We suggest completing your federal income tax return before filing your financial aid forms to avoid processing delays.
The following dates are suggested for optimal consideration for the types of financial aid that have limited funds available. If you want to apply for financial aid and do not submit your required forms before the suggested dates, you may still submit your financial aid application materials after these dates.
You must apply each year you want to be considered for federal financial aid.
| Steps to Complete the Federal Financial Aid Process at Heinz College... | Target Date | |
| 1. | Complete your Federal Tax Return (1040, 1040A, etc.) for 2011 | As soon as possible |
| 2. | Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the federal processor using federal code E00073. See below for more information FAFSA (web-based form) | March 1 |
| 3. | Submit Heinz College Financial Aid Application (hard copy submitted via fax or postal mail) | March 1 |
| 4. | Expect to receive your Financial Aid Award Letter via email within 3-4 weeks after Heinz receives FAFSA data and Financial Aid Application | |
| 5. | Return signed copy of your Financial Aid Award Letter to the Office of Financial Aid | As soon as possible |
| 6. | Submit required federal entrance counseling for Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized and Direct Grad Plus loans. (May be completed prior to receiving your award letter.) | June 1 |
| 7. | Submit the Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Master Promissory Note to the U. S. Department of Education. (May be completed prior to receiving your award letter.) | June 1 |
| 8. | Submit the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS loan application to the U. S. Department of Education. (Completed after receiving your award letter.) |
After June 1 |
| 9. | Submit the Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Master Promissory Note to the U. S. Department of Education. (Completed after receiving your award letter.) | After June 1 |
Additional Information:
Student Aid Report (SAR)
Verification
Federal Perkins Loan Application
Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Application
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Application
Federal Student Loan Entrance Counseling
Loan Approval
Right to Cancel
Heinz College Financial Aid Application
In order to be considered for federal financial aid, please submit The Heinz College Financial Aid Application. Some types of financial aid are limited, so it's best to submit this form to the Office of Financial Aid by the above suggested deadline.
Which Financial Aid Application to submit:
- New Students BEGINNING Spring 2012: Complete 2011-2012 Heinz College Financial Aid Application.
- New Students BEGINNING Summer* 2012 Fall 2012, or Spring 2013: Complete 2012-2013 Heinz College Financial Aid Application.
- Students GRADUATING Summer* 2012: Complete 2011-2012 Heinz College Financial Aid Application.
- Students CONTINUING BUT NOT GRADUATING Summer* 2012: Complete 2012-2013 Heinz College Financial Aid Application.
- Students GRADUATING Summer* 2013: Complete 2012-2013 Heinz College Financial Aid Application.
*Students seeking SUMMER federal work study positons, including federal community service work study positions, must complete the current and upcoming academic year Heinz Financial Aid Application and FAFSA.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be submitted to the federal processor as early as possible after Jan 1, but not before you file your federal income tax return for the prior year. The FAFSA will be used to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid, including work study, Perkins loans, and Federal Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized, and Grad Plus loans.
Beginning February 1, 2012, FAFSA filers have the option of using an IRS data retrieval tool when filing the FAFSA. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you use the IRS data retrieval tool. Students who refuse use of the IRS data retrieval tool or who are not able to use the tool because they do not meet the Dept. of Education's eligibility requirements for using the tool may be asked by the school to submit verification materials, including a federally-required IRS tax transcript. A copy of a student's federal tax return is no longer federally-allowable verification of IRS data. IRS matching data for the FAFSA is generally available one to two weeks after submitting your federal tax return electronically.
You may file the FAFSA electronically. The electronic process has prompts that are easy to follow and the system edits your application for errors. If you file your FAFSA electronically, use your U.S. Department of Education PIN to sign your FAFSA. If you're unable to file your FAFSA electronically, request the paper application by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 or if you are hearing impaired, call 1-800-730-8913.
Please note: You must list Carnegie Mellon University - Heinz code (E00073) on the FAFSA.
Which FAFSA to submit:
- New Students BEGINNING Spring 2012: Complete 2011-2012 FAFSA.
- New Students BEGINNING Summer* 2012, Fall 2012, or Spring 2013: Complete 2012-2013 FAFSA.
- Students GRADUATING Summer* 2012: Complete 2011-2012 FAFSA.
- Students CONTINUING BUT NOT GRADUATING Summer* 2012: Complete 2012-2013 FAFSA.
- Students GRADUATING Summer* 2013: Complete 2012-2013 FAFSA.
*Students seeking SUMMER federal work study positons, including federal community service work study positions, must complete the current and upcoming academic year Heinz Financial Aid Application and FAFSA.
Student Aid Report (SAR)
After submitting your FAFSA to the federal processor, review and print your Student Aid Report (SAR):
- 3-5 days after submission - if you used a PIN to sign your application or
- 7-10 days after submission - if you printed, signed and mailed a signature page.
Make any changes online using your U.S. Department of Education PIN. The Office of Financial Aid will receive your FAFSA data electronically.
Verification
If you're selected for a process called "verification," it is noted on your SAR. In this case, you are required to submit to Heinz College Office of Financial Aid a signed copy of your federal income tax return (and a signed copy of your spouse's federal income tax return if you are married), copies of all W-2 Wage and Tax statements used to complete your tax return and a completed Verification Worksheet for the year that corresponds with the FAFSA. All required and requested documents must be submitted prior to disbursement of federal aid.
Heinz College Office of Financial Aid has the right to request any documentation it determines necessary to verify information provided on the FAFSA and/or financial aid other application materials. Failure to submit requested documents within the award year will result in a decision to deny federal aid. If your financial aid awards change as a result of the verification process, the Office of Financial Aid notifies you in writing within 30 days of the award change.
Financial Aid Award Letter
The Heinz College will send you a financial aid award letter after receipt of your FAFSA data from the federal processor and your Heinz College Financial Aid Application. The award letter will list all financial aid for which you are eligible. You must accept, deny, or reduce the awards listed on the letter by indicating so in the space provided on the letter and sign, date and return the award letter to the Heinz College before the financial aid can be finalized. In addition, you must notify us if you drop below half-time status at any time. PLEASE NOTE: The amount of the loan you are eligible to borrow may be adjusted if you add or drop classes after your loan is approved. If, dropping classes changes your enrollment status to less than half time (18 units), your loan will be cancelled.
Federal Perkins Loan Application
The Federal Perkins Loan interest rate is fixed at 5%. To accept this award, first-time borrowers at Heinz College, will be contacted by Carnegie Mellon University’s Enrollment Services Office to complete your Perkins Loan promissory note and Perkins loan entrance counseling via our Perkins Loan servicer website, www.ecsi.net. You will not be able to complete your Perkins Loan Promissory Note or entrance counseling until you have received a request from Carnegie Mellon’s Enrollment Services Office. You must have a Department of Education PIN (FAFSA pin) in order to provide your electronic signature when you complete the loan documents. If you have forgotten your PIN, please go to the Department of Education's PIN Registration site at www.pin.ed.gov before attempting to start this process.
If you have borrowed a Perkins Loan in a previous academic year at Carnegie Mellon University, it is not necessary to sign another Perkins promissory note. Continuing students must meet satisfactory academic progress requirements in order to be eligible for federal Perkins Loans.
Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan Application*
The Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan interest rate is fixed at 6.8%. Students who want to borrow Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized may apply via www.studentloans.gov using your U.S. Department of Education PIN (FAFSA PIN).
|
STEP ONE |
STEP TWO |
|
Sign in and choose “Complete entrance counseling” |
Return to the “My Profile” page and choose “Complete Master Promissory Note”. |
|
The MPN is a multi-year loan application. |
Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan Application*
The Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan interest rate is fixed at 7.9%. Unlike other federal loan programs, the Graduate PLUS Loan program requires students to pass a basic credit test in order to qualify for the loan offered in the award letter. The credit check is valid for a 90-day period, after which a new application is required for any loan changes. If a Graduate PLUS Loan is offered in your award letter, you may apply via www.studentloans.gov using your U.S. Department of Education PIN (FAFSA PIN). Prior to completing the following steps, please be sure you have completed the federal loan entrance counseling.
|
STEP ONE |
STEP TWO |
|
Sign in and choose “Request a Plus Loan.” |
Return to the “My Profile” page and choose “Complete Master Promissory Note”. |
|
The MPN is a multi-year loan application. |
*Federal Loan Entrance Counseling:
The Entrance Counseling session will fulfill the counseling requirements for both the Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Student Loan and Direct Graduate PLUS Loan. It is not necessary to complete two separate counseling sessions.
Please follow these instructions (first-time borrowers only):
Complete Entrance Counseling at www.studentloans.gov:
- Sign in using your Personal Identification Number (PIN) (www.pin.ed.gov) from the Department of Education
- Select “Complete Entrance Counseling”
- Select “Graduate” under Counseling Type
- Select Pennsylvania as the School State in the drop down box
- Select “Carnegie Mellon University- Heinz College” as the School Name in the drop down box
- Take the Entrance Counseling Quiz
- Review your Borrower Rights and Responsibilities and submit
- Print the confirmation sheet for your records
NOTE: The Entrance Counseling session takes approximately 20 minutes to complete.
Loan Approval
After you have submitted your completed forms, the school originates your loan(s) with the U. S. Department of Education and schedules equal disbursements to occur just before the start of each semester covered by the loan. The U. S. Department of Education will notify you by email when your loan disclosure statement is available to view at www.studentloans.gov. Please feel free to contact the Heinz College Financial Aid Office if you have any questions about your loan approval.
Right to Cancel
Please note that you have the right to cancel all or part of your federal loan(s) within 14 days of the start of the enrollment period for which the loan is intended or 14 days from the date the school notifies you of receipt of the loan funds. To cancel, call or write the Heinz College Office of Financial Aid.