FAFSA & Application Process
This federal database is used by financial aid technicians to verify if a student’s FAFSA information matches IRS tax returns
What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?
This is the maximum amount a student can receive from the Federal Pell Grant for the 2024-2025 award year
What is $7,395?
This regulation requires financial aid technicians to ensure that a student maintains Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) in order to remain eligible for federal financial aid
What is the Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) policy?
When a student's FAFSA is flagged for this, they must submit additional documentation to verify their identity or other financial details.
What is verification?
This type of federal loan is available to both undergraduate and graduate students, but unlike other loans, it requires the borrower to show financial need.
What is a Subsidized Federal Direct Loan?
A financial aid technician must use this formula to calculate a student's financial need, based on their Student Aid Index (SAI) and the cost of attendance (COA).
What is the financial need calculation (Need = COA - SAI)?
When a student receives federal financial aid but drops out of school, this regulation dictates how much of the aid must be returned
What is the Return of Title IV Funds (R2T4) policy?
If a student experiences a significant reduction in family income, they may be able to submit this form to adjust their eligibility for aid
What is a Professional Judgment (PJ) appeal?
A financial aid technician must confirm whether this status applies to a student who is under the age of 24 and does not meet certain independence criteria.
What is dependent status?
This term refers to the number of credit hours a student is enrolled in during a term, which impacts their Pell grant eligibility
What is Enrollment Intensity?
This is the required minimum standard for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) regarding a student’s completion rate for attempted coursework to remain eligible for federal financial aid
What is 67% completion rate?
If a student is unable to contact a parent or where contact with parents poses a risk to such student, the financial aid office may override this status
What is a dependency override?
If a student does not submit their FAFSA by this date, they may lose access to the maximum amount of federal financial aid available for the year
What is the priority filing deadline?
AB540 students who are eligible for a Cal Grant award may receive this award to perform community or volunteer service
What is California Dream Act Service Incentive Grant (DSIG) Program?
This term describes the total cost for a student to attend school for one academic year, including tuition, fees, housing, and other living expenses
What is the cost of attendance (COA)?
If a student has been homeless at any time, financial aid officers can grant them independent status based on this criterion
What is unaccompanied youth or homeless status?
This is the federal government’s deadline for submitting the FAFSA for the 2024-2025 school year
What is June 30, 2025?
A student has an SAI of 2,250. Calculate their Pell Grant Eligibility at Full-Time enrollment
What is $5,145
What is letter of termination and/or unemployment benefits and/or copy of final pay stub?