1. Student Eligibility and the Application Process
John Sculley – Texas State
David Orsag – University of Mary Hardin-Baylor

2. Student Eligibility

3. Basic Requirements US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen
Selective Service Registration
Not be in default on a federal debt
Aggregate borrowing limits not exceeded
Not owe Title IV Refund
High School Graduate or Equivalent
No disqualifying drug convictions
Enrolled in a Degree Eligible Program

4. SAP Satisfactory Academic Progress est. by school
No more than 150% of program length

5. Checking Criteria
3 ways: -application process -checked/monitored by school -not specifically checked
Conflicting information must be resolved!

6. Criteria Checked by the Application Process
Central Processing System (CPS) conducts through:
Social Security Administration (SSA)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Selective Service System
National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Defense (DoD)

7. Criteria Checked by the Application Process
Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR)
For the administrator
EFC, verification code, “C” Code, Comment codes
Student Aid Report (SAR)
For the student
EFC, comments, eligibility for Pell/Stafford Loan
Reject and C-Codes

8. Criteria Checked and Monitored by the School
Regular student
HS diploma or equivalent
SAP
Financial need
Pell Grant, Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant, Direct Subsidized Loan
Individual Title IV requirements
i.e., TEACH Grant

9. Criteria Not Specifically Checked
Simultaneous enrollment in elementary or secondary school
Property liens/debt owed to the US
Incarceration
Suspected fraud
CONFLICTING INFORMATION MUST BE RESOLVED!

10. Other Factors Prior degrees Enrollment status
Correspondence Courses, Distance education, Remedial Coursework
Program of study

11. Gaining/Losing Eligibility
SAP
SSN, Citizenship, Selective Service
Eligibility regained for entire year
No subsequent disbursements for lost eligibility
Exception- citizenship

12. Remember these differences…
Corrections: Applicant corrects an item incorrectly entered or previously estimated
Updates: Year in school, dependency status
Adjustments: Changes made by the school as the result of a professional judgment

13. The Application Process

14. FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Multiple ways to complete the FAFSA
On the Web at
FAA Access
FAFSA on the Phone

15. FAFSA FAFSA on the Web English or Spanish Real time submission
Electronic signatures
Pop up help
Pop up chat help

16. Online FAFSA Features
Skip logic
Edit Checks
On-line status update

17. FAFSA Special Circumstances
Students may skip the parent questions if they feel they have a special circumstance

18. FAFSA – IRS DRT IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)
Pulls IRS tax return data into the FAFSA
Can be used for the correction process
Relieves the student/parent from submitting a tax return transcript for verification
Not available for everyone (i.e. amended return)

19. Common FAFSA Mistakes Form is not signed Wrong SSN Wrong Name
Wrong Date of Birth
Putting parent income information in student section

20. Signing the FAFSA How to sign the application FSA ID password
Printed Signature Page
Sign rejected paper Student Aid Report (SAR)
School submits the signature through FAA Access (and keeps the documentation in the student’s file)

21. FAFSA Signing the application: Certifies the information is correct
Gives ED authority to verify the information with other agencies
Agrees to provide the school with requested documents
Certifies the student’s identity
Acknowledges consequences of false information
Agrees to certain application certification statements

22. FSA ID FSA ID used to electronically sign the FAFSA www.fsaid.ed.gov
Need an FSAID for student & parent
“Create An FSA ID” for new users
“Edit My FSA ID” to view the status, change password, etc.

23. Common Issues w/ FSA ID Forgot username or password
Used parent’s & student’s SSN
SSN not matched but FAFSA was submitted
Students might update to FAFSA when issue is with FSA ID

24. Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
The amount a family can be reasonably be expected to contribute to a student’s annual cost of attendance.
The same at all schools
Calculated using a congressionally mandated formula

25. FAFSA Demo Log in
Use FSA ID username & password or student info

26. Student Demographic Info
General student info
DOB
Address
State residency info

27. Student Eligibility Citizenship status Grade level info
Work-study interest
Degree completion

28. School Selection Enter 6 digit school code
Indicate if they are living on/off campus or with parents
Used to calculate different housing costs for the Cost of Attendance

29. Dependency Question Dependent vs. Independent
Born before 1/1/93?
Married? Children? Other dependents?
Graduate school?
Active duty military? Veteran?
Orphaned after 13, foster care or ward of the court?
Emancipated minor? Legal guardianship?
At risk of homelessness?

30. Parent Demographics Name, DOB, SSN Marital Status State of residence
Household size
Number in college

31. Parent Financial Information
Tax filing status
Type of return filed (1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ)
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
Income from work
Dislocated worker?
Federal benefits programs
SNAP, TANF, etc.
Income Taxes Paid
Any other untaxed income

32. Student Financial Info
Similar to parent info
Tax status
Income from work
Untaxed income

33. Sign & Submit Review disclosures Student signs using FSA ID
Parent signs using FSA ID
Hit “Submit My FAFSA Now”

34. FAFSA Demo Site www.fafsademo.test.ed.gov
FAFSA demo site uses fake SSN & student data to simulate the FAFSA
Gives you end user experience
User Name: eddemo
Password: fafsatest

35. Contact Information
David Orsag University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
John Sculley
Texas State University