Student Eligibility and the Application Process Kimberly Schwaeble – Rice University Rachael Fournier – University of Dallas

Basic Requirements US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen Selective Service Registration Not be in default on a federal debt Aggregate borrowing limits not exceeded Not owe Title IV Refund High School Graduate or Equivalent No disqualifying drug convictions

SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress est. by school No more than 150% of program length

Checking Criteria 3 ways: -application process -checked/monitored by school -not specifically checked Conflicting information must be resolved!

Criteria Checked by the Application Process Central Processing System (CPS) conducts through: Social Security Administration (SSA) Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Selective Service System National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Department of Justice (DOJ) Department of Defense (DoD)

Criteria Checked by the Application Process Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) For the administrator EFC, verification code, “C” Code, Comment codes Student Aid Report (SAR) For the student EFC, comments, eligibility for Pell/Stafford Loan Reject and C-Codes

Criteria Checked and Monitored by the School Regular student HS diploma or equivalent SAP Financial need Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Direct Subsidized Loan Individual Title IV requirements i.e., TEACH Grant

Criteria Not Specifically Checked Simultaneous enrollment in elementary or secondary school Property liens/debt owed to the US Incarceration Suspected fraud CONFLICTING INFORMATION MUST BE RESOLVED!

Other Factors Prior degrees Enrollment status Correspondence Courses, Distance education, Remedial Coursework Program of study

Gaining/Losing Eligibility SAP SSN, Citizenship, Selective Service Eligibility regained for entire year No subsequent disbursements for lost eligibility Exception- citizenship

Remember these differences… Corrections: Applicant corrects an item incorrectly entered or previously estimated Updates: Year in school, dependency status Adjustments: Changes made by the school as the result of a professional judgment

FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid Multiple ways to complete the FAFSA On the Web at Paper FAFSA FAA Access FAFSA on the Phone

FAFSA FAFSA on the Web English or Spanish Real time submission Electronic signatures Pop up help Pop up chat help

Online FAFSA Features Skip logic Edit Checks On-line status update

FAFSA Special Circumstances Students may skip the parent questions if they feel they have a special circumstance

FAFSA – IRS DRT IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) Pulls IRS tax return data into the FAFSA Can be used for the correction process Relieves the student/parent from submitting a tax return transcript for verification Not available for everyone (i.e. amended return)

Common FAFSA Mistakes Form is not signed Wrong SSN Wrong Name Wrong Date of Birth Putting parent income information in student section

Signing the FAFSA How to sign the application FSA ID password Printed Signature Page Sign rejected paper Student Aid Report (SAR) School submits the signature through FAA Access (and keeps the documentation in the student’s file)

FAFSA Signing the application: Certifies the information is correct Gives ED authority to verify the information with other agencies Agrees to provide the school with requested documents Certifies the student’s identity Acknowledges consequences of false information Agrees to certain application certification statements

FSA ID FSA ID used to electronically sign the FAFSA Need an FSAID for student & parent “Create An FSA ID” for new users “Edit My FSA ID” to view the status, change password, etc.

Common Issues w/ FSA ID Forgot username or password Used parent’s & student’s SSN SSN not matched but FAFSA was submitted Students might update to FAFSA when issue is with FSA ID

Expected Family Contribution (EFC) The amount a family can be reasonably be expected to contribute to a student’s annual cost of attendance. The same at all schools Calculated using a congressionally mandated formula

FAFSA Demo Log in Use FSA ID username & password or student info

Student Demographic Info General student info DOB Address State residency info

Student Eligibility Citizenship status Grade level info Work-study interest Degree completion

School Selection Enter 6 digit school code Indicate if they are living on/off campus or with parents Used to calculate different housing costs for the Cost of Attendance

Dependency Question Dependent vs. Independent Born before 1/1/93? Married? Children? Other dependents? Graduate school? Active duty military? Veteran? Orphaned after 13, foster care or ward of the court? Emancipated minor? Legal guardianship? At risk of homelessness?

Parent Demographics Name, DOB, SSN Marital Status State of residence Household size Number in college

Parent Financial Information Tax filing status Type of return filed (1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ) IRS Data Retrieval Tool Income from work Dislocated worker? Federal benefits programs SNAP, TANF, etc. Income Taxes Paid Any other untaxed income

Student Financial Info Similar to parent info Tax status Income from work Untaxed income

Sign & Submit Review disclosures Student signs using FSA ID Parent signs using FSA ID Hit “Submit My FAFSA Now”

FAFSA Demo Site FAFSA demo site uses fake SSN & student data to simulate the FAFSA Gives you end user experience User Name: eddemo Password: fafsatest

Contact Information Kimberly Schwaeble Rice University Rachael Fournier University of Dallas