How to Apply

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is FREE.  Do Not pay to have this application completed or submitted to the Federal government.  If you use the web (www.fafsa.ed.gov) or paper application they are both free. 

The FAFSA needs to be completed for each school year you attend college.  If you will attend college for two years to complete your chosen program/major you will need to complete a FAFSA for at least two school years.

A financial aid academic year at Central Lakes College is from Fall through Summer.   Apply Now to meet the Minnesota State Grant deadline dates:                       Summer Semester 2008 - July 8, 2008

For the Fall of 07 and Spring of 08 you need to complete the 2007-08 FAFSA.  Summer of 08 will require the 07-08 FAFSA.
For the Fall of 08 and Spring of 09 you need to complete the 2008-09 FAFSA.  Summer of 09 will require the 08-09 FAFSA.

Step 1:  

Apply for a Department of Education PIN (personal identification number). 
Please click on PIN to find out What, Who, How and Why to apply for the PIN.
Or click on the banner below to go directly to the PIN site.


 
Step 2: After receiving your PIN, please continue the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process by applying on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov.  Contact the Financial Aid office if you have questions.

  • If you prefer the paper FAFSA, it is available after January 1 of each year by calling 1.800.433.3242 or a PDF (printable) version is available at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov  
    The FAFSA needs to be filled out each academic year the student is in school.  

  • The Federal School Code for CLC is 002339 for both campuses

  • Be sure to print a copy of your FAFSA on the web or make a copy of your completed paper FAFSA before you mail it.

  • The length of time it takes before you receive results of your FAFSA depends on how you apply.
             Ü   A FAFSA on the web with PIN signatures and an email address can be as fast as 3 days. 
             Ü   A FAFSA on the web with a mailed signature page takes about 3 weeks
             Ü A paper FAFSA takes 6 to 8 weeks.  

  • The U.S. Department of Education processor sends a Student Aid Report (SAR) to the student after the processing of the FAFSA.  The SAR will show the information that you provided on your FAFSA.  You should review it to make sure the information is correct.  If corrections are needed, we recommend that you contact the Financial Aid Office.

  • SAR notification will again depend on how the student applied. 
             Ü   An electronic application or paper FAFSA with an email address will receive an electronic
               SAR notification. 
             Ü   A paper SAR will be sent for a FAFSA on the web or paper FAFSA without an email address     

  • Review your SAR carefully. 

Step 3:
  • The U.S. Department of Education processor will electronically send your FAFSA information to the  college code(s) listed on the FAFSA at the same time a SAR is sent to you.
     
  • CLC Financial Aid Office will then send you a "Financial Aid Status Report".  This will inform you of other required documents to complete your financial aid file.
     
  • Some requested documents can be submitted electronically.  Please complete the requested documents and information immediately.  This will allow your financial aid file to be worked on sooner.  If you prefer paper documents to be mailed to you, please call the Financial Aid Office.
Step 4:

Special Circumstances:  The Financial Aid Office is allowed to use professional judgement to allow changes to the FAFSA.  If you have had changes to your income or family situation since completing the FAFSA, please stop in the office to talk to someone about the "Professional Judgement" process.   The 2007-08 "Professional Judgement" form or 2008-09 "Special Circumstances Appeal" form can be printed, completed and brought into the Financial Aid Office with required documentation.
 
Step 5: Separate applications are needed for:
     Ü   Loans for student and/or parent.  Use the "Loans" section on the left-hand side of the screen.
     Ü    Minnesota Post-Secondary Child Care Grant
     Ü   CLC Foundation Scholarships
     Ü Other Aid:
               Alliss Grant (not available online, see Admissions or the Financial Aid Office)
               CLC Foundation Start-up Scholarship (not available online, see the Financial Aid Office)
      

 Summer Financial Aid

Summer is considered a trailer to the preceding financial aid year. 
To receive aid for Summer 08 the 2007-08 FAFSA needs to be completed. 
The first run of summer aid award letters will happen around April 1st.
Step 1:
  • Be sure to have a complete financial aid file for the current school year.  Start with "How to Apply" step 1 above if you have not done a FAFSA yet for the current year.
     
  • If you received any grants, loans or work study for fall and/or spring semester you already have a complete financial aid file.
Step 2:
  • Register for summer classes.  Registration for summer classes may begin as early as November, but the first batch of summer award letters will not be run until approximately April 1st.  A "Summer Award" letter can not be processed until you have registered for summer classes.
Step 3:
  • If you register for summer classes after April 1st, a "Summer Award" letter will be packaged and mailed within two weeks of your summer registration.  You may also view your summer awards online.
     
  • Grants:
             Ü Eligibility for summer session grants will be based on any remaining eligibility after fall
               and/or spring semester.
             Ü If you are transferring from another college, the financial aid you received there will also
               be taken into account to determine summer eligibility.
             Ü Full-time enrollment for summer is the same as fall and spring semesters.
                     Federal programs-12 credits or more
                Minnesota State Grant(MSG) and Post-Secondary Child Care grant-15 credits or  more. 
     
  • Loans:
              Ü If you have eligibility on your summer award letter there will be instructions on how to
                apply included with the letter.  Go to "Stafford Loans online" to begin the process. 
              Ü   If there is not any loan eligibility be sure to talk to the loan counselor in the
                Financial Aid Office.  There may be some other loan option.   
     
  • Work Study:
             Ü Student employment for the summer is also available. 
             Ü Stop at the Financial Aid Office to check into eligibility.
             Ü Eligibility will be based on the upcoming year's financial aid file.  
             Ü   The Financial Aid Office can not guarantee that you will earn the full amount of your
               work award.  This is different than the grants and loans for summer.  So the FAFSA for the
               next school year needs to be completed by June 1st with an indication of interest in "work study"
               on the FAFSA. 
             Ü A student need not be registered for summer term credits, but must be registered for at
               least 6 credits in the fall term.  Be aware summer work study awards may adversely affect
               fall work study and/or loan eligibility awards.

Confidentiality of Financial Records
The General Education Provision of the Act of 1974, as amended by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, provides for privacy safeguards for students and families by setting up guidelines for the disclosure of education records and personally identifiable information.  The law provides that financial assistance records of a student may be inspected by that student only.