Can i change my financial aid options after i've recieved my award information.?

Question

I just received my information about my financial aid award package for next year and a big chuck of money is from work study. My circumstances have changed and I can’t really do any work study so I want to know if I could adjust it and get more loan money. I’m supposed to be able to get up to 5,500 since I’m transferring from Community College so I’ll be a junior. But there giving me 2,000 of that in work study. I want to pull more out in a loan instead.

Answer 1

Don't update your fafsa to say "no work study"  This will just delay the process further.  It a minor change and the schools fin aid office can do this in house without having to go through the Dept of Ed and the fafsa website.

You also might want to check they have you classified correctly (3rd year as a junior) because it sounds like the school really things you are a freshman and are awarding you that amount in loans (3,500) rather than substituting it with work study as you suspect.  On your fafsa you prob entered "first year" because it would be your first year at this new school... but the new school interprets this as a freshman... not as a 3rd year transfer.  

(Computers aren't that smart, it's probably a glitch and you are classified wrong.)

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Yes, you can change your status, and the difference would be made up as a loan. You need to update your FAFSA asap, and talk with the financial aid folks at your school. If they have you slated for a position already, they need to know so they can qualify someone else for that spot.

Answer 3

First, I would update your FAFSA to say "no work study". Then I would contact the financial aid office at your school. You should be able to change it anytime. Circumstances change frequently.