College Affordability Resource Center

The 140 students from the Class of 2014 who earned the New Haven Promise Scholarship and enrolled at an in-state public college or university had — on average — complete tuition and fees covered by the combination of New Haven Promise and FAFSA.

The application for both of those programs are now open to the Class of 2015 and you are encouraged to act quickly. New Haven Promise and Yale University can help students and families navigate the process for both — FREE of charge — on Wednesday, February 25, at 5:30 pm in Room 111 at 17 Hillhouse Avenue on Yale’s campus. Please note that the federal government has sent out a scam warning about “financial aid advice services” charging unsuspecting students to find free money for college. Do not pay for such services, especially when we are here to help. NEW: If you have changes to make or mistakes to fix, here’s advice straight from the people who dole out the money.

New Haven Promise

To apply for the New Haven Promise Scholarship, follow this link. No matter your plan, New Haven public school students who reside within city limits should take the 10 minutes to apply. The Promise Scholarship is no longer just about financial benefit. To complete the application, one will need separate email addresses for the student and parent and the student ID number that is issued by New Haven Public Schools or qualifying charter schools. Below is an outline of eligibility:

Residency
• Be a New Haven resident and attend New Haven Public Schools or approved public charter schools in the City of New Haven;

Civic Behavior
• Have a positive disciplinary record;
• Complete the community service requirement;
• Achieve 90% attendance or better during high school (grades 9-12);

Academic Performance
• Achieve a cumulative 3.0 grade point average (GPA)** or better upon graduation from New Haven public schools; and
• Maintain a 2.0 GPA during the years s/he is enrolled in post-secondary education to college.

** There is also a competitive Passport to Promise scholarship for students who finish below the 3.0 threshold, yet have a minimum 2.5 GPA while in high school. All other requirements must be met. The application for Passport is included within the regular application.

FAFSA

The FAFSA application is more complex than the Promise application. To get started, you will need to get a Federal Student Aid PIN. We will get into the navigation of this process at the end, but for now you should get acquainted with FAFSA. This is government aid for low-income students, not merit-based assistance, and the money is available on a first-come, first-served basis. And, as you’d suspect, free money goes fast. Before you get into all the rules and regulations, take a moment to watch a quick video, learn about FAFSA myths that have been debunked, discover more at the FAFSA learning center and take in some FAFSA tips for students with undocumented parents.

Filling Out FAFSA
In preparation to apply for financial assistance from the Federal Government through FAFSA, you will need the following:

(Note that you will need financial and tax information for the year preceding the academic year for which you are filing a FAFSA.  To complete FAFSA for the 2015-2016 academic year, you will need financial and tax information for 2014. You can use your 2013 tax returns to complete the estimated FAFSA, then go back in with the upated information when your 2014 return is complete.)

W-2  forms for the previous year or other records of money earned

If you are a dependent student, you will need your parents/step parents Federal Income Tax Return for 2014 (or 2013 if you have not yet filed). This may be IRS 1040, 1041A, 1040 EX or another form.  If your parents do not file, you have to bring information on all money received (i.e. workman’s comp, unemployment, social security, etc.)

If you are married, you will need your spouse’s Federal Income Tax Return for the previous year

If you — the student — worked in 2014 and are filing a tax return, you will also need your W-2 forms and 2014 tax return

You will need your untaxed income records for the previous year (i.e child support, alimony, etc.)

You will need your current bank statements and investment records

You may need your driver’s license if you have one

You will need to know your Social Security Number and your parents’ or guardians’ Social Security Numbers. (FOR FAFSA ONLY — NOT for NEW HAVEN PROMISE)

You will need your Alien Registration or permanent resident card if you are not a U.S. citizen. (FOR FAFSA ONLY — NOT for NEW HAVEN PROMISE)

You will need both your parents’ or legal guardians’ date of birth

If you are living with only one parent, then you will only need information about him or her

If your parents are divorced or separated, you will need the month and year of the separation

If your parents are married, you will need the month and year when they were married

You will need your parents’ or legal guardians’ email address to submit the FAFSA form on-line by obtaining a PIN

Once you have that stack of data, you can begin your application here (Español) or bring it with you to FAFSA Night At Yale.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

The New Haven Scholarship (NHPS seniors: See your counselor for an application)
The Community Foundation For Greater New Haven Scholarships
Wells Fargo College Tuition Resources
2015-16 African-American Affairs Commission Scholarships
2015-16 U.S. Department of Education Resources for Undocumented Youth
2014-15 Mexican-American Legal Defense Fund Scholarships (includes undocumented student options)