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Office of Financial Aid Services

News

Welcome to the Financial Aid Services web site. We hope you find it helpful.

1) Use the same name and id number on all computer systems. Using different names or numbers can delay or even cancel your aid.

2) Graduate Tuition Reimbursement Awards announced for Spring *2008* - - information

3) NY State Aid Advisement Alert - information

4)***New Financial Aid Programs--ACG AND SMART*** - more information

5)Printing problems on this site? Change your print preference from portrait to landscape.

6) You have to apply every year to be considered for financial aid. Applications now available for BOTH Academic Year 2007-2008 (Summer 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008) *and* for Academic Year 2008-2009 (Summer 2008, Fall 2008, Spring 2009).

7) Information about Education Tax Credits is avalable at http://www.studentaid.org/
TaxBenefitsPSIntro.htmland from the Bursar's Office at 718-997-4534.

8) Don't have an email address? It's important to put a good email address on your aid applications. As you consider your options, consider using your *FREE* QC student email account. Read all email account policies carefully.

9) Consider Direct Deposit to get your checks faster.

You and Your Money

Many of our students need some sort of financial aid to help pay the costs of attending college or graduate school. Financial Aid at Queens College includes grants, work and loans from NY State and the Federal government, and can help pay expenses beyond tuition and fees. We have tried to present information on our site that will help you understand the programs, your eligibility for them, and the application process. Follow carefully the instructions on our website for applying for these programs. Always ask us if you have any questions or need help.

We also want to connect you to resources that can help you in other ways to keep your finances in order. We have initiated workshops - see our flyer for our April 2, 2008 Financial Literacy Workshop at http://www.qc.cuny.edu/financial_aid/pdf/finlit0408.pdf - and this section of our website with that in mind.

Explore our website as well as this page - we think it might be of use to you even if you aren't applying for our financial aid programs. On our web pages, you can learn about:

avoiding billing and financial aid problems
finding scholarships and other resources

as well as about

money you can SAVE by starting to think about debt management techniques

>money you can SAVE by becoming aware of consumer alerts and scams

money you can SAVE by becoming aware of resources at QC that are much less costly than they would be off-campus

We are in the process of expanding these YOU AND YOUR MONEY pages of our website in order to help you - in ways that go beyond your aid and that will continue to serve you in the future.

1) Avoid Billing and Financial Aid Problems at QC
Be sure to read and understand all College rules and policies. Our "Avoid Problems" page highlights some of the potential problem areas. Do not assume anything - check first!

2) Check our web site for information on scholarships and other resources.

3) Be careful of offers that look too good to be true.
They probably are, and are designed to help you part easily with your hard earned money. Infromation is included from organizations such as the Better Business Bureau, as well as from Federal agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission.

4) Explore discounts and programs you might be eligible for off-campus / in the community.
Be sure you understand what they do for you and what they will not, and what additional expense you might incur to take advantage of any special deals.

5) Be Smart!

You work hard for your money --- we don't want you to lose it. A few more suggestions as food for thought.

Keep your important personal posessions with you. Leaving your pocketbook or backpack lying around --- in the caf, in the library, outside of or in the waiting room of a campus office --- is never a great idea.
Please --- don't walk around with an open envelope of cash as you head toward the Bursar's Office to pay a bill.
Try to keep track of your bank accounts and other monies held for you --- we know it's harder as banks keep merging. Check periodically for funds that may have been turned over to the NY State as unclaimed; New York's Office of the State Comptroller has a searchable database at http://www.osc.state.ny.us/ouf/index.htm . Other states have similar online databases.
Understand the education related and low income tax deductions you might be eligible for. In order to get them, and the economic stimulus check for 2008, you have to file a tax return, even if you aren't otherwise required to do so. You also have to file in order to get back taxes you have overpaid. See the IRS web site at http://irs.gov. Look for earned income credit, Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning Credit, economic stimulus, among other topics.

6) Debt Management / Smart Borrowing

Loans are important to many of our students, but we try to encourage them to take in loan only what they need. The goal of debt management counseling is to encourage wise borrowing. Remember that loans do have to be repaid. If you take student loans, be sure to read carefully all information provided about each loan before accepting it. We include excerpts from a variety of publications and reminders about smart borrowing and debt management.

7) SAVE Money at Queens College
Become aware of the many valuable resources available at QC that can SAVE you alot of money.