Dean College will do everything that we can to help you make your college education a financial reality.
Important Financial Aid Information
Due to the passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act the FAFSA is changing starting 2024-2025. The US Department of Education opened the FAFSA as of December 31st, 2023. Please visit studentaid.gov to learn more. For this aid year only all Colleges and Universities will begin to receive FAFSAs in mid-March 2024. Dean College is committed to keeping students, families, and our community updated. We understand this process can be overwhelming and we are here to help you. Please refer to this timeline as you make your college plans:
Helpful information before applying for the 2024-2025 FAFSA
- FAFSA is introducing the new term: contributor, which refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student’s FAFSA form. Learn more about who is a contributor on the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
- If you are a dependent student, determine which parent(s) will need to complete the FAFSA.
- All contributors must create their own FSA ID.
- Make sure each contributor has completed their 2022 income tax return, if required.
- Use the federal estimator to estimate how much Federal Aid you may be eligible to receive.
- Complete the FAFSA online. Please be patient as delays are expected.
How to Apply for Financial Aid
When applying to Dean, you will receive some combination of Dean scholarships and grants. On average about 80 percent of our student body receives federal and/or state financial aid. If at any point you feel overwhelmed or have specific questions you can contact our office any time. Our team is always available to help.
Creating An FSA ID
The first step in applying for financial aid is creating an account on StudentAid.gov. Watch the video below to learn more.
FAFSA Application
Follow the steps below to continue your FAFSA application.
Step 1: Create FSA ID
The FSA ID is a username and password you use to log in to certain U.S. Dept. of Education websites including StudentAid.gov. The FSA ID serves as your legal signature and you’ll use your FSA ID every year to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
This is the first day you can file the FAFSA. You should try to file as close to this date as possible.
Important
Important: An email address and mobile phone number cannot be used with more than one FSA ID. If you share an email address with someone else, then only one of you will be able to use that email address to create an FSA ID. This applies to your mobile phone number too.
If you need to provide information about your parents on the FAFSA form, then one of your parents will be required to sign the form. Your parent will need to create their own FSA ID to serve as their electronic signature on the FAFSA.
Review the video guide above to learn more about creating your FSA ID.
Step 2: Submit the FAFSA
The FAFSA, a free application, is required for citizens and permanent residents of the United States who wish to apply for federal student aid, including federal grants, loans, and work-study. The FAFSA is also used to apply for state funds. Use Dean’s federal school code—002144—when you complete the online application at the Federal Student Aid website.
More Details
Once you are accepted and have successfully submitted your FAFSA, you will receive a financial aid award. If your award is “Confirmed” you’ve completed the process!
You’ll also receive an Estimate Cost and Aid Summary which will break down your costs and financial aid and what you’ll need to cover out of pocket. If your award is tentative, you’ve probably been selected for “Verification” and will need to supply some additional information.
Step 3: Understand Your Costs and Awards
Once you’ve submitted your FAFSA and have been admitted to the college you can expect to receive a financial aid package within approximately two weeks. Along with your financial aid award letter you will receive a Cost and Aid Summary detailing your estimated out of pocket costs.
More Details
As we are unable to meet the full financial need of all our students, it's important that you and your family have a sound financial plan in place to pay for your education. We view all sources of financial aid as supplemental to your family's resources for college and believe it's critical to have conversations about how to make college affordable for you.
We have knowledgeable staff who can provide you with options and information you need to develop your plan. We also have great tools such as the Net Price Calculator which can provide you with the college costs, an estimated financial aid package and your expected out-of-pocket costs for the upcoming year.
Step 4: Talk to a financial aid counselor
We’d love to get to know you, so give us a call or stop by our office. We’ll sit down with you to explore your options and put together a financial aid package that works for you. Contact Financial Aid: (508) 541-1518 sfp@dean.edu