How do I apply for student aid?
For Federal Aid:
First, you should apply for a FSA ID, formerly known as the Personal Identification Number (PIN). The FSA ID will act as
your signature and allow you to sign your FAFSA electronically on the web. If you have to provide parent’s information, your
parent(s) should create a FSA ID. You and at least one of your parent(s) need to sign. Apply today at
. You
then need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Apply online at
.
For State Aid:
You need to complete the Grade Point Average (GPA) Verification form. If you completed 16 applicable degree units, and
have at least a 2.0 GPA, Mt. SAC will send your GPA Verification electronically. By completing both the FAFSA and the GPA
Verification Form, you may be considered for both Federal and State aid. The deadline for State aid is March 2nd. There is a
second opportunity for California Community College students to apply for State aid. That deadline is September 2nd.
What happens after I submit my FAFSA or CA Dream Act Application?
Within a few days after the FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application is submitted the student will receive an electronic Student Aid
Report (SAR) via email if an email address was provided, or a paper Student Aid Report if no email was provided. The SAR is
a summary of all the FAFSA/CA Dream Act Application data submitted.
What do I do with my SAR after I receive it?
Check the SAR for accuracy and keep for your records. If you and/or your parent(s) indicated estimated tax figures,
corrections should be made to actual tax figures as soon as the 1040 form is filed with the IRS. Corrections should be made
at
or
/.
I have completed and submitted the FAFSA/CA Dream Act and received my SAR.
What happens next?
The FAFSA/CA Dream Act data will be electronically sent to Mt. SAC’s Financial Aid Office. As soon as you are admitted
to the college the FAFSA/CA Dream Act data will load into the financial aid office’s computer system. After receiving your
financial aid information from the Dept. of Education we may require that you submit additional verification documents to
complete your file.
You may check pending documents
; log in to inside.mtsac.edu, click on the “Financial Aid” tab,
and then select “Financial Aid Status” under the “Requirements” channel. Once in the Financial Aid Status screen, select
“student requirements” to view any pending documents you may need to submit. Once your file is complete it is assigned to
a Financial Aid Specialist for review. The review of your file may reveal that additional requirements are needed to determine
your eligibility. If no additional requirements are needed an award will be made. Your award can be viewed in the inside.
mtsac.edu, “Financial Aid” tab.
What is Professional Judgment?
If you or your family has or have unusual circumstances not shown on the FAFSA (such as loss of employment) that might
affect your need for student financial aid, you should submit a Professional Judgment form (available in the Financial Aid
Office) and consult with a Financial Aid Specialist.
When should I apply for financial aid for the following school year?
You should apply as soon after October 1st as possible.
What deadline dates do I need to remember?
Cal Grant deadline is March 2nd however you may continue to apply for federal aid at Mt. SAC through the end of the
academic year provided you are still enrolled.
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