Applying for Financial Aid
Financial aid is a great way to help you pay for your college expenses (like tuition), but first, you have to apply. Just follow these steps to discover what aid might be available to you.
Step 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Complete the FAFSA each academic year.
- New applicants: Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID at FSAID.ed.gov
- Dependents: your parent(s) will also need to create an FSA ID
- Use your FSA ID to complete the FAFSA at FAFSA.gov
- ACC’s school code: 001346
- Summer-start applications: complete the FAFSA for the same academic year as the previous fall / spring
- Using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) will reduce the chances of being chosen for verification (Step 2)
- Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) for accuracy. This will be emailed to the student once the FAFSA is complete. Please note that financial aid listed on the SAR is an estimate for the full academic year (Fall – Summer).
- If necessary, correct inaccurate items online at FAFSA.gov
Step 2: Verification
The Department of Education selects 30% of FAFSA applications for verification, a process that ensures the accuracy of the information provided.
- Selected students will be notified by ACC and must submit additional documents, such as Verification Worksheet and an IRS Tax Return Transcript. The specific required documents will be posted to the Financial Aid Requirements channel on myACC. The same documents are required from the parents of dependents.
Your file cannot be reviewed until all documents are received, so students are encouraged to complete this step promptly. Once all documents are received it can take up to 2 weeks before students will receive an offer.
Step 3: Scholarships
Most scholarship applications open on January 1 and close on May 15, with priority given to those completed by March 1.
- Visit ACC’s Scholarships page to apply. Many scholarships will require applicants to demonstrate a financial need, which is determined by the FAFSA
- Private scholarship recipients can direct checks to the Scholarship Coordinator in ACC’s Financial Aid Office
Step 4: Award Letter
Financial aid recipients will receive an Award Offer Letter via their student email, which will direct students to view the award offers on the Student Finance tab in myACC.
- Grant aid is automatically accepted on the student’s behalf
- Loan offers can be accepted or declined through myACC. Loans must be accepted in order to be processed
Step 5: Loans
First-time borrowers at ACC must also complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN):
- Log in to StudentAid.gov with your FSA ID
- Have available: social security number, driver’s license number, and 2 personal references
Step 6: Monitor Your Status
Monitor your student email and myACC’s Student Finance tab on an ongoing basis.
Priority Completion Deadlines
It takes about 4-6 weeks to process an aid offer once the FAFSA has been successfully completed.
ACC guarantees that all students who submit all required documents to the ACC Financial Aid Office by:
- July 1 will receive an aid award package before the first day of Fall classes
- December 1 will receive an aid award package before the first day of Spring classes
Students with a total bill that exceeds their total financial aid must make alternative payment arrangements for the balance by each semester’s payment deadline to avoid being dropped from classes.
