Financial Aid Application Process

How and when do I apply for financial aid?

Beginning in October, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available online. The FAFSA must be completed using the prior year’s federal income tax returns, as those figures are needed to answer items on the form. It is best to use the IRS Data Retrieval on the FAFSA to avoid mistakes. Retain a copy of both the parent’s and student’s tax returns for future reference. The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for all federal programs, which include student loans. To be considered for state programs, please fill out the information needed by the State of New York.

In order to complete the FAFSA online, you will need a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. If you do not already have an FSA ID, apply for one now. Parents of dependent students must also apply for an FSA ID, which will include a user ID and password. The FSA ID serves as an electronic signature for the FAFSA. If additional help is required while creating an FSA ID, please call 1-800-557-7394 for assistance.

How is financial need determined?

Each college or university develops an estimate of how much it will cost for you to attend school, including tuition and fees, books and supplies, room and board, personal expenses, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. This is called your Cost of Attendance and will vary from institution to institution. It also varies depending on whether you are a graduate or an undergraduate student.

To determine your financial need, your EFC or Expected Family Contribution, (which is calculated by submitting the FAFSA) is subtracted from the cost of attendance.

Your financial aid package:

Once we receive the results of your FAFSA, we will create your financial aid package based on your financial need. You may receive some types of financial aid in excess of your need up to the Cost of Attendance.

A financial aid award letter outlining the financial aid included in your package will be prepared for you. This notice will include general information about each award offered and instructions for accepting and/or rejecting awards.

Federal Verification:

Verification is the confirmation through documentation that the information provided on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is correct. The federal government requires colleges and universities to verify or confirm the data reported by students and their parent(s) on the FAFSA. The verification process ensures that eligible students receive all the financial aid to which they are entitled and prevents ineligible students from receiving financial aid to which they are not entitled.

How will I know if I am selected for verification?

You may be selected for verification either by the federal processor or by Student Financial Services (formerly Financial Aid and the Bursars Office) at Dominican University. If you are selected for verification by the federal processor, there will be an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). You will also be informed of having been selected for verification in the SAR acknowledgment letter, which will be included with your SAR documents.

If you are selected for verification by Student Financial Services, you will be notified on the first page of your award letter if you are a new student, or an email and missing information letter will be sent to your duny.edu email account if you are a continuing student. Both notifications will inform you of this selection and instruct you on the documents needed. You can be selected for verification at any time during the academic year, so it is very important you check your email on a regular basis. If you are a continuing student, you will not be packaged with financial aid until all requested documents have been received and reviewed by Student Financial Services.

Why was I selected for verification?

It’s likely that you were chosen randomly, but perhaps the FAFSA you submitted was incomplete, or perhaps your FAFSA contains estimated information, or the data you provided on the FAFSA is inconsistent. Verification is a federal regulation. Students who are selected for verification are not being punished; rather, verification prevents ineligible students from receiving aid by reporting false information and ensures that eligible students receive all of the aid for which they are qualified.

What do I have to submit, and where do I send it?

Once you are selected for verification, all requirements will be added to your DC account and will be listed in a missing information letter. Please note that additional documentation may be requested from Student Financial Services at the counselor’s discretion. If additional documents are requested, an email and missing information letter will be mailed. It is your responsibility to check your requirements and submit all documentation to Student Financial Services within 30 days. Failure to complete the verification process may result in the cancellation of financial aid. Once verification has been completed, you will receive a revised award letter indicating changes, if any. Revised award letters replace any award letters previously received.

Do not wait to submit your documents.

What happens once I submit my documents?

Once you submit the documents to our office, you can check the status of your documents by contacting Student Financial Services at (845) 848-7821. After we receive all required verification documents, your information will be reviewed. Once the documents are reviewed, a revised award letter will be sent only if changes were applied to your original Financial Aid Award. If the requirement is incomplete, you will receive an email explaining what was incomplete and how it can be resolved.

What if I don’t want to complete the verification process?

The verification process is a federal regulation and must be completed in order for a student to receive federal aid, as well as any state and Institutional aid. If you do not wish to complete the verification process, and, therefore, do not receive financial aid, please notify Student Financial Services so we can update your status.

Receiving Financial Aid

Dominican University’s office of Student Financial Services is responsible for disbursing your financial aid. Your financial aid is applied directly to institutional charges (tuition, fees, room, and board). Any excess funds will be available to you within 14 days of the date the credit balance occurs.  Any questions about billing should be directed to them.

Special Circumstances/ Request for Review

While the process of determining your financial aid eligibility is basically the same for all applicants, there is some flexibility for specific circumstances. At Dominican University, a committee determines whether your special circumstances merit changes in the data elements which determine your Expected Family Contribution or your Cost of Attendance. Dominican University uses standards recommended by the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. Situations that might merit special circumstances include:

• Unemployment
• Loss of untaxed benefit (ie: worker’s compensation, child support, pensions and annuities, social security benefits)
• Separation/Divorce
• Death
• Medical expenses that have been itemized on your Federal tax return

If you feel you have any special circumstances that might affect the amount you and your family are expected to contribute, you must wait until you receive an award letter (or electronic notice) and then submit the Special Circumstances Form from our website.