- Be admitted as a regular student.
- Be enrolled, or accepted for enrollment, in an eligible program on at least a half-time basis.
- Meet citizenship requirements, or eligible non-citizen requirements.
- Have a valid Social Security number.
- Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Maintain satisfactory progress in their course of study.
- Not be in default on any type of Federal Student Loan (Perkins, Stafford/Direct or PLUS loans) received at any college.
- Not owe a refund on a Federal Pell or Federal SEOG received at any college.
- Complete required loan entrance counseling before federal loans can be disbursed.
Aid from the Federal SEOG and Federal Work Study programs will be given on a "first come, first served" basis. Because funding is very limited, students who apply late or fail to provide documentation to substantiate need will not receive assistance from these programs.
NON-CITIZEN ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
To be eligible for federal aid programs, students must be either U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens. Eligible non-citizens (e.g., Permanent Residents) may be asked to provide a copy of approved documentation to determine citizenship eligibility before any estimated financial aid is awarded at the college. If primary confirmation is not received through the Federal Government, a secondary confirmation from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (U.S. Department of Homeland Security) will be required.
California resident students who do not qualify as eligible non-citizens for federal aid purposes may be eligible for a Cal Grant via the California Dream Act. The California Dream Act Application must be submitted by the March 2 deadline. More information can be found at dream.csac.ca.gov.
FEDERAL COLLEGE WORK STUDY (FWS)
The Federal College Work Study program is a need-based program that provides employment assistance to eligible students working in FWS-approved positions. The student applying for FWS funds is responsible for completing all necessary employment forms before beginning work.
Students accepting employment in the Federal College Work-Study Program are responsible for performing their work in a satisfactory manner. FWS employees must arrive at work on time and comply with reasonable employer requirements.
During periods of enrollment student FWS recipients should not work more than 20 hours per week.
The amount of a Federal College Work Study (FWS) award is an estimate based on the student's anticipated earnings during an award year. Actual FWS earnings will depend on the hours worked by the student. An FWS award cannot be applied toward a student's FIDM account. Paychecks are issued to work-study recipients every two weeks, and checks are made payable to the student.
METHOD & FREQUENCY OF FINANCIAL AID PAYMENTS
Other than FWS wages, all financial aid will be credited to the student's tuition account. All forms of federal and state financial assistance are disbursed quarterly. Generally, private loans are disbursed quarterly but in some cases may be made in one disbursement. Students will receive a payment from FIDM if the financial aid disbursed in a quarter exceeds the institutional costs attributed to that quarter.
Students and parents who borrow federal loans will receive a notification of each disbursement from the school. If the student or parent borrower wishes to cancel all or a portion of a loan, he or she must inform staff in the Student Financial Services Department within 30 days of the date of the notification.
STUDENT EXPENSE BUDGET
Average cost-of-living expenses are based on State surveys to compute the student's cost of attendance (student expense budget). The budget takes into consideration the following:
- Tuition and fees
- Room and board
- Books and supplies
- Transportation expenses
- Personal and miscellaneous costs
Standard costs of room and board, transportation and miscellaneous expenses for a 9-month academic year are:
STUDENTS LIVING AT HOME | |
---|---|
Room / board | $9,360 |
Transportation | $1,026 |
Miscellaneous | +$3,348 |
TOTAL | $13,734 |
$700 for travel expenses is included for Out-of state Students.
When calculating their expected cost of attendance, students should use these figures merely as a guide. Tuition and fees charges will be shown in the Payment Schedule on the FIDM Student Portal.
DETERMINING AID ELIGIBILITY
FIDM uses Federal Methodology to assess financial need (i.e., cost of attendance minus the federally calculated expected family contribution).