Sharon L Harper Director of University Scholarships University of Colorado Denver

 What is financial aid  Cost of attendance (COA)  Expected Family Contribution (EFC)  What is financial need  Categories, types, and sources of financial aid  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)  Special circumstances

 Any money that can be used to pay for a student’s college  Scholarships  Grants  Student Employment  Student Loans  Parent/Family Resources

1. Apply to college 2. Complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) AFTER January 1, 2012  There may be additional applications for scholarships/loans/institutional aid that will vary by school 3. Receive Financial Aid Award from School attending 4. Accept awards offered

 –15 FAFSA on the Web available on January 1, 2014 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet: Used as “pre-application” worksheet Questions follow order of FAFSA on the Web

Resident at State University  Tuition & Fees $ 7,932  Books & Supplies $ 1,749  Personal/Misc. $ 2,565  Room & Board $10,378 TOTAL $22,624 Non-Resident  Tuition & Fees $ 28,187  Books & Supplies $ 1,749  Personal/Misc. $ 3,437  Room & Board $ 10,378 TOTAL $ 43,751

Cost of Attendance – Expected Family Contribution = Financial Need

 Amount family can reasonably be expected to contribute  Stays the same regardless of college  Two parts  Parent contribution  Student contribution  Provided by the FAFSA information

 Need-based  Non-need-based

 Scholarships  Grants  Loans  Employment Gift Aid Self-Help Options

 Money that does not have to be paid back  Awarded on the basis of merit, skill, unique characteristic, or community service  Scholarships can be Institutional, Regional, and/or National

 Available through:  Employers, businesses, churches, foundations, tribal affiliations...  Look here:  Fastweb.com  Scholarships.com  Finaid.org  High school counseling Center  College/University Websites

 Essay  Pay attention to the prompt and be clear and direct with responses.  Resume  Be thorough with the activities, experiences, and any accolades you have acquired.  Recommendation Letters  Provide plenty of time for your recommender to complete their letter  Interview  Practice interviewing ahead of time to be prepared. Remember to be yourself.  Transcripts  Keep copies for multiple applications throughout this process.

 Money that does not have to be paid back  Usually awarded on the basis of financial need

 Money students and parents borrow to help pay college expenses  Repayment usually begins after education is finished  Only borrow what is really needed  Look at loans as an investment in the future

Allows student to earn money to help pay educational costs  A paycheck; or  Non-monetary compensation, such as room and board

 School makes the financial aid award  Notifies student/family  May be selected for verification:  Respond to all requests from school immediately  Provide ONLY information requested

 While completing FOTW, applicant may submit real-time request to IRS for tax data  IRS will authenticate taxpayer’s identity  If match found, IRS sends real-time results to applicant in new window  Applicant chooses whether or not to transfer data to FOTW

 Available early February 2014 for 2014–15 processing cycle  Participation is voluntary  Reduces documents requested by financial aid office

 Social Security Numbers  Divorced/remarried parental information  Income earned by parents/stepparents  Untaxed income  U.S. income taxes paid  Household size  Number of household members in college  Real estate and investment net worth

 Notify your school in writing of any of the following:  Change in employment status  Medical expenses not covered by insurance  Change in parent marital status  Unusual dependent care expenses  Student cannot obtain parent information

 NOT a Grant/Scholarship/Aid  Undergraduate Colorado resident  Enrolled in eligible Colorado college  Must apply on-line (only once) CollegeInColorado.org  Must authorize use at college

 Your High School Counseling Office  Your College of Interest Financial Aid/Admissions/Scholarship Offices  FinAid.Org