Financial Aid

Financial Aid is a process itself and it will require you to do some research, write some applications, and gather materials, just like the college application process itself.

For the financial aid process you will need to work in collaboration with your parent or guardian as their financial information is necessary to determine the kind and amount of financial aid you are eligible for. This is a U.S. News and World Report Guide to Financial Aid.

The Materials That You Will Need for Your Financial Aid Application Are:

W-2 Forms: These are tax forms which serve as a record of the amount of money your parent or guardian has made in the previous year. This is necessary to prove what your household income is. If you do not have W-2 forms for some reason there are other documents which can certify your household income which you can use as substitutes.

Social Security Number: You will need to enter your social security number and that of your parent or guardian into the financial aid application, as this is used as a way to do a background check on financial aid applicants, and certify that they are using their real identity and financial information. 

Driver’s License or I.D.: You will need to provide the I.D. number for an official I.D. for both yourself and a parent or guardian. You can also use your passport I.D. number or other state issued identification if you do not have either of these. 

Federal Income Tax: You will need to provide federal income tax documents from the previous year for your household, this will most likely be your parent or guardian’s tax documents but may be your own if you are supporting yourself.

Current Bank Statements: You will need to provide current bank statements from the past few months from your parent or guardian's bank accounts and your own if you are supporting yourself, in order to provide an accurate representation of your cash flow. 

Investment Records: You will need to provide any investment records you may have in order to indicate any forms of accumulated wealth you may have outside of your annual income. 

Alien Registration or Permanent Resident Card: If you are not a U.S. citizen or do not have other forms of identification then you can provide an alien registration or permanent resident card. 

Permanent Address: You will need to provide a permanent address where you can receive mail. 

Email Address: You will need to provide an email address which you will be checking regularly in order to be in touch about your financial aid application status. 

Depending on your family’s financial and citizenship status there may be other forms and materials you will need to provide for your application. 

Financial Aid Preparation Events: Financial Aid can be an intimidating process, but it doesn’t have to be, that is why there are local workshops and events to help you prepare your FAFSA application.

Pell Grants: These are federal education grants for undergraduate students with acute financial need. 

E.O.P: Arthur O.Eve Educational Opportunity Program: This is an educational opportunity offered by New York State for students who show potential to succeed in college but are hindered from applying or gaining admission. You must be someone who has lived in New York State for 12 months or must require special admissions consideration. EOP students may receive support in the form of tutoring or counseling during the college education and may receive assistance for non-tuition, college related expenses. 

Resources For Undocumented Individuals: Undocumented individuals are eligible for enrollment in the SUNY system. Undocumented individuals are also eligible for financial aid and lower tuition. SUNY will not share citizenship status information with the federal government except in extenuating circumstances. For undocumented individuals a social security number will not be necessary to apply for admission. 

FERPA: Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act: this legislation requires that academic institutions uphold the privacy of students' citizenship status except under extenuating circumstances.