Federal Grants
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA is your application for all Federal grants (i.e. Pell, SEOG and TEACH). View deadlines on the FAFSA site.
The TEACH grant has additional application requirements. The FAFSA and TEACH Agreement to Serve application must be renewed annually. In addition, you must be officially accepted into the Teacher Education program.
State of Kansas Scholarships
The FAFSA is your application for the Kansas Comprehensive Grant. You must have a complete FAFSA application submitted to the Department of Education by April 1 annually to receive the grant. Other Kansas Scholarships are subject to a downloadable application on the Kansas Board of Regents website. Deadlines vary. Application for state scholarships must be renewed annually.
Federal Direct Stafford Loan
You must officially accept any Federal Direct Stafford loan you have been offered by responding to your annual award letter. In your response, you must write that you accept the loans as offered or you must indicate any loans you are declining or adjusting. Please note that to receive loans, students must be enrolled at least half-time and are subject to annual and aggregate maximums.
The first time you accept an offer of a Federal Direct Stafford loan from Southwestern College, you must also complete the following steps:
- Complete your Master Promissory Note (MPN). Please have your PIN and the names and addresses of at least 3 different references ready. The MPN is valid for 10 years. This step is waived for students who already have an active MPN on file with the Department of Education.
- Complete Entrance Counseling. This step is required for each first time borrower and waived for students who have received a Federal Direct Stafford loan within the past year. Please have your PIN ready.
Federal Perkins Loan
You must officially accept any Federal Perkins loan you have been offered by responding to your annual award letter. In your response, you must write that you accept the loan as offered or indicate that you are declining or adjusting the amount of the loan. Please note that to receive a Perkins loan, you must be enrolled at least half-time and are subject to annual and aggregate maximums.
Returning students will need to annually verify the amount they have accepted on the SignMyLoan website.
New students must complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN) and Entrance Counseling. An email from University Accounting Service will direct students to the SignMyLoan website where entrance counseling and the MPN can be completed in one, seamless step. Please have your PIN and the names and addresses of 3 different references ready. The MPN is valid for 10 years.
Federal Direct PLUS Loan (Parents)
The parent wishing to serve as the borrower for the Federal PLUS loan must officially accept the PLUS loan offered on the student’s annual award letter by emailing of Office of Financial Aid and including the following information:
- The amount the borrower is choosing to accept. The amount can be the same, less or more than what appears on the award letter.
- The first and last name of the parent who will be serving as the borrower.
IMPORTANT: No action will be taken to place a PLUS loan on the student’s account until an email or written notification from the parent is received – even if the student has indicated that they are accepting all loans offered on the award letter.
The first time you accept an offer of a Federal PLUS loan, the borrower will need to complete a Master Promissory Note. Please have a PIN and the names and addresses of 3 references ready. The MPN is valid for 10 years. This step is waived for parents who already have an established MPN for the enrolled student on file with the Department of Education.
PLUS loans do not carry a Federal guarantee and are therefore subject to an annual credit evaluation and approval. The process is performed after the MPN is signed and before funds are released to the student account.
There are occasionally instances when a parent is not approved for a parent loan due to adverse credit history. When this happens, there are two options available to the family:
The denied parent may apply with the aid of an endorser (co-signer).
The Office of Financial aid can offer the student an additional Stafford loan (subject to the annual and aggregate maximums for independent students.)
Federal Direct PLUS (Graduates)
Graduate students wishing to borrow a PLUS loan must email or visit the Office of Financial Aid to discuss their eligibility for this loan. Please note that to receive a Federal Direct PLUS, you must be attending at least half-time.
The first time you choose to borrow a Federal PLUS loan, you will need to complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling. Please have your PIN and the names and addresses of 3 references ready. The MPN is valid for 10 years. These requirements are waived for students who have borrowed a Federal PLUS within the last year.
PLUS loans do not carry a Federal guarantee and are therefore subject to an annual credit evaluation and approval. The process is performed after the MPN is signed and before funds are released to the student’s account.
There are occasionally instances where a student is not approved for a PLUS loan due to adverse credit history. When this happens, a student may apply with the aid of an endorser