Applying for Financial Aid can be a very simple and easy process but must be done each year. Everything begins with your filing of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is the only application that Chestnut Hill College requires for SUS, SGS and SCPS students. This can be done for the next financial aid year as early as January 1 but we recommend that you file after you submit your taxes for the year so that you have the most up to date information – as long as you are filing by the April 15 tax deadline.
You may want to consider filing earlier using an estimate if you are a late-filer but will then have to go into the FAFSA to update the tax information once you have finalized your taxes for the previous year.
*Please note that your verification must be completed and processed prior to the end of the current semester. Failure to do so will result in cancelation of your federal aid.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in ensuring college affordability. The application must be completed by students (and their parents, if dependent) each year to determine eligibility for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
Who is Eligible to Submit a FAFSA?
You must be a matriculated student in a degree granting program at Chestnut Hill College.
You must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
You must have a valid Social Security Card on file with the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Steps to Complete your FAFSA
1. Create an FSA ID and gather documents
Before you can access the FAFSA form online, you’ll need to create a StudentAid.gov account if you don’t have one already. Every contributor, including the student, must have their own account to access and complete their sections of the form, and your account username and password will serve as your legal electronic signature throughout the federal student aid process.
Review this information to verify that it’s correct. If you need to update any of this information, you can do so in the account settings of your StudentAid.gov account.
4. Define your Personal Circumstances
In this section, you’ll answer questions that will help determine your dependency status and eligibility for federal student aid.
5. Define your Demographics
You’ll be asked about your sex, race, and ethnicity. Your answers here won’t affect your eligibility for federal student aid, be used in any calculations, or be shared with any schools that you list on your FAFSA form. They are used for research purposes only.
6. Report your Financials
Report information about your 2024 tax return.
Report Asset information
7. Add Colleges to Receive your FAFSA Data
FAFSA will not send your data to colleges unless you select them during this phase of the application. Chestnut College’s school code is 003245.
8. Invite Contributor
If the FAFSA form determines that you’re a dependent student, you’ll be required to invite a legal parent (a biological or adoptive parent as determined by the state) to participate on your FAFSA form.
Not sure which parent you should invite to your form? The FAFSA form links to the Who’s My FAFSA Parent? wizard, this tool will help you determine which parent to invite.
9. Sign and Review
Once your contributors have completed their section, you may submit your application now.
Make sure to review all the responses that you provided on your FAFSA
When you’re ready to sign your form, select the checkbox saying you agree to the terms and then select the “Sign” button.
Congratulations, you’ve just started your journey to receiving aid for your college education!
WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU FILE?
After the FAFSA is processed by the U.S. Dept. of Education, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary. The FAFSA Submission Summary is a copy of the information you provided on the FAFSA. This report:
Provides you with your Student Aid Index (SAI)
Provides estimated federal aid eligibility
Allows you the opportunity to correct any errors or update your data. If you estimated your financial information when you originally filed, you must log-in to the FAFSA to make corrections with your updated tax information.
Stay Informed: closely monitor your email for next steps and required documentation
Verification
One third of all the FAFSA’s submitted to the Department of Education will be randomly selected for verification. Verification is a process by which Student Financial Services must review the information you submitted on your FAFSA. If you are selected, you and your parents must supply documentation to confirm the data reported on your FAFSA form. You must submit the verification worksheet and copies of your and your parents’ federal income tax forms. Student Financial Services will notify you regarding the necessary documentation that is required to satisfy the verification requirement, but it is also available for you to download electronically here. No federal financial aid may be credited to your account until this process is completed.
“C” Flags
When you submit your FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education checks your information with other federal agencies. “C” Flags indicate inconsistent information or information that could not be verified by the USDE system. All “C” flags are identified on the Student Aid Report (SAR) with an explanation on Part I of the SAR. All “C” flag issues must be resolved before Student Financial Services can disburse any financial aid. Resolution can occur through the assistance of certain federal agencies. You will be notified by Student Financial Services of the documentation or actions required to remove the “C” flags.
