How to Apply for Financial Aid

  General Information

Cuesta College students who receive financial aid must reapply each year by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The 2008-09 FAFSA will be available on January 1, 2008. In addition to completing a FAFSA each year, students must meet enrollment and satisfactory academic progress standards. Students who wish to apply for financial aid should use resources available on the Web. This includes the FAFSA link below.

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the first step in the financial aid process. You use it to apply for federal student financial aid, such as grants, loans (Subsidized and Unsubsidized), and work-study. It is also used for state programs, such as the Board of Governors Fee Waiver and Cal Grants. Cuesta College will use the information you provide on your FAFSA to determine your eligibility.

For the 2008/2009 school year, new applicants for Cal Grants (including entering freshmen) must submit a GPA Verification Form as well as the FAFSA by the March  2, 2008 deadline. GPA Verification Forms are available from your high school counselor or any California college Financial Aid Office and can be submitted directly to the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC).

Please Remember:

Incorrect addresses are the number one reason students do not receive their financial aid in a timely manner. It is YOUR responsibility to avoid potential problems associated with inaccurate addresses. It is critical that you immediately update your address with the Financial Aid Office and federal processor (FAFSA), as well as the Admissions & Records Office any time you move, and that you give accurate forwarding instructions to the U.S. Post Office each time you move. It will not be possible to immediately reproduce checks that become delayed or misrouted in the mail.

If you have already filed your FAFSA, be sure to log into FAFSA to check your Financial Aid status.

Important Tips

  • Don't disqualify yourself! If your family's income is too high, you may not receive need-based aid, but you could still qualify for scholarships, work-study or low-interest loans. We still encourage you to file the FAFSA.

  • You must reapply each year to continue receiving federal and state financial aid. This includes Cal Grants, The Board of Governors Fee Waiver (BOGW), Pell Grants, Work-Study, Stafford Subsidized and Unsubsidized Student Loans, and other grants.

  • You must update your address with the FAFSA, as well as the college you are attending. Our Financial Aid Office uses the address on the FAFSA to send your award letters and loan guarantees.

  • Continuing financial aid applicants will be emailed or sent either a Renewal FAFSA or a PIN (Personal Identification Number) during December or January each year. Be sure to keep your email and permanent address current with the federal processor because your Renewal FAFSA or PIN will be emailed/mailed to the address on file as of September. If you do not receive a Renewal FAFSA or PIN by the end of January, go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and complete a FAFSA online. You may also make address, phone number, and college choice corrections on the WEB using your PIN. To request a PIN or a duplicate PIN, visit the web site at www.pin.ed.gov.

Who is Eligible for Financial Aid?

Generally, financial aid eligibility is established once a student has shown that the following criteria are satisfied:

  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States;

  • Have a valid Social Security Number;

  • Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate or pass an approved "Ability to Benefit" test.

  • Not owe a refund on a federal grant or be in default on an educational loan;

  • Be registered, or formerly registered, with the Selective Service if you are a male between the ages of 18-25;

  • Be a regular student in an eligible program enrolling for the purpose of obtaining a degree or certificate by having declared a goal through matriculation;

  • Be making Satisfactory Academic Progress;

  • Complete a drug rehabilitation program for individuals convicted of any offence under federal or state law involving the possession or sale of a controlled substance.

The Application Process

Apply on-line at www.fafsa.ed.gov. If you can’t apply online, you may obtain a paper FAFSA from all high schools, colleges, and universities across the U.S. Our school code is: 001192. Be sure to list Cuesta College when completing Step 6 of the FAFSA.

The fastest and easiest way to apply is on-line. It is a two-step process;

  1. Go to www.pin.ed.gov and apply for a PIN (if you are a dependent student, be sure to have one of your parent's apply for a PIN as well).

  2. Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and file the FAFSA. Be sure to have all tax and bank account information at hand (for more information on what you will need, click here.).

Approximately two weeks after electronically filing your FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education will email or send you a Student Aid Report (SAR), summarizing the information reported on your application. Review your SAR carefully for any errors. If application information has changed, follow the instructions on the SAR to make corrections and return it to the address provided or correct it online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be sure Cuesta College (School Code: 001192) is listed as an institution authorized to receive your application information. If no updates or corrections are required, keep the SAR for your reference.

The FAFSA application is only the beginning of the federal student aid process. Before you are awarded a financial aid package, the Cuesta College Financial Aid Office will send you a letter asking you for additional information to complete your file for a preliminary review. It is your responsibility to give us the information or documentation needed to process your application. Until we receive all of the information requested, we will be unable to offer you financial assistance.

Students who do not qualify for payment at the beginning of a term will be processed for payment as soon as their award and/or registration status qualifies them for a disbursement. Changes in your enrollment status or enrollment level, receipt of outside aid, etc. may cause a reduction in your financial eligibility and delay payment. You must report all such changes promptly to the Financial Aid Office.

Documents Commonly Requested

Common documents the Financial Aid Office requests from you to complete your file:

  • Supplemental Information Form. (this will be sent to you) covers enrollment information, your rights and responsibilities, and the Satisfactory Academic Progress policy to maintain your academic eligibility for Financial Aid.

  • Student Education Plan (SEP)/Orientation Verification. All Students receiving financial aid must submit either an Orientation Verification or a Student Education Plan (SEP). To determine which document will be needed, read the following:

    • IF YOU ARE A FIRST TIME FRESHMAN and have a GED or its equivalent, you should submit an Orientation Verification or complete the Online Orientation, which can be accessed through WebReg or your Personal Access to Web Services (PAWS). This will fill the Financial Aid requirement for an SEP/Orientation for your first semester as a First-Time Freshman ONLY. Once you enroll in Cuesta, schedule a counseling appointment in order to complete your matriculation planning process.

    • If you are a continuing Cuesta Student and you have attended no other colleges, you must submit a current SEP. Contact the Counseling Office at (805) 546-3138 to make an appointment.

    • If you are a Transfer Student or you have attended other schools since high school, you will need a SEP.

  • To obtain an SEP:

    1. Request your official academic transcripts, plus a general education pattern, from ALL previous schools you have attended be forwarded to Cuesta.

    2. Verify with the Admissions and Records Office that Cuesta College has received ALL your official academic transcript(s).

    3. Make an appointment with an Academic Counselor at the Counseling Office. You will complete your SEP with the counselor at that time.

    4. Submit a copy of your SEP to the Financial Aid Office.

  • Verification Worksheet. (this will be sent to you) The Department of Education selects 30% of each school's applicants to provide a Quality Control Review. Verification review takes into account your family income and assets, taxes paid, household size, number in college and untaxed benefits.

  • Federal Income Tax Forms and W2's. Please submit ONLY if you have been selected for Verification (see above). Attach COPIES of your federal (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ or Telefile) tax forms with ALL schedules and W2's.

 

 Financial Aid Home