When should I begin the Financial Aid Process



FAFSA QUESTIONS

When should I begin the Financial Aid Process?

BEGIN NOW! Since priority is given to completed applications on file by March 15th, you are encouraged to file your application forms as early as possible.  Applications received after March 15th will be considered on a first-come, first served basis.  Applications received after July should not expect their aid to be finalized prior to the Fall term tuition and fees confirmation deadline. In addition, some grants and Work-Study opportunities are first-come, first serve.  Waiting to apply may cost you the chance to get free money.

Am I required to complete the FAFSA?

Yes.  In the financial aid process, the FAFSA is required to access government grants or low-interest government educational loans and some of our scholarship programs.

How much does the FAFSA cost?

Your FAFSA will be processed for FREE.  Beware of any company that charges a fee to complete the FAFSA for you.  Your own effort will achieve the same results at no cost.

I know I don’t qualify for need-based financial aid.  Do I still need a FAFSA?

Yes.  Even if your family’s income is too high for you to receive grants and other need-based aid, the FAFSA is a requirement for obtaining federal loans that are not need based. 

When should I complete the FAFSA?

You should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible during the calendar year that you are attending.  For the Fall 2012 term, this means as early as January 1, 2012.  The priority deadline at JSU is March 15, 2012.  If your application is received after July 2012, you should not expect your Fall financial aid to be finalized by the tuition and fees confirmation deadline.  In addition, some grants and Work-Study opportunities are first-come, first serve.  Waiting to apply may cost you the chance to get free money.

Do I have to wait until April 15th?

No.  The FAFSA asks for data from the federal tax forms.  If a student uses “Will File” in one or both of these questions, additional paperwork may be required and may delay processing of your application.

Do I have to fill out a new FAFSA each year?

Yes. However, this process is much easier than completing your first FAFSA.  After entering the PIN number you created last year, all of your old data will appear on the new form.  If you have not created a PIN number, you may create one at that time.  You only need to correct or update the information for the new school year, and submit online.

HELPFUL HINTS

Apply Early. Some grants and Work-Study opportunities are first-come, first serve.  Waiting to apply may cost you the chance to get free money.

Do Not Estimate.  Use completed federal income tax returns.  If you estimate this data incorrectly, we may be required to make corrections, which will delay the processing of your application.

Do Not Leave Blanks.  Never leave questions blank on any form you submit if you are required to complete it.  Blank questions will only delay your application’s processing.

Keep Copies.  Retain photocopies of all forms and correspondence you submit along with the dates they were mailed.  Refer to them when inquiring about your application.

Use Your Full Given Name.  Complete all forms using your full given name.  Do not use nicknames.  Notify the Financial Aid Office of any name changes.  Sign your name legibly to prevent a delay in processing.

Use Your Social Security Number and Date of Birth.  Entering your correct Social Security Number (SSN) and date of birth (DOB) on all forms, especially the FAFSA and parent or spouse tax returns, is very important.  Be sure to review your SSN and DOB for accuracy; transposed numbers or incorrect numbers will result in delays.

Check, Read and Respond.  Check MyJSU Self-Service Banner for updates on your application and Offer of Financial Aid.  Carefully read and follow all instructions provided.  Respond quickly to all requests from our Office.  A slow response may result in cancellation of aid.

Sign All Documents.  Even if you file a FAFSA on the web, you must print the signature page, acquire signatures, and mail it to the processor.  If you have a PIN number, you may sign your FAFSA on the web.  Also, sign all forms that are requested by our Office.

Take Responsibility.  You are applying for financial assistance to help you attend JSU.  Although you may need your parents’ help in completing your forms, the application forms are yours and you need to know what forms and information have been provided to whom and when.

Document Phone Calls.  If you call to discuss your application, keep notes of the day you called, with whom you talked, and what was discussed.  Please be patient if you are asked to hold.  During peak times we experience over a thousand phone calls per day.

COMMON MISTAKES

Making mistakes on your FAFSA could delay your application and possibly make you lose out on some financial aid. The most common errors people make are listed below. As you complete the FAFSA try to avoid these errors.

• Leaving blank fields–enter a '0' or 'not applicable' instead of leaving a blank. Too many blanks may cause miscalculations and an application rejection.

• Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields–always round to the nearest dollar.

• Listing incorrect Social Security Number or Driver's license number–check these entries and have someone else check them, too. Triple check to be sure.

• Entering the wrong federal income tax paid amount–obtain your federal income paid amount from your income tax return forms, not your W-2 form(s).

• Listing Adjusted Gross Income as equal to total income–these are not the same figure. In most cases, the AGI is larger than the total income. This mistake is particularly common.

• Listing marital status incorrectly–only write “yes” if you're currently married. They want to know what you're marital status is on the day you sign the FAFSA, or Renewal FAFSA.

• Listing parent marital status incorrectly–the custodial parent's marital status is needed; if they've remarried, you'll need the stepparent's information too.

• Leaving the question about drug-related offenses blank–If you're unsure about something, find out before you submit your FAFSA instead of leaving it blank. A conviction doesn't necessarily disqualify you from getting aid.

• Forgetting to list the college–obtain the Federal School Code for the college you plan on attending and list it–along with any other schools to which you've applied.

• Forgetting to sign and date–if you're filling out the paper FAFSA, be sure to sign it. If you're filing electronically, be sure to obtain your PIN from pin.. Your PIN is your electronic signature and will always be assigned to you only.

• Entering the wrong address–your permanent address is not your campus or summer address.

• Sending in a copy of your income tax returns–you will be contacted if your information needs verification; you don't need to send a copy of your tax returns in with your application.

Additional Tips

Much of the financial information you need to provide is on your tax forms. Completing your taxes early can make the application process easier because you'll have the financial information you need in one place. You can estimate your financial information using previous tax years and correct the amounts on the form later by going to the corrections page on the FAFSA website. If you are not required to file taxes, you still have to fill out a FAFSA to get financial aid.

Here is a list of materials that will help you complete the FAFSA:

• Your Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card)

• Your driver's license (if any)

• Your W-2 Forms for the previous year and other records of money earned

• Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) most recent Federal Income Tax Return – IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040Telefile, foreign tax return, or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia

• Your parent's Federal Income Tax Return for the previous year (if you are a dependent student as defined by federal criteria)

• Your current bank statements

• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records

• Documentation that you are a U.S. permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen.

Filling out the Pre-Application Worksheet will help you collect and proofread the information for your application before you submit it. There are resources available if you decide you need assistance filling out the FAFSA; check the FAQ section on the FAFSA Website, or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED AID (1-800-433-3243). Financial aid administrators across the country also participate in free FAFSA events to help applicants fill out the form accurately. Look for a FAFSA event in your area to get free, professional assistance to fill out the FAFSA.

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