Applying for Financial Aid

Apply for an FSA ID

An FSA ID is a username and password that grants you access to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. The FSA ID identifies you and provides access to your personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

If you are a parent of a dependent student, you will need to create your own FSA ID to sign your child’s FAFSA electronically. An independent student is classified by the following criteria: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless,

Note: If you have more than one child attending college, you may use the same FSA ID to sign all applications.

Step 1: Go to https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa.
Step 2: Create a username and password and enter your e-mail address. (Password requirements: 8 characters and include capital letter, lowercase letter, number and special character).
Step 3: Create your security questions.
Step 4: Verify your unique e-mail address with the six-digit security code number sent to the email address provided.

You can use your FSA ID right away to sign your FAFSA. Once the Social Security Administration verifies your information in 1-3 days, you will be able to access additional federal websites using your FSA ID.

Submit FAFSA

The 2017-18 FAFSA runs from July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 and is available for applicants to complete as early as October 1 of the previous year. This will require income information from an earlier tax year. Please see the table below to determine which FAFSA and tax information you will need in order to complete the application:

Scheduled School Start Date	FAFSA Year	When a Student Can Submit a FAFSA	Tax Year Income Required
July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017	16-17	January 1, 2016-June 30, 2017	2015
July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018	17-18	October 1, 2016-June 30, 2018	2015
July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019	18-19	October 1, 2017-June 30, 2019	2016

Step 1: Gather documents needed to apply. The FAFSA asks for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on certain circumstances (citizenship status or what tax form you used), it may require the following information or documents as you fill out the FAFSA:

Social Security Number (SSN)
Parent’s SSN if you’re a dependent student
Driver’s License Number (if you have one)
Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Federal tax information or tax returns including IRS W-2 information, for you, your spouse and for your parents if you are a dependent student:
- IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ
- Foreign tax return and/or
- Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Pala
Records or your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans non-education benefits, for you, and your parents if you are a dependent student.
Information on cash, savings and checking account balances; investments, including stocks and bonds and real estate (not including the home in which you live); business farm assets for you, and your parents if you are a dependent student.

Step 2: Complete your application by visiting www.studentaid.gov and click “Start A New FAFSA.” If you filled out a FAFSA last year and want to renew it, click “Login” on the home page and select “FAFSA renewal.” Your previously saved personal information will then populate into the renewal application and you will be allowed to make changes if needed.

Note: If you are applying for a Summer session, contact the Office of Financial Aid at financialaid@flpoly.org to find out which school year you should select when completing your FAFSA.

Step 3: Enter school code. Florida Polytechnic University’s Federal School Code is 042634. Be sure to enter this number when prompted under the “School Selection” tab.

Step 4: Provide financial information for yourself and parents if you are a dependent student. Make sure to use the IRS data retrieval tool (IRS DRT) to connect directly to the IRS database and instantly transfer your tax information to the FAFSA. If this step is successfully completed, you will not need to manually add your or your parents’ income to the FAFSA. Using the IRS DRT will ensure accuracy and prevent incorrect loan and grant eligibility.

Step 5: Agree to the terms, sign (FSA ID) & submit. Note: Once you have signed the FAFSA and submitted for processing, you will not be able to make any changes until the FAFSA has successfully processed. You will receive an e-mail once the processing on your FAFSA is completed.

You must complete a new application each academic year to retain financial aid eligibility. Check with the Financial Aid Department at Florida Polytechnic University for priority deadlines.

IMPORTANT: The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is not expected to be available until October 2017. If chosen for verification, we request that all students acquire a copy of their IRS Tax Return Transcripts to complete the verification process. You can request a copy of your tax transcript at: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript or by calling the automated line at 1-800-908-9946.

Review your Financial Aid Award In CAMS

After your FAFSA has been evaluated and you have finalized your course registration, log in to your CAMS account and review your award. If a financial aid award has not been posted to your account, it means one of the following has occurred:

Florida Polytechnic University has not received your FAFSA information from the U.S. Department of Education.
You do not meet Standards of Academic Progress (SAP).
There may be another issue with your application. Please contact financialaid@flpoly.org.

Accept Your Financial Aid Award and Defer Tuition Payment

Once you have registered for classes and have reviewed and accepted your Financial Aid Award, you will now need to defer your tuition and fee payment. Please log on to your CAMS account and Accept/Decline Awards.

The award amount(s) serve as an estimate and will not be finalized until your file is complete. The estimated award amounts are based on full-time status (12 or more credit hours). When your award amounts are disbursed, it will reflect your actual enrollment after the add/drop period. This means that the award amounts may need to be prorated based on your actual enrollment after the add/drop period. For example, if you register for half time (6 credits), your Pell Grant will be disbursed at half of the estimated amount.

Select a Refund Option

Students who are eligible for a financial aid refund will have access to their financial aid funds by direct deposit or Florida Poly’s PurpleCash Card.

Students who wish to receive their financial aid refund by direct deposit or sign up for the PurpleCash Card can enroll at www.enroll.moneynetworkedu.com.

For more information on the PurpleCash card or to access your Money Network account to manage funds on your PurpleCash Card, go to mycampusfunds.com/flpoly.

Students with a PurpleCash Card who have questions about their Money Network account can call 1-800-822-4283 for assistance.

Verification

If you are selected for verification, you will be notified by the Office of Financial Aid at Florida Polytechnic University. This process is a federal requirement, with the intent to improve the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA.

It will require you to submit additional documentation in order to determine your financial aid eligibility. Once the verification process is complete, your financial aid awards may be revised to reflect your correct eligibility. Failure to complete the verification process will stop your financial aid from disbursing and any balance owed for tuition and fees will become your responsibility.

If you have been selected and provided a verification code, please click on the appropriate Verification Worksheet below and return to the Financial Aid Department at Florida Polytechnic University. You may also e-mail your completed worksheet directly to the Financial Aid Department at financialaid@flpoly.org

*This step must be completed if you have been selected for verification, or your Federal Student Aid will not be processed.

Fulfill Loan Requirements (if applicable)

In order to fulfill the loan requirements, you must be enrolled at least half time (6 credit hours), complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Loan Entrance Counseling. To complete the MPN and Entrance Counseling, visit www.studentloans.gov. You will use the same username and password you created to complete the FASFA. Once you are able to login successfully, please complete the following:

Complete MPN

Select Florida Polytechnic University (check notify school)
Provide Two References
Sign/Submit

Complete Entrance Counseling

Select Florida Polytechnic University (check notify school)
Complete Counseling session
Submit

*In order for your Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans to disburse, the MPN and Entrance Counseling must be completed, unless completed at a previous institution within the past 12 months.

Applying for Financial Aid

Steps to Apply