Office of Financial Aid

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects the privacy of student education records. The law applies to all schools that receive funds under an applicable program of the U.S. Department of Education.

FERPA gives parents certain rights with respect to their children’s educational records. These rights transfer to the student when he or she reaches the age of 18 or attends a school beyond the high school level. Students to whom the rights have transferred are “eligible students.”

Download the FERPA Policy (PDF)  |    Download the (FERPA) Student Consent Form (Word Doc.)

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FSA ID REPLACES FEDERAL STUDENT AID PIN

For students, parents, or borrowers who have to log into a U.S. Department of Education website – like Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at studentaid.gov, the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS^®) at https://studentaid.gov/ , and log into your account. They will be asked to create new log-in credentials known as the FSA ID.

The FSA ID – a username and password – benefits you in four ways:

• It removes your personally identifiable information (PII), like your Social Security number, from your log-in credentials
• It creates a more secure and efficient way to verify your information when you log in to access your federal student aid information online
• It gives you the ability to easily update your personal information, like your phone number, e-mail address, or your name
• It allows you to easily retrieve your username and password by requesting a secure code be sent to your e-mail address or by answering challenge questions

Creating an FSA ID is simple and only takes a few minutes. You’ll have an opportunity to link your current Federal Student Aid PIN to your FSA ID, and even if you have forgotten your Federal Student Aid PIN or don’t have one, you can still create an FSA ID.

The final step in creating an FSA ID is to confirm your e-mail address. You will be sent a secure code to the e-mail address entered when you create your FSA ID. Once you retrieve the code from your e-mail account and enter it – confirming that your e-mail address is valid – you will be able to use this e-mail address instead of your username to login, making the log-in process EVEN simpler!

Remember, your federal student aid account information is valuable. Only the owner of the FSA ID should create and use the account, and you should never share your FSA ID.

For more information about the FSA ID, please visit StudentAid.gov/fsaid.

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LOAN ORIGINATION FEES

Effective October 1, 2022, loan origination fee rates for the first disbursement of all loans made on or after October 1, 2022 and before October 1, 2023 are 1.057 percent for Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans and 4.228 percent for Direct Parent PLUS and Graduate PLUS Loans.

2023-2024 AWARDING PROCESS

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With all the publicity about elite private colleges with $30,000‐a‐year price tags, many students and parents have misconceptions about how much it actually costs to attend college. One California study found that high school students overestimated the tuition cost of public universities by several thousand dollars! Such perceptions can have negative effects on students' and parents' ambitions FICTION: My family can't afford the $20,000+ a year that it takes to go to college. FACT: Full‐time tuition at Florida public universities is only about $2,700 a year. A four‐year degree costs less than a new car and will pay for itself many times over in graduates' higher incomes. At colleges, tuition is even lower, generally under $1,750 a year. Living expenses are extra, but you'd have those even if you didn't go to college!   FICTION: Tuition fees pay for the full cost of running public colleges and universities. FACT: Only out‐of‐state students pay the full cost. Florida resident tuition is set at about 25% of the cost of instruction. The state pays 75%.  In effect, every resident receives a 75% "scholarship." It's a bargain you shouldn't miss!   FICTION: If I don't have money for tuition and living expenses, I can't go to college. FACT: Money should not be a reason for a qualified student not to go to college. Most students in Florida receive some kind of financial aid. Those who qualify for the Florida Bright Futures Scholarships are paid a flat cost per credit hour at an eligible Florida postsecondary institution. The federal Hope Tax Credit also helps some families get reimbursed for the first two years of college. Many sources of need‐based aid are also available. On or off‐campus jobs and low‐interest loans can help pay living expenses for some low and middle‐income students. Many students with few resources manage to work their way through college. Before saying you can't afford it, call a college financial aid office to discuss your options! FAMU Office of Financial Aid : (850) 599-3730   FICTION: Students and parents shouldn't take out loans for college. FACT: Most financial planners agree that if you're careful and don't take out too much, student loans can be "good debt." That is, they represent an investment that will pay for itself. A student who graduates with $25,000 in student loans and gets a job paying $30,000 a year will have a higher standard of living than a student who doesn't attend college and has a job paying $20,000 a year. Many families qualify for subsidized loans with low interest and flexible repayment plans. Student loans are also easier to get than many other loans.   FICTION: Private colleges are for rich kids. FACT: Some private colleges are more expensive than others. Many of the most expensive private colleges also have the most generous financial aid programs for low‐income families. Even middle‐income students who attend private colleges often receive "discounts" from full tuition. Getting into selective private colleges isn't easy, but qualified students shouldn't shy away for financial reasons. Colleges want students with diverse backgrounds and may make generous financial aid offers to low‐income students with good academic credentials. In addition, Florida offers tuition assistance grants to resident students who attend in‐state private colleges.  Some families find out that when financial aid offers are considered, a seemingly "pricey" private college is less expensive than a public one.  

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The Financial Aid Shopping Sheet is a consumer tool designed by the U.S. Department of Education to notify students about costs and financial aid.  Florida A&M University offers a student specific financial aid shopping sheet to all undergraduate, graduate, and professional students, regardless of degree level.

Once a student is accepted and has been awarded aid for a particular academic year, the Financial Aid Shopping Sheet will be available in the student’s iRattler for review. 

Steps to Access your personal Financial Aid Shopping Sheet

• Login to iRattler
• Select iRattler Campus Solutions
• Under Self Service, select Student Center
• Select View Financial Aid and choose the appropriate aid year
• Select Shopping Sheet

To review a template of the Financial Aid Federal Shopping Sheet, click here.

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Unusual Enrollment History

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We hope that the resources found on this website have been helpful in helping you finance your education at the Florida A&M University. Though we attempt to make the process simple and allow you to get most of your questions resolved easily with our office, there may be times before, during, or after your FAMU career that you will want to research and contact our financial aid partners.

• Admissions
• Housing
• Registrar Office
• Student Accounts
• 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy
• U.S. Department of Education
• Florida Department of Education
• FDIC Consumer News

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The 2014 Florida Legislature created funding for the Honorably Discharged Graduate Assistance Program (HDGAP) as a supplemental need-based veteran educational benefit. Funds are to be used to assist in the payment of living expenses during holiday and semester breaks for active duty and honorably discharged members of the Armed Forces who served on or after September 11, 2001.

The appropriation will provide need-based veterans educational benefits in the form of supplemental living expenses during holiday and semester breaks.  This program is for undergraduate AND graduate students.

To be eligible, students must meet all of the requirements below:

• Be an active duty or honorably discharged member of the Armed Forces who served on or after September 11, 2001;
• Be a Florida resident;
• Be enrolled in a degree seeking program of study (undergraduate or graduate);
• Complete an error-free 2020-2021 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA);
• Have sufficient unmet need as defined by the FAFSA;
• Be enrolled in the Fall semester 2020;
• Be registered for the Spring 2021 semester;
• Complete all required applications/documents by the November 1st deadline.

Eligible students may receive up to 20 days at $50.00 per day in benefits ($1,000). However, the actual amount will be based on the number of eligible students. The actual amount may be significantly lower.

Funding is not guaranteed and is determined by the Florida Legislature and the Florida Office of Student Financial Assistance. All funding will be disbursed during the Fall semester.

For additional questions or concerns, please call the Office of Financial Aid at (850) 599-3730.  

Hours of Operation:

       Monday       9am to 4pm                Tuesday - Thursday      8:30am - 4pm                Friday        8:30am - 12pm 

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