Financial Aid Checklist

Transfer Students

If you are planning to transfer to Kennesaw State University (KSU), you must notify the Office of Student Financial Aid as soon as possible. Depending on where you are in the financial aid application process, different things will be required of you.

General Information

You cannot transfer financial aid award packages from one school to another. You must reapply for financial aid at KSU.

The Financial Aid process may or may not be the same as your previous institution.

The student must have applied for admission into KSU before the financial aid process can begin.

Awarding of financial aid will not occur until students have an admissions status of "accepted". This is true for all types of financial aid including the HOPE Scholarship.

Financial Aid is applied to the student's account after the "Drop/Add" period (see Deadlines)

Any excess Financial Aid money is processed through Higher One after Tuition & Fees have been paid (see Deadlines).

Start the process early.

Check your status on Owl Express.

Transfer Students should be prepared to pay for tuition & fees up front. If you are eligible, you will be reimbursed as financial aid becomes available. Paying up front ensures that your classes are not dropped for nonpayment See Deadlines for a comprehensive listing of important dates.

Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

The student must contact the Federal Processor to have the Student Aid Report (SAR) electronically transmitted to Kennesaw State University if they did not list KSU on the original Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Federal Processor's phone number is 1-800-433-3243. KSU's School Code is 001577.

Verification

Students who have been selected for verification at the previous institution may be subject to complete verification at KSU. This will require the student to submit all verification documents to KSU.

If your file is chosen for verification it 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.).

Financial Aid Transcript (FAT)

Financial Aid Transcripts (FAT's) are no longer required by KSU. This also applies to midyear transfer students. KSU will obtain your Financial Aid information for the current year from the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).

HOPE Scholarship And Grant

The HOPE scholarship does not automatically transfer from school to school.

A student must apply for the HOPE Scholarship by completing the Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (which covers applications for loans, grants, & federal work study) and an electronic HOPE Application (GSFAPPS) online at https://secure.gacollege411.org/AdmissionApp/application_list.asp.

A student needs to be accepted to KSU before submitting a HOPE Application.

The student's academic transcript will be evaluated to determine HOPE Scholarship eligibility.

All final academic transcripts must be received by KSU before an evaluation can be done.

Incomplete or missing academic information may result in inaccurate HOPE calculations and result in the student having to return all or part of HOPE funds received.

Loans

KSU is not a "Direct Lending" institution. Students must complete the Entrance Loan Counseling and select a lender of their choice. A Preferred Lender List is provided on the Loan Application Process page. You are not limited to only these lenders. If you wish to use a lender who is not listed, you should contact that lender and request that they send you a paper loan application. If necessary, your Promissory Note (Prom Note) will be mailed from your lender.

Loan amounts are based on the student's earned hours at the time of certification. Students may request an increase in their loan after their academic transcripts are evaluated and additional hours are entered into the system. (For example: Suppose a student is listed as a freshman at the time their loan is processed. That student is eligible for $2625 in financial aid. However, if the same student is determined to be a sophomore once their academic transcripts are evaluated he or she is now eligible to receive $3500. The student will need to complete another Loan Request for the additional $875).

If a student has a loan at a previous institution that has already been accepted, that loan must be canceled. Eligibility will be determined based on the amount received at the prior institution.

Satisfactory Academic Progress

The Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by Congress, requires that a student maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress in their course of study to continue receiving Federal Title IV Financial Aid. Failure to maintain satisfactory academic progress will result in the loss of Federal Title IV Financial Aid. Federal Title IV Financial Aid includes the Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Perkins Loan, Subsidized Stafford Loan, Unsubsidized Stafford Loan, PLUS Loan, State Incentive Grant, and HOPE Scholarship/Grant.

Determining Satisfactory Academic Progress involves several different criteria. Students must meet or exceed all SAP requirements to continue receiving financial aid. These standards apply to part-time students as well as full-time students. You should familiarize yourself with the requirements of Satisfactory Academic Progress.

Exit Loan Counseling

After receiving a student loan, students are required to complete an Exit Loan Counseling session once they graduate or cease to be enrolled at least half-time. These sessions are conducted in accordance with federal guidelines. Failure to attend an exit counseling session, will result in an academic hold being placed on the student's file.

Return Of Title IV Funds

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. You should familiarize yourself with Kennesaw State University's Institutional Refund Policy - Return of Title IV Funds.

Questions?

If you have any questions, please call the Office of Student Financial Aid at (770) 423-6074, or come by the office. We are located in Kennesaw Hall between the Bagwell College of Education and the Office of the Registrar and the Office of Admissions.

Kennesaw State University Title IV School Code: 001577