Financial Aid FAQs

How often do I have to complete the financial aid applications?

Apply for financial aid each year. The FAFSA can be completed beginning October 1 of each year.

What happens after the FAFSA and Express TAP Application (ETA) are submitted?

The FAFSA is processed electronically and both students and the Financial Aid Office receive the results.

An online FAFSA takes 3-5 days for processing by the Department of Education before it is sent to our Financial Aid Office.

The Express TAP Application (ETA) is processed after the FAFSA is completed and sent. Students can check their TAP awards, request duplicate applications, change the school code, and find out additional information about NYS TAP at www.hesc.ny.gov.

When will the Financial Aid Office notify me of my awards?

The Financial Aid Office begins processing financial aid awards in April. Students must have completed the FAFSA, handed in requested documentation and be registered for classes to finalize processing. Students can view their financial aid award letter and additional financial aid information by logging into their SUNY Ulster student portal.

If I applied to another college, or am transferring from another college, will I get the same awards that I was given at that other college?

Colleges have unique costs of attendance, varied tuition charges and receive different amounts of Federal and State financial aid funds. It is very likely that the awards at SUNY Ulster will be different.

If my parents are divorced, which parent completes my financial aid applications?

The parent that provides the most financial support is the parent that completes the FAFSA. This includes married stepparents.

What do I do if my stepparent does not want to provide any income or asset information?

If a parent/stepparent does not want to provide the information for the financial aid applications, the student can only apply for unsubsidized loans.

My parent has remarried. Does my stepfather/stepmother have to list his/her income and asset information on the FAFSA and ETA?

Yes. A parent who is married/remarried must provide the income and assets of both parent and stepparent.

I applied to another college but have decided to attend SUNY Ulster. How do I change the information on my applications?

Add SUNY Ulster on the FAFSA website. Go to fafsa.gov and add school code 002880 for SUNY Ulster. Change the TAP award by going to hesc.ny.gov. Log in to your account and change the school code to 2230 for SUNY Ulster for each semester.

Financial Aid FAQs

General Questions

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