HOW TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL
AID FOR TRADE SCHOOL

CAN YOU GET FINANCIAL AID FOR TRADE SCHOOL?

Yes, students who are eligible to receive financial aid may use it to help cover costs at Apex Technical School. In fact, there are scholarships and grants available for trade school, in addition to federal student loans. The online process makes applying for financial aid for trade school and vocational college easier and faster than ever. Our experienced financial aid administrators will guide and assist you through the entire process. Your administrator will answer questions, discuss the cost of trade school with you, and identify the financial aid programs that will help you meet your needs.

FEDERAL AID: GETTING STARTED

Federal student loans help cover the cost of school, and they must be repaid over a designated period of time with interest. The beginning point for all federal financial aid starts with applying for a federal FSA ID. Students and a parent (if the student is a dependent) can apply online through the Department of Education website. To apply for an FSA ID, create a username and password of your choice. You will be asked to confirm your email address using a secure code that will be sent to you.

Once you confirm your email address, you will be able to log into the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) website using your FSA ID log-in information. Your FSA ID is needed to complete the next step in the application process which is completing, signing and submitting the FAFSA form. Apex Technical School is a FAFSA-approved trade school, meaning it’s eligible to accept federal student aid for students who qualify.

THE FAFSA FOR TRADE SCHOOL

The FAFSA form can be completed quickly and easily on the Department of Education’s website. If you’d like to do it yourself, we’re certain you’ll find the process easy to understand. However, if you are nervous about the application, or just have questions, we are here to help. Our financial aid office staff will sit down with you to help you complete the application, or answer your questions over the phone or by e-mail.

The information that you provide in the FAFSA application will help the school determine if you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, federal work-study and federal student loans. When completing the FAFSA form, make sure you list Apex Technical School as your school choice (federal school code: #007518), as this will ensure we receive your information in a timely manner.

It’s best to have your FAFSA completed at least 10 days prior to the start of classes since we cannot process any aid until your data is received from the federal processor. The absolute deadline to file your FAFSA is a few days before you finish school, as we must receive your information while you are still enrolled to process your aid.

Approximately one out of every three FAFSA applications will be chosen by the Department of Education for a review process known as verification. If your application is selected, you (and your parent, if you are a dependent student) will be asked to provide copies of prior year tax returns, along with other income and asset information. We will let you know if you were selected for verification and give you a list of necessary documentation.

Unfortunately, we cannot process any financial aid until all the required documentation is submitted and reviewed. At times, this process will require us to make changes to your FAFSA data, which can add time to the processing. Therefore, it is important that you submit any documentation as soon as possible.

YOUR FINANCIAL AID PACKAGE:

Upon completion of the application and verification (if required) processes, your financial aid advisor will prepare a financial aid package for you based on your eligibility and financial need, as determined by your FAFSA form. Your advisor can also discuss timing of your financial aid payments, billing procedures and alternative financing options. If you would like more detailed information concerning how to apply for financial aid or the financial aid process, please do not hesitate to contact the financial aid office at (212) 645-3300.

PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT

Do you have a special circumstance?  Our financial aid office can use Professional Judgement (PJ) to help eligible students receive financial aid.  Professional Judgment refers to the authority of a school’s financial aid administrator (FAA) to adjust, on a case-by-case basis with adequate documentation, elements on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form. The FAFSA Simplification Act distinguishes between different categories of professional judgment by amending section 479A of the HEA.

Special Circumstances refer to the financial situations (loss of a job, etc.) that justify an aid administrator adjusting data elements in the COA or in the EFC calculation.

Unusual Circumstances refer to the conditions that justify an aid administrator making an adjustment to a student’s dependency status based on a unique situation (e.g., human trafficking, refugee or asylee status, parental abuse or abandonment, incarceration), more commonly referred to as a dependency override.

A student may have both a special circumstance and an unusual circumstance. Financial aid administrators may make adjustments that are appropriate to each student’s situation with appropriate documentation. To learn more Click Here.