The Application Process
The financial aid application process does not have to be confusing or time-consuming. Follow these simple steps to apply for federal, state and Arcadia University financial aid. Award letters begin to mailed beginning in late January to all accepted students who have submitted the appropriate paperwork. Most forms can be completed online at www.arcadia.edu/finaidforms.
Priority filing deadlines:
• March 1, 2013 for new undergraduate students entering fall 2013
• April 1, 2013 for returning undergraduates, new and returning graduate students entering summer 2013/fall 2013
• November 1, 2013 for new undergraduate students entering spring 2014 semester
For Students Entering Fall 2013/Spring 2014:
(*students entering Spring 2013 should follow the same steps but complete 2012-13 forms at www.arcadia.edu/finaidforms2012)
Step 1. Apply (the student and one parent if dependent) for a federal PIN (personal identification number) at www.pin.ed.gov. PIN serves as your e-signature on FAFSA.
Step 2. Click to complete the 2013-14 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) (available online January 1, 2013).
Step 3. Click to complete the 2013-14 Arcadia Financial Aid Application for Undergraduates (available online December 1, 2012).
*Note: We encourage you to complete the 2013-14 FAFSA using estimated 2012 tax information. Once you have filed federal tax returns with the IRS (but not before February 1st, 2013), please return to www.fafsa.gov and select the IRS Data Retrieval option so your FAFSA can be updated automatically with final federal tax figures. Students randomly selected for verification by Federal Student Aid Programs upon filing the FAFSA will receive separate notification and will be required to complete a 2013-14 Verification Form. In the event they have not selected the IRS Data Retrieval Option on the FAFSA, they will be required to request an IRS Tax Transcript directly from the IRS (available at www.irs.gov, via Online Services section, by clicking "Order a Tax Return or Account Transcript". Tax Transcripts are also available by calling the IRS at 1-800-908-9946. Any financial aid package prepared for an accepted student who is selected for verification remains only an estimate until this documentation is provided.
Attention Pennsylvania Students:
The FAFSA must be received at Federal Student Aid Programs (or transmitted electronically) by May 1 for a student to receive state grant consideration.
I've Applied. What's next?
You'll be considered for federal, state and university aid by completing all of the documentation listed above. We'll prepare a financial aid package for you, once you have been accepted for admission, and mail it to your home address. If you choose to accept your awards, you must sign a copy of your award letter and return it to the Office of Enrollment Management. In addition, you should file applications for student/parent loans by June 15, 2013 for the fall 2013 semester.
* Parent tax transcripts are not required for graduate students or independent students selected for verification (i.e. over 24 years of age, married, veterans).
** Please note: For fall 2013, applications are accepted after March 1, 2013 and will be processed on a rolling basis. November 1, 2013 is priority deadline for students entering Spring 2014.
