Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

The Most Common Questions We Receive Regarding Financial Aid

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

How do I apply for financial aid?

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Renewal Application and send it to the federal processor (either by mail or electronically using FAFSA on the Web or FAFSA Renewal on the Web).

You will receive a Student Aid Report, or SAR, through the mail or the Internet. It is important that you review your report making sure all information is correct.

Submit all documents as requested by your Office of Student Financial Aid (i.e. tax returns, Verification Worksheets).

Follow up with the Office of Student Financial Aid by checking Owl Express periodically to make sure no additional information is needed and your application is processed.

When do I apply for financial aid?

You Must File A FAFSA Every Year.
The exact time can vary from institution to institution.

Typically, you apply as soon after January 1st as possible, after you and/or your parent(s) have completed your/their federal tax return(s).

Why do I have to apply every year?

For a variety of reasons: your and/or your parent(s) income and/or status can change from year to year; federal and/or state guidelines can change from year to year; and federal and/or state funding changes from year to year.

What does being selected for verification mean?

This does not mean you did anything wrong. It is simply a way for the federal government to perform quality control on the funds that are disbursed. The federal processor randomly selects 30% of the applicant pool for a process called verification. The institution that is attempting to process your financial aid must compare the information you provided on your FAFSA with actual documents (i.e. federal tax return(s), verification worksheets, etc.).

Why must I receive Entrance Loan Counseling before receiving student loans?

This is a federal requirement.

We also hope that loan counseling will assist you in understanding the processing of, as well as the management of, your student loan.

The Office of Student Financial Aid will not process your loan unless you have participated in loan counseling at KSU. Loan counseling is available on the web 24 hours a day. You may complete your Entrance Loan Counseling requirement on-line right now.

How long does it take to process financial aid?

The process typically takes two to three months, but can take as long as four months.

Federal verification, delays in receiving paperwork, and corrections all prolong the process.

How many hours must I take to receive financial aid?

Pell Grant - This can vary. Pell Grant is calculated on a sliding scale according to your federally calculated family contribution and hours of enrollment. Pell Grant is normally awarded for full-time and adjusted down based according to actual hours enrolled.

Other Grants/Scholarships - This can vary. Your Financial Aid Award Letter should advise you as to requirements for specific awards. Otherwise, check with the Office of Student Financial Aid.

Loans - You must be enrolled at least half-time at the time of disbursement (i.e. at least 6 hours for undergraduates or at least 5 hours for graduate students).

HOPE Scholarship - There are no hour limitations on HOPE. However, the book stipend and amount allowed for tuition/fees will vary. In addition to normal tuition and fees, you will be given $150 per semester if you are enrolled half-time or more (i.e. 6 or more hours) or $75 per semester if you are enrolled less than half-time (i.e. 5 or less hours).

What will financial aid pay for?

Financial aid will pay for classes that are required by the institution towards a degree.

What will financial aid NOT pay for?

Financial aid will not pay for audited classes, developmental courses not required by the school, or for any courses where you are enrolled at KSU as a transient or non-degree seeking student.

What if I register during Phase I (early) registration and my financial aid is not available to pay by the fee payment deadline?

Any student with a pending or complete file in the Office of Student Financial Aid will have their tuition and fees held until the end of Late Registration Drop/Add.

If the award is not finalized by this time, you will need to pay out-of-pocket and be reimbursed.

Can I be reimbursed for a previous term?

It depends. Usually, if you remain continually enrolled at least half-time during the academic year, you can be reimbursed for previous terms within the same academic year.

When can I expect to receive my student loan funds?

The money is usually wired to our institution 2 days prior to the anticipated disbursement date listed on your disclosure statement so that eligibility can be confirmed and aid can be processed. At the beginning of each term, excess loan funds are processed by HigherOne (in accordance with each student's choice) after Late Registration Drop/Add is completed and students' accounts have been credited for the amount owed toward tuition, fees, books, etc. See Deadines for the exact date.

If you are processing a student loan retroactively, you can anticipate the funds being administered approximately three to four weeks from the date you mailed your promissory note back to your lender.

What is "Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)"?

In order to receive federal financial aid, federal guidelines state that a student must make Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Kennesaw's standards include,
but are not limited to:

Please see Satisfactory Academic Progress for complete details.

The HOPE Scholarship and Grant program has it's own set of unique requirements. Please see the GAcollege411 web site for complete details.

What will happen if I drop a class or withdraw completely?

In general, new Federal and State regulations assume that you “earn” your Federal financial aid awards and HOPE directly in proportion to the number of days of the term that you attend until you withdraw. Furthermore, as part of the Higher Education Amendments of 1998, Congress passed new provisions governing what must happen to your Federal financial assistance if you completely withdraw from school in any semester. Please refer to the Kennesaw State University Institutional Refund Policy - Return Of Title IV Funds Policy for complete details.

If you completely withdraw or drop below half-time prior to receiving your aid, or prior to the beginning of classes, you are not eligible for your scheduled aid for that term.

If you drop a class or completely withdraw after receiving your disbursement, any balance of aid (Pell Grant at bookstore, etc.) is stopped. No reimbursement is made.

If you have a student loan, any refund due to complete withdrawal or drop in hours in Late Registration will be returned to your lender and credited to your student loan. The loan may be canceled. Check with the Office of Student Financial Aid if you want to continue your loan for the next term.

Can my financial aid transfer from institution to institution?

If you transfer from one institution to another within an academic year, you should be able to receive aid at your new institution.

Due to availability, you may not receive the same amount(s) and type(s) of aid.

Although you do not need to fill out the FAFSA again, you are creating a new file with the new institution.

If you are planning to transfer, begin the process early.

For more details please see the Financial Aid Checklist for Transfer Students.