After the FAFSA:
Upon submission, your student's FAFSA application is sent to the schools listed. One-third of FAFSA applications are selected for a process called verification. Please ask your student to monitor their email address and AppalNet account for paperwork requirements from our office. Verification must be completed before our office can offer financial aid.
The financial and demographic information you provided on the FAFSA is used to determine what types of aid and amounts your student is eligible to receive. For students admitted in the fall, awards will be divided evenly between the fall and spring semesters. (Students admitted in the spring or summer will see only amounts for that term.) When financial aid offers are released, The Office of Student Financial Aid will communicate directly to students through their Appstate.edu email address and their AppalNet account. New students receive offers in March while continuing students will receive their financial aid offers in April.
All students are asked to review their financial aid and make a decision to accept or decline their offers. When bills are released by the Office of Student Accounts, the financial aid will apply to the balance first, and the student is responsible for covering the remaining amount. Payment plans are available and provide an option to pay installments rather than cover the bill immediately. Information on payment plans is available here.
If your student accepted a loan offer, they will need to complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note (borrowing agreement) at studentaid.gov. More information here.
Financial Aid will apply to your student's balance 10 days before the beginning of the term. If the amount of financial aid exceeds the bill, your student may receive a refund.
An important note on scholarships:
If your student received a scholarship from Appalachian State, the award will be added to their account by the awarding department (ex: Admissions, College of Education, Athletics, etc).
If your student received a scholarship from a source outside of the university, please notify the Office of Student Financial Aid as early as possible so the award can be added to your student's account. You can find more information on how to notify our office and how to send the scholarship check by going here.
Save the Date!
While it may feel like you just finished, remember that the FAFSA application opens for the upcoming academic year on October 1st. We recommend applying as early as possible to optimize your student's award eligibility.