Timeline for Prospective Students
At Ave Maria University we encourage all prospective AMU students to apply for financial aid, even if you feel you may not be eligible for assistance. We understand that financing a college education is a challenge for most families, whatever the household income. We are here to make sure that you receive all the financial aid for which you are eligible and to help you find additional financing options if you need them.
January 2008
- Parents and students are encouraged to complete their annual Income Tax Return as soon as possible. Application for federal aid is available on January 1 of every year for the following academic year. As soon as your return is filed, you may apply for financial assistance online by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov. The AMU Federal School Code is 039413. You may also use estimated tax figures and revise your FAFSA at a later date after you have filed.
- Request a Personal Identification Number for yourself and your parents (if dependent by FAFSA guidelines) at the U.S. Department of Education website at http://www.pin.ed.gov . Your PIN can be used each year to sign your FAFSA, access the DOE website to make corrections to your FAFSA, and check on the status of your FAFSA. Parents who apply for a PIN may also use the same PIN each year, as well as using the same PIN to electronically sign the FAFSA for more than one dependent attending college.
February-May 2008
- Regularly check your email for notification of your processed FAFSA and Student Aid Report (SAR) result of your FAFSA.
- If you are selected for verification as indicated on your Student Aid Report (SAR) Comments, please submit a signed copy of your tax return (and your parents' Tax Return if a dependent student) accompanied by the AMU Federal Verification Worksheet. Please do not send tax returns unless you have been selected for verification. The requirement will appear as a missing document on IQ Web. AMU will not be able to provide you an award letter without your documentation. Missing information will delay your financial aid processing.
- Let the AMU Financial Aid Office (FAO) know of any scholarships or grants received from private sources. Need based aid may require adjustment to accommodate scholarship monies in your budget.
- Respond to all requests for additional information from the FAO.
- Financial Aid awards can be viewed and accepted online through IQ Web's Financial Aid portal. The FAO will send you your IQ Web Personal Identification Number (PIN) once you been accepted to the university and submitted your completed FAFSA.
- Under FERPA regulations, account information for any student, regardless of dependency, cannot be discussed with third parties without the consent of the student. If you are a dependent student and wish to provide written consent to the FAO to discuss your financial aid with your parents or other relative, please complete an Authorization to Release Confidential Information and send or fax to the FAO. This applies as well to the spouse or other relative of independent students.
- If you have a remaining balance after financial aid is applied, you may sign up for the AMU Tuition Payment Plan or pay online by credit card at http://www.avemaria.edu/bursarStudentAccounts .
- IMPORTANT: Institutional need-based grants are awarded as eligible SARs are received. Funds are limited so you are encouraged to submit your FAFSA as early as possible! AMU preferred date for FAFSA completion is March 1, 2008.
Florida Students Only: February - May 2008
- Register for the Bright Futures Program online at http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad before graduating from a Florida high school. Please forward a copy of your Bright Futures award letter to the Office of Financial Aid once you receive it. As with private scholarships, need based aid may require adjustment to accommodate scholarship monies in your budget. A FL residency verification form will be added to your page of documents to confirm your eligibility for the program.
July 2008
- All loan applications and related requirements must be completed (Stafford, Parent PLUS, Alternative) by July 1, 2008 in order to satisfy the tuition charges deadline August 1, 2008.
August 2008
- Business Office deadline to finalize payment of your tuition charges is August 1, 2008.
- Attend New Student Orientation activities and financial aid and registration information sessions.
- Tuition payment deadline is August 11, 2008, two weeks prior to the start of the semester.