You will need to apply for aid every award year during your program. Notifications will be sent to your Alliant email. In addition, information regarding priority deadlines for future award year completion of the FAFSA will be posted to the student portal. To receive priority consideration, we recommend completing your application by March 2 if you are an undergraduate student, or February 14 if you are a graduate student. You can still apply after these dates, but you may not receive all the aid for which you are eligible, such as Federal Work Study and FSEOG.
It is the student’s or applicant’s responsibility to obtain and file all the forms by the proper deadlines to be considered for aid at Alliant. Students selected for verification will have 30 days from the date of notification to turn in all necessary documents.
Only applicants for admission who meet the priority financial aid application deadlines will be considered for institutional aid, i.e., Federal SEOG. Late applicants may apply for Direct Loans and other available programs.
For entering students, notification of financial aid may be sent in an award letter after they are placed in the confirmed status.
Students who received financial aid for the previous year should receive a renewal email from the Federal Department of Education sometime in January. It is the student’s responsibility to reapply for funding by completing the FAFSA and any subsequent document requested by Alliant Financial Aid Administration.
If a student does not complete the financial aid process in advance of his or her last date of attendance, he or she forfeits eligibility for financial assistance that might otherwise have been available during that period of enrollment, and becomes fully responsible for all remaining balances.
Students are encouraged to file their renewal FAFSA applications electronically at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. If you do not receive a Renewal email from the Federal Department of Education or if you did not apply for Financial Aid for the previous year, but wish to apply for coming award year, you should do the following:
- Complete the online free application for federal student aid (FAFSA).
- Regardless of how an applicant completes the renewal FAFSA, the March 2 priority filing deadline applies for undergraduate students to be eligible for campus-based aid.
- Graduate students must file by February 14 to meet the priority deadline for campus-based aid including Federal Work Study.
- Applicants should make sure the Institution Code for Alliant 011117 is indicated on their FAFSA or Renewal Form.
Alliant can offer you aid from various federal financial aid programs, including loans and grants. The amount you can borrow in loans or receive in grants is determined by:
- Your financial situation – How much you (or your parents if you are considered dependent by federal financial aid guidelines) can afford to pay out of pocket for your education.
- Which program you pursue – Federal and state loans and grants are only available to students seeking a degree, a certificate, or credential, and availability varies depending upon whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student.
- Your student status – Whether you are full-time or part-time; you need to be enrolled at least half-time to qualify for federal financial aid.
- Your financial aid history – Loans and grants have lifetime and yearly limits. If you have received federal or state aid in the past, your access to additional funds may be limited.
Note that financial aid packages do not transfer between institutions. If you are transferring to Alliant but have already accepted a financial aid package from another school, you will need to reapply for aid. You may, in that case, be limited in terms of what you can receive during your first year with us.
The aid students receive from all sources of aid (including non-need-based aid) may not exceed their cost of attendance. Many students may choose only to seek aid for the cost of tuition and fees, since their housing, food, and other basic household costs may be supported with ongoing income
All processing of financial aid is completed by the Alliant Financial Aid Administration Office. In partnership with University, federal, state, and outside organizations, the Alliant Financial Aid Administration Office coordinates the administration of all student financial assistance to ensure equity and consistency in the delivery of funds to students.
Annual financial aid awards will be divided by the number of sessions for which the student is enrolled and disbursed by semester/term if the student meets the eligibility requirements for the aid. The earliest that aid will disburse to a student statement is within the third week of the semester/term.
Student Loan Fund Release Policy
If all paperwork, entrance, verification and loan funds are received, student loan funds will be posted to the student’s school account within the third week of the semester/term. Any questions regarding delay in financial aid refund after aid has disbursed to the student’s statement should be directed to the Student Business Services office.
Special Provision for Books and Supplies
Alliant provides a way for students who are eligible for federal financial aid (FSA) funds to obtain or purchase the books and supplies required for the payment period. You may be eligible for a books stipend by the seventh day of the term if:
- Ten days before the term begins you are eligible for disbursement (i.e., the payment of your financial aid) and Alliant could disburse FSA funds
- You will have a credit balance (i.e., money left over) after your financial aid is applied to your tuition, fees, and other school charges as applicable.
To be eligible to receive the Book Stipend, a student must meet all the following criteria:
- Financial aid offer sent and accepted.
- Registered for courses at least half-time, as defined in the catalog.
- Entrance counseling and master promissory notes completed for awards.
- All documents submitted to the financial aid department, such as citizenship, selective service, or verification as requested.
Book stipends will be based on the allowance for materials used in estimating the student’s cost of attendance. Students may opt out and decline to participate in this option. Students opting out must do so by contacting the student finance office no later than the Friday prior to the start of the term or semester.
If you do not attend or withdraw prior to the aid disbursal to your student ledger you will be responsible to return to the university any voucher funds used.
Alliant reserves the right to update this policy based on federal regulations.
Please contact the student finance office at SF@alliant.edu or call (858) 635-4700 if you have questions on whether you are eligible for the book stipend.
Each applicant is expected to provide all requested information fully and accurately. Full reporting and updating of current financial circumstances are essential requirements of all financial aid programs. Failure to notify the Alliant financial aid office of a change in circumstances from those indicated on the financial aid application may result in withdrawal of aid.
Because circumstances vary from year to year, an award for one year does not guarantee the same assistance in subsequent years. Thus, there may be variations in the amount of assistance offered to a student from one year to the next because of changes in the student’s resources or changes in the availability of financial aid funds.
Academic Standing
To receive financial assistance, students are required to maintain good academic standing (see satisfactory academic progress policy and notice of federal student financial aid penalties for drug law violations). Financial aid recipients who withdraw from school during the semester will be expected to repay an appropriate amount of financial aid awarded (see financial aid refund policy).
Repayments
If the student obtains a loan to pay for an educational program, the student is responsible to repay the lender the full amount of the loan plus interest, less the amount of funds returned to the lender. If the student receives federal student financial aid funds, the student is entitled to a stipend of the funds not paid from federal financial aid funds.
For additional information about financial aid policies, please refer to our academic catalog.
