Applying for Financial Aid

Apply for Financial Aid

Always apply early!!   The priority application deadline for San Juan College is April 1.  Students may apply after April 1 but awarding financial aid can take several weeks.  Depending on the application date financial aid awards may not be in place by the start of school.

To apply for federal or state financial aid you have to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. To complete the online application your will need your federal taxes for the previous year (i.e. for the 2009-2010 school year you would use 2008 federal taxes). You will also need to add our school code when it asks for colleges you wish to recieve your information.  San Juan College's school code is 002660.  The FAFSA application is valid for one academic school year which includes the following semesters: Fall, Spring, and Summer. New FAFSA applications are available online after January 1st. Renew your FAFSA every year by the priority deadline of April 1, even if you are unsure that you will attend college.

Once you begin your online application at www.fafsa.ed.gov you will need to complete your electronic application by electronically signing your applicatioin. This signature is used to verify that your FAFSA information is accurate to the best of your knowledge. 

1. Apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) at http://www.pin.ed.gov/.  The PIN is used to electronically confirm and sign the FAFSA.   
   • If you have a PIN, but it is lost or forgotten, you can request a 'Duplicate PIN' at the same website. 
   • Students and parents of dependent students should each have a PIN. 
2. Complete and file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by one of the following means:
   • Original FAFSA on the WEB- http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ (if a new applicant)
   • Renewal FAFSA on the WEB- http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ (if student filed FAFSA in the prior year)
3. List San Juan College as a college choice by including our school code 002660.
4. Receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) acknowledgement within 3-5 days of filing the FAFSA online. It will be emailed, if you listed an email address on the FAFSA.  If you did not include an e-mail address it will be mailed in about 7-10 days. 
5. Our office will recieve an electronic copy of your application, usually in about 5-7 days.  Following a brief review of the application one of three notifications will be mailed:

        o  An official award notification with an instruction form.  Awards will also be posted to SJC's WebAdvisor.

        o  A letter indicating you are not eligible for financial aid programs.

        o  A letter (and specialized worksheets) indicating you were selected for a process called verification.  See below for more information on verification.

Awards will be based on the assumption that the student is full-time status (12 or more credits).  Awards may be adjusted based on your eligibility, adjustments to your enrollment status, or the amount of your total financial aid package.

Verification Process (if selected)

Verification is a federal process that reviewes and verifies the information on the completed FAFSA.  The student is required to submit specific documents and information.  The school compares the information to the original FAFSA and makes any required adjustments.  If a student is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education, the Financial Aid Office will:

1. Send a letter advising you of the items that must be submitted to the Financial Aid Office;
2. Enclose a Verification Worksheet for you (and your parent(s), if applicable) to complete, sign and return;
3. Request signed photocopies of your (and your parent(s), if applicable) U.S. Federal income tax returns and W2 forms;
4. Request other applicable information to verify information submitted on your FAFSA application;
5. Keep all information is confidential.

Prompt response is required for a timely review.  Failure to respond to verification requests will delay your financial aid determination.    Following review of your submission you will recieve either an award notification letter or a request for follow-up information. Please review all correspondence from our office.  If you need additional copies of the Verification Forms, see "Forms" in the left hand navigation bar.

Renewal of Financial Aid

Financial aid is not automatically renewed from year to year. It is the student's responsibility to know financial aid deadlines. Priority deadline for San Juan College is April 1.  Students may apply after April 1 but awarding financial aid can take several weeks.  Depending on the application date financial aid awards may not be in place by the start of school.

Transferring to SJC and Financial Aid

A transfer student should add San Juan College, school code 002660, to hi or her college choice list on the FAFSA. If a student filed online and has a PIN (and parent has a PIN, if applicable), the addition of SJC to the college selection section is easy. Go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ click on "Add or Delete School Code." Otherwise, notify the U.S. Department of Education by phoning 1-800-433-3243 and ask the customer service representative to add SJC (002660). You will have to provide your name, social security number, birth date, and the Data Release Number (DRN) number from your Student Aid Report to perform this operation over the phone.

You will receive an award letter or a request for documents to complete the verification process just like a regular student.  Even if you completed the verification process at another school, you must cooperate with SJC and provide the requested documents. The College will review your financial aid history to ensure that there is no over-award of financial aid during the academic year.