How To Apply For Financial Aid

We encourage all students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) (Español). The FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. Be sure to list “MassBay Community College” and our federal school code number: 002171, in the College Release Section. If you would prefer to complete a paper FAFSA, you may request a copy by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

While you can file the FAFSA at any time, the priority deadline for the academic year is May 1. This means that if you complete your FAFSA on or before May 1, your eligibility will be reviewed for all types of federal and state aid. Adhering to this deadline ensures the best possible financial aid package for which you are eligible. If you missed the priority deadline, do not worry! You are encouraged to still apply. We strongly encourage you to fill out a FAFSA as soon as possible thereafter. There are several types of federal and state aid available to students throughout the academic year.

Please note: As the billing due date approaches, it may be necessary for you to sign up for a payment plan while waiting for your financial aid to be processed. Review of financial aid eligibility may take as many as 6–8 weeks from the time that your FAFSA is complete. Please be aware there is no guarantee of eligibility. If it is determined you are not eligible, you will remain on the payment plan to satisfy your bill with the college.

Please be aware that a student must complete the FAFSA each academic year. The U.S. Department of Education encourages all students to apply online. Filing online is faster and easier with prompts to guide you as you complete the application.

1. When filing your FAFSA electronically, you will need a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID to process and sign the application. You may create a FSA ID at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm.
2. To complete your FAFSA visit www.fafsa.ed.gov (Español). The FAFSA collects information about your income (and your parents, if applicable), assets, house hold size and based on a standardized formula. It then calculates what your family can reasonably contribute towards your education. In order for MassBay Community College to receive a copy of this information, you must include the Federal School Code #002171 on the application.
3. Notification of your processed application will be sent to you directly from the U.S. Department of Education. You will be notified by email if you provided an email address. The Student Aid Report (SAR) is a summary of the information on your application and includes an estimated EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Please review this document to insure you made no errors. The U.S. Department of Education also performs certain edit checks to ensure your eligibility. Please refer to the section titled, Eligibility Requirements, to view necessary requirements. All institutions listed on the FAFSA will receive an electronic copy.
4. When the MassBay Financial Aid Office receives an electronic copy of the processed FAFSA, we will contact you through your MassBay email account to complete the financial aid process. Our office reviews your FAFSA to make sure the information reported is accurate. You may be required to verify the information reported or make corrections if the information is inaccurate or incomplete. You must also be accepted into a degree or approved certificate program and taking courses to complete your graduation requirements. As part of the awarding process the MassBay Financial Aid Office is required to make sure you meet all of the eligibility requirements. If you do not meet these requirements, we cannot offer you financial assistance.
5. Our office begins the notification process in March. If your application is received by the priority deadline, your file is complete and accurate, and you meet all the eligibility requirements, you should be able to view your award letter via Bay Navigator (the MassBay campus portal) during the summer. The Financial Aid Award Letter indicates the type and amount of aid offered. These awards are based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credits); your aid will be adjusted at time of disbursement to reflect the actual number of enrolled credits. Audited classes and Challenge Exams are not covered by financial aid.
6. If you are awarded financial aid before the semester begins, and have financial aid in excess of your tuition and fees, you may be eligible to receive a book voucher to be used at the College Bookstore. Eligible students will be notified by MassBay email when a voucher is available. More information on Book Vouchers.

FAFSA Student Aid Report
Student will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) when he or she submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA SAR is an important document that students should keep record of when they receive it.

The timeframe in which a SAR for FAFSA is received will differ depending on the way in which a student elects to receive it or how he or she submitted the FAFSA application. The FAFSA Student Aid Report is important for students because it provides a necessary overview of the application that has been submitted.
For example, if a student finds an error or mistake on the SAR, then he or she will have the opportunity to correct it before the application is processed by the chosen school. To find out more about the student aid document, as well as ways in which it can be accessed, continue reading below.

What is a Student Aid Report for FAFSA?
The FAFSA Student Aid Report is a document provided to students which offers a basic overview of the eligibility for federal student aid. The FAFSA SAR will list the information that a student has provided on their application, summarizing his or her application. The reason why the Student Aid Report is an important document for students is because it will allow students to see if there were any mistakes made on the application and offer the chance for students to correct and complete and outstanding issues so that the application can be processed successfully.

You can also find more information about the Student Aid Report here StudentAid.gov/SAR

If you find an error or rejected status on the SAR, please read: either the PDF FAFSA Reject Codes (PDF) or the Word doc FAFSA Reject Codes (Word Doc) to understand the FAFSA Reject Codes.