Ozarka College

You will first need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) either online or via the paper application. Be sure to add Ozarka College's school code 013217. We encourage you to submit the FAFSA to the federal processor as early as possible since Ozarka College awards financial aid on a first-come, first-served basis.

You may wish to check with other institutions you are considering to see if they have any priority dates or deadlines for the FAFSA. It typically takes one week for the online application to be processed (assuming that no additional documents are requested) and 4-8 weeks for the paper application to be processed. We strongly recommend you utilize the online application. After we receive the electronic results from the federal processor, we will then send you a request for any additional documentation we may need.

Your eligibility for all forms of Federal Financial Aid, including Pell Grant, SEOG, ACG, FFEL Loans, and Work Study are determined when you complete the FAFSA.

No. You can apply for financial aid any time after January 1 each year. To be awarded federal aid you must be admitted to a degree seeking or certificate-seeking program. To receive funds from Ozarka College, you must be admitted and enrolled.

Our Federal School Code for the FAFSA is 013217. When you enter this code on the FAFSA, Ozarka will automatically receive an electronic copy of your processed Student Aid Report (SAR). We can then determine your financial aid eligibility.

Many families mistakenly believe they don't qualify for aid, preventing them from receiving aid for which they may be eligible simply because they fail to apply. In addition, there are sources of aid, such as Unsubsidized Loans available regardless of need. Also scholarships often require the FAFSA to be filed before students will be considered, regardless of financial need. There is no reason not to apply.

Enrollment Status

• 12 Hours or more:   Fulltime
• 9-11 Hours:               3/4 Time
• 6-8 Hours:                 1/2 Time
• 1-5 Hours:                  Less than 1/2

Students and potential students must complete the Ozarka scholarship packet by March 1st to be considered for most scholarships. Private scholarships may be available by searching "free" scholarship engines such as www.FreeScholarshipSearch.com.

Probably not. The Federal aid programs are built on the premise that educating a child is a family responsibility. It is unfortunate that your parents do not support you in this effort. However, the FAFSA gives specific criteria for determining when a student may file for federal aid without using parental income information, and none of the circumstances you mentioned are listed as factors in that determination. However, if there are other extenuating circumstances, please feel free to contact the financial aid office for further assistance.

Follow the directions listed under "Loans" on the financial aid information site. (Click Here)

For both loans, the principal (the original amount a student borrows) is deferred until six months after the student graduates or stops attending school at least half-time. As its name implies, a SUBSIDIZED loan is one where the government pays the interest on the loan while the student is in school. An UNSUBSIDIZED loan is one where the government does not pay the interest while the student is in school, that is, the student is responsible for paying the interest.

The federal government requires all first-time student loan borrowers to participate in loan counseling prior to receiving a Federal Student Loan. Even though you may have done an entrance exam at another college, Ozarka College requires that you complete this step in the loan process before a loan will be certified for you. During this session, you will review basic facts about loans, managing your education expenses and your rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower. You are also required to complete the "exit" counseling when you complete your degree at Ozarka or before you transfer to another college or totally withdraw.

You may cancel all or a portion of your loan by informing the financial aid office in writing. If the loan has not been disbursed, you may do this at any time. If the loan has been disbursed, you must contact the Business Office concerning the return of the funds. Your loan information is found on your myOzarka student account (award, credits, refund amounts, etc.).

Financial Aid Payment Dates for Pell Grant and Student Loans are posted each semester on the Financial Aid information site. When the Business Office processes student aid, the amounts and dates of the refunds are available on the student's account. A notification is sent to students via their myOzarka account.