Financial Aid Application Process

 
 

Remember to file your FAFSA every year. Follow the highlighted links below to complete your application process online, step by step. For more information, check out this 7-step tutorial.

**Mid Year Transfers begin at Step 3.

Step 1

Obtain a Federal Student Aid PIN (Personal Identification Number) from the Department of Education. At least one parent must obtain a PIN number. Students and parents will use this PIN to electronically "sign" FAFSA and federal loan applications. Your PIN will be used each year you apply for assistance.  

 

 

Step 2

Print out and complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on the Web Pre-Application Worksheet. You will use this worksheet to complete the FAFSA..  You should complete your FAFSA about 2-3 weeks after completing your tax returns but no later than March 1 of the award year. After this date your eligibility may decrease as we commit aid to other students. Be sure to choose the "sign application using PIN" option. Oneonta's Federal Code is 002847.

At the end of the FAFSA online process, you will have an opportunity to complete a New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application. If you miss that opportunity, you may complete TAP on the Web now. Oneonta's TAP code is 0930.

 

 

Step 3

Check the status of your FAFSA here. You will need your Federal PIN (Step 1) to access this site. Transfer students must make sure to release their FAFSA data to SUNY Oneonta. You will make that correction electronically by adding school code 002847.  You should also inform New York State Higher Education Services Corporation (NYSHESC) that you will attend SUNY Oneonta. You  can review your TAP status  and  make corrections electronically by visiting Manage My Loan or Grant section.

 

 

Step 4

New students will receive an Oneonta username and password (not to be confused with your Federal PIN) to access personal records, including financial aid information, at Oneonta Web Services.

 

 

Step 5

You will receive an eAward notification once the college receives your FAFSA data, and you are accepted by the Admissions Office (matriculated).  You should review your eAward letter and (Terms of Financial Aid awards). You will find additional explanation about your award letter and you should become familiar with your Rights and Responsibilities as a student aid recipient. Please contact the Financial Aid Office to decline any part of your award.

 

 

Step 6

We may require additional documentation. We will notify you of any needs that we may have. View your outstanding requirements here. Do not send copies of tax returns unless requested.

 

 

Step 7

Once New York State has a completed application and the state budget process has finished, you will receive a TAP award certificate from NYSHESC with your official TAP award.  In the meantime, you may see an estimated TAP award appearing on your Financial Aid Award Letter. You may review your TAP application status and/or make address or college code changes. Oneonta's TAP code is 0930. Questions about your award should be directed to NYSHESC (888-697-4372).

 

 

Step 8

If you have received a Federal Work Study Award (FWS) as part of your package, please understand this is an opportunity to work and be paid on a bi-weekly basis. Most students use this funding source as extra spending cash during the semester.

All FWS students are required to complete an online training session annually. At the end of the training session you will be prompted to complete a survey about your work assignment preferences. You may only access this online and will be available in June. Please allow at least one hour to complete this training requirement. It may be helpful to download a copy of the Federal W-4 and New York State Form IT-2104 for use during the training session.

Once you have completed this program, your FWS award status will change to "Accepted," usually within three business days. FWS assignments are made on a first-come first-served basis. It is possible that you will not have access to these funds if you fail to complete the online training program and subsequent survey in a timely manner. You will receive your work assignment prior to arriving on campus.

Current FWS Resources

You may print timesheets as you need them at SUNY Student Payroll.

 

Step 9

Returning  Perkins Loan Borrowers

If you think you will be borrowing a Federal Perkins Loan, you must complete a Perkins Loan Entrance Counseling Interview (Contact your Financial Aid counselor for assistance). We will begin mailing Federal Perkins Master Promissory Notes in June.

You will not receive instructions for your promissory notes until after you have completed the Entrance Interview.  You must complete the entrance interview prior to Sept. 1, 2012. Follow the instructions carefully. You MUST sign and return both the promissory note and the letter. We cannot disburse your funds until you complete this requirement correctly.

**Note: It is possible that you will not have access to these funds if you fail to complete the Entrance Interview requirement OR Promissory Notes in a timely manner. Perkins funds are limited and are disbursed on a first-come, first-served basis until the fund is exhausted.

New Perkins Loan Borrowers

You will receive instructions via e-mail, to complete the entrance interview and electronically sign your MPN when it is ready. When it is ready you will follow these Electronic Signature Instructions:

  • Go to the Student Loan Service Center website at http://slsc.albany.edu
  • Choose the following links: Borrowers, Access and Sign your electronic Documents, Complete Your Entrance Interview and Sign Your Promissory Note
  • You must have the following information available to enter online: Social Security Number, FAFSA PIN, name of the SUNY campus you plan to attend, and the name, address and phone number of a parent or relative and two personal references
  • Complete the7-step process and receive a PIN number for online access to your Perkins loan account information. It is very important that you retain this PIN number in a secure location for future use.
  • After you have completed the entrance process and successfully signed your promissory note, you may review your loan documentation by selecting Borrowers from the SLSC home page: http://slsc.albany.edu and logging into your account using the Perkins PIN.
 

 

Step 10

All student/parent loans are processed through the Federal Direct Student Loan Programs. You may not begin this process until May. 

Returning students who have borrowed previously will be processed automatically.

New students seeking student loans will complete two steps:

  1. Complete Federal Direct Stafford Loan Entrance Counseling*. You will find SUNY Oneonta listed as SUNY COLLEGE AT ONEONTA.
  2. Next (you may complete this in the same session), you must sign an Master Promissory Note* (MPN). MPNs are good for 10 years and transfer from school to school. If you previously completed an MPN (for example you previously attended a school that participated in Federal Direct Student Loans), you may not have to complete a new one (although it never hurts if you are unsure). You can check if you have a valid MPN by selecting the option 'Completed MPN's' once logged on to www.StudentLoans.gov.

*Please allow 24-48 hours for your data to be transmitted by Department of Education  and processed by SUNY Oneonta.

 

 

Step 11

If your parents plan to borrow from the Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS), one parent must complete three steps: 

  1. Log onto Oneonta Web Services and accept your PLUS loan. Choose the Student Services & Financial Aid tab, and select Financial Aid. Then select Award, then Accept Award Offer. From the Award Package menu, select Accept Award Offer tab where you will see a drop down box on the PLUS line where you will select Accept. The next box you must indicate how much of your total eligibility you would like to exercise. When you are done you must select the Submit Decision.
  2. The parent borrower must also sign in to StudentLoans.gov  and complete the  PLUS Request Process. The parent borrower will need their own federal student aid PIN (See Step 1 above).  You may begin the PLUS loan process beginning  in June. This process will collect borrower information and perform a credit check. You will find SUNY Oneonta listed as SUNY COLLEGE AT ONEONTA. In the event you are denied a PLUS due to credit, please contact the financial aid counselor assigned to your student for additional options.
  3. Once approved, the parent borrower may complete a PLUS Master Promissory Note* (MPN) on the same site (during the same session if you like).

*Please allow for 24-48 hours for your data to be transmitted by Department of Education and processed by SUNY Oneonta.

 

 

Step 12

If, after reviewing eligibility details of the new Federal Teach Grant, you qualify for this program and are interested in learning more, you must complete a TEACH Grant Counseling interview. The second step requires you to make an appointment and meet with your financial aid counselor. If you are still interested, you will be instructed to make an appointment and meet with your Division of Education faculty adviser. Once you have completed these steps in this order, you will meet again with your financial aid counselor to finalize your award and be given instructions on when and how to complete your Agreement to Serve ATS.

 

 

Step 13

It is important that you update your local and permanent addresses when necessary.

 

 

Step 14

If you borrowed Federal Stafford Loans,  Federal Perkins Loan or participated in the Federal TEACH Grant during your attendance at SUNY Oneonta, and stop attending at least 6 credits (if, for example, you are transferring, withdrawing or graduating), you must complete a Federal Stafford Exit Interview, Federal Perkins Exit Interview (Contact your Financial Aid Counselor for assistance) or Federal TEACH Exit Interview. We will place a hold on your records that will prevent the release of grades, academic transcripts and your diploma until you complete this requirement.