Forms

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

  • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (known as the FAFSA) is a form that has to be prepared annually by current and prospective college students (undergraduate and graduate) in the United States to determine their eligibility for student financial aid. The FAFSA will be available for the upcoming year stating on January 1 of that year.

Satisfactory Academic Progress Appeal form

  • Federal student financial assistance regulations require Sterling College, as an institution offering federal student financial assistance, to measure Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) of each attending student on a regular basis. SAP, as assessed by Sterling College’s Financial Aid Office is separate and distinct from a student’s academic standing as determined by his/her college or academic unit at Sterling College. SAP is a method of measuring a student’s progress toward program completion. To be eligible for federal aid, a student must maintain satisfactory academic progress. SAP is measured through the use of qualitative and quantitative tests. Qualitative tests reference a student’s grades (e.g. cumulative GPA) and quantitative tests reference how much time has elapsed since the student began his/her program of study (i.e. length/duration). If a student falls out of good standing with regards to SAP regulations they will be allowed to appeal the decision. The student is required to complete all sections of the appeal form and submit to the financial aid office within 15 days of notification that they have been placed on a SAP Exclusion. Please see Sterling College’s SAP Policy for further information

Loan Forms

  • After completing the FAFSA students become eligible for Federal Loans. All loans require forms to be completed before loans can be disbursed. The two forms required for processing student loans are Entrance Counseling and Master Promissory Note. These forms are completed online and notification is sent to the financial aid office electronically within 48 hours.

FERPA Release Form

  • The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) establishes certain rights for students regarding the privacy of their educational record. While parents/guardians/spouses and other may have interest in the student's record, access to, or release of, the educational record is only permitted by written student consent.

Verification Forms

  • The Financial Aid Office will verify all applications that have been selected by the Department of Education. If there is conflicting information in the file, the conflict must be resolved even if the application is not selected by the Department of Education for verification. The conflict may be resolved without being chosen for total verification. Sterling College reserves the right to institutionally select student files on a case-by-case basis if there is reason to believe that data in the file or on the application is inaccurate. Part of the verification process requires the student to complete the verification form. Specific forms are assigned by the Department of Education for the student to complete and submit to the financial aid office. If you have questions about which form you should complete, please contact the financial aid office before beginning the process.

Additional Forms that may be needed to determine aid eligibility.