Applying for Financial Aid

All students are encouraged to apply for financial aid as soon as possible. Students may be eligible for grants depending on numerous factors such as their income during the previous year, the number of dependents they have, college attendance by family members, medical expenses, unemployment, etc. To apply for the programs described here, you must file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, be enrolled in a degree program, and be making satisfactory academic progress.

Completing your FAFSA by Mail

You can obtain an application at the reception desk. You can either apply for financial aid by mail or electronically. http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you apply by mail, be sure to complete the entire application. The City College Code is 002688. If something does not apply to you, put a zero. Your financial aid is based on your federal taxes (such as 1040, 1040A or 1040 EZ) the calendar year before the academic year you are applying. Use the envelope provided to mail the application.

Applying for a PIN

The first step in applying electronically is to apply for a pin at http://www.pin.ed.gov. The pin can be used to make changes on your application and for other programs. If you provide an email address within one to five business days, you should receive instructions about how to obtain your pin number on the Internet. If you don’t provide an email address, you will receive a PIN number by mail within 7 to 10 days.

Applying by the Internet

Go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure to complete the entire application. You can sign it with your pin or you can sign the signature page and mail to the provided address. At the end of the application, you will be given the option of applying for TAP, a New York State Program. We suggest that you apply for TAP at this time.

You should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) within four weeks. Read pages 1 and 3 to see if additional information is requested. Make copies that we can keep of any documents requested. If there is an asterisk (*) next to the number after the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), you have been selected for verification and must submit a signed copy of your 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ and your W2 forms. If there is a "C" next to your name, other documents will be required (such as documentation of social security number, name, citizenship or selective service status). When you receive your SAR, make an appointment to see a financial aid counselor by calling 925-6625 ext 241. If you do not receive your SAR after four weeks, call 1-800-433-3243.