The FAFSA for 2009-2010 (Fall 2009, Spring 2010, and Summer 2010) is available online.  You should complete your tax forms (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, etc) first and use that information to complete your FAFSA. 

Please remember that you must complete a FAFSA for each academic year.  For example, if you plan to begin attending Clayton State in Summer Semester and continue in the Fall, you must complete a FAFSA for the academic year that includes Summer AND a FAFSA for the academic year which begins with Fall Semester.

You must have a complete file in the Financial Aid Office by the above stated deadlines. Please see Completing Your File for more detailed information.

Please keep a copy of any documents that you submit to the Financial Aid Office as copies cannot be provided for you at a later date.

---

*LATE DOCUMENT POLICY*

The deadline to submit documents for verification for Spring Semester 2010 was November 2, 2009.  We will accept your documents after the November 2 deadline with the understanding that the Financial Aid Office will do everything possible to process your financial aid file before the fee payment deadline. Missing documents and incorrect information on your part will only impede our ability to process your file in time.  By doing your part correctly, you will help us to help you. In the event we are not able to process your file prior to the deadline, it is your responsibility to make other arrangements to pay your charges.  Failure to pay by the fee payment deadline may result in your registration being cancelled.

LATE REGISTRATION AND LATE FEE POLICY

Students who register between December 14, 2009 and January 7, 2010 will be assessed a $100 late fee. Students must pay all charges by January 7, 2010 in order to remain enrolled. If your financial aid has not been processed by January 7, you must be prepared to pay out of pocket and be reimbursed in order to remain in your classes.

---

Important Notice

The Department of Education has recently provided new information that requires a change in our policy regarding disbursement of federal financial aid effective Fall Semester 2009.  Your registration hours will now be “frozen” at the end of the schedule adjustment period (drop/add) and these hours will be used to determine your financial aid eligibility for the entire semester.  Previously you could add a 2^nd half semester class later in the semester and your financial aid would be adjusted to pay for those additional hours provided you had eligibility remaining.  With this change registration must be finalized before the Freeze Date in order to be covered by financial aid.  The Freeze Date for Fall Semester is August 21, 2009.  Dates for all semesters will be posted on our website.

How does this affect you?

Are you planning to take a Session II class in addition to your Full Session or Session I classes?  If so, you must register for all Session II classes prior to the end of the schedule adjustment period (drop/add).  Financial aid will be disbursed to your account the morning after the initial schedule adjustment period (on the Freeze Date).  Once your aid has been disbursed to your student account, your registration hours will be frozen and no changes to your federal aid will be made for additional hours.  If you add classes during the registration period for Session II classes, your aid will not be increased to cover the additional charges after the Freeze Date.  The Freeze Date for Fall Semester is August 21, 2009.

Are you planning to take ONLY Session II classes?  You may register for these classes during the Session II registration period if you have no previous enrollment for the semester.  Once your aid has been disbursed to your account, your registration hours will be frozen and no changes will be made to your federal aid for additional hours.  The Freeze Date for Fall Semester Session II registration ONLY is October 14, 2009.   

     This change does NOT apply to HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grant, or ACCEL funds.

     This change DOES apply to all federal aid including PELL, SEOG, LEAP, Stafford Loans, PLUS Loans, etc.  If you are not registered for a minimum of 6 hours (5 for graduate students) on the Freeze Date, you will not be eligible for your student loan and you will not have an opportunity to add a class in order to be eligible!  The Freeze Date for Fall Semester is August 21, 2009.

     This does NOT change our current policy for “no shows” or classes dropped before their start date.  If you do not attend class, you are not eligible for financial aid for that class and your aid will be adjusted accordingly. 

     This does NOT change our current policy for complete withdrawals.  If you completely withdraw from classes, we must perform a ‘Return of Title IV Calculation’ to determine how much aid you earned while enrolled.