Apply for Financial Aid
Student Financial Services understands that a decision to invest in a quality education is one of the most valuable investments you will make. We hope to make the process as open and easy to understand as possible. The following information is meant to help you get started in applying for financial aid.
Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at any time during the process.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid(FAFSA)
To apply for student financial aid you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available online. If you do not wish to complete the FAFSA on the web you may request a paper FAFSA by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID. Please note: paper FAFSA applications may take up to two weeks longer to process than electronic submissions.
To begin the process you will need to request a FSA ID which will serve as your personal identifier and allow you to electronically sign your completed FAFSA. Visit the FSA ID website to obtain a personal FSA ID or follow the directions on the FAFSA website.
Once your FSA ID is available you may begin completing your FAFSA on the web. You may need certain documents such as records of the previous year's earnings (W-2 and Income Tax forms) and personal records such as your social security card and drivers license. If you have not yet filed taxes for the previous year you may complete the FAFSA by estimating as accurately as possible, using W-2 forms or other statements of benefits. When you have completed your returns you will need to update the FAFSA with the official information.
When completing your FAFSA be sure to include the University of Redlands School code (001322) in the appropriate field to ensure we receive your information. After your submission you should receive an Electronic Student Aid Report (E-SAR) via the e-mail address you provided. Review the information on the E-SAR for accuracy. If you need to make corrections you may do so by following the directions provided on the E-SAR. You may also make corrections to your FAFSA online by logging onto FAFSA and clicking, "Make corrections to a processed FAFSA."
Eligibility Requirements
In order to qualify for most federal, state and institutional financial assistance students must meet all general eligibility requirements. Following is a condensed list of basic requirements.
Eligible students must:
- Be a U.S. citizen or an eligible non-citizen
- Have a valid social security number
- Be fully admitted and making progress towards an eligible degree or certificate program
- Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress, as defined by Student Financial Services
- Not owe an overpayment on any federal grant or be in default on a federal loan
- Register with Selective Service if required to do so
Dependency Status
An important step in establishing financial aid eligibility is determining whether a student is considered independent or dependent for the purpose of awarding aid. While graduate students are always considered independent, undergraduate students may have either status.
Dependent students must provide parental information when completing the 2020-2021 FAFSA application. The following list of questions is meant to assist students in determining their status.
If you can answer ‘Yes' to any of the following questions, you are considered Independent. If not, you are Dependent.
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Are you a graduate student?
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Were you born before January 1, 1997?
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Are you married?
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Do you have a dependent who receives more than half their support from you?
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Are you an orphan or ward of the court?
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Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces?