• Financial Aid Image

     

     

      • In order for a student to receive financial aid, both parent and student (if they received a W2 in 2021), must fill out the free federal form, FAFSA. The website for this form is https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
      • The FAFSA opens on October 1, 2022, for the 2022-2023 school year
      • It is highly recommended that these forms be submitted online.
      • Financial Aid is based on information from tax returns from the year prior.  For seniors, Class of 2023, use tax returns from year 2021
      • Aid is based on the previous year’s (2019) tax records.  We recommend that you utilize the IRS Retrieval Tool if possible when completing the FAFSA.  Doing so will reduce the chances of your student’s FAFSA being flagged for verification.
      • Students and parents will need a PIN (personal identification number) in order to access the FAFSA website. Students and parents can request this PIN now on the website www.fafsa.ed.gov
      • If parents would like access to the US Department of Education’s publications, they can be accessed at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/guide
      • If a student is applying to schools in New York State, they may also be eligible for TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) from the state of New York. At the end of the FAFSA application there will be a link at the bottom to the TAP application at https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/apply-for-financial-aid/nys-tap/apply-for-tap.html
      • Students will receive an SAR (Student Aid Report) from FAFSA, which will have an EFC (Estimated Family Contribution). The lower the EFC the more aid you will be eligible for.
      • Both collegeboard.com and studentaid.gov have Financial Aid Calculators where families can use tax records to estimate the aid they may be eligible for.
      • There is a financial aid application that does cost money called the CSS Profile. Some private colleges and universities use this form to give out private money they have in endowments. This application can and should be filled out and submitted right away…you do not have to wait until January 1 to submit it.
      • Chris Chang from SUNY Ulster encourages all parents to call his Financial Aid Office for questions even if they are not planning to attend SUNY Ulster. They can be reached by phone at 687-5058 or by email at financialaid@sunyulster.edu.
      • If you feel there have been changes in your family’s income in 2023 that are not accounted for in the 2021 information, you should  contact the financial aid offices of the schools you are applying to and plead your circumstances. 

Related Files

Related Links