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Student financial aid forms are available under the Financial section of CougarTrack. Parent Financial Aid Forms are also available there or on the Parent Forms page of the website.
To Apply:
Step 1 - Admissions Application
Complete an application for admission to the college.
Step 2 - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The FAFSA can be submitted anytime after October 1st of the year prior to the academic year the students plan to attend college. (i.e. FAFSA is available October 1, 2017 for those applying for the 2018-2019 academic year, which begins August 2018).
Complete the FAFSA, with the Columbia College school code, 002456.
If you complete a FAFSA application between October and June, there will be two FAFSA applications available for two different academic years. Be sure to complete the FAFSA application for the time frame(s) you plan to attend.
Columbia College’s priority deadline for the 2018-2019 FAFSA is March 1, 2018.
The priority deadline to submit the 2018-2019 FAFSA in order to be considered for Missouri state aid is February 1, 2018, and the final deadline is April 1, 2018. Eligible students who apply between February 1st and April 1st will be awarded based on funding availability.
Step 3 - Check the Status of your Financial Aid
Activate your CougarTrack account and monitor your CougarMail on a regular basis. The Financial Aid Office will use your Columbia College e-mail address as a primary communication method to inform you about the status of your financial aid application, upcoming deadlines and important dates. Correspondence sent through e-mail will not be sent via postal mail.
“My Documents”, available through CougarTrack, will show what documents have been received and what documents are missing or incomplete. It may take 1 to 2 business days for a submitted document to be logged in here.
The general turnaround time for processing financial aid documents submitted to Columbia College is 10 business days. Turnaround time will likely increase during peak times, such as the beginning of a new school year. Students are encouraged to submit documentation as early as possible.
Step 4 - Applying for Student Loans Online
Student loan borrowers must complete three steps, in addition to their FAFSA, to be eligible for student loans:
- Entrance Counseling
- Master Promissory Note
- Accept/decline/modify loans through the Electronic Award Letter, available through CougarTrack.
Find more information on federal student loans.
Students must reapply each year for financial aid. See important dates for application deadlines.
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