1. Gafutures and SURFER Tavis Caldwell Outreach Pennie Strong
Student Aid Services
GASFAA Fall Workshop 2016
Fall 2016

2. GAfutures.org

3. GAfutures Home Page Hope & State Aid Programs
Federal Aid & Scholarships
College Planning
Career Exploration
Resources
About Us
MyGAfutures
Also on the home page:
We wanted to put faces and names to some of the students who have benefitted or are benefitting from the almost 20 financial aid programs GSFC administers. So, GAfutures has a section just for our award recipients. We encourage students to submit their scholarship success stories. They can access the form at the bottom of the Award Recipients page.
GSFC in the News highlights media coverage from around the state related to GSFC and the programs we administer.
GAfutures has enhanced GSFC’s social media presence with a live twitter feed!! Our Twitter feed is a great place to find resources and information that can help in the college planning process and even after you are in college.
On the right-side menu you can find the latest information under News You Can Use
Trending includes links to any new programs, announcements and the current year’s award amounts search tool.
Shortcuts, next to Trending, gives some quick links to things such as our Program Regulations, the GSFAPPS application and Your HOPE GPA.
Underneath Trending and Shortcuts, you can find links to some of our partners in education.
Finally, to the left of the Twitter feed is where our school professionals access their management systems.

4. GAfutures Home Page Award Recipients GSFC In The News Twitter
News you Can Use
Administrative Section
Also on the home page:
We wanted to put faces and names to some of the students who have benefitted or are benefitting from the almost 20 financial aid programs GSFC administers. So, GAfutures has a section just for our award recipients. We encourage students to submit their scholarship success stories. They can access the form at the bottom of the Award Recipients page.
GSFC in the News highlights media coverage from around the state related to GSFC and the programs we administer.
GAfutures has enhanced GSFC’s social media presence with a live twitter feed!! Our Twitter feed is a great place to find resources and information that can help in the college planning process and even after you are in college.
On the right-side menu you can find the latest information under News You Can Use
Trending includes links to any new programs, announcements and the current year’s award amounts search tool.
Shortcuts, next to Trending, gives some quick links to things such as our Program Regulations, the GSFAPPS application and Your HOPE GPA.
Underneath Trending and Shortcuts, you can find links to some of our partners in education.
Finally, to the left of the Twitter feed is where our school professionals access their management systems.

5. HOPE & State Aid Programs
State Aid Applications
HOPE & Zell Miller Scholarships
HOPE & Zell Miller Grants
State Loans
State Scholarships and Grants
First up, the HOPE & STATE AID PROGRAMS section which serves as the one-stop-shop for everything you need to know about GSFC administered programs.
Students can research the different types of programs, their requirements and deadlines.
Student will also visit this tab to apply for various GSFC administered programs.
Make payments on existing obligations, as well as learn about re-payment options.

6. State Aid Applications
Two of the most important financial aid applications you will need to complete are the GSFAPPS or the FAFSA.
You can complete both applications online in the State Aid Applications section of the Hope & State Aid Program tab.
GSFAPPS
This is the online financial aid application for applying for most scholarships, grants or service-cancelable loan programs administered by the Georgia Student Finance Commission
Please note, the student’s Social Security Number must be in their profile in order to begin this application
The FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) determines eligibility for all federal financial aid programs
This application will apply students for all forms of federal aid and most state aid, including those administered by GSFC
Federal loans such as Stafford and PLUS
Pell grants

7. GSFAPPS
The GSFAPPS is a Georgia-specific financial application that students will need to complete if you choose not to complete the FAFSA but are eligible for state aid, like HOPE. And again, you can find this under HOPE & State Aid Programs, Applications.

8. State Loans
The GSFAPPS is a Georgia-specific financial application that students will need to complete if you choose not to complete the FAFSA but are eligible for state aid, like HOPE. And again, you can find this under HOPE & State Aid Programs, Applications.

9. Federal Aid & Scholarships
Financial Aid Basics
FAFSA
Federal Student Loans
Federal Student Grants
Scholarship Search
Financial aid planning is a crucial part of preparing to go to college for the majority of students.
GAfutures has all the information you’ll need to help get organized and plan accordingly. The Financial Aid & Scholarship section
Has the answers to your financial aid questions.
Enables you to search and apply for aid responsibly.

10. Federal Aid Basics
Financial Aid Basics answers many of the most frequently asked questions regarding financial aid.
How do I apply?
How much does college cost?
What aid am I eligible for?
What is FAFSA?
If you are lost in the world of financial aid, this information can help you find your way.
Many financial aid-associated terms are defined here to help you better understand the process.

11. Scholarship Search
The Scholarship Search uses a national database that can be searched by key word or you can use various filters to help narrow down your search.

12. GAfutures Training/FAQs
Also located under the Resource tab, Students and Administrators will find Frequently Asked Questions and Quick Guides to assist with various technical functions throughout the site.

13. Admin Tab
On GAfutures.org

14. Administrative Tab
Under the My GAfutures tab, look for the gray Admin bar link on the left side of the screen and click on it to view the Admin area.
Note: If you do not see the Admin bar, you will need to contact your Institutional Admin, District Admin or GSFC. These Admins will have the ability to grant you Admin rights to GAfutures.

15. Administrative Tab
In the Admin area you will see sections available for use depending on your administrative privileges.
SURFER/STARS
Create Account
Edit Account
Username/Password Recovery
Administrative Rights
Admin Review
Groups
Send Messages
Promote
Reports

16. Institutional Administrator
Access SURFER
Create Institutional User (IU) Accounts
Assign/Edit Administrative Rights
View and Manage Institutional User Accounts
View Non-Administrative Accounts Attached to Institution
Initiate the Username/Password Recovery Process
Edit Institutional User

17. Institutional User Access SURFER
Create General User Accounts (Students)
View Non-Administrative Accounts Attached to Institution
Initiate the Username/Password Recovery Process

18. Create Account
Institutional Administrators can use the Create Account tab to create Institutional User and General User (Students).accounts
Institutional Users can only create student Accounts.

19. Create Account
Next, you will need to enter all of the user’s information into the blank fields. If setting up a high school or postsecondary user, you will be required to select the district, high school or postsecondary school.
If you are creating a account for a Institutional Admin or User, select ‘Other’ as the Account Type
When you are done, click on the Create User button at the bottom of the section.

20. Create Account
Once the account is created, the user will receive the following conformation s.
Welcome
Username
Temporary Password

21. Edit Account
Once you enter your search criteria, you can then view the accounts associated with that particular tag.
Review the accounts before choosing to ensure you identify the correct user.
Once you have identified the appropriate account, click on the blue hyperlink (username) to enable available search fields.

22. Edit Account
Once you have edited the desired fields, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click Update Account.
An will automatically be sent to the user to notify them that their profile has been changed by an administrator.

23. Username/Password Recovery
Under the Username/Password Recovery Tab
Institutional Admin’s can initiate the recovery process for Institutional and General User’s.
Institutional User’s can only initiate the recovery process for General User’s.
You can search by Username, Address, Last Name or Phone Number for the account in which you would like to start the recovery process. (Search Fields are case sensitive)

24. Username/Password Recovery
Click on the Reset Password button and an will be sent to the user with a temporary password.
Click on the Send Username button and an will be sent to the user with the associated user name.

25. Administrative Rights
On GAfutures.org

26. Admin Review
This is the feature for the IA to look up all the Institution User accounts for their school.
IA will not see any other IA or themselves listed.

27. Administrative Rights
Only Institutional Administrators can assign rights to Institutional Users.
To assign rights to an Institutional Users, click on the Administrative Rights tab.
You can Search by Username, , Phone No or Last Name and it is case sensitive.
If your institution does not have an assigned Institutional Administrator please contact your GSFC Administrator.

28. Administrative Rights
 Next, search for the account you wish to update. Click on the drop-down menu and choose one of the following search criteria:
Username
Phone No
School Name
Last Name

29. How to Assign Rights
Once you found the username that you want to give IU rights to
Click under the Admin Type drop down list and change it to ‘Institution User’
Click the check box under Select User and click the Update button to save your change.

30. How to Assign Rights
Double click on the Plus sign beside each application will allow you to give Full Access, Read Only or None to each of the applications.
Double click on the Plus sign besides the STURFER button will expand all the different applications under it.
All the IU accounts migrated over from old STURFER will not have access to the two new Transcripts Applications.

31. SURFER

32. SURFER
Menu Options

33. SURFER
Forms

34. SURFER
User Guides

35. SURFER
Student Search

36. Student Demographics

37. Student Demographics

38. Reporting Losses Reporting HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship Losses
Students may lose and regain HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarships
Schools are required to report the losses in SURFER
SURFER Screen: HOPE/Zell Loss Dates
Enter the Loss Date
School that reported the loss is listed

39. Reporting Losses Reporting HOPE and Zell Miller Scholarship Losses
Only the reporting school can remove a loss

40. Upload Files

41. Inboxes CDR: Cohort Default Rate Reports
Final & Preliminary HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship GPA
11th Grade Progress Unverified Report

42. GPA File NEW - 11th Grade Unverified Progress GPA
Each year in early October a file will be provided
DCL
File provides the unverified GPA provided by high schools for students completing the 11th grade, typically
The GPAs contained in the file are not considered the Preliminary or Final GPA provided for 12th Graders
The use of the GPA is not considered official eligibility of the HOPE or Zell Miller Scholarship
Final HOPE/Zell Miller Scholarship GPA
Reporting the Preliminary HOPE GPA is done in February & March
Reporting the Final HOPE GPA is due by June 30th

43. Rejected Invoices

44. Reject Description List

45. Check for a GSFAPPS on file
Application Not Found
Check for a GSFAPPS on file

46. Application Not Found
Check for FAFSA Data

47. Add/Edit Student Invoice
To enter a manual invoice

48. Invoice Resolutions
Difficulty Resolving Current Year Rejections/Pending Invoice
Origination and Disbursement Specialist at
Include in the
School name and code
Student name and last four of SSN
Program, term and tier
Amount the award/invoice should be, not the adjustment
Enrolled Hours and Paid Hours
Office will process and you when completed

49. Online Data Correction
Data Correction Form available in SURFER
Located under invoicing tab
Enter SSN or name, fiscal year, term and submit

50. Online Data Correction
Upon selecting submit, all previous invoices will appear
Choose invoice to correct with the select button

51. Online Data Correction
Use drop down options to change Tier, Program or Term
Enter updated tuition amount, paid-hours or enrolled-hours

52. FY 2017 Invoice Deadlines Term Invoicing Deadlines
Included in the Dear Colleague Letter

53. Year-End Reconciliation Deadlines
Year-End Invoices & Reconciliation Deadlines
Last date to request an extension for any current year term invoices – June 8
Last day of an extension – June 20
Year-End Reconciliation deadline for all programs – July 15
Return of Funds deadline – August 15
Remember, any fall funding for the current fiscal year will not be released until previous fiscal year and current summer term have both been reconciled
Note: If any of these deadline dates fall on a weekend, the deadline is automatically the following Monday

54. Budget Reconciliation
Term & Year-end Reconciliation
To receive funds, prior term must be reconciled
To receive Fall Term funds, Summer term must be reconciled and the Prior Year

55. Late Invoice Requests Request a Current Year Late Invoice
Provide the following:
School name and code
Student name and last four of SSN
Program, term and tier
Amount the award/invoice should be, not the adjustment
Enrolled Hours and Paid Hours
Send either request to
Origination and Disbursement Specialist when send notification when current year invoice is processed
Request a Prior Year Late Invoice
Provide same information as current year request and
Include reason or circumstance surrounding the late invoice request
If approved, invoice will be processed in the summer term of the current fiscal year and an will be sent
in a letter signed by the Financial Aid Director

56. SURFER Transcript Inbox
High School Transcripts requested by students.
Files pulled daily and may contain multiple transcripts
File formats provided: XML, HTML, PDF and RTF
Institutions with the Tech Support may choice new option: FTP server

57. View Received Transcript

58. View Received Transcript

59. Zip File Passcode
Format for each institution's passcode to unzip files
0 # # # L L L +
Zero
LSN school code (as assigned by GSFC)
First 3 letters of school name
Plus symbol ( + )
Passcode must be used when you
chose to download a file
provide a file through download
Zipped files include
Invoicing
SAL
GPA files, including new annual 11th grade file
High School Transcript files

60. Upcoming Redesign of SURFER and STARS
Currently collecting suggestions/requests

61. Contact Us Tavis Caldwell Pennie Strong GAfutures.org
Pennie Strong
Student Aid Services

62. Be Social
You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest for all of the latest and greatest information about GAfutures.org, how it can help you and how it’s helped other students and their families plan, apply and pay for college.

63. OUR MISSION
To promote and increase access to education beyond high school for Georgians.
OUR VISION
To be the premier provider of student financial aid and educational services for Georgians.