After you apply

Once all of your information has been submitted and reviewed by our office, an Offer of Financial Assistance will be created for you. The offer of financial assistance will outline the financial aid that you are eligible to receive for the specified academic year. Please pay close attention to the language contained in the offer of assistance. Depending on the type of aid you receive, the award letter will provide important information about the paperwork and processes that are necessary to obtain federal loans, student employment positions, or other sources of financial aid.

You do not need to submit additional information, such as tax forms, to the Office of Student Financial Services unless we specifically request this information. Should we need to request additional documents from you, we will indicate this to you in writing.

Financial Aid Awarding Timelines

BS/MS (ETP) Students

Students who have submitted the FAFSA by the February 15 can expect to receive award letters by March 1st. Students that have been selected for the Federal award will receive a tentative award that will be finalized once the process is complete.

Graduate Students

New Students are awarded on an on-going basis throughout the year after we have been notified that they have been accepted into their program.
Graduate students should pay particular attention to the number of credits listed on their financial aid award letter. If you have been awarded financial aid based on an enrollment status that is different from your actual enrollment, it is your responsibility to contact the Office of Student Financial Services to update the discrepancy. Faliure to do so may result in a decrease or complete refund of your financial aid during an academic term.

Federal Verification Process

Approximately one-third of all financial aid applicants are selected by either the U.S. Department of Education or the Office of Student Financial Services to verify the accuracy of information provided on the FAFSA. If you have been selected for verification, your offer of assistance is tentative, pending the completion of the verification process. If you are a returning student, you will not receive a financial aid award letter until the verification process is complete.

You will be required to complete the verification worksheet and provide a copy of your and your parents’ federal income tax returns (if you are a dependant student). Upon receipt of the required materials, we will finalize the review of your application for financial aid.

Should the verified financial information differ significantly from the original information provided on the FAFSA application, your aid may have to be adjusted. Please be sure to respond to requests for follow-up documentation in a timely manner to avoid delays in applying your financial aid as a credit to your student account.

Verification Forms
These forms are available for students who have been chosen for verification.

Accepting Your Award

We require that you officially accept your offer of assistance. We ask that you indicate on the offer letter which type(s) of assistance you are accepting.

Declining Your Award

Should you decide to decline any part of your award, we ask that you indicate on the offer letter which type(s) of assistance you are reducing or declining by noting your wishes next to the specific type(s) of assistance. Please sign, date, and return the letter to our office. Before mailing the letter, you may wish to make a copy of it for your files. Award components can be declined at any time.

Disbursement of Financial Aid

Financial aid awards are released at the start of each semester. As a financial aid recipient, your financial aid award funds will first be used to pay your tuition/fees, any other charges on your student account and on-campus housing bills. After all your University bills are paid for the semester, the balance of your financial aid money will be issued to you in the form of a refund from the Bursar’s office.

Contact Information

The Office of Student Financial Services prides itself on offering expert advice, friendly service, and personalized support. Please call, visit, or e-mail at any time.
Contact Information
Oscar Vasquez, Director of Financial Aid
617 West 168th Street #124
New York N.Y. 10032
212 305-8147

ov3@columbia.edu