Federal Financial Aid Student Eligibility and the Application Process TASFAA New Aid Officers Workshop May 16, 2011

1. Federal Financial AidStudent Eligibility and the Application ProcessTASFAA New Aid Officers WorkshopMay 16, 2011 Presented by: Karen Krause University of Texas at Arlington

2. General Student Eligibility Requirements • US citizen or eligible non-citizen • Attend an institution that participates in federal financial aid programs • Have obtained a high school diploma or it’s equivalent • Be working toward a degree or certificate

3. General Student Eligibility Requirements • Enroll as a regular student in an eligible program • Enroll at least half time (6 credit hours for undergraduate students)* • * Federal Pell Grants may be awarded for less than ½ time enrollment based on eligibility • Meet Satisfactory Academic Progress standards

4. General Student Eligibility Requirements • Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal educational loan • Registered with Selective Service if required

5. Other Program Eligibility Requirements • Federal TEACH Grants have specific requirements concerning grade point average and future plans for teaching that must be considered • State grant, work and loan programs have additional criteria

6. Citizenship Requirements • U.S. citizen or national • U.S. permanent resident • Citizens of the Freely Associated States: the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands • Other eligible non-citizens

7. Citizenship Requirements • Citizenship match first with Social Security Administration (SSA) • Name, Date of Birth and SSN matched • Common confirmation documents • Copy of birth certificate • Copy of U.S. passport (current or expired) • Certificate of Naturalization

8. Citizenship Requirements • Permanent residents and eligible non-citizens • First match with Social Security Administration (SSA) • Second match with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) • DHS match takes precedence over SSA match

9. Citizenship Requirements • Data elements used in permanent resident and eligible non-citizen match • Social Security number • Name • Date of birth • Alien registration number (A-number)

10. Citizenship Requirements • Automated Secondary Confirmation • If match doesn’t confirm, DHS automatically tries to otherwise determine eligibility • CPS waits 3 days before processing ISIR • Paper Secondary Confirmation • If automated secondary confirmation doesn’t occur, student may provide unexpired documents to be mailed to USCIS in DHS

11. Social Security Number • SSA match validates that SSN is valid and matches the name and date of birth on the FAFSA application as presented

12. Academic Qualifications • High school diploma • Recognized equivalent such as a GED certificate • Recognized home schooling at the secondary level • Approved Ability to Benefit test • Self certification on the FAFSA is acceptable documentation

13. Database Matches • Selective Service System to verify registration • National Student Loan Data System for loan default and grant overpayment • Department of Veteran’s Affairs • Social Security Administration • Department of Homeland Security

14. Database Matches • 2010-2011 new automated Department of Defense match for students whose parent or guardian died as result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after September 11, 2001

15. FAFSA Comments • Comment codes may be informational - examples: indicating potential Pell and TEACH eligibility • “C” flags and other comment codes must be resolved • Missing signatures • Loan default or grant overpayments • Citizenship status • Bankruptcy

16. FAFSA Comments • Applications selected for verification – school must request and obtain verification documents prior to awarding • Aggregate loan limits met

17. Federal Loan Default • Confirmed through National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) • No federal aid can be awarded to students with a loan default until it is resolved • Default resolution • Repayment in full • Satisfactory Repayment Arrangements • Loan consolidation

18. Grant Overpayment • Confirmed through NSLDS • Student must resolve overpayment prior to receiving additional Title IV funds

19. Selective Service • Required for males ages 18 – 25 including U.S. citizens, permanent residents, other eligible non-citizens • Common exemptions • Currently serving in the armed forces on active duty • Not 18 at the time they complete the FAFSA • Males born before 1960 • Females

20. Selective Service • Males who failed to register must request a Status Information Letter from SSS • Based on the letter and other supporting documents, FAA must decide if the student knowingly and willfully failed to register • FAA’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. DOE

21. Satisfactory Academic Progress • School must define and publish the established SAP policy • Policy must include a qualitative measure (example: grade point average) • Policy must include a quantitative measure (completion rate, maximum time frame)

22. Application Methods • FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) – both new applications and renewal applications • EDE Express • Paper FAFSA – less than 1% of the total applications processed for 2010-2011 (based on DOE information in July, 2010)

23. FAFSA Signature • U.S. Department of Education PIN http://www.pin.ed.gov • Serves as electronic signature on the FAFSA as well as the MPN • Allows students to check the status of the FAFSA and make corrections • Allows students to access the NSLDS and Direct Loan Servicing web sites

24. FAFSA Signatures • PIN required for both student and parent (if dependent) • PIN remains active for up to 10 years • PIN represents the signature of a specific individual – not a particular role

25. Output Documents • Student Aid Report – sent to student electronically if an e-mail address is provided • Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) – sent to the institution(s) that the student has authorized • Output documents are sent within a few days • Will not be sent to a school unless authorized by the student

26. FAFSA • Results of the FAFSA will indicate if the student has been selected for verification • FAFSA will calculate the Expected Family Contribution that will be used to calculate a student’s financial aid eligibility

27. Financial Aid Resources • Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) – www.ifap.ed.gov – this site also includes the Student Aid Handbook • National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators – www.nasfaa.org • Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation – www.tgslc.org

28. Financial Aid Resources • Texas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators – www.tasfaa.org • Southwest Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators – www.swasfaa.org • Colleagues and mentors in the profession

29. Questions?

30. Contact Information Karen Krause Executive Director, Office of Financial Aid, Scholarships and Veteran’s Affairs University of Texas at Arlington kkrause@uta.edu