The 2023-2024 FAFSA*
File YOURS Today.
*Please note:
Students attending fall 2023 and winter 2024 terms must file the 2023-2024 FAFSA.
Students attending spring 2024 term must file both 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 FAFSAs. Click to view important information regarding the 2024-2025 FAFSA Simplification.
You can file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on October 1, using income data from your 2021 taxes.
What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?
The FAFSA is the application that students must complete to apply for federal student aid, which is used to attend an eligible college. Federal student aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Student Loans, and Federal Work-Study (FWS). The FAFSA is also used to determine eligibility for state grant (or scholarship) programs (such as New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)). Much of Berkeley College Institutional Aid also require the FAFSA.
Do students still have to complete the FAFSA every year?
Yes. Eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one school year to the next. Students will need to fill out the FAFSA for each school year in which they plan to be a student. Eligibility for financial aid can differ from year to year for various reasons, including a student’s or family’s financial situation and the number of family members enrolled in college.
How do students create the FSA ID required to complete the FAFSA?
Please click on the following link for instructions on how to create an FSA ID.
How does information transfer from the IRS to the FAFSA?
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) allows applicants (and their parents, if applicable) to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the FAFSA, and transfer the required information directly into the FAFSA from the IRS. The FAFSA includes a link to the IRS if an applicant is eligible to use the IRS DRT.
Can any student be selected for verification?
Yes. A student can be selected for verification by either the U.S. Department of Education or by Berkeley. Verification is a process by which a student is required to submit documentation that the data reported on the student’s FAFSA is accurate. Berkeley's financial aid administrators may make corrections or updates to your FAFSA based on the documentation provided as part of the verification process.
Starting with spring 2022 Berkeley College has teamed up with ProEducation Solutions. If the U.S. Department of Education selects you for verification or requires us to resolve some issues with your FAFSA information, ProEd will use an automated tool called ProVerify+ to make the process easier and faster for you. Learn more about Verification and Conflict Resolution.
Professional Judgment
Federal Law (Section 479A of the Higher Education Act) authorizes Financial Aid Administrators (FAA) to exercise “Professional Judgment” (PJ). With that authority, we can adjust the information provided on the FAFSA to better reflect the financial need of students and families. It further allows us to determine if a dependent student should be considered independent.
There are three types of PJ:
- Dependency override (cases such as abuse, abandonment, or neglect)
- Addition to Cost of Attendance, such as extraordinary expenses (like childcare)
- Loss of income by student and/or parent
There are a few ways a student can initiate PJ:
- By Indicating on the FAFSA that you have an “Unusual Circumstance” regarding obtaining parent income the Financial Aid Office will automatically reach out to you requesting the needed documentation for approving a dependency override.
- A continuing student can also initiate a PJ request for loss of income, or dependency override, by making an appointment with an FAA. You can do so by clicking here. Be sure to indicate Professional Judgement as your reason for needing the appointment.
- New students will have the opportunity to discuss PJ during your required meeting with an FAA.
It is important to note that the authority for PJ is intended to be used on a case-by-case basis and not all appeals are approved. Our determination is always based strictly on the situation and the student’s ability to document it.
Loan Information
You must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year listing Berkeley College’s school code in order to be awarded a Direct Federal Stafford Loan. You will receive an award notice from the College Financial Aid Office after your FAFSA has been processed. Check your award notice to make sure that a Stafford Loan has been awarded. If you have been awarded a Stafford Loan, you must complete a Stafford Loan Application and Loan Entrance Counseling. If you want to borrow a Stafford Loan but your award notice does not include one, or you did not receive an award notice, contact your Financial Aid Office for assistance.
Berkeley College participates in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program. Eligible students and their parents borrow Stafford and/or PLUS loans directly from the U.S. Department of Education, and repay their loans directly to a loan servicer that is appointed.
Instructions for Completing the Stafford Loan Application and Loan Entrance Counseling
Complete your loan entrance counseling by logging onto https://studentaid.gov/app/counselingInstructions.action?counselingType=entrance and sign in using your FSA ID.
Complete your loan application (MPN) by logging onto https://studentaid.gov/mpn/ and sign in using your FSA ID.
