How to Apply for Financial Aid

Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible after Jan 1 and before March 1 to receive priority packaging.  The student and parent must have the following information before completing the FAFSA.

1. Prepare your parent(s) and your 2007 Federal Income Tax Returns
2. Collect any additional income information and have available
3. Apply for a PIN (Personal Identification Number).  Go to www.pin.ed.gov and sign up for a PIN number for your parent(s) and yourself.  This will allow you to sign the application online.

2.  To learn more about completing the FAFSA visit Completing the FAFSA.  Please make sure you visit 2008-2009 Completing the FAFSA (The award year runs from July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009.  This version is available in both English and Spanish.)

3.  Go to the website www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) over the internet with FAFSA on the Web.

4.  Indicate on the FAFSA that you want to apply for financial aid at Shaw University (School Code 002962).

5.  A Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to you by the federal processor.  Please review to make sure all the information you supplied was accurate and correct.  Your FAFSA will be transmitted electronically to Shaw University.  Review your Student Aid Report mailed to you, and determine if it is necessary to make corrections.

During the process of applying for aid, the Department of Education randomly selects students for a process called verification.  Verification is a process in which certain students receiving financial aid are requested to provide additional proof of their identification and certify that the information on their financial aid materials is correct.  This is a federally mandated quality control process.  Students selected must send the requested documents to the financial aid office before an award will be made.  If your file is selected for verification, the school is required to compare these data elements with the information on your tax returns to "verify" their accuracy.  Your SAR will tell you if you have been selected for verification.

Financial aid awards will not be made unless all required documents are received.

6.  Once your financial aid file is complete, you will be awarded financial aid based on your eligibility established by completing the FAFSA. The receipt of financial aid is not automatic. Students must apply each year for financial aid, supply all information as required by the federal government and the institution before eligibility is determined. One cannot assume, even if it has been received it in the past, that eligibility will automatically continue.

An award letter notification will be mailed to your permanent address. The address the financial office aid will use to forward your financial aid award notification letter and other correspondence from this office will be the one you furnished to the federal government on your FAFSA when you applied for federal financial assistance.

If you have not applied for 2008-2009, go to How to Apply for Financial Aid and click on number one (1). You will go directly to the government’s site for completing the FAFSA. Follow the instructions. 

7.  At Shaw University, more than 85% of our students are offered a loan in their aid package.  If you accept this loan you will need to complete loan counseling and a promissory note of the lender you have selected. Our primary lender is Sallie Mae. Also on our lender list is Bank of America and Next Step. For more information on our lenders, please call our office. If you reject the loan offered in your financial aid award, no further action will be necessary.

Helpful Hints:

• All students applying for financial assistance are encouraged to keep all documents used to complete the FAFSA.  If selected for verification, you will be asked to submit a copy of these documents to the Financial Aid Office.

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