APPLYING FOR AID


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Complete step-by-step instructions for applying for Financial Aid.

STEP ONE:

Apply for admission as a regular degree-seeking student by completing an online application at http://www.tusculum.edu/. We have campuses in Greeneville, Knoxville, and Morristown. Contact an enrollment representative at 423-636-7312 to discuss the available programs and when classes start.

STEP TWO:

Apply for your FAFSA FSA ID at www.FSAid.ed.gov. Your FSA ID should be kept private and should not be shared with anyone. You can use this ID to electronically sign your FAFSA, which greatly reduces the time it takes to process your application for financial aid. (If you are a dependent student, your parent will also need to apply for a FSA ID.)

STEP THREE:

Apply for financial aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. The FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for financial aid including: Federal Pell Grants, Federal Stafford Loans, the Tennessee Student Assistance Award, and the Tennessee Hope Scholarship for non-traditional students.
You will need to complete a FAFSA for each year in which you would like to apply for aid. For example, if you are starting in the summer 2021 semester, you will need to fill out a 2021-21 FAFSA AND then complete a 2021-22 FAFSA for the fall and spring semesters of the following year. The FAFSA for upcoming academic years can be accessed beginning October 1 of each year. It is highly recommended that you complete your FAFSA as early as possible to increase the likelihood of receiving certain types of need-based financial aid, such as the Tennessee Student Assistance Award.

STEP FOUR:

30% of all FAFSA’s are selected by the Department of Education for a process called verification. In order to complete the process, you will need to complete a verification worksheet that we will provide to you, remit the worksheet with all W-2’s, and either link your FAFSA with the IRS for data retrieval or order an official IRS Tax Return Transcript and have it sent directly to Tusculum. We may also request other documents on a case-by-case basis.
Please remember to include your name on any documents that your submit to the Office of Financial Aid. We accept documents via email, fax, in person, and through the postal service. Once Financial Aid has received your documents equired for verification, your FAFSA application will be reviewed. If changes need to be made Financial Aid will make the corrections and re-submit your FAFSA for updates. You will receive notice that your updates have processed and financial Aid will then review your aid and update your award letter as needed. Your revised award letter will be sent to you via your student email address.

STEP FIVE:

If you intend to utilize Federal Direct Loans, you will need to complete entrance loan counseling at www.studentloans.gov. Entrance loan counseling explains the rights and obligations of a student loan borrower.

STEP SIX:

After you have completed entrance loan counseling, you will then have to complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN), which is your promise to pay back your loans to the Department of Education at www.studentloans.gov.

What happens next?

When our office has received your FAFSA and you have been accepted as a student your estimated offer letter will be sent in the mail or to your email account. The offer letter details the financial aid that you are eligible for in the upcoming school year. After your offer letter arrives, you have seven days from the date on the letter to let the Office of Financial Aid know if there is any part of the award (such as loans) that you wish to decline or your award will be processed in full. (Remember that you must complete entrance loan counseling and a master promissory note before we can process your student loans. Verification must also be completed before federal and state financial aid can be applied to your student account.) If your total financial aid award is more than what you need for the cost of tuition, the Business Office will apply the amount of aid that you need to cover the charges that you have incurred and the remainder of the funds will be sent to you according to the Business Office’s refund policy. If you prefer not to use loans to help pay your bill, you may contact the Business Office for payment plan options.