The primary goal of the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships is to provide financial assistance to students who, without such aid, would be unable to attend college. Although the student and family are expected to provide the primary resources for financing a college education, Sinclair will make every effort to meet the difference between the student's costs and the amount the family is able to pay. Awards are made on a non-discriminatory basis and can be withheld only if a student does not meet stated policies.

Yes. In order to reflect changes in financial information and changes in the cost of attendance, applications for assistance are required every year. Financial aid is awarded for one academic year at a time (Summer through Spring quarters).

Apply, as soon as possible after January 1, once you have filed your federal income tax return. Apply early in order to be considered for all forms of financial aid. Federal aid applications received in the Office of Financial Aid & Scholarships on or before May 1 will be given a priority. In order to ensure that your Federal Aid is processed in time to pay your fees for a quarter, you must submit all required paperwork by Financial Aid's deadline dates listed in the Calendar of Events.

Financial Aid Counselors are available during our Monday thru Friday office hours. You do not have to call to schedule an appointment in advance. You must have a photo id to receive information about your account. Students and parents should stand in the financial aid line. When you are called up to a window, the front desk technician will try to assist you with your problem. If they can not help you, you will be signed up to see a counselor and asked to take a seat in our waiting area. Students are seen by counselors on a first come, first serve basis. Therefore, it is recommended that if you need to see a counselor do not wait until the quarter begins. The financial aid lines are usually the shortest in the morning.

Any student who applies for federal student aid and is selected by the U.S. Department of Education or the institution to be "verified" must submit certain written documents to confirm the accuracy of the information on the application. These documents may include, but are not limited to, a copy of the student's, spouse's and/or the parents' federal tax form for the previous year; a statement that no tax return was or will be filed, written verification of non-taxable income, a verification form, etc.

A 100% refund of fees is given if a class is canceled. Because of this, financial aid will be reduced accordingly. In order not to risk a reduction in financial aid and possibly owing a balance, it is students' responsibility to add classes that will bring them up to the required minimum hours.

Federal law requires that all male students who receive student aid must sign a statement indicating compliance with current selective service regulations. Ohio law requires state-assisted educational institutions to charge out-of-state tuition to male students born after 1959 who have not registered for the selective service. Proof of registration may be required. If required, students must submit a copy of their selective service registration number and card. If you already have registered but don't have your number, you can obtain it by calling 1-847-688-6888. You can also go online at www.sss.gov to apply or check your registration number.

***Please Read the Entire Response before submitting your documentation*** If you are asked to submit tax return information, signed copies of the following forms are acceptable: 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR, TeleFile Tax Record, a tax return from Puerto Rico or a foreign income tax return. **Important Notes: 1. All student tax returns require the signature of the student. If the parent(s) are required to submit a copy of their tax return, the parent(s) must also sign their return. If someone other than yourself prepared your tax return, we can accept a paper return on which the tax preparer has stamped, typed, signed or printed their own name and their SSN, EIN(Employer Identification Number) or PTIN(Preparer Tax Identification Number.) 2. Electronic Filers need to submit a signed paper copy of their 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. Do not submit Form 8453 or Form 8879. 3. A TeleFile Tax Record is acceptable documentation provided it contains the filer's 10-digit IRS Confirmation Number in Line N and is signed by the filer. (There is no signature line on the form, so just sign at the bottom.)

Please submit a copy of one of the following: 1. A copy of the student's birth certificate showing that she was born in the US, which includes Puerto Rico(on or after 1/13/1941), Guam, the US Virgin Islands(on or after 1/17/1917), American Samoa, Swain's Island, or the Northern Mariana Islands, unless the person was born to foreign diplomats residing in the US. 2. A US Passport(current or expired), except limited passports, which are issued for periods of less than 5 years. In the case of nationals who are not citizens, the passport will be stamped "Noncitizen National." 3. A copy of Form FS-240(Consular Report of Birth Abroad), FS-545 (Certificate of birth issued by a foreign service post), or DS-1350(Certification of Report of Birth). These are State Department Documents. 4. A Certificate of Citizenship(N-560 or N-561), issued by the USCIS to individuals who derive US citizenship through a parent. 5. A Certificate of Naturalization(N-550 or N-570), issued by the USCIS through a federal or state court, or through administrative naturalization after December 1990 to those who are individually naturalized.

If you were employed for the tax year in question, please submit copies of your W2's. If you earned income at work that is not reflected on your W2's, please submit a statement listing the Name of the Employer and the amount earned. If you did not work at all, then write a statement that you did not work or have earnings during the tax year in question. Sign and date all statements and turn them into The Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships.

You must go to the Financial Aid Office of the school you are transferring from and notify them that you will be attending Sinclair and that you want to use your remaining Financial Aid Eligibility at Sinclair. Your Total Eligibility for aid at Sinclair will be reduced by the amount of aid used at the other school. You also need to add Sinclair's Federal School Code of 003119 to your FAFSA or turn in your signed Student Aid Report to Sinclair's Financial Aid Office.

For Federal Financial Aid Programs students are required to be in a degree-seeking or approved certificate program. For the Ohio Instructional Grant program students are required to be in a degree-seeking program. If you need to update your major selection, you MUST first see an Academic Counselor in the Division of your selected major. These counselors are the only individuals on campus that can change your major. If you are not sure how to contact your Academic Counselor call 512-3000 for assistance. After meeting with an Academic Counselor, and they have updated your records, you must notify the Financial Aid office that you have changed your major.

No. The FAFSA application stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. There is no charge to apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or to mail in your FAFSA information. Be careful. Double check the web address that you entered. There are many websites with similar web addresses that confuse students and ask for a payment to file their FAFSA information. A payment is NOT required to apply for Federal Aid.

No. Sinclair does not have access to your US Department of Education pin number. If you have lost or forgotten your pin number you must go to www.pin.ed.gov and follow their instructions.

It is always recommended that if you drop a class during the refund period that you return your book(s) as soon as possible. Book returns can only be done for a limited time period after purchase. If you drop all of your classes during the drop with a refund period, you will be held personally responsible to pay out of pocket for all books and supplies that you charged in the bookstore and did not return.

Students must indicate on their Financial Aid Office Application each year the individual(s) that are allowed access to their personal information. Anyone requesting student information must present a photo id at the front desk. If you are not listed on your child's office application, you will not be granted access to any personal information. We will try to answer general questions that you may have about financial aid.

Yes. Students must meet with a representative from the FINANCIAL AID OFFICE of the school they are currently attending(home school). They should ask this representative the following questions: 1. Sinclair requires a Consortium Agreement form to be turned into Sinclair's Financial Aid Office. How do I get a Consortium Agreement to Sinclair? 2. How will my fees be paid at Sinclair? 3. How will my credit hours be calculated? 4. How will my Financial Aid be disbursed? Once Sinclair's Financial Aid Office receives the Consortium Agreement, we will complete the form and send it back to your home school's Financial Aid Office. Sinclair will monitor your registration status throughout the quarter and will report any changes to your home school.

A student must complete the following two processes: 1. A student needs to determine whether the class they want to take at the other school can be transferred back to Sinclair and be counted toward their degree. In order to make this determination, students are REQUIRED to meet with their academic advisor at Sinclair. If the academic advisor authorizes the class, the advisor will either send a memo to Sinclair's Financial Aid Office or give the memo to the student to deliver to the Financial Aid Office. This memo will indicate the authorized class name and number and the authorized college. The memo will also indicate the time period the class is authorized for attendance. 2. A student needs to pick up a Sinclair Community College Consortium Agreement form in Sinclair's Financial Aid Office. The student needs to fill out their portion of the form and then take the form to the Financial Aid Office of the approved school. The approved school will fill out their portion of the form and will remit the form to Sinclair. Items to consider: Sinclair will not process your consortium request until our Financial Aid Office has received a memo from your academic advisor and the completed SCC Consortium Agreement form from the other institution. Sinclair will not issue a check to pay for your fees at the approved school. Students are required to pay OUT OF POCKET for any registered courses at the other school. Sinclair will calculate your registered hours for the quarter as a combination of your Sinclair registered hours and the approved hours registered at the other school only after the consortium agreement form and the academic approval memo have been received by our office. Sinclair will calculate your financial aid amounts for the quarter based on those combined hours. Any excess Financial Aid money for the quarter will be mailed to the student approx. 3 weeks after the quarter begins. For other types of Consortium Agreements, please contact the Office of Registration and Student Records.