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?
- Am I eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) on my FAFSA?
- 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?
- 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. Am I eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) on my FAFSA?
Do ALL of the statements below apply to you?
- I filed my 2011 tax return with a filing status of anything but
"Married filing separately." i.e. Single, Married filing jointly, Head of Household, etc.
- I did not file an Amended Tax Return for 2011.
- I did not file a Foreign Tax Return for 2011.
- I filed my 2011 tax return electronically at least two weeks ago OR by mail at least four weeks ago.
Yes? Then you are eligible to use the IRS's new data retrieval tool located within the FAFSA application at www.FAFSA.ed.gov.
No? To questions #1-3: If you filed a 2011 tax return with a status of Married filing separately, an Amended return, or a Foreign return,
you are not eligible to use the IRS data retrieval tool.
To question #4: If it has not been at least two weeks since you filed your return electronically, or four weeks since you mailed your
return to the IRS, simply wait until the appropriate amount of time has passed and now you can use the IRS data retrieval tool!
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5. 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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6. 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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7. I have submitted the FAFSA, what happens next?
Two to three 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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8. 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, or
- Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-433-3243.
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9. 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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10. 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 from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012. 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, 2011, through June 30, 2012, 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, 2011, through June 30, 2012.
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11. 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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12. 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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13. 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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14. 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 have demonstrated financial need according to the FAFSA. Students must seek their own jobs. Job openings are posted
online throughout the academic year.
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15. What is the difference between a subsidized and an unsubsidized
Federal Direct
loan?
- A subsidized Federal Direct loan is
awarded on the basis of financial need. Interest is not charged until you
begin repayment or during deferment periods.
- An unsubsidized Federal Direct loan is
not awarded on the basis of need. You will be charged interest from the time
the loan is disbursed until it is paid in full. If you allow the interest to
accrue (accumulate) while you are in school, or during other periods of
non-payment, it will be capitalized. This means the interest will be added to
the principal amount of your loan, and additional interest will be based on
that higher amount.
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16. 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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17. 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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