Resources
Financial Aid Information
The Department of Education offers a wealth of knowledge on their website if you are interested in learning more about the different types of financial aid programs and how to apply.
Another great resource is The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid.
Students and parents should become familiar with both of the above resources if planning to apply for financial aid.
Completing the FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be completed online.
In order to apply, students, parents and borrowers are required to use an FSA ID, made up of a username and password, to access certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents. You can apply for your FSA ID online.
Federal Student Loans
Students who plan to accept a Federal Student Loan must complete Direct Loan Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN). These steps must be completing by logging in to studentloans.gov with your student FSA ID. Once you have completed the steps above, the Department of Education will forward the record of completion to the Office of Financial Aid.
Parents who wish to borrow through the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan program will also log in to studentloans.gov to apply. Be sure to use your parent FSA ID when logging in and do not log in as your student.
Students can track the cumulative amount of their loans and guarantor information by visiting their account dashboard at studentaid.gov