Graduate Financial Aid FAQs

• General
• FAFSA
• Loans
• Work Study
• Scholarships & Grants

 

General Questions

Q. How do I qualify for financial aid?

A. In order to qualify for financial aid you will need to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. The priority deadline for Undergraduate students is February 15th and April 15th for Adult Undergraduate & Graduate students. Marist College will provide the student with an award package based on the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) stated on the SAR (Student Aid Report), which you should receive approximately 3-5 days after you file your FAFSA*.

*If completed online.

Q. Why should I file a FAFSA?

A. Although the FAFSA is not a federal requirement, it is always a good idea to file the FAFSA so the school can determine your need and possible eligibility of need-based aid.  Also, if you intend on using loans to help cover the balance due, Marist requires students have a FAFSA on file to certify a Direct Loan or a PLUS loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students). By filing the FAFSA, federal loans can be maximized at lower interest rates. With a FAFSA on file, your dependent student would be packaged with the maximum amount allowed under the Federal Direct Loan Program, allowing you to borrow less in the PLUS or Private loan program.

Q. What financial aid forms do we need to file?

A. In order to qualify for federal, state, or Marist College funding, we require that you file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and your state's grant application, if applicable. If selected for verification, we will request additional documentation.

Q. How do I receive my financial aid?

A. Your aid will be credited to your student account at the beginning of each semester, provided you are attending the number of credits required by your financial aid. It can be viewed electronically via your myMarist account. For programs such as TAP and Pell Grants, we will credit these awards to your account after our office receives the necessary documentation required for New York State and the federal government.

Q. Will my financial aid remain the same in future years?

A. As long as you or your family's financial situation remains essentially the same (income, number of family members, number enrolled in college), you may anticipate your Marist College Grant to remain as a part of your aid package. It is expected, however, that the amount of the loan in your aid package (undergraduate students) will increase each year. Students who continue to make satisfactory academic progress, demonstrate financial eligibility, and meet filing deadlines, will continue to receive assistance.

Q. Is it possible to appeal the financial aid awarded?

A. If your circumstances have changed or if you feel you have unusual family circumstances, such as: loss of employment, separation or divorce, or death of a parent, that are not adequately reflected on your aid application, you may appeal your award to the Office of Student Financial Services. However, please be aware that funding is limited, and the strong possibility exists that we will not be able to increase your award.

Q. What is an external grant on my award package?

A. These funds are not awarded by the Federal or State governments or by the College; but they are required to be included in the financial aid package according to federal regulation. Examples of external grants include tuition benefits from a parent's employer and grants or scholarships provided by private organizations.

Q. Do I need to notify Marist if I receive outside financial assistance, such as scholarships, grants, loans (other than student loans), or tuition reimbursement?

A. Yes, you should report any and all additional financial assistance to the Office of Student Financial Services. It may affect the amount of your aid package.

A. Where can I go to view my tuition bill and make a payment online?

Q. Students can view their billing statements electronically via their myMarist accounts.  Please log on and click on the Student Financial Services tab, then click the "Billing" drop down. On the Billing landing page, click the "Electronic Billing and Payment Account Link" located on the right-hand side. A new page will open and from there, students can view "Your bills" which are static as of a point in time, review "Your Account," which is the live & most current version of each billing statement, review recent payments, enroll in payment plans, sign up for electronic refunds, or enroll an authorized payer who will be enabled to then receive tuition statements.   

Q. When do I have to pay my tuition bill?

A. The Office of Student Financial Services will send your billing statement electronically for the fall semester in July and the spring billing statement in December. Adult and Graduate Students should contact the office for your billing schedule based on the particular program you are taking.  

Q. Does Marist College have a payment plan?

A. Yes, we offer a payment plan serviced by Nelnet Campus Commerce. This plan is an interest-free way to spread tuition payments over the course of a semester. Plans are now available per term, an enrollment fee is required to participate. Students are encouraged to view the Marist College Monthly Tuition Payment Plan for further details, or contact the Office of Student Financial Services. 

Q. What should I do if I do not plan on returning to Marist for the following semester?

A. Undergraduate and Adult Undergraduate students should contact the Center for Advising & Academic Services at (845)575-3500. Graduate students should contact their Program Director.  You are also required to complete Exit Counseling if you have taken out a Direct Loan. Please contact the Office of Student Financial Services to complete an Exit Interview if you have taken out a Perkins Loan.

Q. What if my parents do not contribute towards my education?

A. In order to file the FAFSA as independent, the Federal Regulations require students to state "YES" to any of the Dependency Status questions from the FAFSA. If you do not meet these conditions, your parents must provide their information even if they will not contribute financially towards your education. You may want to consider a private loan to cover your expenses.

FAFSA

Q. What is Marist College's Federal School Code?

A. Marist College Federal School Code is 002765.

Q. What if I forget my user name and password for FAFSA?

A. You can request your user name or request your user name through the  FAFSA website.

Q. What is the Financial Aid deadline to file a FAFSA for incoming Freshman?

A. The Marist College preferred deadline to file FAFSA for incoming Freshman depends on how you are applying. For information on deadlines for Early Decision, Early Action and Regular Decision, please visit our Apply for Financial Aid page. The preferred deadline for incoming Adult & Graduate Students in a traditional program is April 15th. It is always best to check with our office for your particular FAFSA deadline.

Q. Do I need to complete a FAFSA every year?

A. Yes, in order to verify eligibility for any financial aid.

Q. How do I make corrections on my FAFSA?

A. Go online to FAFSA with your user name and password, and make any necessary changes.

Q. I have been selected for "Verification." What does that mean?

A. Verification is a process initiated by the U.S. Department of Education, requiring you to submit a Verification Worksheet, IRS Tax documents (if you did not utilize the Data Retrieval Tool), and possibly additional documents to the Office of Student Financial Services. If your application is selected for verification, you will not be eligible for Federal Aid until this process is finalized. To avoid unnecessary delays, please submit all required documents promptly.

Loans

Q. How are my loans applied to my account?

A. All Loans are applied as full year unless otherwise specified.  Direct Loans are given on an annual basis and the amount is determined by the students class level (Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Adult Undergraduate, Graduate) as well as cost of attendance.  

All graduate students are awarded the maximum amount of loan allocation, up to the cost of attendance, less any other financial aid.    

Q. How do I reject a partial or full amount of my Federal Direct Loan? 

A. When you are awarded the loans as a part of your financial aid pacakge, you must accept/decline all or a portion of the loan via your myMarist account. Please log in, click the "Student Financial Services" tab and then click the "Accept/Decline Loans and/or TEACH Grant" link.

Q. How do I track my student loans?

A. Access "NSLDS" National Student Loan Data System at: https://nsldsfap.ed.gov. All student and parent Federal loans will be submitted to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS). 

Work Study - Undergraduate Students Only

Q. How will I find a Work-Study job?

A. All Freshman, Transfer and first year FFE or FDE students will be invited to a job fair, which is held during the first week of the semester. All offices on campus who are actively hiring at that time will be on site to talk with you about potential employment for their office. It is strongly advised that you bring copies of your resume and cover letter with you when you attend the event. 

Q. How would I find employment after the Job Fair?

A. Our online job portal,Handshake, which can be accessed via your myMarist account, offers a listing of all available jobs, both on and off campus throughout the year. You may also contact our office to meet with the Student Employment Administrator.

Q. If I am not awarded work study, will I still be able to work on campus?

A. Yes, A student can either work on-campus through our Federal Work Study Program or through Campus Employment. However, we do give preference to students with Fedeal Work Study during the hiring process. In addition, we reserve the first 2 weeks of the Fall and Spring semesters for the hiring of work-study students ONLY, unless special circumstances exist.

Scholarships & Grants

Q. Do you offer non-need-based scholarships?

A. Yes, Marist offers several types of scholarships, which are awarded upon entrance, can range in dollar amount, and are renewable each semester as long as the minimum 2.850 cumulative Grade Point Average (undergraduate students) and 3.0 cumulative Grade Point Average (graduate students) is met. New undergraduate students at Marist are given their initial term as a grace period to achieve the necessary academic index.

Q. Are there any other scholarships I can apply for?

A. Marist College offers several Endowed Scholarships through the generosity of trustees, alumni, parents, and friends of the College. The scholarship awards range from $500 to $5,000. Distribution of the award is made in two equal payments in the fall and spring semesters, unless otherwise noted. The award will be directly applied to the student's account upon verification of the student's full-time enrollment.