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Need Money for Your Education?

Start Here FAFSA Checklist

 

FAFSA 

To complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) visit studentaid.gov .  Remember the FAFSA needs to be filed annually and must be filed by the last day of student’s enrollment within the academic year.

FAFSA Checklist
St. John's Office of Student Financial Services is happy to provide a FAFSA Checklist to help students and their families complete their FAFSA thoroughly and correctly. 

FAFSA Tutorial
Learn more about the FAFSA process watch the FAFSA Tutorial now.

Your Federal FSA ID

Students and their parents/contributors and or spouse/contributors are required to create an FSA Account to apply for, receive and manage their federal student aid. Your FSA ID is used to confirm your identity when accessing your federal financial aid information and electronically signing your federal student aid documents.

Your FSA ID can be used to:

  • Sign the FAFSA®  
  • Review federal student aid received
  • Complete other federal online forms required to receive federal assistance like the federal student loan Master Promissory Note
  • Make corrections to your FAFSA® 
  • Review your  federal studeny loan and grant history on the National Student Loan Data System

Important Note
Protect your FSA ID, it serves as your electronic signature, and should not be shared.

Monitoring Your Financial Aid Status at St. John's

Use the University Information System (UIS) to:

  • Check Financial Aid status at the University
  • Check disbursements to your student account
  • Sign up for a Payment Plan
  • Make payments to St. John's

For many students, financial aid can greatly affect their decision about whether or not to attend college or which institution to attend. Because of its importance, the decision to apply for financial aid, as well as which financial aid programs to accept, should be made only with a complete understanding of the process, requirements, benefits and responsibilities.

Financial aid is any educational loan, part-time employment, grant or scholarship offered for the express purpose of helping a student pay education-related expenses. Such aid is usually provided by federal, state, institutional or private agencies. If you qualify, you may be offered combinations of these types of aid, depending on your financial need and the funds available.

Who Should Apply for Aid?

The only way to tell if you are eligible to receive aid is to apply for it. Many factors are taken into account when awarding aid. Therefore, everyone who needs financial assistance to attend college should apply.

You may only be interested in part-time work, a scholarship or a federal student loan. All of these are considered financial aid. 

Who is Eligible to Apply?

 Federal Basic Eligibility Criteria

You must:

  • Be a US citizen, US national or permanent resident  
  • Have a valid Social Security number
  • Be accepted and enrolled, at least half-time ( for most aid programs), in a degree program
  • Maintain satisfactory academic progress towards degree
  • Not be in default of a federal student loan or owe a repayment on a previous federal aid received
  • show you are qualified to obtain a college education ( high school diploma, GED)
  • demonstrate financial need for need-based federal student aid programs

 

Additional Information

The key to financing your education is to start the planning early. The more you understand the resources available to you and your family, the better prepared you will be to pay the cost of your education. Below is a step-by-step guide through the process of applying for financial aid.

Step 1: Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  • Online
    Apply online at studentaid.gov. It's fast, easy and efficient. 
     
  • Renewal Reminder Notice
    If you applied for financial aid in 2024-2025 you will receive your a Renewal reminder.  You can access your Renewal FAFSA at studentaid.gov

Helpful Hints:

  • You must complete a FAFSA every year!
  • New students should not wait to be admitted to the University to apply.
  • Make sure you complete the application for the right academic year. 
  • On the FAFSA, you must include St. John's University Title IV federal school code, which is 002823.
  • Keep copies of all documents that you used to complete the FAFSA in case your application is chosen for federal verification. See Federal Verification Process in Step 4 for more information.

Who should file a FAFSA?
The Office of Student Financial Services encourages all eligible students to complete a FAFSA. Remember:

  • A FAFSA must be filed to be considered for federal or state financial aid including federal student loans.
  • The FAFSA information is used to determine eligibility for some institutional need based awards and scholarships.
  • Your family's financial situation may change during the year.

Step 2: FAFSA Submission Summary

You will receive a 2025-2026 FAFSA Submission Summary from the federal processor after completing your FAFSA. The FSS provides a summary of the information reported on the FAFSA. You can access the results on studentaid.gov.

 If the St. John's University federal school code (002823) is not listed on the FSS contact the Federal Processor at (800) 4 FED AID and add the St. John's University school code (002823).

If you do not need to make corrections please keep this document for your records. If you have general inquiries regarding your FSS contact the Federal Processor at (800) 4 FED AID.

Step 3: TAP on the Web-electronic process

NY residents can apply for both federal and state financial aid using a single online session. After filling out the FAFSA on the Web, NYS resident can link to TAP on the Web, which is pre-filled with their FAFSA data and, if applicable, historical data from HESC’s system.
Express TAP application (ETA)—paper process
Students initiate the TAP application process by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

HESC will use FAFSA data to preprint an ETA for any NYS resident who lists at least one NYS institution on the FAFSA. The preprinted ETA will include student data from the FAFSA and will provide an opportunity for the student to change or update the information. The first NYS institution listed on the FAFSA will be indicated on the ETA. The estimated NYS net taxable income derived from the FAFSA will be preprinted on the ETA. If the estimated income differs from the actual income reported to the NYS Tax Department, a correction can be made on the ETA. Students must sign the ETA and return it to HESC and, if required, spouses and parents,. HESC will process returned ETA forms and then issue award certificates, denials, or requests for additional information.

For questions regarding TAP please contact New York State at (888) 697-4372 or visit them online at http://www.hesc.ny.gov.

Helpful Hints:
•    Enter St. John's University's federal school code (002823) as the first school on your FAFSA. This will insure that your TAP award will take into account the costs for St. John's University.
 
•    If St. John's University is not listed on the ETA, enter the University's TAP code 0751 on the application and return it to NYSHESC in the envelope provided.

Step 4: Federal Verification Process

The Federal Processor reviews all FAFSA applications and selects a percent for a process known as verification. In order to complete the verification process, you must submit documentation that verifies the information you and your family reported on the FAFSA. If you are selected for verification it will be noted on you FAFSA Submission Summary and the Office of Student Financial Services will post requirements/documents that you will need to provide to complete this process. All documents must be received and reviewed by the Office of Student Financial Services.

Step 5: The Financial Aid Package 

New accepted students who file the FAFSA will receive a Financial Aid Package. The Package will list the amounts and types of federal, state and/or institutional assistance they may be eligible to receive. Packages are traditionally generated beginning at the end of January and will continue to be sent out to all accepted students who file a FAFSA and list St. John's University's federal school code ,002823, on their FAFSA application.

Step 6: If Interested Apply for a Federal Direct Student Loan

Some students and or their parents may want to consider borrowing federal student loans to assist with meeting educational costs. Students and their parents are encouraged to limit borrowing and remember loans needed to be repaid with interest. Lear more about the various federal loan programs and eligibility and repayment requirements at studentaid.gov.

For new or first-time borrowers once you file your FAFSA form, you will receive a Financial Aid Package indicating the amount of your federal student loan eligibility along with instructions on how to apply for loans.
 For continuing student borrowers, if you have previously borrowed under the Federal Direct Loan program at St. John's you will not need to complete a new Master new Promissory Note each year but you must accept your loans by logging into your personal UIS account.

St. John’s University Certificate Programs Eligible for Federal Aid

To be considered for federal aid students must have a valid FAFSA on file and meet all federal aid eligibility requirements.

Graduate Level Advanced Certificate Programs:
  • Administrative Studies
  • Asian and African Culture studies
  • Bilingual Extension
  • Instructional Leadership
  • Library and Information Science
  • Literacy Leadership Coach
  • School Building Leadership
  • School Building Leadership/School District Leadership
  • School District Leadership
  • School Counselor
  • Teaching Literacy, Birth through 6
  • Teaching Literacy, Grades 5-12
  • Teaching Students with Disabilities - Childhood
  • Teaching Students with Disabilities 7-12
  • TESOL PK-12

Students in these programs are eligible for Graduate loan limits.

Undergraduate Certificate Programs:
  • Physician Assistant –  Students admitted to this certificate program are required to have an undergraduate degree: therefore, federal aid limited to Federal Direct Student loans. Students in the PA program are eligible for  3rd year undergraduate loan limits.
  • Risk and Insurance – Students in this program are eligible for Federal Direct Student Loans and may be eligible for consideration of federal grants if they have not previous earned a Bachelor’s Degree. Students in this program are eligible for freshmen loan limits.