Aid Eligibility

Your first step to financial aid is complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online and to include Bennett College’s school code (002911) so that our office receives your information. You should complete a FAFSA as early as possible every after it opens on October 1^st to ensure the maximum award.

Financial Need

Financial need is determined by:

Cost of Attendance
Expected Family Contribution
Outside Scholarships and Other Resources
Need for Financial Aid

The cost of attendance is determined each year by the college and includes not only tuition and fees, but also your room and board, books and supplies, travel expenses, and cost of living — in other words, the cost of being a student. This number is only for planning purposes and for determining your financial need, which will differ from your actual Bennett bill and will vary with each student. It is important to note, however, that the total amount of financial aid a student receives cannot exceed the cost of attendance.

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is determined by the Department of Education using your FAFSA information. This is based on both your income and assets as well as your parents’ unless you are considered independent.

Verification

Verification is the process mandated by the U.S. Department of Education to ensure the accuracy of the data submitted by applicants for federal financial aid. The Office of Student Financial Aid is charged with the responsibility of requesting various documents needed to verify the applicant’s financial information.

If you are selected for verification for the current academic year, the documents you need to complete will be available on your account in BelleNet. Please be sure to check your email regularly until verification is complete because additional information may be required.

Our office prefers the use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on FAFSA to provide your tax return information. Alternatively, you may submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript. To request the IRS Tax Return Transcript, you may go to www.irs.gov/Individuals/Get-Transcript and click “Get Transcript ONLINE” or “Get Transcript by MAIL.” Mailed transcripts will arrive seven to ten days after the request has been made. Please note an IRS Account Transcript is not the same as the IRS Return Transcript and will not be accepted.

Students with criminal convictions have limited eligibility for federal student aid. If you have a specific question about your eligibility status, we ask that you contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

Financial Aid Eligibility Restrictions

Drug Law Violations

The Higher Education Act of 1965, in its amended status, is very clear on the responsibilities of students and what violations warrant loss of eligibility to receive financial aid. If you are an aid recipient and have been convicted under federal or state law of the possession or sale of drugs while you are enrolled in school, your federal — and in some cases your state — financial aid eligibility will be suspended. If you are convicted of a drug offense after you submit the FAFSA, you will lose eligibility for federal student aid and you may be liable for returning any financial aid you received during the period of ineligibility.

Regaining Eligibility

Effective June 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education has enacted early implementation of certain parts of the FAFSA Simplification Act. Starting for the 2021-22 aid year, the requirement of suspension of Title IV aid eligibility for drug-related convictions that occurred while receiving Title IV aid has been removed. As a result, the requirement has been waived for 2021-22 and will continue to be suspended each aid year until 2023-24. The suspension of this requirement does not apply to state scholarships and grants.
If you have lost your federal student aid eligibility due to a drug conviction, you can regain eligibility. You must pass two random drug tests conducted by a drug rehabilitation program, but the program must also meet the criteria established by the United States Department of Education. If you regain eligibility during the academic year, please notify our office immediately. We do still encourage you to complete the FAFSA if you’re no longer eligible for federal aid because you might qualify for nonfederal aid.