Applying for Aid

Our mission is centered on you.

We're here to help you and your family find the resources you need to make an Albion education possible. We will do all we can to take a complex process and translate it into terms that make sense to you.

Once you apply for need-based financial aid, we'll build you a customized package that includes the different types of aid that are available at Albion. Your package may include academic and talent-based scholarships, grants, low-interest loans, and campus work opportunities.

Working together, our financial aid team will help you build the strongest financial aid package possible. When you're ready to apply for aid, you'll find all the information you need right here.

FAFSA First

The first step in determining your family's financial need is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Just go to the FAFSA website or check with your high school counselor. The FAFSA should be filed as soon after January 1 as possible; Albion's priority deadline is February 15 for entering students.

Albion's FAFSA code number is 002235.

The U.S. Department of Education is encouraging all families to file the FAFSA via the web. Before completing the FAFSA online you must file for a PIN. Please note that both you and one of your parents must sign up for a PIN. You should also include your e-mail address on your FAFSA. Pre-application worksheets are available on the FAFSA website to assist families in collecting the necessary data prior to completing the FAFSA.

Watch a video that describes how to complete the FAFSA in seven easy steps.

Complete Your File

Understanding Your SAR

What's an SAR? It's the Student Aid Report, and every student who includes an e-mail address on the FAFSA will receive one. You can expect your SAR within 48 hours of filing online or within three weeks after filing a paper FAFSA without an e-mail address.

The SAR is your official record that the federal processor received your FAFSA. The federal processor will also send a copy of your SAR to each of the schools you list on the FAFSA.

If you need additional copies of the SAR, visit the FAFSA website or call the federal processor at 800/4-FED-AID. Also be sure to:

• Carefully review the SAR to make sure all the information is correct. If you find errors, correct them and submit them to the federal processor.

• Check to see if your SAR has been selected for verification. Look under the date for the letters EFC (expected family contribution) followed by a series of numbers. If there is an asterisk (*) after your EFC, your FAFSA has been selected for verification. If so, you will be asked by thhe Financial Aid Office at Albion College to provide more information. Be sure to respond as soon as possible—you could be left without aid if the process is delayed.
  
  

Updating Income Information

If you completed your FAFSA with estimated information, you should update that data. You can do so easily by logging into your FAFSA and making a correction. You can then upload your income and tax information directly from the IRS.

If you need help on how to do this, check out this great video from our colleagues at the University of California-Santa Barbara on the IRS Data Retrieval process.

Additional Documents

In order to complete our review of your file, we may request additional documents. If you need a copy of a form, you may download it from our Forms page.

If additional documents are needed, we will e-mail you or once you receive your ACIS access you may check under the requirements section of your account.