You might be eligible for a lot more financial aid than you’d expect—including scholarships and grants that don't have to be paid back.
In Indiana, most financial aid sources use the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine the amount of money each student is eligible to receive. The steps listed below will help you complete the financial aid process.
Students and parents can complete the FAFSA at any time online at fafsa.ed.gov. Each FAFSA covers the upcoming Fall, Spring and Summer semesters (for example, the 2017–18 FAFSA is for the Fall 2017, Spring 2018, and Summer 2018 semesters).
Here are the steps you need to follow (and the dates you need to follow them by) to get the money for which you qualify. |
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If you are looking for aid for the upcoming school year, file the FAFSA each year by March 10 to be considered for Indiana State grants including the Higher Education Award/Frank O'Bannon Grant and 21st Century Scholars. However, students can still complete the FAFSA after March 10, to be considered for federal and institutional financial aid awards for the upcmoing year.
If you don’t qualify for federal or state grant aid, scholarships are still an option. We offer more than $6 million in scholarships and student aid per year.
We understand the importance of estimating how much aid you may qualify to receive. There are several online services that provide calculators including FinAid.org and FastWeb.
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Gather your 2015 Tax ReturnYour 2015 tax return information will be used to complete your 2017-2018 FAFSA. The deadline for state grants is March 10, 2017. Can't make the March 10th deadline? Don't worry, federal and institutional financial aid awards don’t have a deadline and are available at any time. Use the IRS data retrieval tool to automatically populate your FAFSA with information from your tax return saving you time, effort and lowering your chances of errors being selected for data verification. |
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Plan AheadIMPORTANT: The FAFSA must be received by March 10 to be considered for state aid. Can't make the March 10th deadline? Don't worry, federal and institutional financial aid awards are still available. You will need to know some information to fill out the FAFSA. Use this list to gather the appropriate documents before you begin. |
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Complete your FAFSAKeep in mind…you’ll need to gather some information before you fill out the FAFSA. Complete online at fafsa.gov using Ivy Tech's School Code: 009917. To save yourself time, use the IRS data retrieval tool to automatically populate your FAFSA with information from your 2015 tax return. Once you've completed the FAFSA, a Student Aid Report (SAR) will be generated by the U.S. Department of Education. If you have listed our school code 009917, we will receive an electronic copy. If you're selected for Verification, you'll be required to complete a Verification Worksheet and other financial forms before aid can be processed or disbursed. Make sure you turn in all required forms to avoid processing delays. |
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Requesting a Federal Direct Student LoanComplete your MPN electronically at the Department of Education's website studentloans.gov. You'll be required to use your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID – username and password. If you don't have an FSA ID, please visit StudentAid.gov/fsaid. To ensure that you understand the responsibility and the obligation you assume when accepting a Federal Direct Student Loan, the Department of Education requires you to participate in loan counseling prior to receiving your first disbursement. Entrance counseling is required of all first time borrowers. If you have already completed entrance counseling, you will not be required to retake counseling. Complete entrance counseling online by visiting studentloans.gov and sign in using your FSA ID. Click on “Complete Entrance Counseling” and follow the steps to complete this process. NOTE: Failure to complete loan counseling will prevent timely disbursements and refunds. Ivy Tech participates in the Federal Direct Student Loan Program, which allows students to borrow money directly from the Federal government to pay for education related expenses. A Federal Direct Student Loan is not gift aid; the money you borrow will have to be repaid with any interest that has accrued. Borrow only much as you absolutely need. Learn more about the Federal Direct Student Loan Request. |
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Requesting a Federal PLUS LoanApply online at the Department of Education's website studentloans.gov. If you're borrowing Direct PLUS Loans for more than one student, you'll need to complete a separate MPN for each one. To complete an MPN online, you'll be required to use your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID – username and password. If you don't have an FSA ID, please visit StudentAid.gov/fsaid. |