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Financial Aid

The federal government, state government, and colleges and universities provide financial aid to make the cost of attending college more affordable. The links below will take you to financial aid information and the required forms that are necessary to receive any and all of the financial aid that is available to you.

Financial Aid Links

FAFSA on the WEB: Provides comprehensive instructions on how to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Students must fill out and submit this application with their family’s tax information to receive financial aid.

FAFSA PIN: Apply for your PIN here. Students and Parents each have their own unique PIN. You need a PIN to access and submit your FAFSA online.

Federal Student Student Aid Forecaster: Provides students and parents an early estimate of their eligibility for federal student financial assistance.

CSS Financial Aid Profile: CSS Profile is the College Board’s financial aid application. The information collected is used by many of the member colleges and universities to award nonfederal student aid funds.

DC One Application: Apply for DC TAG, DCLEAP, or DCADOPTION using one easy application. You are eligible to apply for the following types of schools if you are a resident of the District of Columbia.

SchoolGrantsBlog.com: Search for grants and financial loans for college.

FAFSA Checklist

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is generally required by every school’s financial aid office. Below is a step-by-step guideline for completing the FAFSA. Always check with your school’s financial office for specific institutional requirements.

Early submission of all financial aid documents will increase your chances of receiving maximum aid.

Get your PIN. Get your PIN from www.pin.ed.gov so that you may apply and sign your FAFSA online and therefore get results faster. Also, a PIN allows you to make corrections to your application information online.

Collect documents. Collect all the documents needed to apply, including income tax returns, W-2 forms, and other record of income. If tax returns are not yet completed at the time you apply, estimate the tax information, apply, and correct the information later.

Complete the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet. Print and complete the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet. This worksheet allows you to write your answers before beginning the online application.

Complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You are strongly encouraged to apply by February 15, as that is the deadline commonly set by schools. Make sure to include a valid e-mail address so that you may receive notifications regarding your application. See Mr. Saba for assistance.

Check the status. Check the status of your submitted FAFSA. Generally, the processing time is one week if you used a PIN to sign your application and two to three weeks if you printed, signed, and mailed a signature page. If a valid e-mail address was provided in your FAFSA, you will be notified when the result, otherwise known as the SAR (Student Aid Report), becomes available online.

Review your SAR. Make sure that it contains your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), which will be used to determine your aid eligibility. Also, confirm that your school is listed on your SAR to receive a copy of the report. If the SAR was accepted and is correct, you have successfully completed the process. Your SAR will be automatically sent to the schools you have indicated on your FAFSA. If the SAR was rejected or is incorrect, make all necessary changes and then resubmit it for processing.

Submit tax returns (if applicable). If selected for verification, you must submit your tax returns and other documents to your school’s financial aid office as specified.

Confirm that documents were received. Confirm with your school’s financial aid office that all requested material has been submitted and received.

Review your award. Review your financial aid award—which will likely include a combination of grants, loans, and work-study—from your school’s financial aid office.

Meet with a counselor (if necessary). If your financial aid award does not fully meet your needs, discuss your situation with a financial aid counselor at your school.

Have a question about FAFSA? Check out the FAQs.

DC TAG/DC-LEAP Checklist

To apply:

  • Complete the online DC One Application.
  • You must bring these documents and forms to the State Education Office (441 4th Street, NW, Suite 350N):
    • Certified copy of 2006 D-40 (DC’s state income tax return) for you or a guardian OR proof of TANF or SSI for you or a guardian;
    • Two of the following: utility bill, pay stub, bank statement (cannot be over 45 days old) from your DC residence;
    • Your Student Aid Report (SAR) from FAFSA;
    • Affirmation Statement;
    • HS diploma or unofficial/official college transcript
  • Ask for an itemized receipt that lists all of the submitted documents.

Call (202) 563-6862 x 198 if you have additional questions, or see your Thurgood Marshall Academy college counselor for assistance.