Financial Aid FAQs

To qualify for Financial Aid, you must– be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen, such as a Resident Alien, with a valid Social Security Number; be enrolled or admitted to a degree or certificate program; have a high school diploma or recognized equivalent, such as a GED; be making Satisfactory Academic Progress if previously enrolled; and not be in default on prior student loans.

To be considered for financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic year you wish to receive aid. This is the form colleges and universities use to determine your eligibility for federal and state aid. When completing the FAFSA, make sure to include Moore College of Art & Design in your application to ensure we get your information. Our school code is 003300. We strongly recommend that students start and complete their section of the FAFSA first before the contributor completes their section. For Pro Tips on completing the FAFSA form, visit the Student Aid website.

In some cases, additional documentation may be required to verify your FAFSA. You will also need to complete additional forms in order to borrow Federal Direct Loans or participate in the Federal Work Study program. The Financial Aid Office will send you instructions for completing these items, if needed.

You should apply as soon as the FAFSA becomes available for the upcoming school year. The FAFSA typically opens on October 1st. For incoming accepted first year students, the priority deadline for completion of the FAFSA in order to receive the Early Action Scholarship is December 15th. For returning students, the priority deadline for completion of the FAFSA is March 1st.

Yes, the priority deadlines are recommended dates used by the Financial Aid Office to help determine eligibility for some types of more limited institutional and federal aid, such as Federal Work Study.  If you want to receive financial aid, you can still file the FAFSA as soon as possible.  For Pennsylvania residents, PHEAA has a May 1st deadline for determining PA State Grant eligibility.

Yes, there are sources of aid such as Unsubsidized Direct Loans and Direct PLUS Loans that are available regardless of financial need. Completing the FAFSA is free, and you are not obligated to take any aid you don’t want. If you prefer not to complete the FAFSA, please let our office know.

If your family experiences a change in circumstances (such as the loss of a job or other income, divorce, or death of a parent), the Financial Aid Office can re-evaluate your need. Reach out to us via email or phone and we will let you know what additional documentation would be required for your circumstance.

Yes, you must complete the FAFSA by March 1st every year you wish to continue to receive financial aid. The FAFSA will always require prior-prior year tax data, which will be automatically transferred into your FAFSA using the FUTURE Act Direct Data Exchange with the IRS.

For dependent students, you must provide your data and then also parental data. If you need help figuring out which parent should serve as your FAFSA contributor, check out this tool on the Student Aid website. For independent students, information about you and, if married, your spouse is required. Generally, students are considered dependent until they turn 24 or have completed their first undergraduate degree. Graduate and Post-Baccalaureate students are considered independent regardless of their age.

You should provide information about the parent who provided the most financial support during the twelve-month period prior to completing the FAFSA.  If both parents provided an exact equal amount of financial support or if neither supports the student financially, select the parent with the greater income and assets.

If your parent whose information is reported on the FAFSA has re-married as of the date you file the FAFSA, then yes, your step-parent’s income and asset information must be included on the FAFSA.

PHEAA is the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, is the agency that administers the PA State Grant program for Pennsylvania residents.  To be considered for this grant, you should file your FAFSA by May 1st. You should create a GrantUs Portal account for the PA State Grant at grantus.pheaa.org once you receive an email from PHEAA, after completing your FAFSA.

Scholarships are a form of aid based on academic, artistic, or other merit.  Grants are a form of aid based on financial need.  Scholarships and grants are gift aid, which means they do not have to be paid back. Loans and work study are forms of self-help aid.  Loans have to be repaid, generally after you graduate or drop below half-time enrollment.  Federal Work Study is aid you earn by working on campus.

SAI stands for Student Aid Index. This number is calculated by the Department of Education when you complete your FAFSA, and is included in your FAFSA Submission Summary.  The Financial Aid Office will use this number to determine the types and amounts of aid you are eligible for. Generally, the calculation for financial need is Cost of Attendance (COA) minus the Student Aid Index (SAI) equals Financial Need. Many types of financial aid require students to demonstrate some financial need.

Yes, because there is a limit to the total amount of aid you can receive, including outside scholarships.  Outside scholarships usually will have no impact on the aid offered by the Financial Aid Office, though in some cases financial aid may need to be reduced upon receipt of an outside scholarship. Loans are always reduced before gift aid. We will let you know of any changes to your financial aid.

Complete all forms as early and as accurately as possible. Never pay to apply for financial aid or a scholarship. Be sure to enter your name and Social Security Number exactly as they appear on your Social Security Card. If you have questions, reach out to the Financial Aid Office. 

Yes, for more information about the Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program, please contact Senior Financial Aid Counselor, Colleen Harkins at 215.965.4041 or charkins@moore.edu.

Yes, Moore College of Art & Design is considered a Yellow Ribbon School. Moore participates in matching additional institutional tuition assistance with benefits provided from the Veterans Administration (VA) for Post-9/11 GI Bill recipients and we certify enrollment for other VA Benefits as well. For more information, contact the VA School Certifying Official, Grace Taylor at 215-965-4042 or gtaylor@moore.edu