Applying for Financial Aid

Other than our merit-based scholarships, all other assistance is based on financial need. To determine the financial aid options available, you must apply. Applying for financial aid is a separate process from applying for admission. You may apply for financial aid at the same time you are applying for admission, however you must be accepted for admission before receiving a formal financial aid award.

You must reapply for financial aid every year. Pine Manor College makes every effort to maintain the level of funding initially awarded to you throughout your college career provided that academic progress is met and there is no significant change in the family's financial position.

Step 1: Complete the FAFSA
Step 2: Entrance Counseling
Step 3: Select Your Lender
Step 4: Sign Your Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Step 5: Verification

Step 1: Complete the FAFSA

Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list Pine Manor College to receive the results. PMC’s Federal School Code for use on the FAFSA is 002201.

A dependent student must complete the FAFSA using both parent and student information. An independent student needs only to use student information. For financial aid purposes, federal regulations clearly state the requirements to be considered an independent student.
Requirements needed to be considered independent from your parents

The FAFSA should be completed as soon after January 1 as possible for the upcoming academic year. You may complete the forms using estimated income figures, although actual figures are preferred. Parents of incoming students are encouraged to file income tax return as soon after January 1 as possible.

To be considered for all financial aid for which you may be eligible, the FAFSA must be submitted by mid-April and absolutely no later than April 30th. Students who submit the FAFSA after April 30 may miss out on financial aid provided by state agencies for which they may have been eligible. (See "Check Application Deadline Dates" on www.fafsa.ed.gov to learn of your state's deadline.)

We recommend that the FAFSA be submitted by March 1.

Completing the FAFSA

There are two methods for completing the FAFSA:

Complete the FAFSA electronically (Recommended). Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov where you will find a complete step-by-step process for completing the FAFSA online. Please follow all directions carefully. When completing the FAFSA on the Web, you have two options of providing signatures:
1. You may register to receive a pin number which can be used to electronically sign your FAFSA. If you choose to register for a PIN, both you and your parent must complete the signature process electronically. If using a PIN, your electronic application generally takes one week to process by the federal processor after submission.
  What is a PIN?
2. You can print out, sign and send the signature page to the processing agency. If using this method, your electronic application generally takes two to three weeks to process by the federal processor after submission.
Submit the completed paper form that is available from Pine Manor College or any high school guidance office or college. The paper form generally takes up to four weeks to process by the federal processor.

Important Tips for Completing the FAFSA
FAQs about Filing the FAFSA

Reapplying for the FAFSA

You must submit a FAFSA each year. If using a pin number, your PIN will remain the same each year you reapply.

If you submitted a FAFSA last year, renewal application information will be mailed to the address you originally listed on your previous year’s FAFSA. You cannot change the original address on the renewal application, and federal mail will not be forwarded. Therefore, if your address has changed you must submit a new FAFSA. The federal processor mails renewal applications during the months of December and January.

Step 2: Entrance Counseling

Visit the Pine Manor College Online Entrance Counseling page to complete the federal entrance counseling requirement. During the session you will learn of your rights and responsibilities as a borrower in the federal loan programs. This step is required for all first-time Stafford Loan borrowers by the U.S. Department of Education.

To begin, click "I Agree" at the bottom of the welcome page. (You will need all documentation listed on the welcome page.) Be sure to click "Exit" at the end of the entrance interview, as this will redirect you tot he next step: Selecting Your Lender.

Step 3: Select Your Lender (Current MEFA Stafford Loan borrowers need to select a new lender here)

Please choose your Federal Stafford Loan Lender on the ELM Select website. Pine Manor College's preferred lenders will be listed. Please review the lenders and make your selection. Click on "Apply Now" next to your lender of choice and you will be redirected to complete your Master Promissory Note on the ASA website. **IMPORTANT** If you do not wish to borrow from one of the lenders listed, please select one on this page as you can change it during the next step.

Step 4: Sign Your Master Promissory Note (MPN)

Visit the ASA Direct Conditions of Use page. This is your agreement to repay your loans under the terms you learned about in your entrance counseling session. Click "I Accept." You will need to create an account with ASA to apply and access the electronic MPN. In addition to the information required for entrance counseling, you must be sure to have your Personal Identification Number (PIN), which can be obtained at www.pin.ed.gov if forgotten.

When entering the information on the electronic MPN, you will once again be asked to specify your Federal Stafford Loan Lender. Choose the lender you selected on ELM Select from the drop down list (or if you wish to choose a different lender, select "Other" and choose one). If you need assistance with these steps, please call ASA directly at 800-999-9080.

Step 5: Verification

Verification is the process required to check the accuracy of the information that a student provides when applying for financial aid. You can be selected for verification by either the U.S. Department of Education or by Pine Manor College.

If selected for verification we will require the following:

Prior year's signed federal tax return for both parents and student. If student files the FAFSA as Independent, only the student's tax return is required.
Verification Worksheet
Other documents at PMC's request