Financial Aid FAQS

1. Create Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) studentaid.gov. Be sure that your name, SSN, and date of birth are correct!!
   Here is a helpful FSA ID video from Federal Student Aid.
2. Complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at studentaid.gov.  A FAFSA needs to be completed each year you are in college. This application is free and is the first step in the process of applying for federal and state aid. The Ridgewater College financial aid academic year is Fall through Summer.
   Ridgewater College federal school code is 005252 for both campuses.
   The FAFSA is available in alternative formats and languages. You may find alternative formats online at Financial Aid Toolkit. Click on “SEARCH TOOLS AND RESOURCES”.   From the next page, select your parameters and then click on “GET RESOURCES”.
3. IRS Data Retrieval Tool is now available for FAFSA.  It allows many students and/or parents to electronically upload tax return data from the IRS directly into the FAFSA.  This is a safe, secure, and accurate way to ensure the correct tax data is used.
   This video will offer a FAFSA overview from Federal Student Aid.
4. FAFSA processing time at the  Federal Department of Education depends on how you apply:
   – A FAFSA on the web using an FSA ID, as fast as 3 days (if signed using the FSA ID, mailing signature page will lengthen the time).
   – A paper FAFSA up to 6 weeks.
   “What Happens Next” video will give general information about processing after the FAFSA is submitted.
5. The Federal Department of Education notifies you when your FAFSA has been processed. Your FAFSA is also sent to Ridgewater College. If corrections are needed, we recommend that you contact the Financial Aid Office.
6. Ridgewater College may be required by the Federal Department of Education to verify your FAFSA information. Click on “Financial Aid” to view your “Aid Application Status” in Next Step(s). Note: If you have not used your E-Services account you will have to work through the process of signing up for a StarID and password to view the “Aid Application Status”.

Every college will determine a standard cost of attendance (COA) by totaling annual tuition and fees, books and supplies, average room and board costs, and miscellaneous expenses. You can find out standard costs associated with Minnesota colleges through the Minnesota Higher Ed Service Office.

Beginning with the 2024-2025 application, the FAFSA determines, based on information provided on the application the Student Aid Index (SAI). This will be used to determine the amount and type of financial aid you will be eligible for. The SAI is NOT a bill. Previously, the FAFSA calculated the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), but the SAI will be replacing the EFC for the 2024-25 application.

If you have financial need, you are eligible for need-based financial aid, and we will be able to offer a combination or a package of grants, loans, and work study to help meet your need. Even if you don’t have need, we may be able to offer you certain non-need-based loans.

The Financial Aid Office will review your eligibility for financial aid at the beginning of each term. At the end of the drop/add period (after the fifth day of each term), the Business Office will apply your financial aid awards to your student account. If your total financial aid exceeds your account charges, your financial aid will be credited to your account and the overage will be mailed to your permanent address or directly deposited into the bank account of your choice if the proper paperwork has been completed. You may set up your direct deposit through e-services.

Student loans are considered financial aid. If you haven’t already completed a FAFSA application, check out the application steps. If you have completed the FAFSA and have received your award letter, follow the instructions in the award letter to apply for student loans.

We strongly recommend you purchase books with your own money and use any balance of your financial aid to pay yourself back. It’s a good idea to have your books purchased before the term begins in order to be familiar with the course content. Just don’t have the cash? You can charge your books against financial aid at the bookstore as long as your financial aid application has been completed and awarded and you have enough to cover tuition and fees.

• You may charge books against your financial aid if your financial aid will cover all your outstanding account charges (tuition, fees, etc.) and you have enough remaining to cover the cost of your books.
• You should use the charge process only once a term.
• Go directly to the bookstore for assistance – there is generally no need to visit the Financial Aid Office first.

If your award letter shows you’ve been awarded grants (Federal Pell or Minnesota State Grant) or you have completed the loan application and promissory note for an awarded Stafford Loan, we will automatically defer your tuition until your aid is disbursed. If you do not receive any financial aid, did not apply, or have not completed the loan process, payment will be due 15 days prior to the start of the term. If you register after the due date, payment is due at time of registration. Payment plans may also be available to you. Check online through e-services. If you have any additional questions, please contact the Business Office.

You must be enrolled at least half-time (six or more credits) to qualify for the student loan program. However, if you are enrolled for just one class or are pursuing a certificate or degree and show need, you may still be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant or Minnesota State Grant.

You may totally drop all your courses without being charged tuition only during the first five days of each term (drop/add period). After the first five days of the term, if you are no longer attending a class, you need to officially withdraw (it is not a drop), and you remain responsible for payment of your tuition. If you totally withdraw before the 20th day of the term, you may be eligible for a partial tuition refund. However, you may be required to repay all or a portion of your financial aid. If you need to totally withdraw at any time during a term, we strongly recommend you contact the Financial Aid Office first in order to determine the impact your withdrawal will have on your refund and return of financial aid and your Satisfactory Academic Progress requirements.

• You can apply for most programs using the FAFSA form at any time during the school year, but it is best to apply as early as you can. Some programs have limited funds and once these funds have been depleted they are no longer available.

If you decide to transfer to another college mid-year, you’ll need to transfer your financial aid information (from the FAFSA), which takes anywhere from three days to two weeks. You can fill out a FAFSA form only once for a school year. To transfer your financial aid to Ridgewater College:

• Call Federal Processor at 1-800-433-3243 to transfer your Student Aid Report (SAR)
• You will need to give them your name, Social Security number, birth date and DRN number (four-digit code on your FAFSA student aid report – SAR)
• Add Ridgewater College as the new school by giving them the federal school code number of 005252. This is the code for both the Willmar and Hutchinson campus.

Note: Loans never transfer from school to school! Your loan at your previous college will be canceled. If you decide to borrow at Ridgewater College, follow the instructions in your award letter.

Ridgewater College’s federal school code is 005252. This is the code for both the Willmar and Hutchinson Campus.

The Ridgewater College Foundation awards scholarships each year from funds provided by donations from organizations, individuals, and grants. Each scholarship varies in its criteria. Some recognize academic accomplishments, others leadership skills, and some potential for success. Many are linked to a specific program. All interested and qualified students are invited to apply for Ridgewater College Foundation Scholarships.

The FSA ID is a username and password combination you use to log in to U.S. Department of Education (ED) online systems. The FSA ID is your legal signature and should not be created by anyone other than you – not even your parent, your child, a school official, or a loan company representative.

1. All students and contributors must create an FSA ID account to complete the FAFSA form online.
2. Students and contributors will use their FSA ID account username and password to log in to their accounts.
3. Even if a parent or spouse contributor does not have a Social Security Number, they can still get an FSA ID using their ITIN to fill out their portion of the student’s FAFSA form online.

This video explains why Contributors and Students need their own FSA ID acco

No.  It is strongly encouraged that parents and students create their FSA ID and have it ready before the FAFSA form is available. The FSA ID will need to be created at least three days in advance to completing the FAFSA.

To create an FSA ID, you’ll need your Social Security Number (SSN). Other information required is full name and date of birth. You’ll also need to create a memorable username and password, and complete the challenge questions and answers to retrieve your account information if you forget it. You will be required to provide your email address and mobile phone number when you create your FSA ID. Each FSA ID must have its own unique phone number and email address.

This Federal Student Aid video can help create a step-by-step FSA ID.

Yes! Starting December 2023, parents will be able to get an FSA ID (account username and password) without having an SSN to access and complete their section of the 2024-25 FAFSA form.

On the 2024-25 FAFSA form, if the parent is completing their own section and does not have an SSN, the SSN will be blank and disabled. If the parent has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), they should add it to the FAFSA form. If they do not have an ITIN, they should leave that question blank.

If the parent you indicate on the FAFSA is the parent who is remarried, it will depend on how they filed taxes. If they filed jointly, only one parent needs an FSA ID. If they filed separately, both parents will need their own FSA ID.

No. You can retrieve your existing FSA ID if you forgot your username and password.

We recommend creating the FSA ID a few days before starting the FAFSA form. FSA IDs made on the day of will not have full functionality yet to be able to complete the entire FAFSA.

Yes! Each contributor must have their own, unique phone number and email.

• • A student and parent cannot use the same phone number and email when creating their FSA ID or using Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA).
  • A student and their spouse cannot use the same phone number or email when creating their FSA ID or using MFA.

Two parents cannot use the same phone number or email when creating their FSA IDs or using MFA.

• Contributor is a new term introduced on the 2024-25 FAFSA form. It refers to anyone asked to provide information on a student’s FAFSA form:
  • The student
  • The student’s spouse
  • A biological or adopted parent
  • The parent’s spouse (stepparent)
• A Contributor is NOT a grandparent, foster parents, legal guardian, brother or sister, aunt or uncle, even if they helped provide for or raise the student.
• A Contributor on the FAFSA form does not mean they are financially responsible for the student’s education costs.
• This Federal Student Aid video provides additional details regarding Contributors.

The student’s or parent’s answers on the FAFSA will determine which contributors (if any) will be required to provide information.

• A contributor will be invited by the student to complete their portion of the FAFSA form by entering their name, date of birth, Social Security Number, and email address.
• A contributor must provide personal and financial information in their own sections of the FAFSA form. Unlike previous versions of the FAFSA, no one other than the Contributor will be able to enter the contributor’s information.

Following are the steps that each contributor must follow to enter information on the FAFSA:

1. Contributor receives an email informing them that they have been identified as a contributor.
2. Contributor creates an FSA ID at studentaid.gov if they do not already have one.
3. Contributor logs in to account using their FSA ID account username and password.
4. Contributor reviews information about completing their section of the FAFSA form.

Being a Contributor does NOT implicate financial responsibility. However, if a required contributor refuses to provide their information, it will result in an incomplete FAFSA form, and the student will become ineligible for Federal and State financial aid.

• Students that live with a single/divorced/widowed parent and receive most support from that parent, will report only one parent on the FAFSA.
• The parent included in the FAFSA as a contributor must be the parent that provides the greater portion of the student’s financial support. If that primary parent is remarried, the income of that parent’s spouse (stepparent) will also be required.

• According to the Future Act, all students and contributors must provide consent to the following:
  • Have their federal tax information transferred directly into the FAFSA form via direct data exchange with the IRS;
  • Have their federal tax information used to determine the student’s eligibility for federal student aid; and
  • Allow the U.S. Department of Education to share its federal tax information with postsecondary institutions and state higher education agencies for use in awarding and administering financial aid.
• Important: even if students or contributors don’t have a Social Security number, didn’t file taxes, or filed taxes outside of the U.S., they still need to provide consent.
• Watch this Federal Student Aid video for more information regarding providing Consent for the FAFSA

• If a student or required contributor doesn’t provide consent to have their federal tax information transferred into the FAFSA form, the student will not be eligible for federal or state aid – even if they manually enter tax information into the FAFSA form. There is no exception to providing consent.
• Information about how federal tax information will be used and the consequences of not providing consent will be included on the FAFSA form.
• Legal parents must provide consent to transfer federal tax information, even if one of the parents didn’t file or had no income. If parents fail to provide consent, the student will not be eligible to receive federal or state aid.

• The Future Act requires that every contributor on the FAFSA provide consent to share their taxes information in the application so the IRS can share this information with Federal Student Aid (FSA). All parties whose Federal Tax Information (FTI) is included on a student’s FAFSA form must consent annually.
• The consent is necessary not only for the Department of Education to request federal tax information from the IRS but also to use that FTI in the federal student aid application process, as well as do other things such as redisclose that information to certain eligible entities, such as higher education institutions or state aid agencies.

If a student, spouse, or parent does not provide consent on the FAFSA, the Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated, and the student will not be eligible for any federal or state aid.

Yes.  If the parent providing more financial support is remarried, the stepparent’s tax information is required.

• Independent students or parents are the best sources for this estimate; they can also consult their accountant or other financial professional if they have access to one to estimate the amounts to report.
• Net worth of a farm includes the value of a family farm. However, the value of a family’s primary residence is still excluded. The net worth of a farm may include the fair market value of land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops, and machinery actively used in investment farms or agricultural or commercial activities, minus any debts held against those assets.
• The net worth of your current business is the amount left over after subtracting the debt from the value of the business. Business value includes market value of land, buildings, machinery, equipment, inventory, etc. Business debt means only those debts for which the business was used as collateral.

A 529 college savings plan should be listed as a parent asset for a dependent student. Only the 529 plan for that student should be listed as a parent asset. (i.e. a sibling’s 529 plan should not be listed as an asset for the student and parent completing the FAFSA. The sibling’s 529 plan should be listed on their own FAFSA.)

• The following data is imported from the IRS and is considered FTI:
  • Tax Filing Status
  • Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
  • Number of Exemptions and Number of Dependents
  • Income Earned from Work
  • Taxes Paid
  • Educational Credits
  • Untaxed IRA Distributions
  • IRA deductible and payments
  • Tax-exempt interest
  • Untaxed pension amounts
  • Schedule C net profit/loss
  • Indicators for Schedules A, B, D, E, F, H
  • IRS Response Codes

The definition of family size has changed to align with the number of individuals reported as dependents on the applicant’s parents (dependent) or applicants’ (independent) U.S. tax return.

• The number of household members (dependents) in college was a major part of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) need analysis. Starting with the 24-25 FAFSA, the application will still ask this question, but your answer will not have any impact on your Student Aid Index (SAI). Ridgewater College students with multiple siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility.
• The SAI formula does increase certain allowances to mitigate any loss in federal aid due to this.

Watch this video to learn more about FAFSA changes.

Additional information can be found on the Student Aid website.

Watch this video to learn what you need to gather to complete the FAFSA Form.

• Watch these videos to learn more about the FAFSA and how to apply:
  • What is FAFSA?
  • Applying for Financial Aid with the FAFSA Form