To apply for federal and state financial aid programs, choose one of these two methods:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) early each year.
  The FAFSA becomes available in January for the upcoming academic year. You must have a Social Security Number to apply for financial aid. Select either of the following options to apply for aid:
  
  
  
  1. Apply for a U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov before completing the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov to enable you and your parent (if applicable) to electronically sign your application. This process is designed to help you catch errors before you submit your application. Download the Pre-Application Worksheet prior to completing the FAFSA online. Do not use the paper FAFSA because the question number sequence differs.
     
     
     OR
  2. Obtain a paper FAFSA from a high school or a college financial aid office and mail it to the Central Processing System (CPS).
     
     Warning! There is another website www.fafsa.com that asks students to provide credit card information to process the FAFSA. The FAFSA is a free application.

  
  The FAFSA is always a free application. You do not need to pay any money to apply using the FAFSA! The FAFSA lists deadlines for federal and state aid. Schools and states may have different deadlines for aid. Be sure to list the correct Title IV Federal School Code. Los Angeles Valley College's Federal School Code is 001228. If you would like FAFSA assistance, visit the Financial Aid Office's Personal Computer Lab.

California residents should submit their FAFSA and Cal Grant Grade Point Average Verification by March 2 in order to be considered for Cal Grants.

• What happens after I apply?
  After you submit your FAFSA, online or by mail, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) and the college will receive your record electronically if you listed the college's federal school code on your FAFSA. Review the SAR to make sure it is accurate. If any information is wrong, contact the financial aid office to find out how to make corrections. You will automatically be considered for the Board of Governors Fee Waiver (BOGFW) so a separate BOGFW application is not needed.

  
  Upon the college's receipt of your information, you will receive a Document Tracking Letter requesting additional documents/forms to complete your financial aid file. You may submit the required forms to the Financial Aid Office in person or by mail. We recommend you submit forms and required documentation in person so we can review your information. Incomplete documents will not be accepted and will be returned to you with further instructions.

  
  We will compare your FAFSA data with your Admissions record at our college; therefore, it is very important that you answer the following items accurately on your Admission Application:

  1. Educational Goal – you need to officially declare a program goal on your Admissions Application
  2. High School Graduate status
  3. Citizenship Status
  4. Demographic Data (mailing address, telephone number)

  If there is a discrepancy on any one of the above items, we will send you a letter to explain the discrepancy which will delay the review of your financial aid file.

Most financial aid programs use three components to calculate eligibility: Cost of Attendance (COA), Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and Financial Need. COA includes college fees, books and supplies, room and board, transportation and personal/miscellaneous expenses.

The EFC is the amount you (and if applicable your family) can contribute toward the cost of attendance. The federal processor calculates the EFC using the information you reported on your FAFSA. Sometimes corrections are required and may result in a change of the EFC.

Financial need is determined by subtracting the expected family contribution from the cost of attendance. Need is the maximum amount of need-based aid you can receive in a given academic year.

After your file is complete, it will be reviewed and your financial aid eligibility (need) will be determined. If you are eligible for financial aid, you will receive an Award Letter that details the financial aid you have been awarded. You need to read the Award Guide that accompanies your Award Letter. This Guide provides valuable information regarding your financial aid award and your responsibilities as a financial aid recipient. You may receive less aid than your need because of limited funding. So, to summarize:

 

• Disbursement Process
  You may view your disbursement schedule via the web at www.laccd.edu. Financial Aid awards listed on your Award Letter are based on the assumption that students will enroll full-time. Students do not have to enroll full-time to receive financial aid. The actual disbursement amount will reflect your actual approved active units at the time of disbursement. At LAVC two types of financial aid disbursements are available for grant funding:
  
  
  1. Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) - EFT is a service which generates a computerized record that automatically transfers money (your financial aid) into the student’s bank account on the disbursement date. To sign up for EFT, go to the College Business Office to complete an EFT Authorization Form and be sure to bring a voided check. If you prefer to have your financial aid deposited into your savings account, a copy of your statement displaying the account number and branch is needed; deposit slips are not sufficient. This is the fastest way to receive your financial aid. EFT also eliminates the possibility of lost checks or checks sent to incorrect addresses. Loan checks must be picked up at the campus.

      

  2. Direct Mailing - grant checks will automatically be mailed to the address the Admissions & Records Office has on file. Loan checks will not be mailed. Students will be directed when and where to pick up loan checks during entrance and exit loan counseling sessions.

   

   

   

• Fees & Financial Aid

• Fees
• Business Office
  
• Financial Aid Office
• What is Financial Aid?
• Financial Aid Programs
• How Do I Qualify?
• How to Apply