-
How do I apply for student financial aid?
- I lost
my income tax papers. How can I get a copy of my 1040 form?
- What
is the Title IV School Code for Grossmont College?
- I
have a job and live away from my parents. Am I considered independent?
- I have a
drug conviction. Will I be eligible for financial aid?
- Where
do I call to find out if my FAFSA was received and processed?
- I
want to work on campus. How can I apply for the work study program?
- I am currently divorced (separated) from my spouse. Our last income taxes were
filed jointly. Should I still report my spouse's income on my FAFSA?
- I am a
single parent. Is there any additional assistance available for me?
- How
do I transfer my financial aid from one college to another?
- I
have a defaulted student loan. What should I do to fix this problem?
- Where should I
call to ask questions about my Cal Grant?
Q: How do I apply for student financial aid?
A: To apply for Federal Financial Aid,
you need to:
- Complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
- Either mail it out to the Federal Processing Center in the
envelope provided or file your
FAFSA online.
Before you submit the FAFSA, the Financial Aid Office staff can check it for accuracy and
completeness. Incomplete or inconsistent information will delay processing.
If you mail your FAFSA, do NOT send any enclosures.
- Complete all
the required paperwork and submit to the Financial Aid Office.
- If you have attended any colleges other than Grossmont,
request an Official Academic Transcripts from all colleges previously attended and
have them sent to the Grossmont College Admissions and Records Office. If the transcripts
are issued to you personally, they must be sealed as "Official
Transcripts". Submit them in the original SEALED envelope to the Admissions
and Records Office.
You need to reapply for financial aid every school year.
The best time to apply is January 1st through March 2nd.
Q: I lost my income tax papers. How can I get a copy of my 1040 form?
A: A FREE transcript of your income
tax records for past years (Letter 1722) can be obtained from the local IRS office, if
you:
- call 1 – 800 – 829 –
1040; or
- send a written request to:
Internal Revenue Service
Attention: Taxpayer Service
880 Front Street, Room 1295
San Diego, CA 92101-8869
Q: What is the Title IV School Code for Grossmont College?
A: Here are Title IV school codes for
some local colleges:
Grossmont College - 001208
Cuyamaca College - 014435
IMPORTANT: for each college you list on
your FAFSA, you must specify your housing plans by marking an appropriate
answer (either "off-campus" or "with
parents" for attendance at Grossmont College).
This information will affect your
eligibility and the amount of your award.
Q: I have a job and
live away from my parents. Am I considered independent?
A: Being on your own does NOT make
you independent for financial aid purposes.
To be considered independent, you have to
meet AT LEAST ONE of the following requirements:
- be at least 24 years old as of:
January 1, 1985 – for the 2008-2009 school year;
- be legally married;
- be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
or be currently serving on Active Duty;
- be an orphan (both parents dead) a ward of
court, or you were a ward of the court at age 18;
- have legal dependents other than a spouse;
- be a postgraduate student (beyond a
bachelor’s degree)
Under some extreme circumstances
(unknown whereabouts of both parents, abusive situation, etc.) you may apply for a
dependency override. Documentation of your situation will be required.
Q: I have a drug conviction. Will I be eligible for financial aid?
A: A student is ineligible to receive federal financial aid for a
specified period of time if the student has been convicted of an offense for the sale or
possession of an illegal drug.
Convictions for possession:
Only one conviction - ineligible for federal financial aid for one year from date
of conviction
Two convictions - ineligible for federal
financial aid for two years from date of the second conviction
Three or more convictions - ineligible
for federal financial aid for an indefinite period of time
Convictions for sale:
Only one conviction - ineligible for federal financial aid for two years from
date of conviction
Two or more convictions - ineligible for federal financial aid for an indefinite
period of time
A student may regain eligibility for federal financial aid, if during the period of
ineligibility, the student completes an approved drug rehabilitation program.
Students convicted of a drug offense during a period of time in which they are receiving
federal financial aid, must notify the financial aid office immediately.
To find out if you are
eligible, visit the
Department of Education's
website.
Q: Where do I call to
find out if my FAFSA was received and processed?
A: Call (800) 433-3243 to:
- find out if your FAFSA has been processed;
- find out if corrections have been
processed;
- order a copy of your Student Aid Report;
- add a new college to your Student Aid
Report.
For general information on Federal
Student Aid programs, call (800) 433–3243.
Q: I want to work on
campus. How can I apply for the work study program?
A: To apply for the work study
program, you must:
- complete the FAFSA and turn in all the
required documents as early as possible.
There is NO separate application for
the work study program..
You can find more information about the
work study program in the Student Guide to
Financial Aid.
If you are not awarded Federal or State
work study, there are two more ways to find a job on campus:
- Job Placement Center
- CalWORKs Program (if you are currently
receiving TANF (formerly known as AFDC)
Q: I am currently divorced (separated) from my spouse.
Our last income taxes were filed jointly. Should I still report my spouse's income on my
FAFSA?
A: No. If you are currently separated or
divorced, you can subtract your (ex-) spouse's part of the income from the "Adjusted
Gross Income" and answer "0" to "Income Earned by Your
Spouse." You should also exclude your (ex-) spouse from the number of people in your
household.
Q: I am a single parent. Is there any additional assistance available for
me?
A: Yes. If you are a single parent
with at least one child under age 13, you may qualify for additional assistance
from the following State-funded programs:
- CARE (Cooperative Agencies Resources
for Education) - for full-time students currently receiving TANF (formerly known as AFDC);
and/or
- New Horizons - for students
enrolled at least half-time (6 or more units) in a vocational major.
For both of these programs, you must be a California resident and have completed less than
70 college units. To apply, contact the EOPS Office.
Q: How do I transfer my financial aid from one college to
another?
A: To add another college to your
FAFSA application, you should:
- Call the Federal Processing Center at (800)
433–3243.
- Contact the financial aid office of the
college you are transferring to, and submit all the necessary paperwork.
- Cancel any outstanding financial award at
your previous school (for any given semester, a student may be awarded from only one
college.)
Q: I have a defaulted student loan. What should I do to fix this
problem?
A: You need to call (800)
367-1589 to arrange repayment. After you have made satisfactory repayment
arrangements, you may regain eligibility for Federal Financial Aid. Satisfactory
repayment arrangements may include:
- repaying the loan in full;
- making three (3) consecutive, on-time
monthly payments and then applying for loan consolidation; or
- making six (6) consecutive, on-time
monthly payments.
- You also may be able to receive a
deferment on your loans. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office or check
the Student Guide to Financial Aid for further
information.
Q: Where should I call
to ask questions about my Cal Grant?
A: You can call the California
Student Aid Commission at (888) 224–7268.
Written requests can be sent to:
CSAC
P.O. Box 419026
Rancho Cordova, CA 95741-9026
For more information, you can also
visit their website at www.csac.ca.gov.
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