Financial Aid:
How to Apply for Financial Aid
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR FINANCIAL AID
Peirce College believes that all students should be extended an opportunity to attend the college that best suits their academic and personal needs. Eligibility for most financial aid is based on financial need, which is determined using a formula established by the United States Congress. All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) before receiving federal or state financial assistance and before receiving need-based aid the following requirements listed must be met:
- Must be admitted to the College in a degree seeking program. The College does not admit students under the ability to benefit provision.
- Must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- Demonstrate financial need as determined by the federal methodology.
- Maintain satisfactory academic progress.
- Register with Selective Service, if a male at least 18 years of age.
- Must not be in default on a loan made under any Title IV, HEA loan program or owe a repayment on any Title IV funds.
- Register for the appropriate number of hours for specific aid.
- Must have a valid social security number or alien registration card
NOTE: Special students are not eligible for Federal or State financial assistance.
DEADLINES:
Peirce College does not have a deadline date for financial aid. Students who Pennsylvania residents must file their FAFSA by May 1st for a returning student and August 1st for a new student never applied for aid. Students are required to re-apply for financial aid annually. Financial aid is not an automatic process. Renewal Information is mailed to the address the student indicated on the prior year's FAFSA by the Department of Education. Peirce College students, who meet the eligibility requirement for the previous year, will be sent a Renewal Reminder e-mail. Workshops are provided to students in March and April to assist students with the completion of the FAFSA. Students are reminded through correspondences, flyers, posters and other means of the availability of the FAFSA application and deadlines. Students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA via the web.
If students have misplaced their PIN, they will need to request a duplicate. To request a duplicate pin, students may access the following site www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/pinindex.jsp. Parents of dependent students must have a PIN in order to sign the FAFSA form electronically. The financial aid staff cannot obtain the student's PIN. Students should review the Renewal Application, make the appropriate updates and submit the form to the processor by the priority date for priority consideration.
APPLICATION PROCESS AND REQUIRED DOCUMENTS
All students interested in securing federal financial assistance at Peirce College must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and have the processed results sent to the Financial Aid Office. A student need only submit the FAFSA to begin the first step in applying for aid. Students must complete the FAFSA on the web. The address for accessing FAFSA on the web is www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA results are accepted through electronic transmission from the Central Processor. The student's eligibility is determined using the Federal Methodology need analysis formula. The comment page on the ISIR will be reviewed to ensure that the student does not exceed the maximum loan limit, does not owe a repayment or is not in default on a student loan.
If a student is completing the FAFSA via the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov, the student must utilize the following steps:
- Complete the FAFSA according to the instructions (Remember to list Peirce College's school code - 003309
- Ensure that the application is signed electronically by the student and parent (if dependent).
- Additional documents may be requested to complete processing of the aid request such as a signed copy of the student's and/or the parents' income tax return for the prior year. If you are married as of the date when you complete the FAFSA, include your spouse's income tax return.
- Notification of these documents is sent to students via a Missing Information Letter. Letters are mailed to students on a periodic basis as well as emailed.
- Award letters will be mailed as students are packaged for financial aid.>
Assistance for Blind and Visually Impaired Students
We offer information to students on audio CD, in Braille, and on the Web. Our audio compact disc (CD), the Student Aid Audio
Guide, is available to anyone who wants it. It can be played on any audio CD player, and it contains information on our
federal student aid programs, application procedures, eligibility criteria, loan repayment options, and deferment and cancellation
provisions. It also contains information on non-federal resources. (We will mail a CD to your school under separate cover.)
If they prefer to listen online, students can also access the Audio Guide on the web by going to http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA
/StudentGuide/2002-3/audio.html
Three of our print publications are also available in Braille:
The Student Guide: A booklet with detailed descriptions of the federal student financial aid programs. It is targeted to high school and college students and parents.
Funding Your Education (FYE): A booklet covering the essentials of the federal student financial aid programs (application procedures, eligibility requirements, etc.) It is targeted to high school students.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA): The form all students must complete when applying for the federal student aid programs administered by the Department of Education. The Braille FAFSA itself cannot be submitted. Students can use a Braille FAFSA as a reference aid.
To request Braille copies of these publications, students should call our Federal Student Aid Information Center toll-free at 1-800-433-3243. Student may also access both The Student Guide and Funding Your Education on the Web with a screen reader. For The Student Guide they can go to http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/StudentGuide. For Funding Your Education, they can go to http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/SFA/FYE. The above-mentioned Braille FAFSA will help students complete the paper application. The FAFSA is also available electronically to students with screen readers at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov.
Assistance for Deaf and Hearing-Impaired
Several of our major call centers have toll-free TTY numbers for deaf and hearing-impaired students. TTY access is available during the "operator-services" hours of operation. Students may contact our Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-730-8913. The Center provides general information on the federal student aid programs administered by the Department of Education and also assists students in completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Students may also call 1-800-730-8913 for help applying electronically. For assistance with their Direct Loans, students may contact our Borrower Services Center at 1-800-848-0983. Services provided include checking interest rates, updating account information, selecting a repayment plan, ordering deferment or forbearance forms, or discussing difficulties in making payments.For help in consolidating their loans through the Department, students may contact the Direct Loan Consolidation Department at 1-800-557-7395. Students may obtain a complete list of loans eligible for consolidation, request a loan consolidation application, or if they have already applied, check the status of their applications. We help put America through school and are committed to ensuring that visually impaired and hearing impaired students and their parents have access to our student aid information and services.
Contact Student Financial Services at:
Peirce College
Student Financial Services
1420 Pine Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102-4699
888.467.3472, x9370
fax: 215-545-3671
Financialaid@peirce.edu