Applying for Financial Aid
Dates and Deadlines
WHEN |
WHAT |
HOW TO |
| DECEMBER | Apply for a FAFSA PIN or request a duplicate. | Apply at www.pin.ed.gov. Dependent students will also need to make sure at least one parent has a PIN. (Allow 5 -10 business days to receive your PIN by mail, or 3 – 5 days by e-mail.) |
| MID-DECEMBER | Institutional Academic Scholarships |
Incoming Freshmen: Lander Academic scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who have been accepted for admission and demonstrate academic merit. Students are encouraged to complete their application for admission by mid-December as awards are made on a first-come, first-served basis and funding is limited. More information about scholarships may be obtained on our Scholarships Page .
Continuing and New Students: Divisional Scholarships application procedures and deadlines vary by academic area. You can find additional information about Divisional Scholarships on the Scholarships Page or by contacting the respective department. |
| JANUARY 1 | Earliest Date to Complete New Year FAFSA |
You can complete your FAFSA as soon after January 1st as possible for the coming award year. We recommend using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov |
EARLY MARCH |
Summer Aid Applications Available |
Financial Aid for summer sessions is awarded based on unused eligibility from the academic year preceding the summer terms. Students must have a FAFSA on file for the current academic year and must fill out a short application for summer school for Lander. The Lander summer school application must be received no later than April 1st each year. Applications are available March 1 in the Financial Aid Office or on printable forms section of our website. Students must enroll in at least six hour s total to qualify for most types of summer aid. |
| MARCH 31 | FAFSA Priority Date for Limited Need-based Funds |
Our priority date to receive the results of the FAFSA is March 31 of each year. If you wish to have your FAFSA results to Lander from the federal processor, you should complete your FAFSA by March 1. This should allow enough time for your FAFSA to be processed and sent to Lander by the priority date. Remember that March 31 is not a deadline, it is a priority date. We will process FAFSA results submitted after that date. The priority deadline simply means you will be considered for several of the financial aid programs have limited funds. Therefore, the earlier you are able to submit your FAFSA to the federal processor, the better your chances are to receive these limited funds. |
APRIL 1 |
Summer Aid Applications Due |
The Lander summer school application must be received no later than April 1st each year. Applications are available in the Financial Aid Office or on printable forms section of our website. Students must enroll in at least six hour s total to qualify for most types of summer aid. |
APRIL |
Review Financial Aid Status and Missing Documents on Bearcat Web. |
Review Bearcat Web Account for Financial Aid Requirements and Status. Click here to log on to the Bearcat Web. You will need your Lander ID and a password. For new students, these will be mailed to you under separate cover. |
EARLY APRIL |
Aid Packages Created for New Students |
Award letters are mailed to students who have been accepted for admission and either have merit-based awards or have a completed FAFSA application on file in the Office of Financial Aid. |
JUNE 1 |
SC Teachers Loan Application |
This application must be received at the S.C. Student Loan Corporation by June 1 in order to receive consideration. However, funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis and cannot be guaranteed. There are sections on this application to be completed by the student, by the School of Education at Lander, and by the Financial Aid Office before it is sent to the Corporation. Please allow Lander at least two weeks to complete our certifications and to mail the application to the S.C. Student Loan Corporation. You may find this application online via the SCSLC website . |
JUNE 1 |
Transfer Scholarships |
A limited number of scholarships may also be awarded to the transfer students transfer students who have a cumulative GPA of 3.25 or better with a minimum of 30 semester hours earned. Students must be admitted and have all final transcripts submitted by June 1. Contingent upon fund availability. |
MID-MAY |
Satisfactory Academic Progress Reviewed |
For continuing students, the Financial Aid Office is required to review a students progression toward graduation. Review is completed after spring grades are available. Timeframe limits are evaluated after each term. For more information, click here. |
MID-JUNE |
New year costs are determined by Board |
|
MID-JUNE
|
Aid packages created for continuing students |
Awards are made to continuing students who are eligible and have submitted all requested information. Awards are generated on a weekly basis thereafter as applications are received and reviews completed. |
JULY 1 |
FAFSA deadline for processing by Billing Due Date (Fall semester) |
Due to the volume of processing, we cannot guarantee that your awards package will be in place on the first day of classes if we receive your FAFSA results after July 1st for the upcoming fall semester. |
AUGUST 1 |
Missing requirements deadline for processing by Billing Due Date (Fall semester) |
Students who have not completed all requirements posted on the
Bearcat Web that are needed to process aid must make other arrangements for payment of bills
(payment plan, etc.). We will continue to process your aid application, but cannot guarantee
aid will be complete by the billing due date.
|
Early August |
Bills for Fall term available |
Review your bill and aid package. If you have enough aid to cover your bill you can validate (apply your financial aid to your bill and save your classes) on-line. If you still have a balance due, the Business Office will provide you information on how to make a payment or sign up for the semester payment plan. |
November 1 |
FAFSA and missing requirements deadline for processing by Billing Due Date (Spring semester) |
Students who have not submitted the FAFSA or completed all
requirements posted on the Bearcat Web that are needed to process aid must make other arrangements
for payment of bills (payment plan, etc.). We will continue to process your aid application,
but cannot guarantee aid will be complete by the Spring billing due date.
|