All students, regardless of country, who wish to benefit from government or private financial aid to help with college expenses are required to fill out a tuition assistance form. This document will allow officials to review your financial situation and award you with any aid you may be eligible for. You may also be asked to fill out the assistance form even if you are not applying for government grants or loans in order to receive any scholarships that have been awarded.
The tuition assistance form will ask for general information regarding your finances. Usually, this includes amounts stated on your most current tax forms as well as bank account and investment information. Accuracy is very important, so it’s a good idea to have these documents close at hand while you are filling out your forms.
Tax information is one section of the tuition assistance form that will need to be completed. This can include your household income, the amount paid into the system and the amount you may have gotten back through tax returns. This helps the authorities who award the grants or loans determine how much your family can afford to pay out of pocket.
You will also be required to offer personal information about yourself and others living in your household. This can include work status, disability status, race, and sex. Although most of this information will not be used to determine grant eligibility, if you are comfortable filling this information out, it helps government officials gain statistical data.
Other bits of information such as investment properties, 401K plans, savings accounts and valuable properties you may own should also be noted in your tuition assistance form. Some forms will ask for the exact amount these are worth. If you are unsure of values, contact a financial aid official for advice. You can find aid officials on the government website where the test is located or by calling the college financial aid department.
Much of the information listed on the tuition assistance form will be straightforward, but some things you may have trouble answering accurately. To help, there are special form preparers who can help you enter the information correctly. You may have to pay this person a small fee, but it will help you avoid the hassle of having your form declined should any portion be found inaccurate.
Be sure to fill out your forms early. This ensures that the proper officials will have time to review your information and send an award letter to the school you are set to attend. If for any reason your form is returned or rejected, follow the instructions given to fix the problem and then resubmit. Generally, you will receive email notifications when your forms are received and accepted; as well as to let you know of any awards you may be offered.