Purdue University Division of Financial Aid

How to Apply for Financial Aid 2012-13

2012-13 APPLYING FOR FINANCIAL AID GUIDE

Estimating Your Costs and Aid

Before applying for financial aid, spend about 30 minutes of your time at www.purdue.edu/dfa/estimator where you can determine the amount and types of aid you may receive at Purdue. The Purdue financial aid estimator calculates the cost of attendance estimate and estimated financial aid eligibility for the current year. The tool lists the awards you may receive including federal, state and institutional aid. The estimator was developed to help families plan for educational costs at Purdue. Costs and financial aid are estimated based on current educational expenses, available funding sources and financial aid criteria (all of which are subject to change).
The Purdue Financial Aid Estimator is intended for domestic students only, including U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, permanent resident aliens, and aliens lawfully present in and able to establish domicile in the United States per federal immigration laws. For information on financial aid opportunities for international students, visit www.edupass.org/finaid. For more information regarding aid eligibility and paying for a Purdue education, please visit www.purdue.edu/dfa/pfp.

Purdue Scholarship Application

Once admitted, freshmen are encouraged to complete the online Purdue Scholarship Application by the priority deadline of February 1, 2012. The application allows Purdue colleges and schools to identify freshmen who may be eligible for merit scholarships that have a financial need component. Note that the application should include the expected family contribution (EFC) and parental contribution (PC) estimates from the College Board EFC calculator, found at http://apps.collegeboard.org/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp.

Filing the 2012-13 FAFSA

To apply for federal, state and Purdue University student aid programs, you must file the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You must file the FAFSA annually to be considered for aid each academic year.

Priority Filing Dates

Students need to file the 2012-13 FAFSA on or after January 1, 2012, and have it postmarked or electronically transmitted by March 1, 2012, to receive priority consideration for available funds. Although students may file the FAFSA after March 1, fund availability may be considerably reduced for applicants that file after that date. Income information for 2011 is required to complete the 2012-13 FAFSA. It is helpful if you have completed your 2011 federal tax return, but not required. Students who estimate tax data in order to submit the FAFSA by the priority date will need to correct the FAFSA after filing their tax returns. FAFSA processing takes a minimum of 2-4 weeks from the time that a complete FAFSA is submitted, longer if corrections must be made or if information is selected for verification.

NOTE: Indiana residents — The FAFSA must be received by the Federal Student Aid Processor on or before March 10, 2012, to be considered for state aid eligibility in the 2012-13 academic year.

Although scholarship and grant assistance through the Division of Financial Aid (DFA) is limited for graduate students, they are encouraged to visit www.gradschool.purdue.edu/funding or contact their graduate department to inquire about assistantship and fellowship support.

Summer Session 2013

Students must complete the 2012-13 FAFSA and submit a separate summer school aid request form to the Division of Financial Aid for priority aid consideration. Watch www.purdue.edu/DFA during the Spring of 2013 for summer aid application instructions.

FAFSA Filing Tips

• Both the student and one parent should obtain a PIN from the U.S. Department of Education at www.pin.ed.gov.
• A 2012-13 FAFSA on the Web worksheet can be printed at www.fafsa.gov. Completing the worksheet will help you prepare your answers to the FAFSA questions prior to entering the information online. FAFSA on the Web Worksheet forms are also available from your high school, local library, and the DFA.
• Students and parents should gather their 2011 income information.
• Students and parents with FAFSA filing questions can contact FAFSA customer service agents at 800-433-3243 or chat live with them at www.fafsa.ed.gov/help.htm.
• FAFSA filers should provide a current, valid e-mail address that the U.S. Department of Education can use to communicate important information about FAFSA status.
• Be sure to enter Federal School Code 001825 to ensure that your information is sent to Purdue University West Lafayette.
• The DFA recommends printing the FAFSA on the Web submission confirmation page as proof of completion.
• You can apply for financial aid prior to applying for admission to Purdue. However, you must be admitted to a degree-seeking program (or a teacher’s certification program) before eligibility will be calculated and to receive financial aid.

Note: Students and families without Internet access can request a paper FAFSA form by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center toll-free at 800-4-FED-AID or 800-433-3243.

FAFSA filing tips for unique situations are available by clicking on the following links to view a PDF of the information.

Communication from the Division of Financial Aid (DFA)

The DFA communicates with students via e-mail and provides financial aid information on the Web. Getting familiar with the content on www.purdue.edu/DFA and reading e-mail from facontact@purdue.edu are important student responsibilities. It’s also important to create your Purdue career/e-mail account so that you can conduct important tasks such as viewing and accepting any financial aid awards. Upon admission, create your account by visiting www.admissions.purdue.edu, clicking on “Admitted Students” and selecting “Activate Online Student Career Account.”

Verifying Your Financial Aid Information

• Be sure to respond directly and promptly to the Division of Financial Aid and the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana (SSACI) or your home state’s aid agency when asked to provide additional information or verify FAFSA information.
• Do not send the Division of Financial Aid your tax forms, business information or state or federal paperwork unless instructed to do so.
• You’ll be notified via your Purdue e-mail account with instructions on how to provide additional information if items are missing or your application is selected for verification.

NOTE: Indiana students and parents must provide a valid e-mail address on their 2012-13 FAFSA to receive updates from SSACI. Both edit and award notifications, if applicable, will be sent by e-mail. Eligible Indiana residents should visit www.ssaci.in.gov/estudent for more information on Indiana state eligibility.

Financial Aid Timeline

This timeline is designed to help you complete the financial aid application process. Please read all the information carefully and keep for future reference. Note the date by which each item should be completed, and be sure to make copies of all forms submitted.

• January: Freshmen should complete the Purdue Scholarship Application by February 1, 2012, to be considered for merit scholarships that have a financial need component and are awarded by Purdue’s colleges and schools.
• February: Complete the FAFSA on the Web by the March 1, 2012, priority date. Print and save the submission confirmation page.
• February/March: Federal Student Aid will send you an e-mail notification (if you completed the 2012-13 FAFSA with a valid e-mail address) with instructions for accessing your Student Aid Report (SAR) online. Review carefully to ensure all of your SAR data is correct. If you need to make corrections, follow the instructions provided by Federal Student Aid.
• March: Watch for verification request from the DFA via facontact@purdue.edu or on your myPurdue account. Return all requested documents to the DFA as quickly as possible. Failure to do so may result in a loss of some types of aid funds.
• April: If the 2012-13 FAFSA has been filed and all required verification documents have been submitted, incoming freshmen can expect to receive eligibility notices to their Purdue e-mail address directing them in early April to view financial aid eligibility on myPurdue.
• May: If you are awarded student loans or federal work-study eligibility, you must accept those award offers on myPurdue in order to utilize them. First time borrowers will use the FAFSA PIN to sign a promissory note for federal loans. In addition, you’ll receive instructions on how to report private scholarships. Indiana resident undergraduates must check the eStudent Web site at www.state.in.us/ssaci and clear any outstanding application edits with the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana by May 15.
• June: Award notifications will be sent to upper-class students in mid-June. Indiana residents should check state aid eligibility on the SSACI eStudent Web site, www.state.in.us/ssaci, and ensure Purdue University-West Lafayette is the first listed college choice.
• July: Once you’ve registered for fall classes, you can expect to receive an electronic invoice from the Bursar’s Office by mid-July. Processed financial aid should be deducted from the amount due on the invoice.
• August: You must submit payment (if required) and confirm your registration by the date listed on the invoice in order to avoid cancellation of courses and late registration fees.