ERIC ED504175: Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2009-10

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by  ERIC

Funding Education
BEyond HigH ScHool
The Guide to Federal Student Aid | 2009–10
Useful Web Sites
Student Aid on the Web U.S. Department of Labor’s
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov Occupational Outlook Handbook
(information on various careers and their earning potential)
Click on Students, Parents and Counselors www.bls.gov/oco
At this Web site you can
• Find information on federal student aid.
Frequently Requested Telephone Numbers
• Use “MyFSA” to create a personalized folder to record your
interests, career and college searches to help you decide
on a career and locate schools offering majors in that field.
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC)
Track your progress in the college planning and application
process by applying to schools online, access other sources 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
of nonfederal aid, and store your personal information to TTY users can call 1-800-730-8913
populate fields on FAFSA on the Web.
Callers in locations without access to 1-800 numbers (cid:32)
• Use FAFSA4caster to get an early estimate of your eligibility may call 319-337-5665 (this is not a toll-free number).
for federal student aid, and an early start in the financial
aid process. When you’re ready to apply for aid, much of
The FSAIC staff can answer your federal student aid questions
the information you enter in FAFSA4caster will populate
and can tell you what you need to know—FREE—including:
(cid:116)(cid:104)(cid:101)(cid:32)FAFSA on the Web.
• Information about federal student aid programs,
• Apply online using FAFSA on the Web (the online version (cid:32)
• Help completing the FAFSA,
of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA).
• Help in making corrections to your Student Aid Report
• Obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN to sign your FAFSA
(SAR), which contains your application results,
(cid:32)(cid:111)(cid:110)(cid:32) (cid:116)(cid:104)(cid:101)(cid:32) (cid:87)(cid:101)(cid:98)(cid:46)(cid:32)(cid:32)
• Information about the process of determining financial
• Look up the status of your federal student loan.
need and awarding aid, and
• Information about your federal student loans.
College.gov
www.college.gov
You can also use an automated response system at this number
This Web site is designed to motivate high school students with
to find out if your FAFSA has been processed and to request a
inspirational stories and information about planning, preparing,
copy of your SAR. You can also write to the FSAIC at the address
and paying for college.
at the bottom of this page.
Free Help Completing the FAFSA
Direct Loan Servicing
www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/completefafsa
1-800-848-0979 | TTY users can call 1-800-848-0983
This Web site explains how to complete the FAFSA (cid:32)
and the purpose of FAFSA questions.
Direct Loan Consolidation
The William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program 1-800-557-7392 | TTY users can call 1-800-557-7395
(Direct Loan)
U.S. Department of Education as lender Inspector General Hotline
www.ed.gov/DirectLoan To report student aid fraud (including identity theft),
Use this Web site to find out more information on the Direct Loan waste or abuse of U.S. Department of Education funds.
Program, such as repayment options and interactive calculators. 1-800-MIS-USED (1-800-647-8733)
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.ed.gov/misused
Direct Loan Servicing Online
www.dl.ed.gov
Use this Web site to make Direct Loan online payments, view
account balance, change billing options, enroll in electronic
services, and much more.
If you paid for a copy of this FREE publication, please write (cid:32) Federal Student Aid Information Center
to the following address and give us the name and address (cid:32)
of the organization that charged you. P.O. Box 84
Washington, DC 20044-0084
FUnDIng EDUCATIon
BEyonD HIgH SCHooL
The Guide to Federal Student Aid | 2009–10
U.S. Department of Education
Federal Student Aid
Repaying Your Student Loan
U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid Student Aid Awareness and
Margaret Spellings James F. Manning Applicant Services
Secretary Acting Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Douglas
General Manager
January 2009
This guide is in the public domain. Cover photo: U.S. Department of This guide contains Web site addresses for information created and
Education. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. maintained by outside organizations. This information is provided
While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the for the reader’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education
citation should be: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student is not responsible for controlling or guaranteeing the accuracy,
Aid, Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal relevance, timeliness or completeness of this outside information.
Student Aid 2009–10, Washington, D.C., 2008 Further, the inclusion of information or Web site addresses does
not reflect the importance of the organization, nor is it intended to
Order copies of this guide (English and Spanish) in bulk from:
endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.
U.S. Department of Education
All Web site addresses included in this publication were accurate
P. O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398
at press time.
online at: www.FSAPubs.org
by fax to: 301-470-1244
The information in this guide was compiled in the summer
by e-mail to: [email protected]
of 2008. For changes to the federal student aid programs
or call in your request toll-free: since then, visit www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov and
1-800-394-7084 or 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). click on “Students, Parents and Counselors.”
If 877 services are not available in your area, call 1-800-872-5327
(1-800-USA-LEARN). Those who use a telecommunications
device for the deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should call
1-800-437-0833.
You can order up to five copies of this guide by calling the
Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243
(1-800-4-FED-AID).
This guide is also available online (PDF and HTML) on the Federal
Student Aid Web site at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs.
On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such
as Braille, large print, or CD. For more information, please contact
the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243
(1-800-4-FED-AID). TTY users (for the hearing-impaired) should
call 1-800-730-8913.
CONTENTS
Our Mission ..................................................................vii Education requirements .................................................................11
Legal and other requirements ........................................................11
A Message to Our Readers ...........................................vii
Match requirements .......................................................................12
Federal Student Aid at a Glance ...1 Financial need and Expected
Family Contribution (EFC) ............................................................12
Federal Student Aid Summary Chart ......................................... 2 Unusual family circumstances .......................................................12
What is federal student aid? .............................................................3
Types of Federal Student Aid .......................................13
Steps to Federal Student Aid .........................................................3
There are three types of federal student aid ..................................13
Who gets federal student aid? ..........................................................4
How do I apply for federal student aid? ..........................................4 Grants .............................................................................13
FAFSA4caster .....................................................................................5 There are five types of federal student aid grants .........................13
Process Summary Chart ................................................................5 What is a Federal Pell Grant? .........................................................13
What is a Federal Supplemental Educational
Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)? .......................................................13
A
What’s the difference between Federal Pell
Grants and FSEOGs? .......................................................................13
What You Should Know What is an Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)? ................14
What is a National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain
Before You Apply ................................7 Talent Grant (National SMART Grant)? .......................................14
What is the difference between the ACG and the National
Why should I invest in an education?
SMART Grant? ................................................................................14
Can’t I get a job now? ........................................................................8
What is a TEACH Grant? ................................................................15
Earnings and Unemployment Rate for
Who can get this grant? ..................................................................15
People 25 Years and Over ...............................................................8
How much can I get? ......................................................................15
Income and Education Level .........................................................8
How do I apply? ...............................................................................15
What questions should I ask when considering a college
What is an Agreement to Serve? ....................................................15
or career school? ...............................................................................8
What are the high-need fields? .......................................................15
Where can I find this information? .................................................8
What is considered a low-income elementary
Take the next steps. ...........................................................................8
or secondary school? ......................................................................16
What additional information should I get from a school? ............8
Who is considered a highly qualified teacher? .............................16
Find out about financial aid at the school. ......................................9
What if I don’t fulfill my Agreement to Serve? .............................16
Find out the school’s refund policy. .................................................9
How much financial aid can I get? ................................................16
Find out the school’s return-of-aid policy. ......................................9
How will I be paid? .........................................................................16
Find out the school’s completion and transfer-out rates. ..............9
How often will I receive funds? ......................................................16
MyFSA .............................................................................9
Can I receive a grant if I’m enrolled less than half-time? ............16
What can I do with a MyFSA account?. .........................................9
Work-Study ....................................................................16
FAFSA4caster ................................................................10
What is the Federal Work-Study (FWS) Program? ......................16
What is FAFSA4caster? ...................................................................10 What kinds of jobs are there?.........................................................17
Who should use FAFSA4caster? ....................................................10 Are Federal Work-Study jobs on campus or off campus? ...........17
How do I get started? ......................................................................10 How much can I earn? ....................................................................17
What information does FAFSA4caster provide? ..........................10 How will I be paid? .........................................................................17
Reducing the Cost of Education .................................10 Can I work as many hours as I want? ........................................... 17
Lower-cost schools ..........................................................................10 Loans ..............................................................................17
State Higher Education Agency .....................................................10 Types of loans ..................................................................................17
Work or volunteer opportunities ...................................................10 William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program ....18
Tax breaks ........................................................................................10 Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program .......................18
Hope or Lifetime Learning tax credit............................................11 What’s the interest rate on these loans? ........................................18
Am I Eligible? .................................................................11 Interest Rate Reductions for Subsidized Stafford Loans .......18
What are the differences in these loan programs? .......................18
Basic requirements .........................................................................11
How do I apply for a Perkins or Stafford Loan? ...........................18
Financial need .................................................................................11
iii
Repaying Your Student Loan
Student Loan Comparison Chart ...............................................19 B
How much can I borrow? ...............................................................19
Other than interest, are there any fees or charges
required to get these loans? ............................................................20 How Do I Apply? ...............................27
How will I be paid? .........................................................................20
Maximum Annual Loan Limits Chart— Getting Your Federal Student Aid PIN ....................... 28
Subsidized and Unsubsidized Direct and
What is a Federal Student Aid PIN and what is it used for? .......28
FFEL Stafford Loans ..................................................................... 21
Should I get a PIN if I’m not applying for aid online?................28
Can I cancel? ....................................................................................21
How and when should I get a PIN? ...............................................28
PLUS Loans ....................................................................21 How do I sign my application? ......................................................28
Do I get a pin automatically? .........................................................29
How do parents and graduate and professional degree
students apply for a PLUS Loan? ...................................................22 What if I have questions about the PIN? ......................................29
What are the eligibility requirements for PLUS Loans? ..............22 Can I get a PIN from the Federal Student Aid
Information Center? .......................................................................29
Are there any other requirements? ................................................22
Do we need to find a lender?..........................................................22 Completing the FAFSA .................................................29
How much can a parent or graduate and professional degree What information do I need to complete a FAFSA? ....................29
student borrow? ..............................................................................22
Process for new applicants .............................................................29
Who receives the loan money—the parent or the student? .......22
Can I apply for aid online? .............................................................29
Can a borrower cancel a PLUS Loan? ...........................................22
Why should I apply online? ............................................................30
Other than interest, are there any fees or charges to get
What if I decide I want a paper FAFSA? .......................................30
a PLUS Loan?...................................................................................22
What happens after I mail the FAFSA for processing? ................30
Is there a grace period? ...................................................................23
Dependency Status .........................................................................30
Stafford and PLUS Loan Summary ........................................... 23
What if you are considered a dependent student but have
More Federal Student Aid Information ......................23 no contact with your parents? .......................................................31
Other Financial Aid Sources .........................................................24 What if you are a dependent student, but your parents
are divorced or separated? .............................................................31
Financial aid office ..........................................................................24
Do I report stepparents’ information? ...........................................31
State Higher Education Agency .....................................................24
Do I need to fill out a FAFSA every year I apply for aid?.............32
AmeriCorps......................................................................................24
What if I need help filling out my FAFSA? ...................................32
Robert C. Byrd Honors Scholarship Program
(Byrd Program) ...............................................................................24 How do the schools I’m interested in attending get my
FAFSA information? .......................................................................32
Public libraries and the Internet ....................................................24
What if I want to add or change schools later? ............................32
Businesses and labor organizations ..............................................24
Organizations, foundations, etc.. ....................................................24 The Student Aid Report (SAR) and
U.S. Armed Forces ...........................................................................25 Why It’s Important ........................................................33
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs ............................................ 25 After you apply for federal student aid you’ll receive
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) .....................................................25 your SAR.............................................................................33
college.gov........................................................................................25 Sample E-mail ................................................................................33
www.students.gov ...........................................................................25 What do I do with my SAR? ...........................................................34
If you need to make corrections to your SAR ..............................34
It’s a Jungle Out There … Be Careful ...........................25
How do I find out if I’m eligible for federal student aid
Scholarship scams .........................................................25 and how much I’ll receive? .............................................................34
What about scholarship search services? ......................................25 Your SAR will look like this .........................................................34
How can I tell if these search services are scams? .......................25
Identity theft ..................................................................26
What is identity theft?.....................................................................26
How can this happen?.....................................................................26
What happens if someone steals my identity and
gets a student loan in my name? .................................................. 26
How can I avoid identity theft? ......................................................26
iv
C Consolidating Your Loans ............................................43
What is loan consolidation? ...........................................................43
What kinds of loans can be consolidated? ....................................43
Repaying Your Student Loan ........35 When can I consolidate my loans? ................................................43
How do I get a consolidation loan and where
Borrower’s Responsibilities ..........................................36 can I get more information? ..........................................................43
Think about how much you’re borrowing ....................................36 What’s the interest rate on a consolidation loan? .........................43
Signing a promissory note means you agree to repay the loan ..36 Are there any disadvantages to getting
Make payments regardless of receiving billing notices ...............36 a consolidation loan? ......................................................................43
Continue to pay while waiting for deferment or Loan Discharge or Cancellation and Forgiveness ......43
forbearance approval ......................................................................36
Is it ever possible to have my federal student loan
Notify your lender or loan servicing agency when you … .........36
discharged or canceled? .................................................................43
Receive entrance and exit counseling ...........................................36
What qualifies my loan for discharge? ..........................................44
Borrower’s Rights ..........................................................36 What qualifies my loan for cancellation? ......................................44
What you need to know about your loan ......................................36 What is loan forgiveness for public service employees? ..............44
Before you leave school ..................................................................37 What is a public service job? ..........................................................44
Grace period ....................................................................................37 How do I qualify for this loan forgiveness? ..................................44
Loan repayment schedule ..............................................................37 How do I find out if I can get a loan discharge
or cancellation? ...............................................................................45
Sale of loan .......................................................................................37
Perkins Loan Discharge and Cancellation
Loan Repayment ...........................................................37 Summary Chart ............................................................................45
When do I start paying back my student loans? ..........................37 Stafford and PLUS Loan Discharge,
How much time do I have to repay my Cancellation and Forgiveness Summary Chart .......................46
student loans? ..................................................................................38
Important Terms ...........................................................47
When do parents and graduate and professional degree
students begin repaying a PLUS Loan? ........................................38 State Higher Education Agencies ...............................50
How much will I have to repay and how often
Other Federal Student
do I make payments? ......................................................................38
Aid Publications ..................................Inside back cover
Do I have repayment options? .......................................................38
Examples of Typical Direct and FFEL Stafford
Loan Repayments ..........................................................................40
Examples of Typical Perkins Loan
Repayments ...................................................................................40
How do parents or graduate and professional degree
students repay their PLUS Loan? ..................................................40
Are there tax incentives while paying back
student loans? ..................................................................................40
Postponing Loan Repayment
(Deferment and Forbearance) .....................................41
What is deferment? .........................................................................41
How do I qualify for a deferment?.................................................41
Can parents or graduate and professional
degree students defer repayment of their PLUS Loan? ...............41
Is there deferment for active duty military service? ....................41
Active Duty Student Deferment .....................................................41
Economic Hardship Deferment .....................................................41
What is forbearance? ......................................................................41
Loan Deferment Summary Chart ..............................................42
Applying for deferment or forbearance.........................................42
Are there circumstances when I must be granted
a mandatory forbearance? .............................................................42
v
Repaying Your Student Loan
vi
Our Mission A Message to Our Readers
Federal Student Aid, an office of the This guide, Funding Education Beyond High
U.S. Department of Education, plays a School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid, will
central and essential role in the nation’s help you through the process of applying for
postsecondary education community. federal student aid.
Federal Student Aid’s core mission is to ensure that all eligible Education creates opportunities and is an important step toward
individuals benefit from federal financial assistance—grants, work- success. No eligible student should be denied an education because
study, and loans—for education beyond high school. The programs the cost is too high. So, if you’re considering education beyond
we administer comprise the nation’s largest source of student aid. high school (a two- or four-year college, university or trade or
Every year, we provide more than $83 billion in aid to nearly 14 career school), we offer financial aid that helps millions of students
million postsecondary students and their families. Our staff of 1,100 manage the cost of education each year. There’s money available—
is based in 10 cities in addition to our Washington headquarters. but you need to apply to receive it.
You have many postsecondary education options from which This guide can help. Here we explain the federal student aid process,
to choose. Whether you decide to attend a four year college or you’ll learn about our federal student aid programs—grants, work-
university, community college or technical school, the knowledge study, and loans—and we tell you how to apply for them.
you gain will be of value to you for the rest of your life, no matter

where you go or what you do.
Our team at Federal Student Aid is committed to making sure all
eligible students can benefit from financial aid and there may be
A postsecondary education gives you more opportunities. Those a good deal more of this help on hand than you think.
who receive education credentials beyond a high school diploma
have more job options and earn much more than those who do not
pursue an education beyond high school. For example, according Start with us. We’re here to help … at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov.
to the U.S. Census Bureau, a person with a bachelor’s degree earns You’ll find lots of useful information at our Web site. You can
almost double what someone with only a high school diploma earns. find the online version of this and other publications, apply
for federal student aid online, and even search for colleges and
other sources of aid. You can also receive an estimate of your
Pursuing education beyond high school is an opportunity you federal student aid by using FAFSA4caster (see page 10). Our
should not deny yourself simply because you are not sure it’s for office also publishes many other publications that you will find
you. Many students don’t know what career path to follow. But helpful (see the inside back cover). All of them can be ordered
exposure to different academic subjects, people and points of view for free at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or accessed
helps you decide what career is for you. After high school, you get to online at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs.
study what you are interested in and, when you graduate, you will
get paid for your knowledge.
Chances are you know someone who took advantage of one or
So go for it, and let us help you make it happen.
more of our federal student aid programs. It’s very possible that
you can make this happen for yourself or a family member. So take
advantage of federal grant, work-study, and loan programs as well
as aid available from your state and the school you plan to attend.
The key: Start here, today, and go further.
— The Federal Student Aid Team
U.S. Department of Education
vii
Repaying Your Student Loan
viii