FAQs for New Students
Welcome to Keene State College. As new students and parents to KSC, we understand that you may
have a number of questions regarding financial aid and billing. We believe that this page
anticipates many of those questions and that you will find it a useful reference.
- When should I apply for financial aid?
- How do I apply for financial aid?
- Can I apply for financial aid before I file my taxes?
- What should I do if I don't have my (or my parent's) tax return?
- Regarding financial aid, what is the definition of a dependent student?
- I have completed and sent the FAFSA, what happens next?
- How can I check to see if my FAFSA has been processed?
- What is verification?
- On the Verification Worksheet, should I only include siblings that are going to college?
- When will I hear from Student Financial Services regarding my award?
- What are the different types of financial aid?
- What other options do I have for getting additional financial aid?
- What is Federal Work-Study and how do I find a job?
- What is the difference between a subsidized and an unsubsidized Stafford loan?
- When are bills due?
- What are the acceptable forms of payment?
- What are the funding options?
- What financial aid can be deducted from the charges on my student account?
- What financial aid cannot be deducted from the charges on my student account?
1. When should I apply for financial aid?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed as soon as possible after
January 1 for the following academic year. Priority in awarding funds is given to students who meet
the March 1 filing deadline. Consideration as an on-time applicant will be dependent upon the date
the FAFSA is received by the federal processor.
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2. How do I apply for financial aid?
- Students & parents obtain a PIN
number to file the FAFSA electronically.
- File the FAFSA online at FAFSA on the Web
before March 1. (more...)
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3. Can I apply for financial aid before I file my taxes?
Yes. If actual tax information is not available, you (and your parents) should complete the FAFSA
using estimated data. You may be chosen for verification.
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4. What should I do if I don't have my (or my parent's) tax return?
Submit a completed Form 4506 - Request for Copy
or Transcript of Tax Form to the IRS. Please note:
- Tax Return Transcript are free and will satisfy financial aid verification
requirements. A transcript may be selected in section 8, choice "a".
- The transcript will be mailed to the taxpayer's address of record within 10
days.
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5. Regarding financial aid, what is the definition of a dependent student?
An undergraduate student whose parents provide more than half of their financial support. A
dependent student is not married, is under 24 years of age, has no legal dependents, is not an
orphan or ward of the court, nor a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. Parents of a dependent student must submit parental information on the FAFSA for their son or daughter to be considered for financial aid.
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6. I have submitted the FAFSA, what happens next?
Three to four weeks after you file the FAFSA, you will receive your Student Aid Report. You should
immediately forward all pages of the Student Aid Report to SFS if Keene State College is not listed as a recipient.
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7. How can I check to see if my FAFSA has been processed by the federal processor?
- Go to FAFSA on the Web > FAFSA
Follow-up.
- Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243.
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8. What is verification?
Verification is the process of checking the information reported on the FAFSA for accuracy. If your application is selected, Student Financial Services is required to collect financial documents (e.g., federal tax forms) from you and your parents, if applicable. Information from these documents is then compared to your FAFSA information and changes are made when required. To correct any potential conflicts in information, financial aid applicants may be selected for verification by the federal processor or Student Financial Services. Verification Worksheets are available online.
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9. On the Verification Worksheet, should I only include siblings that are going to
college?
In section B of the Verification Worksheet, please list the people whom your parents will support
between July 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009. Include:
- Yourself (the student)
- Your parents (including step-parents)
- Your parents' other dependent children, (even if they don't live with your
parents), if your parents will provide more than half of their support from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009, or the children would be required to provide parental information when applying for
Federal Student Aid
- Other people if they now live with your parents, and your
parents provided more than half of their support at the time you completed your application, and
will continue to provide more than half of their support from July 1, 2008, through June 30, 2009.
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10. When will I receive my award notification from Student Financial Services?
First-year or transfer students who have applied for financial aid by the March 1st priority filing deadline may normally expect to receive notification by April 30.
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11. What are the different types of financial aid?
Three principal kinds of aid are available at Keene State College:
- Grants/Scholarships - gift aid which does not have to be repaid.
- Loans - must be paid back after dropping to less than half-time enrollment or leaving college.
- Part-time Employment - students receive an hour's pay for an hour's work and are expected to budget these earnings to meet educational expenses.
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12. What other options do I have for getting additional financial aid?
There are many options available. Here are several links to resources you may find helpful:
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13. What is College Work-Study and how do I find a job?
College Work-Study jobs are part-time, on-campus employment opportunities for students who
demonstrate financial need. Students must seek their own jobs. Job openings are posted
online throughout the academic year.
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14. What is the difference between a subsidized and an unsubsidized
Stafford loan?
- A subsidized loan is awarded on the basis of financial need. The federal government pays interest on the loan ("subsidizes" the loan) until repayment begins and during authorized periods of deferment thereafter.
- An unsubsidized loan is not awarded on the basis of need;
however, a student must complete the financial aid application process, and Keene State College must determine whether or not a student is eligible for need-based aid before awarding an unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Interest begins accruing immediately once the loan has been
disbursed. The student can choose to pay the interest or allow it to accumulate. If the student
chooses to let the interest accumulate, it will be capitalized - that is, the interest will be added to the principal amount of your loan and will increase the amount the student must repay.
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15. When are bills due?
- Full payment of fall 2007 charges is due Friday, August 1, 2008.
- Full payment of spring 2008 charges is due Friday, December 5, 2008.
Please Note: Students who have not paid their bill by the payment deadline will be deregistered from their classes.
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16. What are the acceptable forms of payment?
- QuikPAY Online
- Cash, check, money order
- MasterCard/Visa
- Approved financial aid
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17. What are the funding options?
There are several funding options - you may find that you need to combine options to best fit your
needs:
-
TuitionPay Payment Plan
If you find that the acceptable forms of payment do not cover the entire balance owed by the student, you may want to consider a payment plan with TuitionPay. TuitionPay is an independent organization providing payment plan options that allow you to spread your student's payments out according to a specified schedule.
- Parent PLUS Loans
- Alternative Loans
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18. What financial aid can be deducted from the charges on my student account?
The following financial aid may be deducted if you have accepted the award and
returned the award notification:
- Grants/Scholarships
- Federal Pell Grant
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
- Institutional Scholarships
- Outside Scholarships if Student Financial Services has received official notification stating the amount of the grant or scholarship and the conditions of the award commitment.
Please submit by fax (603-358-2794) or mail:
Student Financial Services
Keene State College
229 Main Street
Keene NH 03435-2606
- Loans
- All processing must be complete.
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19. What financial aid cannot be deducted from the charges on my student
account?
- College Work-Study - Wages are earned and
disbursed to the student in the
form of a bi-weekly paycheck for hours worked within a pay period.
- Loans that have not been guaranteed by the lender.
- Outside Scholarships if Student Financial Services has not received official notification stating the amount of the grant or scholarship and the conditions of the award commitment.
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