A.  A student is eligible for Financial Aid if he/she satisfies the following criteria:

• Have a high school diploma, GED (or equivalency), or have passed an independently administered “Ability to Benefit” test approved by the U.S. Department of Education.
•  Be enrolled in an eligible program leading to an associate degree, certificate or transfer to a university.
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.  (Eligible non-citizens: U.S. Permanent Residents with an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551) or Conditional Permanent Residents (I-551C) or those with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) showing the designations of Refugee, Asylum Granted, Parole or Cuban-Haitian Entrant.)
• Submit all required forms and documents requested by the Financial Aid Office.
• Meet and maintain satisfactory academic progress requirements for financial aid.
• Have financial need, as demonstrated by a financial aid office review of your completed FAFSA.
• Be registered with the Selective Service if you are a male at least 18 years of age.
• Do not owe a refund or a repayment on a federal grant.
• Not be in default on a federal educational loan.
• Have a valid Social Security Number.
• Dependent students must also provide parents’ Social Security numbers if applicable.

Q. What is the income threshold for a family before financial aid is not offered to a student?

A. There is no income threshold for student aid eligibility.  All of the questions on the FAFSA are used to determine the Expected Family Contribution which results in the financial aid award put together by the school.  A family may have too much income to be awarded a Pell Grant, but this does not mean that they will not be eligible for other types of financial aid.

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Deadlines/Timeline

Q. Financial Aid Deadlines. Are there any?

A.  The priority processing period for the FAFSA and GPA Verification form is January 1 through March 2. 

Q.  Do I need to be admitted before I can apply for financial aid at a particular university?

A.  No. You can apply for financial aid any time after January 1. To actually receive funds, however, you must be admitted and enrolled at the university.

Q.  Why can't I submit my financial aid application before January 1?

A.  The need analysis process for financial aid uses the family's income and tax information from the most recent tax year (the base year) to judge your eligibility for need-based financial aid during the upcoming academic year (the award year). Since the base year ends December 31, you cannot submit a financial aid application until January 1. After all, your parents might earn a year-end bonus or realize capital gains from selling stocks on December 31. If you submit the financial aid application before January 1, it will be rejected.

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Expected Family Contribution

Q. My student is paying for college on his/her own.  Why do I have to submit my information on the FAFSA?

A. Congress, in the law that governs the federal student aid programs, defines when parental information is required.  Being claimed on a parent's tax return is not relevant to determining dependency.  It is also not relevant if the family’s decision is that paying for college is the responsibility of the student.  A student becomes independent when they meet one of the conditions described in Section 3, Page 4 of the FAFSA.  Congress’ intention is to establish the primary responsibility for a student's education is the student’s and student's family for their undergraduate degree.

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FAFSA

Q. Where can I get a copy of the FAFSA?

A.  You can ask the Financial Aid Office for a copy or access the online version of the form at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Q. Are photocopies of the FAFSA acceptable?

A.  No. Only the original FAFSA form produced by the US Department of Education is acceptable. Photocopies, reproductions, facsimiles and electronic versions are all not acceptable.

Q. How soon after January 1 should the FAFSA form be sent in? Is it better to wait until the income tax forms have been completed?

A.  Send in the form as soon as possible after January 1. Do not wait until your taxes are done. Although it is better to do your taxes early, it is o.k. to use estimates of your income, so long as they aren't very far off from the actual values. You will have an opportunity to correct any errors later. If you wait too long, you might miss the deadline for state aid. Most states require the FAFSA to be submitted by March 1, and some even as early as early or mid-February.

Q. I sent in my FAFSA over four weeks ago but haven't heard anything. What should I do?

A.  If you haven't received a Student Aid Report (SAR), call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (toll free) or 1-319-337-5665. You must provide them with your Social Security number and date of birth as verification.

You can also write to

Federal Student Aid Programs
PO Box 4038
Washington, DC 52243-4038

Q. I was born on January 1, when I will be 24 years old. Can I check Yes in the answer to the FAFSA question "Were you born before January 1, ..." to qualify as an independent student?

A.  The official answer is no. If you check yes, your SAR will be flagged for verification. However, most financial aid administrators would use professional judgment to override the default dependency determination for a student born on January 1 who also demonstrates financial self-sufficiency.

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Taxes

Q. Are work-study earnings taxable?

A.  The money you earn from Federal Work-Study is generally subject to federal and state income tax, but exempt from FICA taxes (provided you are enrolled full time and work less than half-time).

Federal Work-Study earnings during the calendar year should be included in the totals for Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) and Worksheet C on the FAFSA. Work-study earnings should only be included in Worksheet C when they represent financial aid to the student, since the answer to this question is used as an exclusion from taxed income. The student should also be careful to report amounts based on the calendar year, not the school year.

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Scholarships

Q. I got an outside scholarship. Should I report it to the financial aid office?

A.  Yes. If you are receiving any kind of financial aid from university or government sources, you must report the scholarship to the financial aid office.

Unfortunately, the university will adjust your financial aid package to compensate. Nevertheless, the outside scholarship will have some beneficial effects. At some universities outside scholarships are used to reduce the self-help level.  At some universities outside scholarships are used to replace loans instead of grants.

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Resources

Q. Where can I get information about Federal student financial aid?

A.  Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 1-800-730-8913 (if hearing impaired) and ask for a free copy of The Student Guide: Financial Aid from the US Department of Education. This toll free hotline is run by the US Department of Education and can answer questions about federal and state student aid programs and applications. You can also write to

Federal Student Aid Information Center
PO Box 84
Washington, DC 20044

Q. Where do I get financial aid forms?

A.  A paper FAFSA can be picked up at a local high school counselor’s office, a financial aid office at a college near you, or by accessing the online FAFSA at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Q. Where can I get help if I have questions about the financial aid forms?

A. You can contact the Financial Aid Office if you have questions about the FAFSA.  If you have questions specifically about the FAFSA, you can call the Federal Student Aid Center at 1-800-433-3243.  

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Terminology