Filing Tips

Students are 100 percent liable for all bills regardless of student type. All bills must be paid when due; nonpayment will result in late fees and/or removal from classes.

Make sure all applications you are completing are for the 2009-2010 academic year (dates ranging from 9/09-8/10).
Sign all applications and documents before submitting them. Include the student's name and ID number on everything and keep copies of everything you submit.
If the answer is zero/nothing/none, put in the zero (0). BLANK IS NOT AN ANSWER, nor is a dash or "NA".
Only the Office of Student Financial Services awards aid. If, for example, a coach, instructor or high school counselor promises you aid, please remember that no offer of aid is official or final until you receive it in writing on an award letter signed by the director of student financial services.
The Mercyhurst College Title IV School code is 003297 and should be used for question #86 on the FAFSA, (Free Application for Student Aid) as well as your MPN and PLUS loan applications. Please note that Mercyhurst College must be the first school of choice!
All questions on the FAFSA must be answered. Please pay special attention to questions #36 (student) and #74 (parents) regarding tax paid. Do not submit tax withheld. This information is found on your federal tax return and should be answered based on which form you filed: 1040; 1040A, 1040EZ or Telefile. If the parents and/or student will not file a tax return, please answer that question (FAFSA #32 for students and #70 for parents) correctly.
Question 27 on the FAFSA or renewal form reads: "In addition to grants, are you interested in student loans?" If you check "yes" you will be activating your Master Promissory Note (MPN) for certification for the upcoming school year. If you did not file a MPN in the 2008-2009 academic year, by checking yes in Box 27, PHEAA will automatically mail you a MPN for completion. Please note that if you completed a MPN in the 2008-2009 academic year, you are not required to file a new one.
In addition to filling out a MPN, first-time borrowers are required to fill out an entrance interview survey before any Stafford loans can be credited to their account. Students can log onto www.dl.ed.gov
Both parent and dependent student must sign the FAFSA before submitting it to the federal government. This includes electronic filing.
Make sure you answer the housing question correctly. The housing question appears next to the school code question and is #87. Failure to answer this question properly can result in problems with the calculation of your overall financial need that is used in awarding you a financial aid package.
If you receive a letter from a bank or from PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assisting Agency) or from any institution other than Mercyhurst, please contact that institution yourself. The PHEAA State Grant Assistance number and the PHEAA Loan Assistance is (1-800-692-7392).

FAFSA

You may choose to file the FAFSA over the Internet at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov . You must remember to print, sign and send the signature page into the Federal Processor AND to Mercyhurst College.
You can sign your FAFSA using your PIN number, which should be provided to you by the Federal Government, only if you filed electronically for the 2008-2009 school year. Otherwise, you can request one by calling (800) 433-3243 or by logging onto www.pin.ed.gov . Unsigned documents will be returned to you and may delay the award process.
If you are chosen by the federal government to be verified, we will request that you submit additional documents. We will notify all students who have a completed FAFSA form beginning in April.

Transient Students

Transient students are not eligible for financial aid and need to show an ability to pay before being registered. Because the student is not in a program of study they are unable to receive any type of financial aid. This includes office of and rehabilitation aid and loans.

Transfer Students

Before financial aid is awarded, transfer students must have their final transcript from previous institution(s) forwarded to Mercyhurst College Office of Student Financial Services. Financial aid will not be awarded unless a copy of the transcript has been received. Evaluation of the transcripts will begin once all financial aid paper work is complete.