How to Apply

Applying for financial aid takes time! You should start the application process at least six weeks before the date listed below.

FINANCIAL AID IS MORE THAN JUST FILLING OUT YOUR FAFSA APPLICATION!!
Your application is not complete and you have not met the file completion date (deadline date) until all of the required information has been processed and received by our office (see below) and all discrepancies have been resolved or corrected.

Students must apply for aid each year, not every quarter.

If you miss the file completion date for the quarter you want to start school, you can still attend, but you should be prepared to pay for your own tuition and books, as any financial aid you may be eligible to receive would most likely not be ready until sometime after the start of the quarter.

File Completion Dates (Deadline Dates)

What Happens Next?

Within three weeks after you submit your FAFSA, you should receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Read it carefully, respond to any items that must be resolved, and be sure the information on the SAR is accurate. 

If your 2008-09 SAR indicates you have been selected for verification you must also:

• complete a verification worksheet (available from the TCC Financial Aid Office)
• submit a copy of your 2007 signed tax return (and spouse's, if applicable), and/or documentation of any untaxed income received.
• submit a copy of your parents signed 2007 tax return, and/or documentation of any untaxed income, if you are a dependent student

f your 2007-08 SAR indicates you have been selected for verification you must also:

• complete a verification worksheet (available from the TCC Financial Aid Office)
• submit a copy of your 2006 signed tax return (and spouse's, if applicable), and/or documentation of any untaxed income received.
• submit a copy of your parents signed 2006 tax return, and/or documentation of any untaxed income, if you are a dependent student

There may be other items on your SAR that need to be resolved.  Read your SAR carefully.

Students who have attended other colleges may be required to submit their academic transcripts for credit evaluation.

You have not completed the financial aid application process at TCC until:

• your FAFSA information has been received by our office and it contains accurate information and all comments and requests for additional information have been resolved
• we have received your completed TCC data sheet and
• you have applied for admission to TCC

Applications will be reviewed in the order they are completed. For example, if your application is complete by the fall quarter file completion date of May 9, 2008, we will review your file before the start of fall quarter and you will be notified via an award letter regarding your financial aid eligibility before tuition is due for fall.  If your file is not complete by May 9, you will most likely not be notified regarding your eligibility until after the quarter starts. You must be prepared to pay your fall tuition when it is due, or wait and start winter quarter.

When your file is complete, we will review your application materials and we will contact you if we need additional information, or if we find discrepancies that must be resolved. Please respond promptly and keep us informed if your address changes.

You will receive a letter from our office listing the financial aid you are eligible to receive.  We will also notify you by mail if you are not eligible. 

Common Pitfalls to Avoid!

Waiting too long to begin the process! If you submit or mail your FAFSA on the File Completion Date your award will not arrive in time to cover tuition. Your enrollment may be cancelled due to non-payment. Many students tell us that doing the FAFSA on the web was easy once they sat down to give it a try. If you need help, set up an appointment with one of our financial aid advisors. Remember, the last couple of weeks before the deadlines are very hectic both for our office and the federal processing center. File early and avoid the rush.

Be sure to review your Student Aid Report (SAR).  You are responsible for ensuring the information on it is complete and accurate.  Respond promptly to any comments.

Save a copy of your tax form. Many students forget to keep a copy of their tax form, especially when they file taxes electronically or a parent does the process for them. If you are selected for verification we will require this information. Besides, you need exact numbers for the FAFSA - don’t guess!!!

Confusing ‘adjusted gross income’, ‘taxes withheld’, and ‘taxes paid’ on the FAFSA. Read the directions carefully. A mistake here can cause a delay in your award while the conflicting information is corrected.

What counts as income? All forms of income count and must be reported including income from work, social security, child support, and DSHS/TANF. If you are not sure where to report your income, please ask for help.

Using estimated tax information that differs from actual tax information. If you do choose to use estimated tax information it is very important to file a correction to the estimated data as soon as your taxes have been filed. Waiting until we ask for final tax information when reviewing your file will delay your award.

What makes up a household? Read the FAFSA definitions and instructions carefully. Reporting the wrong number of family members or dependents will create conflicting information.