Where to get fafsa award letter

These loans are available to everybody, without regard to financial need. Colleges sometimes include these on the award letter, to ensure that families are aware of these borrowing options. You are eligible for these loans at every school, even if they are not listed on the award letter. Listing specific lenders on the award letter.

You are not required to use a lender recommended by the school. You can use any lender. Skip to primary navigation Skip to main content Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer. Depending on the schools you applied to, they may come back to you asking for additional scholarship, grant, or financial aid information. Some students applying to select colleges and universities are also required to fill out a standardized form called the CSS Profile , which assesses the financial history of students and their families to determine their eligibility for institutional financial aid.

While your application is being processed, the U. It will also show your Expected Family Contribution EFC , a number that helps determine your eligibility for federal student aid. Your financial aid award letter is what individual schools will send you.

Learn more about paying for your graduate school or professional school degree. Most schools send out financial aid offers around the same time as their acceptance letters. Keep in mind, your financial aid offer covers one year only, so you will get a new offer every year.

Okay, now it's time to compare the financial aid offers from all your schools and see which has the best deal for you. To make it easy, you can use this interactive worksheet to compare your offers side by side, or create your own spreadsheet. Get the financial aid offer comparison worksheet. If you do decide to request more financial aid from a school, talk to your financial aid office. There might be a written process to request a review of your financial situation.

For instance, you might receive a smaller total award that offers more scholarships and grants than a larger award consisting mostly of loans. Or, despite a generous financial aid package, School A will still cost a lot more than School B, which is offering less financial aid. Figuring out how you'll pay for school is a big deal. It can have an impact on the amount of debt you'll have after you graduate.

Once you understand your financial aid offers, you can choose what works for you and start planning how you're going to pay for any gap not covered by your financial aid. Make a pros and cons list. Take your time when you're comparing your financial aid packages. Contributor, Contributor. Editorial Note: Forbes Advisor may earn a commission on sales made from partner links on this page, but that doesn't affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.

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