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The Office of Financial Aid

 

University at Albany
Foundation Scholarships


Change in Direct Loan Origination Fees

Direct Loans disbursed for the first time on or after October 01, 2019 will be subject to the following origination fees:

  • Direct Subsidized (Undergraduates) - 1.059%
  • Direct Unsubsidized (Undergraduates) - 1.059%
  • Direct Unsubsidized (Graduates) - 1.059%
  • Direct PLUS (Parents/Graduates) - 4.236%

Please note: these new origination fees apply to the period of October 01, 2019 to September 30, 2020. Origination fees on subsequent loans first disbursed on or after October 01, 2020 are subject to change.

New York State Dream Act

The New York State Dream Act opens the doors of higher education, providing access to the Excelsior Scholarship , New York State TAP Grant and other NYS Scholarships.

Step-by-Step User Guide to completing the NYS Dream Act application

Frequently Asked Questions for the NYS DREAM Act.

Excelsior Application Fall Deadline

The fall 2019 deadline for new Excelsior Scholarship Program applicants has passed. Contact NYSHESC for more information or to request email notification when the Excelsior Scholarship application becomes available. Prior Excelsior recipients may still apply for the 2019-20 year by filing the FAFSA and NYS Payment (TAP) application.

Federal Verification Requirements Change

Effective immediately, the US Department of Education is allowing students/parents who are selected for federal verification of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to submit the following documents:

  • Students selected for verification for 2018-19, can submit signed copies of their 2016 IRS tax returns or a 2016 IRS tax transcript. If you were not required to file taxes, you can submit an official verification of non-filing obtained from the IRS or a signed statement stipulating household income and that they were not required to file taxes with the IRS.
  • Students selected for verification for 2019-20, can submit signed copies of their 2017 IRS tax returns or a 2017 IRS tax transcript. If you were not required to file taxes, you can submit an official verification of non-filing obtained from the IRS or a signed statement stipulating household income and that they were not required to file taxes with the IRS.

If your FAFSA was selected for verification, please upload all corresponding documents to our portal as soon as possible. Please note, failure to comply with federal verification regulations will result in the cancellation or loss of your federal financial aid.

Federal Aid Census Date

The Federal Aid Census Date (last day of late registration for the semester) is used by the Office of Financial Aid to confirm your enrollment status and subsequent federal financial aid eligibility. Fulltime study, defined as being enrolled in 12 or more credits applicable toward your degree is determined by your enrollment on the Census Date.

Note: The last day of late registration for fall 2019 is September 9th, 2019.

Answers to the most common financial aid and billing questions:

Appeal for Special Circumstances

Please visit the Appeal for Special Circumstances Financial Aid webpage for more information about the steps you need to take to request a financial aid Appeal for Special Circumstances.

 

Useful College Planning Tools

Below are consumer information tools students and families will find helpful in assessing college costs and comparing important college information.

The University at Albany Cost Comparison Worksheet allows you to compare the costs, financial aid offers, and out-of-pocket expenses of the University at Albany to other institutions of higher education.

The College Scorecard includes essential information about a particular college's cost, its graduation rates and the average amount its students borrow. The College Scorecard is a planning tool and resource to assist students and families as they evaluate options in selecting a school.

College Navigator is an interactive website that allows you to explore and compare features of different institutions, including tuition and fees, retention and graduation rates, use of financial aid and student loan default rates. The College Navigator also features a cost calculator and school comparison tool.

The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is a model financial aid award letter designed to simplify the information prospective students receive about costs and financial aid. Many colleges and universities have adapted a Shopping Sheet. This tool is designed to provide an easy way to make clear comparisons among institutions and make informed decisions about where to attend school.

The Paying for College webpage can be used by prospective students to enter the names and actual financial aid award information to compare up to three schools.


FAFSA Filing Dates

Available every year starting October 1st, the FAFSA should be completed and submitted on-line through www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Prospective students wishing to receive priority consideration for aid administered by the Office of Financial Aid must have completed the FAFSA and received an official expected family contribution from the Department of Education by December 1st.

Continuing students wishing to receive priority consideration for aid administered by the Office of Financial Aid must have completed the FAFSA and received an official expected family contribution from the Department of Education by January 1st.

To ensure processing for the current aid year, all corresponding FAFSA forms should be received by November 15th for fall only students and April 15th for fall/spring or spring only students. FAFSA forms received after these dates may not be processed prior to the conclusion of the respective semester. For example, a student graduating at the conclusion of fall 2018, should submit the 2018-19 FAFSA no later than November 15th.


Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool

Starting in February, students and parents who have filed their 2013 federal tax returns will be able to select the IRS Data Retrieval option on the FAFSA to transfer tax information to the FAFSA. Federal Tax Returns must be electronically filed at least two weeks (or 6-8 weeks if filing paper returns) before using the IRS Data Retrieval process.

We strongly encourage you and your parents to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool which is the fastest and easiest way to provide accurate tax information. The IRS tax information can be reviewed first before being transferred directly into your FAFSA.

 
 

The Office of Financial Aid is responsible for the administration of state, federal and institutional financial aid programs.  In conjunction with the Student Financial Center, the Office of Financial Aid assists students and families in navigating the financial aid process.

For assistance, visit the Student Financial Center located in the Campus Center G26, or call the Student Financial Center at (518) 442-3202.


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The Office of
Financial Aid

Campus Center G-25
1400 Washington Avenue Albany, NY 12222

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