Federal Student Aid (FSA) is financial assistance from the federal government that is used to help students pay for college. The type and amount of aid may vary for each student, but federal aid is based on several pieces of financial and demographic data, so it is unwise to make assumptions about not qualifying.

A student qualifies for FSA by:

1. Completing high school (or equivalent)
2. Enrolling in a degree or certificate program and taking classes toward that completion
3. Filling out a FAFSA each academic year
4. Maintaining Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as described in Central's policies

The amount of FSA a student qualifies for and receives is based upon many factors, including:

• Enrollment status (full-time, part-time, etc.)
• Grade level (freshman, sophomore, junior/senior, graduate)
• Student, parent/spouse household income and assets

Types of Federal Student Aid

The following FSA is available to Central students, depending upon eligibility.

Federal Pell Grant

Federal Pell Grants usually are awarded only to undergraduate students who display exceptional financial need and have not earned a bachelor's, graduate, or professional degree. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid, except under certain circumstances. Learn more about the Federal Pell Grant at studentaid.gov.

To be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant, a student must:

1. File a FAFSA and complete verification if required
2. Meet the current federal eligibility requirements based on financial need and SAI
3. Be working toward their first undergraduate degree

The amount the student is eligible for depends on the SAI and how many hours the student is enrolled. The maximum amount changes each academic year and is set by the federal government. Federal Pell Grant eligibility is determined and awarded by the Financial Aid Office when the financial aid offer is created.

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)

An FSEOG grant is also a need-based grant and does not require repayment. Learn more about the FSEOG program at studentaid.gov.

To be eligible for the FSEOG, a student must:

1. Have received the Federal Pell Grant
2. Demonstrate financial need after all other aid has been awarded

The amount a student will receive depends on the availability of funds, usually $150–$300 per semester. Because the Financial Aid Office administratively awards the FSEOG, students do not have to additionally apply for it.

Direct Loan Program

Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school. Learn more about subsidized and unsubsidized Direct Loans at studentaid.gov. There are two types of Direct Loans available to Central students and one type available to parents of students.

Direct Subsidized Loan: Available to undergraduate students with financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays the interest on a Direct Subsidized Loan while the student is in school at least half-time, for the first six months after the student leaves school (referred to as a grace period), and during a period of deferment (a postponement of loan payments). Interest rates are set annually by the U.S. Department of Education.

Direct Unsubsidized Loan: Available to undergraduate and graduate students; there is no requirement to demonstrate financial need. The student is responsible for paying the interest on a Direct Unsubsidized Loan during all periods. Interest rates are set annually by the U.S. Department of Education.

To apply for a Direct Subsidized Loan and/or a Direct Unsubsidized Loan, a student must:

1. File a FAFSA and complete verification if required
2. Complete Entrance Counseling
3. Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN)
4. Fill out the Student Loan Data Sheet

Direct Parent PLUS Loan: The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct Parent PLUS Loans to eligible parents through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program. Parents may borrow up to the cost of attendance not covered by other aid. The parent may choose to defer payments until the student graduates, leaves school, or drops below half-time enrollment. Learn more about Direct Parent PLUS Loans at studentaid.gov. Interest rates are set annually by the U.S. Department of Education.

To apply for a Direct Parent PLUS Loan, a parent must:

1. Submit a credit check application
2. Sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN)
3. Fill out the PLUS Loan Data Sheet

Federal Work Study

Federal Work-Study (FWS) provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to the student's course of study. As with Federal Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study earnings do not have to be repaid. Learn more about Federal Work-Study at studentaid.gov.

At Central, students generally work 5-15 hours per week during the school year; actual work hours will be determined by each student's supervisor. The amount of earnings must not exceed the student's unmet need. Not all campus jobs at Central are FWS, so a student who desires FWS should check with the Financial Aid Office about which jobs to apply for.

To apply for FWS, a student must:

1. File a FAFSA and complete verification if required
2. Fill out a Central Job Application

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

To apply for Federal Student Aid (FSA), the student first needs to complete the FAFSA. The FAFSA is the tool used to determine what type and how much FSA the student may receive.

For Central to receive the student's FAFSA, the student must enter Central's school code when prompted: 014619

Dependent students need to include parent information on their FAFSA, and independent married students need to include their spouse's information. Check studentaid.gov to determine if the student is dependent or independent. Any person whose information is reported on the FAFSA will need their own FSA ID.

The FAFSA must be filled out each academic year.

Deadlines

Verification

Learn about verification here.

Corrections and Updates

Students may need to make corrections to or update the information they supplied on their original FAFSA submission. Corrections can be made in the following ways:

• Log in to FAFSA on the Web at studentaid.gov.
  If the parent's information is updated, the parent will have to re-sign the FAFSA either electronically or on a printed signature page.
• Request that the Financial Aid Office make the updates or corrections.
  This method requires a printed sheet with the signatures of the student, parents, and student's spouse, as applicable.