Federal Student Aid is an office of the U.S. Department of Education that provides access to college funding assistance. FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid; it's an online application for grants, loans and work-study employment to help you pay for college. Many students who could receive financial assistance to attend college miss out because they don't complete the FAFSA.

There are three types of federal financial aid, and you will be considered for all three when you submit your FAFSA. Based on your application and eligibility, your financial aid award may include any or all of these:

Grants
Free money that (most often) does not need to be repaid.

More About Grants 

Loans
Money you must pay back with interest. Know your responsibilities.

More About Loans 

Work-Study
Part-time employment while you're a student, usually on campus.

More About Work-Study

Don't forget, you may also want to explore scholarships, private loans or agency funding to help pay for college.

To be eligible for federal or state financial aid, you must meet all eligibility requirements: 

• Demonstrate financial need based on your FAFSA

• Be admitted to an eligible associate degree or technical diploma program (certificates and apprenticeships are not eligible)

• Be enrolled in courses and maintain adequate credit status

• Be a U.S. citizen (PDF) or an eligible non-citizen (permanent resident)

• Be a Wisconsin resident for state funds

• Be registered with the Selective Service if required to do so

• Not be in default on a student loan nor owe a repayment on a student grant

• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
   
• Must have a High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED), or High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED)
   
• Must not have been convicted of a drug offense while receiving financial aid

Learn More About Aid Eligibility

You can now apply as soon as the prior fall in October. Though the FAFSA application is available online between Oct. 1 and June 30, you want to apply as soon as possible since there are a few federal student aid programs that have limited funds. Admittance into an aid eligible program is required before FVTC will begin processing your FAFSA. 

Priority Dates for Funding

Priority Dates for Document Submission**

 **There is no guarantee that an award will be processed prior to the start of the term if required items are submitted after these dates. Payment plans would be required without an award by the fee due date.

An FSA ID Number is required to complete the FAFSA. For dependent students, a parent will also need an FSA ID.

Watch the video: How to create an FSA ID

Get your FSA ID

The FAFSA determines if you are eligible to receive state and/or federal funding. There are a number of helpful resources available from the U.S. Department of Education, including some good videos and worksheets to guide you through the process. 

More FAFSA Resources

You'll need this: FVTC's Federal School Code is 009744

Ready to apply for financial aid? 

Complete the FAFSA

Once your application has been processed, you'll receive a Student Aid Report. This is just a record of your application, not your actual award. In some cases, the Student Aid Report will indicate that your FAFSA has been selected for Verification to ensure accuracy and completeness. If this occurs, we will request the appropriate documentation.

Financial aid will not be processed until you are admitted into an eligible associate degree or technical diploma program. Simply enrolling in courses does not qualify you for financial aid; you must apply and be admitted into a program.

When all FAFSA application requirements have been met, you can expect to receive your award letter within 7-10 business days. Communication about your FAFSA application will be sent to you in the mail and will also be posted in the Financial Aid section of your MyFVTC Account, where you can check the status of your application at any time.

MyFVTC Account

When all of your financial aid requirements have been met, you will receive an Award Letter in the mail and also in the Financial Aid section of your MyFVTC Account. The award letter will identify the types of financial aid and amounts based on full-time status, and will also include any scholarships, Veterans benefits and agency funding awards. You should accept or decline your financial aid award in your MyFVTC Account. You can also monitor and manage your funds in your MyFVTC Account. 

MyFVTC Account

If you are a first-time Federal Direct Stafford Loan borrower, you must complete a Master Promissory Note and complete Loan Entrance Counseling before you can receive your funds.

First Time Borrower

Be sure to complete all of your loan application and eligibility requirements in a timely manner so there won't be a delay in receiving your financial aid award. Your financial aid will be disbursed directly into your MyFVTC Account and can be used to pay your tuition, fees and FVTC Bookstore charges. Assuming your requirements have all been met, any federal or state grants and loans will be applied to your MyFVTC Account about two weeks after the start of the term (on the Census Date). If you have unpaid charges for tuition, fees or books, your funds will be applied to that amount due.

After your tuition, fees and textbook charges have been paid, any excess funds will be deposited directly into your checking or savings account if you've set up those instructions in eFAS. If direct deposit is not set up, a refund check will be mailed to you.

The verification process ensures accuracy and completeness of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If your financial aid application is selected for verification, you will be notified of next steps by mail and in the To Do List of your MyFVTC Account. Be sure to respond in a timely manner to prevent delays in processing your aid, which could limit the type and amount of aid you are awarded.

Once all the required items have been received, it can take up to four weeks for review of your documentation. Please allow extra time from May through September. 

Get Verification Forms  |  Get Tax Info

Use this budget to estimate the cost to attend college based on your living situation and the number of credits you take each semester.

View Budget

Your actual financial aid award is based on the number of financial aid eligible credits you are enrolled in each term. That calculation occurs on the 10th business day of each term, called the census date. Changes made after this date may impact your financial aid award and a repayment to the college may be required for all or a portion of the funds you received. Because of this, you should try to add and/or drop all classes prior to the census date.

Your financial aid award is based on full-time enrollment prior to the census date. After the census date, your award will be based on the term's fundable credits (courses beginning in 10, 31, 32, 77 & 78). You must be enrolled at least 1/2-time by the census date to receive all types of financial aid funds. If you are enrolled less than half-time, your Pell Grant eligibility may be affected.

Enrollment Level
Full-time: 12 or more credits
¾ Time: 9-11 credits
½ Time: 6-8 credits
Less than ½ Time: 1-5 credits

If you are also enrolled at another college, you should submit a Consortium Agreement (PDF) to financial aid so that your financial aid disburses accurately. Shared program students do not need a consortium agreement.

If you are enrolled in an accelerated program, you should register for all of the term's courses by the census date. 

If you are taking Program Prep classes, you are strongly encouraged to take at least one program-related credit in addition to the Program Prep class(es). A maximum of 30 remedial credits are allowed by financial aid.

Audit credits and advanced standing are ineligible and will not be included in your credit status.

You must maintain satisfactory academic progress to receive federal student aid. The Financial Aid - Satisfactory Academic Progress policy outlines the specifics. The policy also covers the 150% Credit Rule, which explains that financial aid cannot exceed 150% of the credits required for a degree program.

Refunds are processed according to the Wisconsin Technical College System Refund Policy, and are applicable only from the date you officially drop the class through your MyFVTC Account or Enrollment Services. Your instructor cannot drop a class for you. You are financially responsible for the cost of the course unless you drop it prior to the deadline.

Student Finance - Fees/Payments/Refunds

Want your refund faster? To receive your refund electronically, sign up through eFAS.

eFAS

There are a number of important dates to be aware of if you have applied for financial aid. 

View Important Dates (PDF)

Sometimes there are special circumstances that are not reflected in your FAFSA application - situations that may affect your family's ability to pay for college. Special circumstances might include things like a job loss or reduction in income, or unusually high out-of-pocket medical expenses. If this is your situation, you can submit a request to have your situation reviewed by our college's director of financial aid, who has the authority to use professional judgment to amend your financial aid application. There is a formal process that begins with the Professional Judgment Request form and will require additional documentation.

Professional Judgment Request

Summer term funding will be awarded automatically in mid-April if you've met the eligibility criteria:

• Accepted in a financial aid eligible program

• Have a completed FAFSA with financial aid eligibility for the summer term

• Enrolled in at least one credit for PELL Grant eligibility and at least six credits for loan eligibility

 If you are eligible for summer term funding, you will be notified by mail and via the Financial Aid section of your MyFVTC Account. You should accept or decline your loan award in your MyFVTC Account. 

Don't make these common mistakes when completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

Common Mistakes

Your financial aid application determines the amount of your award eligibility. Here's how it works in financial aid language:

Financial Need is the difference between the estimated cost of your education/living expenses for one academic year (your Cost of Attendance) and the amount that you and/or your family are expected to contribute toward your educational expenses (your Expected Family Contribution). 

Financial Need = Cost of Attendance - Expected Family Contribution

If you are awarded subsidized loans, the government pays the interest while you're in school, then you pick up the interest payment when you start your principal loan repayment. 

If you're awarded Unsubsidized Loans, the interest accrues while you're in school and you can choose to pay it while you're attending college or defer it until you start paying the principal loan repayment. Because the interest is accruing while you're in school, the total long-term cost of unsubsidized loans is greater than subsidized.

Bills are sent out on a monthly basis until fees are paid each term. As long as your total anticipated financial aid is greater than what you owe for tuition, fees and books, you do not need to pay the bill by the due date. The funds will be applied to those charges when your financial aid is transferred into your MyFVTC Account.

Textbooks purchased at the FVTC Bookstore can be charged to your MyFVTC Account using your student ID and study list if your anticipated financial aid is greater than your tuition and fees.

If you don't complete all of your classes either because you dropped or failed the class, you could be responsible to repay a portion of the financial aid you received. Maintaining your financial aid eligibility is an ongoing process throughout the year.

Class Withdrawal (PDF)

The Census Date is the point at which your enrollment is locked for financial aid purposes. It occurs on the 10th business day of each semester. Any changes to your class schedule should be made prior to this date.

There could be several reasons:

• It's not past the Census Date (the date the money is disbursed to your account).

• Your financial aid eligibility may have changed based on your actual number of credits.

• You haven't completed all of your verification paperwork.

• One or more loan requirements haven't been completed. Check the To Do List in your MyFVTC Account.

All of your financial aid funds have been applied to your account and are no longer considered "anticipated."

Your Pell Grant award is based on full-time status. If the number of eligible credits you take that term is less than full-time, your Pell Grant amount will be pro-rated accordingly. 

Yes. Your financial aid award may be increased, reduced or cancelled under certain conditions, which could include:

• Change in family financial circumstances

• Change in marital status

• Additional resources such as private scholarships, agency funding or Veterans benefits

• Incorrect information on your FAFSA

• Satisfactory academic progress is not maintained

• Change in enrollment status

If any of these conditions apply to your situation, you can submit a Professional Judgment Request and we will review your financial aid award.

If you enroll at FVTC and another college for the same term, you may receive financial aid from the college where your program is located; however, your financial aid could be based on the combined credits from both colleges. If you plan to attend two colleges at the same time, you should complete the Consortium Agreement for each term. You will be responsible for paying your tuition and book charges to the other college, and can be reimbursed from your financial aid funds after they are disbursed. 

Any associate degree program is eligible, along with most technical diploma program. Check the individual program page for more information.

If you attended the fall term and are continuing for the spring term:

• If your anticipated financial aid is enough to cover tuition for the spring term, your tuition will be paid when your financial aid disburses to your MyFVTC Account.

• If your anticipated financial aid is NOT enough to cover the spring term tuition, it’s your responsibility to make a payment for the difference by the registration due date.

Tuition & Fees - Financial Aid = Payment Due

If you’re beginning your program in the spring term, financial aid will be listed under the first-term column on your award letter. Spring is the second term of the school year, but you are considered a first-term student.