AIU Financial Aid Guide

At American InterContinental University, we strive to take as much stress out of the financial aid process as possible for our prospective students. As you consider your options for applying for various forms of financial aid to help pay for your education, you will most certainly have questions about the process. A few of the most common questions appear below. If the question you have is not answered here, an AIU® Financial Aid Advisor will be happy to provide the information you need.

What is financial aid?

Financial aid is the name used for federal, state and private resources that may help pay for college costs. Typically financial aid consists of grants, scholarships, loans and student employment.

Grants and scholarships usually do not have to be repaid. Loans must be repaid with payments usually beginning after the student is no longer enrolled at least half time. Student employment consists of opportunities for students to earn money to pay for educational expenses.

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What is a Contributor?

Individuals required to enter their information on the FAFSA^® are called “contributors”. Each required contributor needs to have their own FSA ID to log in to StudentAid.gov and complete their section of the FAFSA. Independent student contributors include yourself, and your spouse, when applicable. Dependent student contributors include yourself, a parent, and your parent’s spouse, when applicable. The contributor section must only be completed by the specified contributor. In order to complete the application in full, all contributors must provide consent to link their income and tax information from the IRS to the FAFSA. StudentAid.gov provides a helpful chart to determine whom you would need to include as a contributor.

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Why do I need to provide consent on my FAFSA?

Students and any contributors must provide consent to transfer federal tax information to the FAFSA form to help complete the Financials section, which is needed to fully complete the FAFSA form and calculate your eligibility for FSA funds. By not consenting on the FAFSA form, you remain ineligible for FSA grants and loans and any other potential student aid since the FAFSA cannot be completed without your or your contributor(s) consent and federal tax information. Consent from yourself and any contributors must be provided annually.

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How do I apply for financial aid?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA^®, is the single application needed to apply for all sources of federal aid.

The FAFSA can be completed online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa or by using the FAFSA mobile app. You will need to create a studentaid.gov account to access and complete the FAFSA. If you have contributors, such as a spouse or parent, they will also need to create their own studentaid.gov account in order to complete their section, provide consent, and sign their section of the FAFSA form.

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Why do I have to provide contributor information on my FAFSA?

Students are considered dependent or independent for financial aid purposes based on criteria established by Congress, and must provide information from any necessary contributors, to determine your eligibility. For example, students who are under the age of 24, single, have no dependents and are not veterans are typically considered dependent for financial aid purposes.

Dependent students are required to have parent(s) as contributors, who consent to provide financial information on the FAFSA in order to determine eligibility for the various federal aid programs. Check with the financial aid office to determine your dependency status if you are unsure.

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How often do I have to reapply for aid?

Students must reapply for federal and state aid every Award Year (July 1 – June 30). The application for the upcoming Award Year is available starting October 1. For each award year you are attending, you will need to complete a FAFSA. Depending on the dates of your enrollment, you may need to fill out multiple FAFSA forms. Please check with your financial aid office to determine when you should reapply.

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What's the difference between a grant and a loan?

A grant is free money and usually does not have to be repaid. Loans are borrowed money and must always be repaid regardless of whether you complete the program or are unsatisfied with your educational experience. Failure to replay your loans can result in serious consequences and negatively impact your ability to obtain credit in the future.

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When do I have to repay my loans?

Repayment on most loans will begin after the student is no longer enrolled at least half time. Some loans are interest free while the student is enrolled. Interest may accrue on other loans even while the student is enrolled. Check with the financial aid office, they can help explain the differences in the types of loans you have. In all cases, loans must be repaid regardless of whether you complete the program or are satisfied with your educational experience. Failure to repay your loans can result in serious consequences and negatively impact your ability to obtain credit in the future. If at any point in the financial aid process you have questions or need more information, an AIU Financial Aid Advisor will be happy to provide assistance. You can also learn about how to manage your federal loan repayment or visit the Federal Student Aid website.

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Why should a parent borrow from a Federal Direct PLUS loan instead of a co-signing on a private loan in the student’s name?

Federal Parent Direct PLUS loans are part of the Federal Student Aid Program. Parents who co-sign on a private loan are just as responsible for repaying the loan (usually at higher rates) as the student if the student fails to make payments. In other words, whether one is the borrower or co-borrower, both the Federal Direct PLUS loan and the private loan appear on a credit report and the financial responsibility is the same.

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What do I need to apply for financial aid?

The FAFSA is the most important document to complete when applying for financial aid. When applying, there are a few items to gather before you start.

If you are a U.S. citizen, you are required to have a social security number. The U.S. Department of Education will match your social security number to your name, so be sure that you enter your full name exactly as it appears on your social security card. You will need your driver’s license, or Identification card from your state of residence.

If you are not a U.S. citizen but are an eligible non-citizen, have your alien registration number ready. If you have a driver’s license, have that number handy. You will also need your own mobile phone number and/or email address. In order to complete the FAFSA, your income and tax information is required. This information can be automatically transferred from the IRS to your FAFSA, but only with your consent. If you or your contributor do not consent to linking your FAFSA with the IRS, you will not be eligible for Federal Student Aid.

You will also need your federal tax returns and other asset information. Examples of assets include checking and savings accounts, real estate (other than the family home), businesses and farms. If you have contributors on your FAFSA, they will also need to provide the same information. Please note if you are dependent, you will need to include your parents’ federal tax returns and asset information. If you are independent, you will need to include federal tax returns and asset information for your spouse, if applicable.

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What is a FSA ID?

A Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is a user-selected username and password that will authenticate your identity to access your federal student aid information. This login process will be used to access the StudentAid.gov website. The FSA ID is a single sign-on process that makes applying for aid quick and easy. Remember, your FSA ID is private and should never be shared with anyone. If you are dependent, your parent(s) who is determined to be a contributor, will also need to apply for a FSA ID to complete their section of the FAFSA.

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How is it determined which forms of financial aid I qualify for?

There is a Congressionally determined set of formulas used for assessing financial need for the Federal Student Aid programs. The process starts with the FAFSA. Once your FAFSA is submitted, a formula called the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculates your financial aid needs, and determines your eligibility, based on your completed FAFSA data. Once the SAI is established, the amount will be subtracted from the Cost of Attendance and any other financial assistance used in your enrolled program, and determines your need-based financial aid. These calculations vary each award year, based on the information you or your contributors provide on each FAFSA.

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My parents make too much money for me to receive financial aid. What options are available to me?

Regardless of how much money you or your parents make, you should still complete the FAFSA. Some sources of aid are not need-based, and are available to those who qualify.

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What does dependent vs. independent mean?

Determining your dependency status is an important step in the financial aid application process. The definition for dependent or independent student for the purposes of federal student aid may be very different from what you might consider for yourself. It also is different from the IRS definition of dependency. This is not a status that American InterContinental University assigns to you but rather a determination made from your answers to several questions on the FAFSA form. Some of the more common criteria that lead to an independent status are:

• You are 24 years of age prior to January 1 of the current award year.
• You are married as of the day you sign your FAFSA.
• You will be working on a master's program.
• You are an individual with dependents, for whom you provide more than half of their financial support.
• You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces.
• You are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training.

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What’s the difference between a Federal Direct loan and a private loan?

A Federal Direct loan is a federal loan available for those who qualify to help students pay for their education. These educational loans have low interest rates and require no credit check. A private loan is an unsecured loan made by a lender which may have higher interest rates and usually requires a credit check.

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How can I apply for scholarships?

Besides scholarships through AIU*, you can research options using a variety of scholarship search websites. Researching and applying can be time consuming, but your effort may be worth your time if you find extra funding. A word of caution: do not use agencies that charge fees to find scholarships. You can do this search on your own and free of charge.

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What is the school code?

• AIU Atlanta School Code: E01743
• AIU Houston School Code: E01051
• AIU Online School Code: 014720

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If at any point in the financial aid process you have questions or need more information, an AIU Financial Aid Advisor will be happy to provide assistance.

*University grants or scholarships are based on established criteria as published in the University Catalog and are awarded after verification that the conditions of eligibility have been met. AIU cannot guarantee employment, salary, or career advancement. Financial aid is available for those who qualify.