Financial Aid and Scholarship Office

Steps to Apply for Federal Financial Aid

Pell Grant | Stafford Loan | ACG | SMART Grant | Graduate PLUS Loan

Step 1. Submit a FAFSA (Free Application for federal Student Aid)

• Collect the Documents You Need. If you’ve lost your tax form, you can request a duplicate copy from the IRS.
• Request a Federal Student Aid PIN. The PIN serves as your electronic signature on the FAFSA.
• If you are a dependent student, one of your parents will also need to request a PIN.
• Fill out a FAFSA and have results sent to BYU school code 003670.
• If you will be getting married in the coming year, contact our office before submitting a FAFSA for important information on when and how to apply. 801-422-4104.

Step 2. Complete the BYU Financial Aid Application

• Login to Financial Aid VIP (through Route Y under the ‘School’ tab). Financial Aid VIP is the BYU online system you use to apply for financial aid. It is also the system by which we communicate with you about your aid application.
• In Financial Aid VIP click on “Apply” for the appropriate school year.
• Choose the aid for which you wish to apply; then click "Submit."

Step 3. Additional Steps For:

• Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
• Turn in the ACG Coversheet (ACG)
• Stafford Loans and GradPLUS Loans (If this is your first loan at BYU)
• You must attend Entrance Counseling
• You will need to sign a Master Promissory Note with UHEAA if you are using a Utah lender, or submit a paper Master Promissory Note from your non-Utah lender.
• PLUS Loans
• If you ONLY want a PLUS loan, and you will not apply for a Pell Grant or Stafford Loan later in the year, then you do not have to complete Step 1 (the FAFSA).

Step 4. Monitor Your Status

• Return to Financial Aid VIP and select “What to Do Next” every few days to see remaining steps to complete your application.
• If you are notified that you are selected for Verification, see section on Verification below.
• For 2007-2008, if you are awarded federal aid, the award will be displayed under the Financial Aid VIP "Awards" tab.

Step 5. Recieve Your Money

• Awarded aid can only be disbursed if the student meets Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements at the time of disbursement.
• See the following schedule of disbursement dates and requirements
• Authorize Direct Deposit at My Financial Account
• Go to My Financial Account in Route Y to monitor the disbursement of any potential award funds into your student financial account. (Current semester Tuition, Fees, and Insurance Premiums that are unpaid will automatically be deducted from your award.)

Verification

Some students are selected for Verification. In verification, you will be asked to answer again some of the FAFSA questions and to provide documentation. If you are selected for Verification, we will notify you in Financial Aid VIP "What to Do Next."

• Check the “What to Do Next” section every 1-2 days for information and documents needed.
• When submitting tax forms, submit signed copies of the requested tax forms. If submitting the IRS 1040 or 1040A, only attach the first two pages.)
• After you submit all required information and documents, we will mail you the "Web Signoff Sheet."
• Sign and return the "Web Signoff Sheet" as directed.