DisneyLeith Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 My internet searches on this issue have heretofore yielded mixed and muddled results. As someone who has applied to English Ph.D. programs and cannot attend without full funding from the school, do I need to file a FAFSA? On a couple of applications I checked off that "Yes," I would be filing for Federal Aid, because I figured, "Why not?" But now I wonder whether it's worth it at all. The whole financial aspect of university applications always gets me. What to do, oh vast and knowledgeable community? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natsteel Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 If you think you're going to need federal loans, then you'll need to file a FAFSA. Even if you think you're not going to take any loans, you're still better off taking the little amount of time it takes to file, just in case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tex Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Your (eventual) school might require you to fill one out. I received full funding for my masters but I still needed to fill one out (and again for the second year). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolfie Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 Your (eventual) school might require you to fill one out. I received full funding for my masters but I still needed to fill one out (and again for the second year). I have one school, I think it's Washington, that requires it. And as someone else pointed out, you might need it for loans, which I'm planning on not using, but you never know what's going to happen. The odds are you probably won't recieve the biggest stipend in the world, and when living on something like 14K a year you might end up needing extra money. I think the best bet is for everyone to submit one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noxrosa Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 The California deadline is March 2nd, which may be before we hear from all the California schools. This really annoys me! All that FAFSA work only to be rejected from schools would be like rubbing salt in the wound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medievalmaniac Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 The California deadline is March 2nd, which may be before we hear from all the California schools. This really annoys me! All that FAFSA work only to be rejected from schools would be like rubbing salt in the wound. You say, "all that FAFSA work" - but the FAFSA only takes a few minutes to fill out online - it's not that bad. And once it is done, you're done - no need to re-do it for the full calendar year. Pamphilia, John_Duble_E, jaxzwolf and 1 other 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noxrosa Posted January 19, 2011 Share Posted January 19, 2011 You say, "all that FAFSA work" - but the FAFSA only takes a few minutes to fill out online - it's not that bad. And once it is done, you're done - no need to re-do it for the full calendar year. Ah, but it means filing my US tax return 6 weeks before it's actually due, which is a lot more trouble than it might overwise be as I live and work in a country with a tax year that doesn't end until April. I'd prefer to confront the international tax kerfluffle once I know schools have accepted me (and I'm sure I'm not alone in this boat!). John_Duble_E 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DisneyLeith Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 So, do some graduate programs REQUIRE that I fill out a FAFSA, even before I've been formally admitted? The information on school websites is somewhat difficult to decipher, particularly because most of it seems to be targeted toward undergraduate students. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noxrosa Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 So, do some graduate programs REQUIRE that I fill out a FAFSA, even before I've been formally admitted? The information on school websites is somewhat difficult to decipher, particularly because most of it seems to be targeted toward undergraduate students. I don't know if it's one of the places you applied, but Berkeley does: http://grad.berkeley.edu/financial/deadlines.shtml (Since I know I need to do it for them, provided I haven't been rejected by March 2nd, I've been too lazy to check anyone else's requirements) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the once and future grad Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 So, do some graduate programs REQUIRE that I fill out a FAFSA, even before I've been formally admitted? The information on school websites is somewhat difficult to decipher, particularly because most of it seems to be targeted toward undergraduate students. I got an email from Wisconsin-Madison a few weeks after their deadline saying that my application wouldn't be complete until I either 1. sumbitted a FAFSA or 2. returned to my submitted application and unchecked "I wish to be considered for financial aid." So on the one hand, I want to say yes, but on the other, they let me know before there was a problem. Not sure all schools are that helpful and proactive, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DisneyLeith Posted January 20, 2011 Author Share Posted January 20, 2011 I got that same email from UW-M, but I didn't get from it that my application wouldn't be complete until I had done one of those two things. Are you sure this is the case? It doesn't forthrightly say that in the email. It seems to indicate that Financial Aid and Admissions are entirely independent processes. I got an email from Wisconsin-Madison a few weeks after their deadline saying that my application wouldn't be complete until I either 1. sumbitted a FAFSA or 2. returned to my submitted application and unchecked "I wish to be considered for financial aid." So on the one hand, I want to say yes, but on the other, they let me know before there was a problem. Not sure all schools are that helpful and proactive, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medievalmaniac Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Ah, but it means filing my US tax return 6 weeks before it's actually due, which is a lot more trouble than it might overwise be as I live and work in a country with a tax year that doesn't end until April. I'd prefer to confront the international tax kerfluffle once I know schools have accepted me (and I'm sure I'm not alone in this boat!). ooooooooh - that definitely makes it a lot more complicated on your end. I didn't realize you were overseas. Is there a way to get an extension, in your case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the once and future grad Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 I got that same email from UW-M, but I didn't get from it that my application wouldn't be complete until I had done one of those two things. Are you sure this is the case? It doesn't forthrightly say that in the email. It seems to indicate that Financial Aid and Admissions are entirely independent processes. Hmm maybe you're right - it said that my application for financial aid wouldn't be complete until I submitted a FAFSA and then it said that if I no longer wished to apply for financial aid, I should uncheck the box on my application. I guess I made the leap to thinking my application wouldn't be complete. But it would make me nervous to have an incomplete app for financial aid attached to my application. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tinapickles Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 It just occurred to me that I need tax returns for a FAFSA? However, I don't/won't have them from 2010 as I didn't work... I spent the entire year in India with my SO living off of his dissertation funding. At a lost how THAT'S going to work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noxrosa Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 It just occurred to me that I need tax returns for a FAFSA? However, I don't/won't have them from 2010 as I didn't work... I spent the entire year in India with my SO living off of his dissertation funding. At a lost how THAT'S going to work... You can file a tax return even if you didn't make any money, and then use that for your FAFSA--perhaps the IRS will even owe you stimulus money if you're not a student or a dependent! (and as for the India factor, if you're a US citizen, legally you have to file a US tax return no matter where you live. Which I find frustrating. Paying taxes to one government is enough for me!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now