Admission & Aid Paying for College Financial Aid Applying for Aid
Financial Aid

Applying for Aid

APPLYING FOR AID 

Which describes you:

  • COMPLETE A FAFSA*

  • COMPLETE A TASFA*

*NOTE:

  • To be eligible for financial aid, all students must be “Admitted” to attend Alamo Colleges via the ApplyTexas application. Recent high school graduates, even if enrolled in dual credit courses while in high school, must complete an ApplyTexas to apply as a First Time in College student. High school students taking dual credit courses do not qualify for financial aid.
  • Students who have earned a bachelor's degree do not qualify for aid at any of the Alamo Colleges, including Direct Loans, unless approved through the Financial Aid Appeal Process. Students in this category are considered to be on financial aid suspension for having attempted over 99 hours of college coursework.

FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for federal, state, and institutional financial aid.
The online FAFSA can be found at fafsa.gov. 

  • Eligibility

    Review the eligibility requirements for the FAFSA

  • FSA ID

    An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

  • Application

    https://fafsa.ed.gov/

  • College School Codes 

    The college school code is what the Department of Education will use to identify to which college(s) to forward your FAFSA information.

    SAC
    009163

    SPC
    003608

    PAC
    016615

    NLC
    042636

    NVC
    033723

  • When to Apply:

    Academic Year Attending: July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019

    Timeframe to Submit FAFSA: October 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019

    Income and Tax Information Year: 2016

     

    Academic Year Attending: July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020

    Timeframe to Submit FAFSA: October 1, 2018 – June 30, 2020

    Income and Tax Information Year: 2017
       

  • Priority Dates and Deadlines

    • Be sure you have completed the ApplyTexas Application and provided a social security number on your application.
    • Gather all biographical data (name, social security number, date of birth) and make sure all data matches information provided on your ApplyTexas Application.
    • The Alamo Colleges District recommends uploading income tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval (DRT) tool when filling out the FAFSA.
    • Please allow 2-3 weeks for the Alamo Colleges District to receive your FAFSA. After we do, you should log in to ACES and check for any additional requirements including verification.
    • If selected for verification, please visit the Verification webpage.
    • Be sure to review your SAR (Student Aid Report) to make sure all information is correct and address any notes that might be attached identifying "issues". All issues on your SAR must be corrected before the college can download your application.
What will I need to fill out the FAFSA?

Please have your FSA ID created and handy. You will also need tax information from 2 years prior to the academic year for which you are applying. 

Can the Student Financial Aid office access my FSA ID for me?

No, your FSA ID cannot be accessed by a Student Financial Aid representative.

Where can I get a copy of my prior year tax return?

You can request a tax return transcript from the IRS website.

What if I or my parent(s) did not file taxes?

You will need to indicate on your FAFSA that you and/or your parents did not file. You may be asked to provide a non-tax filer statement verifying you and/or your parents did not file income tax for the previous year. 

I don't live with my parents and/or they don't support me, why am I considered dependent?

Although you may not be financially dependent on your parents or living in the same household, if you do not meet FAFSA's criteria to be considered independent you will be considered a dependent student.
Visit the Federal Student Aid official FAFSA Dependency page for more information.

If I'm not sure which of the Alamo Colleges I would like to attend, can I list more than one school code?

Please add school codes for all colleges you are interested in attending. However, please note that by adding more than one school code, it could delay processing your financial aid by a week. Also, if you change your Home School, your financial aid package will need to be updated and processing time could take at least a week after the change has been made. 

If I list all five Alamo Colleges school codes, how will my primary institution be determined?

The college where you apply for admission, enroll, and receive financial aid will be considered your primary institution. 

What if I decide not to attend the Alamo Colleges District or am transferring to another institution, do I need to remove the school codes from my FAFSA?

No, but you will need to add the other institution's school code in order for your FAFSA information to be forwarded. Once the institution receives your FAFSA information, eligibility will be determined. Your financial aid at the Alamo Colleges District will not transfer. 

After completing the FAFSA, do I need to send anything to the college?

No, as long as you include the correct school code your information will be electronically sent to the college.

Do I need to fill out the FAFSA every year?

Yes, the FAFSA must be renewed each academic year.

I filled out my FAFSA but the college has not received it. Has it been more than 2-3 weeks processing time?

Did you:

  1. Include the correct school code,
  2. Review your SAR (Student Aid Report) to identify issues that need to be corrected,
  3. Remember to sign your FAFSA application,
  4. Complete the ApplyTexas application for admissions
I received a message that my FAFSA was "rejected".

If you've received a message that your FAFSA is rejected, this means your application was rejected by the federal processor. Please check your SAR to identify any issues there might be with your application or follow up with a FAFSA representative.

FAFSA reported that I have a Bachelor's degree, but I don't.

This probably means you mistakenly reported on your FAFSA that you are a graduate student or already have a B.A. degree. Please go back to your FAFSA make the necessary correction.

What if I received notification that my citizenship cannot be verified?

Review the attached Citizenship Clarification Form for a list of acceptable documentation to submit to the Office of Student Financial Aid in order substantiate your citizenship. The process may take up to 4-6 weeks. Updates will be provided in your ACES portal.  

FAFSA’s Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) is not functioning. What should I do?

Please read the information from the Dept. of Education (click HERE) and refer to the announcements on www.fafsa.ed.gov.

TASFA

The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is a financial aid application for students who are not U.S. Citizens, but who are Texas Residents.
To use this application, you cannot be paying the Texas resident tuition rate due to a wavier or assistantship.

Application

2018-2019 TASFA Application and Instructions – ENGLISH

2018-2019 TASFA Application and Instructions - SPANISH

Required Documents

  • TASFA Application (see Left)
  • Parent Tax Return Transcript (Dependent Students Only)
  • Parent W-2 Forms (Dependent Students Only)
  • Student Tax Return Transcript
  • Student W-2 Forms
  • Selective Service Registration Acknowledgement Card (male students only)
   
Where can I get a copy of my prior year tax return?

You can request a tax return transcript from the IRS website.

I don't live with my parents and/or they don't support me, why am I considered dependent?

Although you may not be financially dependent on your parents or living in the same household, if you do not meet TASFA's criteria to be considered independent you will be considered a dependent student. 

I need help completing the TASFA.

Visit your college financial aid office, or
Call the Community Education & Training Centers to schedule an appointment:

Brackenridge (Eastside) Center – 532 N. Center, San Antonio, TX 78202, (210)485-0280

Harlandale (Southside) Center – 901 March Avenue, San Antonio, TX 78214 (210)989-5999

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is a measure of your family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. Taxed and untaxed income, assets, and benefits are all considered in the formula. Family size and number of family members who attend college are all considered.
For more information, click HERE.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of average costs a student will incur during the academic year. Included in the COA are tuition and fee costs, a room and board allowance, books and supplies, transportation, and personal/miscellaneous expenses. The actual cost will vary depending on whether a student chooses to live at home with their parents, or independently. Transportation costs will also vary depending on proximity to the campus and mode of transportation.
View the Alamo Colleges District COA

Priority Dates & Deadlines

For a complete list of important Financial Aid dates, click HERE.

Summer Aid

Financial Aid is available for the summer terms. In order to be eligible, you must

  1. Have a current year FAFSA on file
  2. Have completed verification, if selected
  3. Be enrolled for a summer term
  4. Have submitted a summer application request online from their ACES account

The Summer 2018 Financial Aid Application is available beginning March 19, 2018.

How does the application process work?

The process begins with the student clicking on the summer application link from their ACES portal. Applications are processed in date order within 6 weeks from submission. Students are required to cover registration expenses, including books, until eligibility is determined. *Please note, you must be enrolled for financial aid to be awarded for the summer. 

Does my financial aid pay for Maymester classes?

No, if you enroll in Maymester courses, you must pay all tuition and fee charges by the payment deadline to avoid being dropped for non-payment. Students awarded financial aid funds for Maymester will not see their funds credited until after the Spring Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) calculation has run. 

Am I guaranteed to receive a Federal Pell Grant for summer?

All students can submit an application. All applications will be reviewed by a financial aid representative and eligibility determined. Enrollment is required to determine eligibility for Summer Federal Pell Grant and Summer Momentum Plan Scholarship. 

How will I be notified if I am going to receive a Federal Pell Grant?

Students who are eligible to receive a Federal Pell Grant will have an award posted to their ACES financial aid account. Applicants who do not qualify for a Federal Pell Grant must pay all tuition costs, including books, or risk being dropped. *Please note, you must be enrolled for financial aid to be awarded for the summer. 

Are state grants available during summer?

Certain state grant funds such as TEXAS Grant and TEOG are not available for the summer term. However, any TPEG funds that remain unused from the school year will be awarded on a first come, first served basis (if available) for summer.

Can I apply for a Federal Direct Loan for summer?

Visit the Federal Direct Loan page for more information.

I attended a Non-Alamo Colleges institution during the fall and spring semesters and would like to transfer to one of the colleges for summer; can I receive aid?

No, students who attended a Non-Alamo Colleges institution do not qualify for financial aid, including direct loans at any of the Alamo Colleges.

I'm on financial aid suspension for the summer, can I submit an appeal?

No, the Alamo Colleges do not have a summer appeal process. For more information go to Financial Aid Appeals. 

How does the Summer Momentum Plan work?

For details on the 2018 Summer Momentum Plan, please click HERE. Please note, if you want to receive financial aid in addition to this initiative, you will need to complete the summer financial aid applicaction online fore your ACES account.