These 12 steps will walk you through the financial aid process.

STEP 1. APPLY FOR ADMISSION AND DECLARE A MAJOR
You should be accepted for admission and enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible program of study to receive financial aid. Most one- and two-year programs at NOVA are eligible. Provide your Social Security number on the admission application, or we will not be able to link your FAFSA to your file. Transfer students must request official transcripts from all schools previously attended and request a transfer credit evaluation by the College Records Office.

STEP 2. REQUEST A FEDERAL STUDENT AID ID (FSA ID)
Create an account (FSA ID) at https://studentaid.gov. If you are required to provide parental information on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), one parent must also request his or her own FSA ID.

STEP 3. COMPLETE THE FAFSA ON THE WEB
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Click: Apply for Aid > Complete the FAFSA form. Enter NOVA’s federal school code (003727) on the FAFSA. Be sure that your name on the FAFSA exactly matches the name on your Social Security card. Contact the Financial Aid Office or call 1–855–323–3199 if you need assistance.

STEP 4. VERIFY STUDENT AID REPORT (SAR) INFORMATION
Within two weeks after you submit the FAFSA, you will receive an email from the U.S. Department of Education with instructions on how to access your Student Aid Report (SAR) online. Carefully review it to ensure it is correct and complete. Read the comments on your SAR and verify that your FAFSA was not rejected. Also make sure that NOVA’s school code (003727) was listed. You may correct any mistakes at https://studentaid.gov.

STEP 5. CHECK APPLICATION STATUS ON MYNOVA
Verify if additional information has been requested by logging into myNOVA and frequently checking your To Do List by clicking: VCCS SIS: Student Information System > Self Service > Student Center. Click on each To Do List item for instructions.

STEP 6. RESPOND TO REQUESTS FOR MORE INFORMATION
Files are incomplete until all requested information has been received. Awards are offered on a first-completed, first-awarded basis. Approximately one in three students is selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education; additional files are selected by NOVA. Verify if additional information has been requested by logging into myNOVA and frequently checking your To Do List by clicking: VCCS SIS: Student Information System > Self Service > Student Center. Click on each To Do List item for instructions. Promptly submit all items as directed.

STEP 7. REVIEW YOUR FINANCIAL AID AWARD LETTER
You will be notified via email and your myNOVA Message Center when you are awarded. You may then review the type(s) and amount(s) of assistance you were offered by logging into myNOVA and going to: Student Center > Financial Aid > View Financial Aid. Accept, decline or reduce student loans and work-study in your myNOVA account. If you decide to borrow a student loan, complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling at https://studentaid.gov. Review www.nvcc.edu/workstudy if you are interested in work-study and follow up with your Campus Work-Study Coordinator to submit employment documents. Note that aid offered prior to the term census is based on anticipated full-time enrollment in courses required for your major. If you register for fewer than 12 eligible credits, your aid may be reduced after the census.

STEP 8. ENROLL IN CLASSES
Select and enroll in your classes before the term census date (which is the last day to drop with a tuition refund for the longest session of the fall, spring or summer term). Pell Grant status is determined by the credits in which you are enrolled and are attending as of that date. Neither Pell Grant nor state aid will increase if you add classes later. Classes not started or dropped before the course census date cannot count for financial aid. You are responsible for dropping any courses you do not wish to attend.

STEP 9. BUY YOUR BOOKS
If you have enough financial aid to pay for tuition, fees and books, your financial aid may be used during a limited time period to buy required textbooks and supplies through the bookstore. This option is available two weeks before the start of the longest session of the term and the second 8-week sessions, and goes through the term census date.

STEP 10. PAY YOUR BILL BY THE DEADLINE
If your anticipated aid based on your enrollment does not cover your entire bill, you must pay the difference by the payment deadline. One option to consider is the NOVA Payment Plan. Additional information about payment deadlines and payment options is available at www.nvcc.edu/payment/methods/index.html. Note that you are responsible for dropping any courses you do not plan to attend by the deadline to drop with a tuition refund as indicated on the academic calendar.

STEP 11. VERIFY YOUR MAILING ADDRESS
If your address has changed, contact Student Services or update your mailing address in myNOVA. Approximately six weeks into the term (if enrollment and attendance have been established at that time), excess financial aid above what you owe the College will be processed for disbursement via your selected refund preference. If you do not set up any refund preference then a check will be mailed to your address listed in myNOVA for any refund that you are due.

STEP 12. SELECT YOUR REFUND PREFERENCE
NOVA has contracted with Tuition Management Services (TMS) to process electronic financial aid disbursements and tuition refunds to students. For more information and to set up your refund preference, go to https://nvcc.afford.com. Note that you might receive multiple refunds due to the timing of aid types hitting your account and excess aid being requested. Once aid is disbursed to your student account, allow 6-8 business days to receive the excess aid via direct deposit. Official communications regarding financial aid are sent through your NOVA-issued email address and your myNOVA Message Center. Please monitor your account regularly. NOVA School Code 003727 For more

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Official communications regarding financial aid are sent through your NOVA-issued email address and your myNOVA Message Center. Please monitor your account regularly. NOVA School Code 003727