{"id":648,"date":"2018-01-02T20:45:43","date_gmt":"2018-01-02T20:45:43","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/?page_id=648"},"modified":"2025-05-23T09:25:49","modified_gmt":"2025-05-23T13:25:49","slug":"steps-graduate","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/financial-aid\/application-process\/steps-graduate\/","title":{"rendered":"Steps to Student Financial Aid &#8211; Graduate"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"prpl-step-group\"><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">1<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Apply for Admission<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p>If you wish to be considered for a graduate assistantship, indicate that on your graduate admissions application.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">2<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Apply for Financial Aid<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p>Make sure you are admitted into a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/paying-for-college\/application-process\/steps-graduate\/eligible-graduate-programs\/\">degree seeking program or an eligible certificate or certification program<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Create or recover your <a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/fsaid.ed.gov\/npas\/index.htm\" target=\"_blank\">FSA ID<\/a>. You will need this username and password to apply for federal financial aid.<\/p>\n<p>File the <a href=\"https:\/\/studentaid.gov\/\">FAFSA<\/a>\u00a0online.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>ÌÇÐÄvlog School Code is\u00a0<strong>002617<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em><strong>Students must be enrolled at least half-time to receive federal aid.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Graduate students who are completing a master\u2019s degree and above must take a minimum of three credits to be considered half-time.<\/li>\n<li>Teacher Certification students must take a minimum of six credits to be considered half-time.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">3<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Review Your Financial Aid Notifications<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<ul>\n<li>You will receive a notice to review your Financial Aid on\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\/\" target=\"_blank\">NEST<\/a>.\n<ul>\n<li>Information regarding this account will be provided to you in your Admissions acceptance letter.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>You are always offered the MAXIMUM awards allowable based on the FAFSA and\u00a0<strong>full-time enrollment (six or more credits).\u00a0<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>Most graduate students are eligible for $20,500 in unsubsidized Direct Stafford student loan funds.<\/li>\n<li>Offered aid is estimated and subject to change if your enrollment falls below full time and\/or your eligibility changes.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>You cannot receive more aid than your total Cost of Attendance (direct and indirect expenses).<\/li>\n<li>If you are interested in scholarship opportunities, please visit the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/graduate\/\">Graduate School<\/a>\u00a0website.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">4<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Estimate Your Costs<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p>The estimated fall\/spring costs provided by the Financial Aid Office are known as the Estimated Cost of Attendance. The Estimated Cost of Attendance\u00a0<em>ESTIMATES<\/em> charges for tuition and fees (direct expenses) and also includes out-of-pocket expenses like books and supplies, transportation and miscellaneous expenses for two semesters (indirect expenses).<\/p>\n<p>Your bill on\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\/\" target=\"_blank\">NEST<\/a>\u00a0will represent Actual Charges (direct costs) for each semester (tuition, fees, room and board, <em>if applicable)\u00a0<\/em>and transfer of excess funds to Red Hawk Dollars.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">5<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Make a Plan to Pay Your Bill<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<ul>\n<li>You are responsible for any outstanding balance that is not covered by your loans by the payment deadline (indicated on the billing statement on\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\/\" target=\"_blank\">NEST<\/a>\u00a0or see the <a href=\"\/red-hawk-central\/student-accounts\/payment-deadlines\/\">Payment Deadlines<\/a>\u00a0page.<\/li>\n<li>You may utilize the payment plan offered by Student Accounts:\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/red-hawk-central\/student-accounts\/tuition-payment-plan\/\">Payment Plan<\/a>\u00a0details.<\/li>\n<li>Students in graduate degree programs can borrow additional funds from:\n<ul>\n<li>Graduate PLUS Loan Program &#8211; see\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/red-hawk-central\/financial-aid\/loans\/graduate-federal-plus-loans\/\">GRAD PLUS<\/a>\u00a0details.<\/li>\n<li>Private Educational Loan Program &#8211; see\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/red-hawk-central\/financial-aid\/loans\/private-educational-loans\/\">Private Educational Loan<\/a>\u00a0details.\n<ul>\n<li>Both these loan options require a credit worthy borrower\/cosigner to be approved.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>If you are interested in scholarship opportunities, please visit the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/graduate\/\">Graduate School<\/a> website and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/financial-aid\/scholarships\/scholarshipuniverse\/\">ScholarshipUniverse<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Do NOT rely on your aid to be available to pay rent or other bills early in the semester.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Financial aid is not credited\/deducted from the bill until\u00a0after the 10th\u00a0day of classes and your professors have confirmed you have attended class.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Refunds will be processed after the money has been credited to your student account.<\/strong><em><br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">6<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Accept&comma; Reduce or Decline Loan&lpar;s&rpar;<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<ul>\n<li>You must accept your loan(s) on\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\/\" target=\"_blank\">NEST<\/a>\u00a0by clicking on the\u00a0<strong>&#8220;FAFSA&#8221;<\/strong> page.<\/li>\n<li>You may accept the full amount or reduce the amount needed per semester on\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\/\" target=\"_blank\">NEST<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">7<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Complete Direct Loan Counseling and Master Promissory Notes<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<p><strong>These are for your Stafford and Graduate PLUS loans<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Log on to the\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/studentloans.gov\/myDirectLoan\/index.action\" target=\"_blank\">Student Loans<\/a> website and complete the requirements for your loans (recommended).\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Complete the Entrance Counseling<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>There is separate entrance counseling for the Stafford loan and the Graduate PLUS loan (if approved).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li><strong>Complete the Master Promissory Note<\/strong>\n<ul>\n<li>There are separate Master Promissory Notes for the Stafford loan and the Graduate PLUS loan (if approved).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<li>Your federal loans will not disburse to your account until all of these requirements are completed and this information has posted to our system (can take 7-10 days).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"prpl-step\"><div class=\"prpl-step-number\"><span class=\"label-part\">Step<\/span> <span class=\"number-part\">8<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"prpl-step-content\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer\"><div class=\"prpl-drawer-header\">Stay Up-to-Date<\/div><div class=\"prpl-drawer-content\">\n<ul>\n<li>Read your emails on your ÌÇÐÄvlog email account.<\/li>\n<li>Check <a href=\"http:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/nest\">NEST<\/a> regularly for financial aid, billing, registration and other information.<\/li>\n<li>Students must maintain\u00a0<a rel=\"noopener\" href=\"\/red-hawk-central\/financial-aid\/sap-regulations\/satisfactory-academic-progress-sap\/\">Satisfactory Academic Progress<\/a>\u00a0to continue receiving aid.<\/li>\n<li>If you have questions please contact the Financial Aid Office.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":7683,"parent":632,"menu_order":1,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-648","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/648","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=648"}],"version-history":[{"count":23,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/648\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7279,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/648\/revisions\/7279"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/632"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7683"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.montclair.edu\/red-hawk-central\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=648"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}