Financial Aid "Checklist"

Federal Code for Villa Maria College: 002896
TAP Code (Associate Degree): 2158
TAP Code (Bachelor Degree): 2188

The Financial Aid office is willing to help you with the financial aid application process and has put the following "checklist" in place to assist you. If you should have any questions or if you should need assistance with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), please call us at 716.961.1850.

Step 1:

 

Gather the following documents in order to file your FAFSA, which depending upon your individual situation would come from you, the student, parents, spouse or guardian:

• Social security card
• Driver's license
• W-2 forms
• Federal income tax return
• Current bank statements
• Untaxed income records

 

Step 2:

 

File the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be careful that you are inputting the correct information from your tax return forms (i.e. using the correct line number). Important: print out the signature page for yourself/parent/spouse if you or they do not have a PIN. Then sign and return it to the address on the signature page.

Step 3:

 

When you submit your FAFSA, you will also be able to complete HESC's (Higher Education Services Corporation) TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) application online. You will find the link to the online TAP application on the FAFSASubmission Confirmation page. If you have not applied for TAP with your FAFSA, wait 3 days and go online towww.tapweb.org and complete the application. If there is an error on the TAP application, you will receive a TAP form in the mail from NY State. Please review, sign and return it in the enclosed envelope or you can go online towww.tapweb.org to make the necessary corrections. Dependents students' parents must sign the form. 

Step 4:

 

After successfully submitting your FAFSA electronically, the Department of Education will process your application and send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR will have your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). This is a preliminary estimate based on the information you provided on your application. The EFC is used to determine your family contribution and financial need.

Step 5:

If your FAFSA is selected for verification (they are randomly selected by the Department of Education), you will be notified by the Financial Aid Office as to what you need to do to complete the verification process.

Step 6:

After reviewing your Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR), the Financial Aid office will prepare an award letter that will list all the aid available to you. This will be mailed to you. Once you receive it, please sign and comply with all other instructions ASAP.

Step 7:

If you qualify for Federal Student Loans you will have to go online to www.studentloans.gov with your PIN to sign your Master Promissory Notes. For further information on how to do this, please contact the Financial Aid office.