经济援助-常见问题

If you think you will need help paying for your college expenses, you 应该 apply 通过填写联邦学生援助免费申请(FAFSA). 你会经常 find FAFSAs at local high schools, colleges or libraries, or you can apply electronically 在网上使用FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.政府.

决定援助资格的计算是复杂的. 没有什么容易的， straight forward "income cut-off" or other method to help you anticipate whether you'll 要有资格——唯一确定的方法就是申请. 如果你的家庭环境 change, the financial 援助 office is in a better position to help if your application 已经存档了.

以下是就读不同学校的费用估算. 这些数字包括 tuition and fees for nine months and an estimate for room and board, transportation, 书籍及用品及个人杂项开支. 调整生活费用 对那些和父母住在一起的学生来说.

标准分析用于确定财务需求. 你的家庭是多少 expected to contribute (the Student Aid Index, or SAI) is calculated based upon the 你的FAFSA报告的信息. 然后从教育成本中减去SAI 在你申请的学校. 两者之间的区别是你的需求 申请经济援助.

你可以使用网上计算器预先估计你的SAI http://studentaid.Administration / aid-estimator /.

Contact the financial 援助 office of each school you are considering attending as soon 并询问他们的申请程序和截止日期. 提供所有信息 在学校规定的截止日期前填好表格. 如果你的申请迟交或不完整， you may 不 be considered for all the 援助 programs available or you may 不 receive 你的援助及时赶上了交学费的截止日期. 不要等着被录取——去见 deadlines even if you don't plan to attend until winter or spring because many schools' 截止日期适用于全年，而不仅仅是秋季.

从完成一份 FAFSA 在student援助.政府.  If you prefer 不 to complete your FAFSA online, you must call the federal processor and ask to have a paper FAFSA mailed to your home (800-4FEDAID) or you can print one 从FAFSA网站获取.  

不一定. 许多学校早在他们能赚钱之前就开始录取了 奖学金. 向每所学校查询他们的“注册费”退款政策。 如果学校不能提供足够的帮助你参加.

It is a good idea to have completed the federal tax return before completing 联邦助学金免费申请表 since the application will require consent to retrieve exact tax information  directly 来自国税局.  如果这不能及时完成，您将满足优先申请 date at the school(s) in which you are interested,  contact your school’s financial 帮助办公室了解你应该如何提交信息.

Keep a file with copies of all application materials for each year including a U.S. income tax return and W-2s in the event you need to provide a copy to your school.  

是的. 学生 under 24 years of age are considered dependent on their parents by federal law no matter where they live (there are limited exceptions -- please 不e them in FAFSA的说明). 如果你的父母没有在你的 申请，你可能不会被考虑资助. 如果你有特殊情况 which make it impossible for your parents to complete 联邦助学金免费申请表, contact the school’s 并与他们讨论.

If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married, and don’t live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is the contributor 并且必须提供他们的信息. 如果父母双方提供的金额完全相等 of financial support or if they don’t support you financially, the parent with the greater income or assets is the contributor 并且必须提供他们的信息.

与你将要就读的学校的经济援助办公室联系. 他们可以决定 如果变更会影响你获得援助的资格. 解释信 应该 不 be sent with your FAFSA, as it will only delay processing and will be destroyed.

After you complete your FAFSA, you will receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). 这 document may give you some guidance about expected contribution toward college cost, 但这并不是最后的定论. 等着学校经济援助办公室的消息吧 or college where you've applied; they make the final determination of your eligibility 寻求帮助. 你可以询问学校预计什么时候会发出奖励通知 五月由早春至仲夏。.

你可能会被要求提供文件以核实申请表上的任何项目. 大学 are required to collect Tax 成绩单 (or a signed 1040 form) to verify a student 以及家长的信息.  确保你和你的父母保留一份你的 填妥的联邦纳税申报表和用于完成申请的w -2表格.  学院 我会通知你需要哪些文件.

There are four basic kinds of 援助: 奖学金, grants, loans and work study programs. Most students naturally prefer scholarship and grant programs because they do 不 have to be rep援助, but there is 不 enough of this "gift" 援助 to meet the need of 所有学生都有资格获得资助. 通常，礼物援助是通过贷款和/或工作提供的 研究基金通常被称为“自助”援助.

你的第一个联系人应该是你的高中辅导员. 通常是当地组织 与高中合作颁发奖学金. 许多学院和大学都提供 奖学金. 由录取或财政援助办公室提供的材料将包括 这些信息或者你可以访问他们的网站. 也有一些国家级的 奖学金搜索服务. 这些服务大部分都已提供 免费. If you choose to pay for these services, be cautious and confirm the organizations 在付款前是合法的.

奖学金 usually represent only a small portion of the total funds available for financial 援助, so even if you don't qualify for a scholarship, you may be offered 其他援助. If you expect to receive a scholarship from an outside source, it is important 通知助学金办公室.

A loan is financial 援助 and your eligibility is established with the information on 联邦助学金免费申请表. 经济援助办公室是最好的信息来源 除了其他援助之外，你还有资格申请贷款. 可能会有额外的费用 申请流程和单独的申请表格. 欲了解更多信息，请联系您的 学校的经济援助办公室.

许多学生每周工作10到15个小时. 调查显示学生 who work do as well, often better, in their classes than students who don't -- perhaps the obligation of having a job requires them to budget their time more carefully. Work study programs have three main advantages: (1) it helps you keep your loan debt down, since often the alternative to work is taking a loan, (2) it gives you a chance to get work experience which will help you find a job when you get out of school, (3)勤工俭学的收入在未来的援助申请中被抵消.

信件应该 不 be sent with your FAFSA, as it will only delay processing and will be destroyed. Correspondence that explains your family’s special circumstances 应该 be sent to 你打算上的大学.