Applying for Aid

Getting Ready to Apply for Financial Aid

2024-2025 Financial Aid Instructions

The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be available December 31, 2023. FAFSA filers will need the following:

• Student and parents’ 2022 W-2(s) and 2022 federal tax returns
• Current FSA IDs for the student and parent (contributor)

The FSA IDs serve as your legal signature on the FAFSA. Manage your FSA IDs here.

June 1 is the recommended deadline to apply for need-based financial aid, (grants, student loans, on-campus employment).

Your financial aid package will be e-mailed to your campus email beginning in early June.

Steps to Apply for Financial Aid

Use the appropriate Federal School Code:

College of Saint Benedict: 002341

Saint John’s University: 002379

If your FAFSA is selected for Verification you must also complete:

Students selected for verification are notified through the FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS), which is sent via email from the FAFSA processor after your application is processed. CSB+SJU will also notify you of the verification requirement, so please monitor your campus email account.

Special Circumstances

We recognize that the FAFSA does not always provide a clear picture of your family’s financial situation. You may complete the CSB+SJU Special Circumstances Form to report family financial information that might impact your aid eligibility. Circumstances that may be considered include the following:

• Private Elementary/Secondary School Tuition
• Loss of Employment/Reduced Wages
• High Medical/Dental Expenses
• Marital Separation/Divorce
• One-Time Income
• Educational Loan Payments

Please note that initiating a special circumstance request may result in your FAFSA being selected for verification. Special circumstances forms will be reviewed within 10 working days of receipt. Forms submitted without appropriate accompanying documentation will not be reviewed until documentation is received.

Unusual Circumstances

An unusual circumstance refers to situations where students who are considered dependent by Federal Student Aid are unable to provide parent data on FAFSA. Examples of unusual circumstances include:

• Estrangement from parent(s) due to abuse, neglect, abandonment, unsafe home environment
• Being granted refugee or asylum status and are unable to contact parent(s)
• Parental incarceration
• Human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 _{(22 U.SS.C. 7101 et seq.)}

The following situations are NOT considered unusual for financial aid purposes:

• Parental refusal to contribute to the students education
• Parental refusal to provide information on the FAFSA
• Parent(s) do not claim the student as a dependent for tax purposes
• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency