Admissions & Aid

Financial Aid

FSCJ offers many types of financial assistance to students who would otherwise be unable to further their education without such support.

Depending on the type of aid, eligibility is based on one or more of the following criteria: financial need of the individual (in the case of dependent students, family need is used), educational costs, academic achievement and availability of funds. Inquiries regarding financial aid should be directed to the financial aid office on the student’s home campus. A student’s home campus is his/her point of contact for academic advising, financial aid advising and disbursement of funds.

Applying for Aid

Florida State College at Jacksonville Federal School Code is 001484

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is used to determine eligibility for federal financial aid, state aid and institutional scholarships. Students should apply early, preferably before April 15, each year. The application is available at local high schools, campus enrollment services/financial aid office and on the FAFSA website. The application is to be completed by the student and the student’s family and mailed to the address on the application or transmitted via the Web. It is strongly recommended students apply online to reduce errors and expedite processing of the financial aid application. Once the application is processed, the results of the federal analysis are sent to the schools listed on the application. The student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) via mail or email. Students may also be required to submit additional documents to their campus financial aid office.

Financial aid is not automatically renewed each year. To continue receiving financial aid, students must reapply each year. As financial circumstances change from year to year, the award amount may be different each year. Financial aid is awarded for the academic year and credited toward tuition and fees each semester. Financial aid enrollment and disbursements are based on classes required for the student’s program of study. If the students choose to take classes outside their program of study, they may be required to cover the cost from their own resources.

Important Financial Aid Information

Confirmation of Applying

Student Aid Report (SAR)

The SAR is a confirmation of a student aid application (FAFSA). Students should receive a SAR approximately two to three weeks after they submit their FAFSA. The SAR is a two-part confirmation form to review for errors and omissions. Read the instructions on the SAR carefully. If changes are needed, contact your financial aid office to determine which corrections are necessary. If corrections are required, students may correct their application by completing part 2 of the SAR and returning it to the federal processor or making the corrections on the Web at FAFSA. Not correcting a SAR as soon as possible may cause delays in processing a student’s financial aid.

Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

If all the data is complete and correct, the SAR will include an expected family contribution (EFC). The EFC is calculated based on a federal methodology established by Congress. EFC is the index that is used to establish eligibility for need-based aid.

Eligibility for need-based aid is calculated by subtracting the EFC (and other outside resources such as veterans benefits, scholarships, tuition waivers, fellowships, etc.) from the cost of attendance. This determines a student’s financial need.

If the EFC and other resources are less than the COA, the student may have financial need, and every effort is made to meet that need with a financial aid package that may include grants, work-study and/or loans.

Based on the above example, this student may be eligible for $5,761 in financial aid. This calculation establishes the eligibility for need-based aid, it does not guarantee the student will receive this amount. This is determined by other factors, such as the amount of funds available at the College. Some funds are limited, therefore it is in the student’s best interest to apply early each year.

Verification

The Department of Education selects 30 percent of student files for verification. In addition, FSCJ will verify SARS with conflicting information. When a file is selected for verification, a student and/or parent must complete a verification worksheet and submit copies of their tax return and other required documents. You must submit all documents in order to complete your file and continue processing of your application. The College is required to review accuracy of all household/income information.

Cost of Attendance (COA)

The examples below are based on college credit students enrolled full-time for two academic terms. Actual tuition and fees will vary based on actual credit hours taken per term. To view your current cost of attendance (COA) log on to Connections and view your award summary.

Remember, it’s your responsibility to ...

• apply early for financial aid assistance;
• complete a FAFSA each year (FAFSAs for the upcoming fall term are available after January 1);
• submit all required forms and documentation to FSCJ; and
• use financial aid for educationally related expenses only.