Application Process

1. Obtain a PIN

   • All students, and parents of dependent students, should apply for a U.S. Department of Education Personal Identification Number (PIN) online. PINs can be used to sign your FAFSA electronically, making the application process simpler and faster.

2. Complete the FAFSA
   • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
   may be filed beginning January 1 of each year. There is no charge for submitting the FAFSA.
   • We encourage all students to submit the FAFSA by Notre Dame's priority deadline of February 15 to be considered for certain limited funds.
   • List Notre Dame of Maryland University on the FAFSA. Notre Dame's school code is 002065.
   • Submit the FAFSA. Print out and keep a copy of your submitted information for personal records.
3. FAFSA Follow Up
   • Students will receive an email from the U.S. Department of Education with a link to the Student Aid Report (SAR) that shows the results of the FAFSA. Students must check their SAR for accuracy and make any necessary corrections.
   • Students will receive an email from Notre Dame of Maryland University informing when financial aid department received the FAFSA results.
   • If the FAFSA is selected for a process called verification, students will be notified via email to submit required documents. Do not submit documentation unless it is requested.
   • About three weeks after submitting taxes to the IRS electronically (8 weeks for paper filing), use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import the financial information from the tax returns into the FAFSA to avoid processing delays. If a student is ineligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool, the updated information needs to be entered from the federal tax returns manually.
4. Award Notification

After a financial aid file is complete, an award notice will be sent if a student meets all of the eligibility requirements. Award notices will be emailed to new students and posted on WebAdvisor for returning students. Students must then read and follow the instructions in the How it Works section. The financial aid awarding is done monthly.

The financial aid award notice will be based on certain enrollment and housing assumptions. If these assumptions are incorrect, it is the student's responsibility to notify our office so that the award can be revised in a timely manner. Similarly, if a student receives notification of another source of funding not reflected in the financial aid award, documentation of the expected award must be sent to the office of financial aid as soon as it is received.

Financial Aid funds are offered to students and applicants who

• have a valid FAFSA on file
• meet the eligibility requirements defined by the U.S. Department of Education
• have submitted required documents as requested to resolve issues related to the FAFSA
• have been verified, if selected
• Applicants must be accepted into the approved program of study and students must be enrolled in an eligible program in order to be awarded financial aid.

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