Office of Financial Aid
OUR MISSION
The mission of the Office of Financial Aid is to provide access to financial resources in a fair, sensitive and confidential manner; to inform and educate students and their families about their financial options; and, to continually improve our services so that students may take full advantage of their educational opportunities.
The FAMU Office of Financial Aid has implemented a fully integrated finanical aid system. Incoming freshmen and returning students with a completed file for the 2022-2023 academic year can view their Financial Aid package on March 5, 2022 by logging into IRATTLER, clicking on FAMU SFP Student Portal. You will find more indepth information as well as SFP procedures under our Student Financial Planning page
Getting Started
The Office of Financial Aid is committed to make understanding and obtaining Financial Aid easy for students and parents.
SFP is a cloud-based financial aid system that manages each student’s financial plan individually, automatically, and in real-time; providing visibility into their entire program, supporting better informed financial decisions and optimizing outcomes
How Much Does It Cost To Attend FAMU?
Residency, tuition, housing, books, supplies, and other expenses are all factors that can contribute to a students cost of attendance (COA). Learn more about how much it costs to attend FAMU as an undergraduate, graduate, or law school student!
Learn more about how much it costs to attend FAMU as an undergraduate student, graduate student, or Law Student.
Financial aid is money provided by various agencies (federal, state and local governments, public and private postsecondary institutions, community organizations, and private corporations or individuals) to help students meet the costs of attending college.
Begin The Financial Aid Process
Learn more about the FAFSA, the FAMU Financial Aid Process, and how to keep tack of your Financial Aid
The entire financial aid process starts with filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
To complete your application and sign it electronically, you need a FSA ID. It can be used each year to apply for federal student aid and to access your records online.
If required to submit documentation verification, the U.S. Department of Education has announced that you must submit a copy of your 2020 IRS tax return transcript if you have not completed the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Information for Those Not Filing Taxes
For Non-Filer Dependent Students
Parents or students who did not file a 2020 tax return must provide a signed non-filer statement, certifying that you have not filed and are not required to file an income tax return, as well as a document listing the amount and sources of any income from that year. You must also submit a copy of your W-2 for any source of employment from that year. | Non-Filer Dependent Student Statement Form
For Non-Filer Parents & Independent Students
Non-filers should be aware that the federal government now requires independent students and the parents of dependent students who filed a FAFSA to have the IRS verify, if no tax return was filed. If this describes you, you must request a Verification of Non-Filing Letter from the IRS and submit the letter as part of your financial aid verification materials. For more information on non-filing letters, see the IRS Transcript Types link.
Waiting to Hear About Your Financial Aid?
Once you’ve filled out your FAFSA, you still have a few more steps before receiving your funds, and it is important to stay in touch with our office regarding your aid.
Check your financial aid tab in iRattler to find out if your file is complete or if you have outstanding requirements that will prevent the disbursement of your financial aid.
Check your FAMMail frequently for important financial aid information. The Office of Financial Aid uses email as the primary way to communicate with students.
If you can’t find the answers in our FAQs, you are welcome to contact our office at 850-599-3730 or your designated Financial Aid Representative.
Email Policy: Under Florida Law, email addresses are public records. If you do not want your email address released in response to a public records request, do not send electronic mail to the University. Instead, contact the specific office or individual by phone or in writing.
| Types of Financial Aid Emails include |
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| Financial Aid Awards and Revised Awards |
| Financial Aid Follow-Up Letters |
| Direct Loans Correspondence (e.g., Entrance Counseling) |
| Satisfactory Academic Progress Notifications |
| Work Study Award Notification and Procedures |
| Verification Notifications |
| Requests for Additional Documentation |
| Financial Aid Priority Dates and Deadlines |
THINGS TO KNOW
Information on frequent questions and links
Here you will find links that will provide you with pertinent financial aid information and assist you in the financial aid process.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.
FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s education records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”
Click here to download the FERPA Policy (PDF) | Click here to download the (FERPA) Student Consent Form (Word Doc.)
FSA ID REPLACES FEDERAL STUDENT AID PIN
For students, parents, or borrowers who have to log in to a U.S. Department of Education website – like Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov, the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS®) at https://studentaid.gov/ , and log into your account. They will be asked to create new log-in credentials known as the FSA ID.
The FSA ID – a username and password – benefits you in four ways:
- It removes your personally identifiable information (PII), like your Social Security number, from your log-in credentials
- It creates a more secure and efficient way to verify your information when you log in to access to your federal student aid information online
- It gives you the ability to easily update your personal information, like your phone number, e-mail address, or your name
- It allows you to easily retrieve your username and password by requesting a secure code be sent to your e-mail address or by answering challenge questions
Creating an FSA ID is simple and only takes a few minutes. You’ll have an opportunity to link your current Federal Student Aid PIN to your FSA ID, and even if you have forgotten your Federal Student Aid PIN or don’t have one, you can still create an FSA ID.
The final step in creating an FSA ID is to confirm your e-mail address. You will be sent a secure code to the e-mail address entered when you create your FSA ID. Once you retrieve the code from your e-mail account and enter it – confirming that your e-mail address is valid – you will be able to use this e-mail address instead of your username to login, making the log-in process EVEN simpler!
Remember, your federal student aid account information is valuable. Only the owner of the FSA ID should create and use the account, and you should never share your FSA ID.
For more information about the FSA ID, please visit StudentAid.gov/fsaid.
LOAN ORIGINATION FEES
Effective October 1, 2019, loan origination fee rates for the first disbursement of all loans made on or after October 1, 2019 and before October 1, 2020 are 1.059 percent for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and 4.236 percent for Direct Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS Loans.
2020-2021 AWARDING PROCESS
The Office of Financial Aid will issue a financial award notification to First Time In College students with completed files after January 1, 2020 and returning/ transfer students by May 15, 2020. Awards for returning students will be available on iRattler. An e-mail will be sent to all returning students to remind them to view and accept their awards online. To help facilitate this plan, please respond promptly to all electronic correspondence from our office concerning your financial aid eligibility status. We encourage you to review your iRattler account periodically for updates.
After May 15, 2020 all awards will be made on a weekly basis and will be available for review on iRattler. Please remember you must accept or decline your loans.
With all the publicity about elite private colleges with $30,000‐a‐year price tags, many students and parents have misconceptions about how much it actually costs to attend college. One California study found that high school students overestimated the tuition cost of public universities by several thousand dollars! Such perceptions can have negative effects on students' and parents' ambitions
| FICTION: My family can't afford the $20,000+ a year that it takes to go to college. | FACT: Full‐time tuition at Florida public universities is only about $2,700 a year. |
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A four‐year degree costs less than a new car and will pay for itself many times over in graduates' higher incomes. At colleges, tuition is even lower, generally under $1,750 a year. Living expenses are extra, but you'd have those even if you didn't go to college! |
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| FICTION: tuition fees pay for the full cost of running public colleges and universities. | FACT: Only out‐of‐state students pay the full cost. |
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Florida resident tuition is set at about 25% of the cost of instruction. The state pays 75%. In effect, every resident receives a 75% "scholarship." It's a bargain you shouldn't miss! |
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| FICTION: If I don't have money for tuition and living expenses, I can't go to college. | FACT: Money should not be a reason for a qualified student not to go to college. |
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Most students in Florida receive some kind of financial aid. Those who qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships are paid a flat cost per credit hour at an eligible Florida postsecondary institution. The federal Hope Tax Credit also helps some families get reimbursed for the first two years of college. Many sources of need‐based aid are also available. On‐ or off‐campus jobs and low‐ interest loans can help pay living expenses for some low‐ and middle‐income students. Many students with few resources manage to work their way through college. Before saying you can't afford it, call a college financial aid office to discuss your options! FAMU Office of Finanacial Aid : (850) 599-3730 |
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| FICTION: Students and parents shouldn't take out loans for college. | FACT: Most financial planners agree that if you're careful and don't take out too much, student loans can be "good debt." |
| That is, they represent an investment that will pay for itself. A student who graduates with $25,000 in student loans and gets a job paying $30,000 a year will have a higher standard of living than a student who doesn't attend college and has a job paying $20,000 a year. Many families qualify for subsidized loans with low interest and flexible repayment plans. Student loans are also easier to get than many other loans. | |
| FICTION: Private colleges are for rich kids. | FACT: Some private colleges are more expensive than others. |
| Many of the most expensive ones also have the most generous financial aid programs
for low‐income families. Even middle‐income students who attend private colleges often
receive "discounts" from full tuition. Getting into selective private colleges isn't
easy, but qualified students shouldn't shy away for financial reasons. Colleges want students with diverse backgrounds and may make generous financial aid offers to low‐income students with good academic credentials. In addition, Florida offers tuition assistance grants to resident students who attend in‐state private colleges. Some families find out that when financial aid offers are considered, a seemingly "pricey" private college is less expensive than a public one. |
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The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is a consumer tool designed by the U.S. Department of Education to notify students about costs and financial aid. Florida A&M University offers a student specific financial aid shopping sheet to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, regardless of degree level.
Once a student is accepted and has been awarded aid for a particular academic year, the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet will be available in the student’s iRattler for review.
Steps to Access your personal Financial Aid Shopping Sheet
- Login to iRattler
- Select iRattler Campus Solutions
- Under Self Service, select Student Center
- Select View Financial Aid and choose the appropriate aid year
- Select Shopping Sheet
To review a template of the Financial Aid Federal Shopping Sheet, click here.
Unusual Enrollment History
The U.S. Department of Education has established new regulations to prevent fraud and abuse in the Federal Pell Grant Program and Federal Direct Loan Program by identifying students with unusual enrollment histories. Some students who have an unusual enrollment history (UEH) have legitimate reasons for their enrollment at multiple institutions. However, such an enrollment history requires our office to review your file in order to determine future federal financial aid eligibility. If selected by the Department of Education (via the FAFSA), this must be resolved before you will receive financial aid.
Definition of Unusual Enrollment History
The specific pattern the Department of Education uses to select students includes those students who have received a Federal Pell Grant or a Federal Direct Loan (not including a Direct Consolidation Loan or parent PLUS Loan) at multiple institutions during the past three academic years. Once the Department of Education indicates that a student has an unusual enrollment history, the Financial Aid office must then take action and review the academic history prior to determining federal financial aid eligibility for that student.
What Will Be Required of You
If selected, our office will notify you of what is required. We will check your financial aid history at previous institutions that you attended during the previous three years. You are required to have received academic credit at any institution you received the Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan (not including a Direct Consolidation Loan or parent PLUS Loan) while attending during those relevant academic years. You need to ensure that we have received all official transcripts for schools previously attended. These records were required at the time of admission and must be on file with the Registrar's Office for your financial aid review. Our office will verify the academic credit was received at each institution during the relevant years. If so, we will notify you that you have satisfied this requirement. If you failed to receive academic credit at any institution you received a Federal Pell Grant and/or Federal Direct Loan (not including a Direct Consolidation Loan or parent PLUS Loan) during the relevant award years, your federal financial aid will be denied and you will be notified.We hope that the resources found on this Web site have been helpful in helping you finance your education at the Florida A&M University. Though we attempt to make the process simple and allow you to get most of your questions resolved easily with our office, there may be times before, during, or after your FAMU career that you will want to research and contact our financial aid partners.
- Admissions
- Housing
- Registrar Office
- Student Accounts
- 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy
- U.S. Department of Education
- Florida Department of Education
- FDIC Consumer News
The 2014 Florida Legislature created funding for the Honorably discharged Graduate Assistance Program (HDGAP) as a supplemental needeed-based veteran educational benefit. Funds are to be used to assist in the payment of living expenses during holiday and semester breaks for active duty and honorably dicharged members of the Armed forces who served on or after September 11, 2001.
The appropriation will provide need-based veterans educational benefits in the form of supplemental living expenses during holiday and semester breaks. This program is for undergraduate AND graduate students.
To be eligible students must meet all of the requirements below:
- Be an active duty or honorably discharged member of the Armed Forces who served on or after September 11, 2001;
- Be a Florida resident;
- Be enrolled in a degree seeking program of study (undergraduate or graduate);
- Complete an error-free 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
- Have sufficient unmet need as defined by the FAFSA.
- Be enrolled in the Fall semester 2020;
- Be registered for the Spring 2021 semester.
- Complete all required applications/documents by the November 1st deadline.
Eligible students may receive up to 20 days at $50.00 per day in benefits ($1,000). However, the actual amount will be based on the number of eligible students. The actual amount may be significantly lower.
Funding is not guaranteed and is determined by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance. All funding will be disbursed during the Fall semester.
For additional questions or concerns, please call our The Finanacial Aid Office at (850) 599-3730.