Financial Aid Eligibility
To receive Federal Financial Aid and/or Need-Based Institutional Aid you must:
- have a high school diploma or a GED certificate, or pass a test approved by the U.S. Dept. of Education.
- be enrolled or accepted for enrollment in a degree program or eligible certificate program.
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen.
- have a valid social security number
- register with the Selective Service if required (you can use the FAFSA to register).
- maintain satisfactory progress once in school.
Eligible Non-Citizen:
You must be one of the following to receive federal financial aid:
- U.S. citizen
- U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
- U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C
If you are not in one of the above categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible:
- "Refugee"
- "Asylum Granted"
- "Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
- "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
- "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)
If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you are NOT eligible for federal student aid.
If you are in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you are NOT eligible for federal student aid. Also, persons with G series visas are not eligible.
Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau are eligible only for Federal Pell Grants, FSEOGs, or Federal Work Study. These applicants should check with Student Financial Services for more information.
To find out if you are eligible for Independent Student Status please read the Independent Student Criteria.
If you have questions about your eligibility, please contact our office.