Applying For Federal Financial Aid (US citizens and permanent residents)

Suggested deadline is April 16, 2012.

Although students may submit the FAFSA and Tepper School Financial Aid Application anytime after January 1, 2012, we have set the suggested deadline at April 16, 2012 in order to allow students to complete their federal income tax returns first and to ensure funds availability by the start of Fall classes. Students who have not accepted the offer of admission by April 16th may wait until they do so before applying for financial aid.

STEP 1:

File your federal income tax return.

Step 2:

If you do not have a federal PIN, request one via www.pin.ed.gov so that you may complete your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) electronically.

Step 3:

Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov indicating the Tepper School federal code, E00074. 

NOTE:  Beginning February 1, 2012, FAFSA filers have the option of using an IRS data retrieval tool when filing the FAFSA. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that you use the IRS data retrieval tool. Students who refuse use of the IRS data retrieval tool or who are not able to use the tool because they do not meet the Dept. of Education's eligibility requirements for using the tool may be asked by the school to submit verification materials, including a federally-required IRS tax transcript. A copy of a student's federal tax return is no longer federally-allowable verification of IRS data. IRS matching data for the FAFSA is generally available one to two weeks after submitting your federal tax return electronically.

Step 4:

Complete a Tepper School Financial Aid Application (.pdf) and fax it to 412-268-2904.

Step 5:

Receive a Financial Aid Award Letter via email from the Tepper School Financial Aid Office approximately 10-14 business days after submitting both the FAFSA and the Tepper School Financial Aid Application. Incoming students receive their award letters via the email address they have provided on the Tepper School of Business Financial Aid Application. Continuing students receive their award letters via their Andrew email account.

Step 6 (First-time at Tepper federal Direct Loan Borrowers Only):

Complete Federal Loan Entrance Counseling via www.studentloans.gov using your federal PIN from Step 2 above. Be sure to indicate that you are a graduate/professional student and include Tepper's federal school code, E00074.

Step 7 (First-time Federal Direct Stafford Loan Borrowers Only):

Complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) via www.studentloans.gov using your federal PIN from Step 2 above and the Tepper School federal code, E00074. Please note that you are not able to indicate a loan amount on the MPN. The amount of your loan eligibility is provided to you via your Financial Aid Award Letter (see Step 5) and you subsequently indicate the loan amount(s) you want to borrow by submitting the Tepper School Loan Processing Form (see step 11).

Step 8 (First-time Federal Perkins Loan Borrowers Only):

If a Federal Perkins Loan is indicated in your Financial Aid Award Letter (Step 5) and you are a first-time Perkins borrower at Tepper, complete Perkins Loan Entrance Counseling and a Perkins Promissory Note via our servicer's website, www.ECSI.net using school code Z9, but only after being contacted by the HUB to do so, generally around the start of classes in the semester in which you are first offered a Perkins loan. These documents are not available to students prior to being contacted by the HUB.

Step 9  (All Federal Direct Graduate Plus Loan Borrowers Only):

Apply for a Grad Plus loan no earlier than June 1st via www.studentloans.gov using your federal PIN from Step 2 above and the Tepper School federal code, E00074. In order to initiate a credit check, select "Request a Direct Plus Loan."  If you receive a favorable credit decison, you must  then select "Complete Master Promissory Note", indicating the federal code E00074. You may borrow up to the amount indicated in your Financial Aid Award Letter (Step 5). Credit decisions for Grad Plus Loans expire after 90 days.

Step 10: All borrowers need to complete the Tepper School of Business Loan Processing Form (pdf) and fax it to 412-268-2904. This form is required in order for your loans to be processed.