For priority consideration, it is important that students complete the General Admissions Procedures for Classified Students (See the section of this catalog regarding the General Admission Procedures).

Starting with the 2008-09 academic year, all financial aid applications are required to be entered on the Department of Education website at www.fafsa.gov. However, prior to completing the online FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), students must apply for a Personal Identification Number (PIN) at www.pin.ed.gov. This number will be entered as your signature for the FAFSA.

If you are a dependent and therefore required to provide your parents’ financial and personal information on the FAFSA, at least one parent must also apply for a PIN at the address above, as it is required to have the parent sign the FAFSA as well. When you go to the website, you will be given explicit instructions. Assistance is also provided by the Department of Education at 1-800-433-3243. TTY users (hearing impaired) may call 1-800-730-8913.

There is a FAFSA Worksheet that you may complete prior to completing the application online. Worksheets will be available at your local high school or college and in the Student Services Center on the A-B Tech main campus. You may also print the worksheet from the www.fafsa.gov website.

When you log onto www.fafsa.gov, you will be advised on all the documentation you must have to complete the FAFSA. A complete and accurate application will prevent delays in processing your financial aid. The college code you will enter for A-B Tech is 004033.

Make sure you receive and retain a copy of the confirmation number when your FAFSA is submitted. Once the Department of Education processes your application, an electronic file with the information the College needs to process financial aid for you will be transmitted to the A-B Tech Financial Aid Office. Also, when your FAFSA is processed, you will receive the Student Aid Report (SAR) in your email or a hard copy of the report may be mailed to your home address.

All correspondence from the financial aid office is sent to students via their A-B Tech student email account. All students who apply for financial aid, are automatically assigned a student email account. Information regarding how to access your student email account can be found online at http://abtech.edu/students/email. Students should check their student email regularly for information regarding missing financial aid documentation, class information, registration, billing status etc.

Once financial aid is completely processed students can go to their WebAdvisor account to view their award notification which tells them how much and what types of financial aid they will be receiving. Students can access their WebAdvisor account from the A-B Tech homepage: http://www.abtech.edu

You will find all the web links mentioned above, as well as other helpful sources of financial aid assistance, on the A-B Tech website: Visit www.abtech.edu, click on the student link, and scroll down to the financial aid link. Computers are available for student use in the Bailey Student Services Center.

Students seeking additional information about the Financial Aid Program at A-B Tech are urged to contact the Financial Aid Office in the Bailey Student Services Center.

Year Round Pell-Grant Policy

The Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) enacted on August 14, 2008 authorizes schools to disburse up to two Pell Grants in a single award year, beginning with the 2009-2010 award year for Pell eligible students. The objective of this policy is to help needy students accelerate their academic progress. Beginning with summer term 2010, the financial aid office will pay Pell Grants to eligible students for summer term classes. In the past, students may or may not have had Pell Grant eligibility during summer term. Now according to new regulations passed by the Federal government, students may be eligible to receive additional Pell Grant funds during summer semester. For further information, students should contact the financial aid office at 254-1921 x 7530.