Apply for Financial Aid

You must complete the following steps in order to receive financial aid. These steps must be completed each academic year that you wish to receive financial aid.

2013-14 FAFSA Applications should be submitted for Spring and Summer 2014 semester.  Go to http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ to complete your application as soon as possible so that we can begin to process any additional documents that may be required.  The sooner you begin the process, the sooner you will be finished.  If you do not apply now, you will not have funding at the beginning of the term.  Be prepared to pay your tuition and fees.  If you have any questions, please contact the Financial Aid Office at 281.290.2700.

The financial aid process is started by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to the U.S. Department of Education. The application will require the student’s information. If the student is married, the spouse's information will also be required. Students under 24 are generally required to submit the parent's information; however, the FAFSA has exceptions for students in unusual circumstances.

Lone Star College will only process financial aid applications after a student has successfully completed our admissions application.

Step 1: FAFSA

Submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) through the U.S. Department of Education. If this is your first time completing a FAFSA, start by getting your PIN.

You must also complete all LSCS applications and admissions requirements. Lone Star College will only process financial aid applications after a student has successfully completed our admissions application.

Note: The following school code is required for the FAFSA and LSCS financial aid applications: 011145

Step 2: Submit Additional Information

There may be additional forms to fill out once we receive your FAFSA data.  Clarification may be needed on  one or more of your answers or tax documents. (These are just a few examples of additional processes which may be  flagged by FAFSA or by the institution based on federal requirements.) 

View the Process for Financial Aid Verification

You will be notified of any requirements via your LSCS campus e-mail address.  An e-mail account will be assigned to you after completing an admissions application.  You can check your e-mail by logging into myLoneStar.

Step 3: Review Awards

You must complete an admissions application before receiving a financial aid award package. It takes approximately three weeks to process financial aid applications. Once you have been awarded, you can view your Financial Aid package in myLoneStar. Students must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Loan Entrance Counseling to receive Stafford Loans.

IRS Data Retrieval Tool

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is available for online FAFSA submittals and is accessible through the FAFSA.  The retrieval tool allows FAFSA applicants and parents with the ability to transfer their income information from the IRS to the FAFSA.

Benefits of the Using the Tool

• It’s the easiest way to provide your tax return data.
• It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information.
• Applicants selected for verification can use the tool to update their income information and avoid unnecessary processing delays!

Note:

• If you filed your taxes electronically the data will be available within 2 weeks of filing.
• If you filed your taxes using paper then your data will not be available for 6 to 8 weeks. It is strongly recommended that all financial aid applicants and their parents file their taxes electronically.

IMPORTANT CHANGES For 2014-2015

• ALL applicants and parents who indicate they have filed a federal tax return will be directed to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
• Applicants and parents who indicate they will file a federal tax return will receive email communication(s) from the federal processor directing them to use the IRS Tool to update their income information once they have filed their 2013 federal income tax return.
• Applicants selected for the verification process will be required to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (or) they may choose to request a tax transcript from the IRS which can later be submitted to the Financial Aid Office.

 

Tax Transcript

If you, the student, and/or parents answer yes to any of the following, please submit an IRS tax transcript to the Financial Aid Office.

• filed as Married Filing Separately if you are married.
• filed as Head of Household if you are married.
• filed an amended tax return (1040X).
• filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return if you filed a tax return in Puerto Rico or a foreign country.
• recently filed taxes, if you filed taxes electronically within the last two weeks, or by mail within the last eight weeks.  Recent filers may wait the 2 or 8 weeks and return to the FAFSA and use the tool if eligible. 

For the 2013-2014 Academic Year (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Summer 2014):

• Filing status for 2012 is single but on the 2013-14 FAFSA your marital status is married.
• Filing status for 2012 is married filing jointly but on the 2013-14 FAFSA your marital status is divorced or separated.

Amended Tax Return

If you, the student, and/or parents, completed a 1040X, amended tax return, please submit the following:
For the 2013-2014 Academic Year (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Summer 2014):

• 2012 signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X return
  And
• IRS Return Transcript

For the 2014-2015 Academic Year (Fall 2014, Spring 2015, Summer 2015):

• 2013 signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X return
  And
• Signed copy of 2013 IRS Return Transcript or Tax Return

Identity Theft

If you, the student and/or parents, has been determined by the IRS was a victim of identity theft.

For the 2013-2014 Academic Year (Fall 2013, Spring 2014, Summer 2014):

• Signed copy of the 2012 tax return
• Signed copy or IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit