Applying for Financial Aid

Q. What if I am unable to meet the deadlines for applying for financial aid?
Although LMU indicates a priority funding deadline to apply for financial aid, students can continue to apply for financial aid throughout the academic year.  Because funding for certain aid programs is limited, it is advantageous for students to apply by the priority funding deadlines in order to ensure they are considered for the maximum amount of financial aid that is available.

Q. What documents and information do I need to complete my FAFSA?
You will need your taxes from the previous year. For example, if you are applying for aid in 2009-2010, you will be asked for information from your 2008 federal taxes.  If you have not filed taxes when you are completing your FAFSA, you can indicate “will file” on the FAFSA and provide estimated income information.

Q. Should I wait until my parents finish their tax forms before I complete my financial aid forms?
 No, LMU’s priority funding deadlines are prior to the tax filing deadline.  You are allowed to estimate income information on the FAFSA.   You can use previous years tax information as a guide, if there have not been major changes in your family’s income.  Indicate “will file” on the FAFSA regarding tax filing status.  You can update the income information online when your taxes have been filed.

Q. What is LMU’s Federal School Code? 001234

Q. What is LMU’s 2009-2010 CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE school code? 4403 NOTE: The CSS PROFILE is not required for applicants for the 2010-2011 academic year.

Q. What is a Student Aid Report (SAR)?
The Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizes the information you report on your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  After completing the FAFSA, you will receive an email notifying you that you can view your SAR online.  Review it carefully to make sure there are no errors. The schools you list on your FAFSA will be sent an electronic version of your SAR. 

Q. What is the income cutoff for financial aid eligibility?
There is no income cutoff for financial aid.  All the information reported on the FAFSA, included family size, number in college and assets are used in a formula to determine eligibility for financial aid programs based on need.  However, any student who completes a FAFSA, meets the basic federal eligibility requirements and who has not previously defaulted on a federal student loan, will be eligible for a Federal Stafford Loan.  You can get and estimate of your expected family contribution from the federal website at www.studentaid.ed.gov using the FAFSA4caster.  When you get to the site click on "Tools and Resources".  FAFSA results alone however, can only be used to estimate your eligibility for federal financial aid programs. 

Q. If my parents are divorced or separated, which parent should complete the FAFSA?
If the divorce agreement specified a custody arrangement, your custodial parent should complete the FAFSA.  If your parents share custody, the parent who you lived with the most in the past 12 months should complete the FAFSA.  If you live with both parents equally throughout the year, the parent who provides the most financial support during the past 12 months should complete the FAFSA.

Q. I do not think I will qualify for financial aid. Should I bother applying?
There are no income limitations on aid. Although not every student will qualify for need-based grants or scholarships (gift aid), every student is at least eligible for participation in the Federal student loan program (self-help aid). Income is only one aspect of the criteria on which financial aid is based. Other factors include: number of family members in college, home mortgage costs, household size, age of older parent, etc.
 
Q. What is Selective Services and is it required?
Male US citizens (regardless of where they live) and male permanent resident aliens living in the US who were born after December 31, 1959 are required to register with Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday (30 days before and after). If you fail to register during this time period, you may submit a late registration up until your 26th birthday.

Male non-citizens (including illegal aliens, legal permanent residents, seasonal agricultural workers, and refugees) who take up residency in the US before their 26th birthday are required to register. All relevant INS forms (e.g., the application for Resident Alien status, I-485, and so on) include a clear statement regarding the requirement to register.  Dual nationals of the US and another country are required to register regardless of where they live. For further information please visit the Selective Services web site at http://www.sss.gov/.  

If you feel you are exempt from selective service registration, see the Selective Service Compliance Form which details reasons for exemption.   

2009-2010 (Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010)

You are considered an independent student and do not need to provide parent information on the 2009-2010 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) if:

• You were born before January 1, 1986.
• You are married as of the date of the application (answer “Yes” if you are separated but not divorced).
• At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, you will be enrolled in a
  master’s or doctoral degree program (such as MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, or
  graduate certificate, etc.).
• You are currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces, or is a National
  Guard or Reserves enlistee called into federal active duty for other than training purposes.
• You are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces. 
• You have children who receive more than half of their support from him or her between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010.
• You have dependents (other than children or spouse) who live with the student and who receive more than half of their support from the student, now and throughJune 30, 2010.
• At any time when you were age 13 or older, both of your parents were deceased, you were in foster care, or you were a dependent/ward of the court.
• You were or are an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence.
• You were or are in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence.
• You were determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless by a high school or school district homeless liaison on or after July 1, 2008.
• You were determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless by an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development on or after July 1, 2008.
• You were determined to be an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or was self supporting and at risk of being homeless by a director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program on or after July 1, 2008.

If you cannot answer yes to any of the above questions, you are a dependent student and you must provide parent information on your financial aid applications.   However, if there are special circumstances in your family, you may submit an appeal to the Financial Aid Office requesting a dependency override.   Please visit the Appeals section of our website to review the information and forms required to appeal for a “dependency override”. 

Q. Can I be considered a California Resident?
Cal Grants and other state financial aid programs are for California residents only.
If you're an unmarried student who will not be 18 one year immediately prior to the application cycle deadline, your residency status is based on the residency of a parent or non-parent adult responsible for your direct care and control. To qualify, a non-parent adult must have had continuous direct care and control of you for at least two years prior to the application cycle deadline.

If you're an unmarried student under age 18,  then you will be considered a legal California resident if:

• A parent has been a legal California resident for one year immediately prior to the application cycle deadline; or
• You have lived for two years with a responsible non-parent adult and that adult has been a legal California resident for at least one year immediately prior to the application cycle deadline; or
• A parent is in the U.S. armed forces, stationed in California, and on active duty as of the first day of class

If your parents are living overseas, you're considered a California resident if you're a minor and have been living under the direct care and control of a California resident for at least two years prior to the application cycle deadline, or if your parents have maintained their California residency during their absence from the state.

All married students, regardless of their age, and all unmarried students 18 or older, must establish their own residency. If you'll be 18 on or before the application cycle deadline, you must have lived in California for at least one year immediately before this date to be considered a California resident. You also must be in the United States legally and be able to establish U.S. residency based on your status with the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service.