APPLICATION PROCESS
IMPORTANT NOTICE: You must reapply for federal financial aid each year!
Overview
All students interested in applying for financial aid must complete the entire Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process after January 1 of each year in order to receive consideration for federal and/or state aid for the upcoming academic year.
The only exception to this requirement is for students applying ONLY for the HOPE Scholarship. HOPE applicants should refer to the HOPE Scholarship section of this Web site for the specific instructions on completing the GSFAPPS electronic application () in lieu of the FAFSA.
The FAFSA application process is used to determine your eligibility for aid such as:
Limited funded federal/state campus-based aid such as:
Priority Consideration Deadline Defined
Students can apply for the Federal Pell Grant by completing the FAFSA process any time during the award year. Federal Campus-Based funds (such as the FSEOG, FWS, and LEAP are limited.
Students who complete the entire application process which consists of submitting the FAFSA, completing the verification process (if selected), furnishing us any other requested documentation (citizenship, Selective Service registration, etc.) no later than April 1st each year, will comprise the initial group of students who receive priority consideration when we award these funds.
If funds still remain after we have considered and awarded the eligible students in this initial group, we then consider and award eligible students who completed the application process by April 2, 3, 4, etc. until these funds are exhausted. The aid application process can take four or more weeks during peak processing times. See the Application Deadlines at .
When Aid Pays School Charges
If you do not receive your electronic Financial Aid Award by the semester deadlines, you should plan to pay all educational costs. You will be reimbursed when you complete the process. Also, if you are awarded student loans, those funds are not available until you have signed your Master Promissory note and completed any required loan entrance counseling. Furthermore, if you have a 30 day delay requirement as a first time borrower, those funds will not be available until 30 days after the first day of classes. You must have signed your Master Promissory note and completed any required loan entrance counseling in order for these funds to disburse.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
We have the paper FAFSA available in the Gordon College Financial Aid Office (FAO) each year in early January; however, we urge you to electronically complete and submit the FAFSA or your Renewal FAFSA which is available January 1 of each year. Visit FAFSA on the web at for more information. Students and parents who electronically file make fewer errors and the process is much faster than filing the paper FAFSA. We encourage electronic filers to print and complete the Pre-Application Worksheet prior to completing the web based FAFSA. You can print the Pre-Application Worksheet from Section 1 of the FAFSA on the Internet. The Gordon College Title IV federal school code is 001575. Be sure to list Gordon College's federal school code in the appropriate section to ensure that Gordon College receives your application. You may contact us for a paper FAFSA if you do not have computer access or choose not to file electronically.
Use your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. Do not use nicknames, abbreviations, or middle names as first names. The U. S. Dept. of Ed. requires your name on the FAFSA to identically match your name on Social Security Administration records. You will be required to submit additional information if there is a name conflict.
Students applying ONLY for the HOPE Scholarship do not need to complete a FAFSA application. HOPE applicants should refer to the HOPE Scholarship section of this Web site for the specific instructions on completing the GSFAPPS electronic application () in lieu of the FAFSA.
Federal PIN
Those students who submitted a FAFSA for a previous Academic Year should have received a Personal Identification Number (PIN) from the U. S. Department of Education (U.S. Dept. of Ed.). The PIN serves as your personal identifier and permits you to access your personal information in various U.S. Dept. of Ed. systems. Your PIN also serves as your electronic signature for U. S. Dept. of Ed. purposes, so do not share it with anyone. If you cannot locate your PIN or do not have one, go to to request a PIN. Once you receive your PIN, you can then complete and submit the electronic FAFSA. Parents of dependent students also need to request a PIN.
Income Tax Returns
When asked to provide Federal Income Tax information on the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA, use completed U.S. Income Tax Return(s). The use of estimated tax information or your failure to complete all required items on the FAFSA will require a correction which can substantially lengthen the aid application process.
Student Aid Report (SAR)
If you provide your e-mail address on your FAFSA, the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Central Processing System (CPS) will send you a PIN e-mail containing a direct link to your PIN (if you don't already have a PIN); and a Student Aid Report (SAR) e-mail notification containing a direct link to your data on "SAR on the Web". You will receive this notification approximately one to two weeks after submitting your completed FAFSA to the CPS. If you do not provide your e-mail address on your FAFSA, the CPS will send you a paper SAR and if you do not have a PIN, they will also send you a paper PIN mailer. You will receive this document approximately three to four weeks after you submit your complete FAFSA. Review the SAR for accuracy. If the SAR needs corrections, make them on the FAFSA web site () using the appropriate pin numbers.
Application Status for Aid at Gordon College: Students who have applied for aid but have not received the electronic notice of their Financial Aid Award can electronically review their financial aid award status by accessing the "Application Status" option under the Student Financial Aid Menu on Banner Web. Application Status will indicate if and what additional information we still need to complete your application process. ()
Verification Process
The U.S. Dept. of Ed. created the Verification Process to confirm the accuracy of information submitted on the FAFSA. Your Student Aid Report (SAR) may indicate your application was selected for Verification. However, Gordon College participates in the U.S. Dept. of Ed.'s Quality Assurance Program (QAP) so only students who receive Verification Worksheets from us are required to complete the process at Gordon College. Even if your SAR does not state you have been selected by the U.S. Dept. of Ed., you may be required to complete a Verification Worksheet and provide us tax forms. You should only provide tax documents if we request them.
At a minimum, we will ask you to verify the following: Adjusted Gross Income and wages listed on appropriate W-2 forms. Please submit copies of all requested signed federal income tax returns and W-2 forms. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) granting of an extension to file a tax return does not eliminate the requirement to submit the tax return to us. The Verification process cannot be completed until all requested documents have been received.
Under certain circumstances it may become necessary for you to submit additional information as part of the verification process. If you are required to submit additional documentation you should promptly submit the requested information to us. Complete and sign the appropriate Verification Worksheet and submit copies of all requested signed federal income tax returns and any other documents as requested. The U.S. Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) granting of an extension to file a tax return does not eliminate the requirement to submit the tax return to us. The Verification process cannot be completed until all requested documents have been received. If discrepancies are noted between the information submitted on your FAFSA and the Verification documents, we will electronically transmit the corrected information to the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Central Processing System (CPS).
We will contact you if we need additional information to process your application for student financial aid. Please respond promptly to prevent delays in processing your application for aid. We cannot determine your aid eligibility until the Verification Process is complete.
**As a reminder only submit the documentation that is requested of you by the Gordon College Financial Aid Office.**
Electronic Financial Aid Awards
Electronic Financial Aid Awards may be viewed on the student's Banner Web account. All Gordon College students are required to have a valid Gordon College e-mail address. We use your Gordon e-mail address as the preferred mechanism to electronically notify you of the availability of your Financial Aid award. It is critical that you regularly check your e-mail account and delete old e-mails in order to avoid reaching your disk space capacity; otherwise your electronic Award notification may be rejected by your account.
When you access your electronic award, review all award messages and the information we provide concerning the types of aid included on your award. Gift aid (HOPE Scholarship, Federal Pell Grant etc.) is automatically accepted for you at the time of the award. We also notify applicants who request aid that is not available.
Completion of the Process
Students who meet the general eligibility requirements (including admission into a degree-seeking program) will have their eligibility for aid determined when the FAO has received valid electronic SAR data, and, if selected, all requested verification information.