Continuing Students

Financial Aid Application Process: Step-by-Step

1. Renew your Federal Application for Financial Aid (FAFSA):

The FAFSA is good for one aid academic year, which is Fall, Spring, and Summer.  The 2024-2025 FAFSA became available by the U. S. Department of Education on December 31, 2023, for the Fall 2024 – Summer 2025 Aid (Academic) Year. If you complete the form online, it will be processed, and your information will be released to our office. It typically takes 3-5 business days for your FAFSA to be sent to us. If you complete the FAFSA by hand, please submit it to the Department of Education for processing (Federal Student Aid Programs, P.O. Box 70204, London, KY 40742-0204).

NOTE: Processing time can take up to three weeks or longer depending on the time of year for online submission and six weeks or longer if submitting the paper application by mail. Your information will be available with current updates through Banner. Please check BANNER for ALL updates.

>Renew the FAFSA

2.  Submit Supporting Documentation

If you have been selected by the U.S. Department of Education for verification, you will need to submit additional documentation in order for us to verify that your application is correct. If we need further information, we’ll send you an email. You must submit all requested documents before we can finalize your financial aid award, so be sure to get them to us as soon as possible.

>Check Financial Aid Status

3.  Wait for your Financial Aid Offer Notification

Once your FAFSA has been received by the school and processed, a Financial Aid Offer Notification will be emailed to your ABAC email account with financial aid information.

NOTE: Please read the Financial Aid Offer Notification thoroughly.

Keep in mind that if anything changes on the account, the type of aid and/or amounts can also change. Your information will be available with current updates through Banner. Please check Banner for all updates.

If you have been offered federal and/or state funds (i.e. HOPE, Pell, SEOG, scholarships, etc.), these are automatically applied to your account once you have registered for classes. (Some of these amounts may be adjusted if your enrollment status changes by adding or dropping classes).

NOTE: Please check with a Financial Aid Counselor if you are interested in the Federal Work-Study program to see if you are eligible.

Your financial aid offers will also be posted in Banner. Aid is authorized on accounts for students who are registered for classes.

If you will not need additional funding through the Federal Direct Loan Program, you have completed the financial aid process!

Loans are offered to you when aid is posted in Banner. For more information, see Student and Parent Loans.

Once aid is authorized on your account, you can use excess aid to purchase books and supplies in The Stallion Shop (bookstore). Excess financial aid is usually refunded after the fourth week of classes if you are not a new student or first-time loan borrower. If you are a first-time loan borrower or have a single-term loan, excess funds will be refunded around mid-term.

Every year, continuing students enrolled for the following Fall semester will receive information regarding the “Road Map to Funding Your Education” and the “June 1st Deadline.” Continuing students are required to complete ONE of the three payment methods by June 1st to secure their course schedule for the Fall term. Students who do not have, at least, ONE of the three payment methods on file by June 1st will have their course schedule dropped, and will not be eligible to re-register until they have satisfied one of the payment methods.

1. Complete FAFSA and/or verification, if selected; OR
2. Pay a $500 deposit for the Fall semester; OR
3.  Sign an ABAC Payment Plan Contract for a payment plan option.

For more information on the “Road Map,” making payments and/or an ABAC Payment plan, please visit the Office of Student Accounts.

Incoming and current students will be considered for all ABAC scholarships by completing the ABAC Foundation Scholarship Application.  It is not necessary to apply for individual ABAC scholarships separately.  Once all required documentation is submitted, the College will then make selections based on the awards criteria available.  Because scholarships are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

To learn more about the ABAC Scholarship Program, go to www.abac.edu/scholarships.