Awarding Federal Student Aid

Student Aid Report (SAR)

Once a student completes the FAFSA, they will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that summarizes the data from the FAFSA and determines the student's official Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Receiving your SAR

• The student will receive a copy of their SAR within a few days of submitting the FAFSA if an email address was supplied on the FAFSA. The email will contain a secure link to access your SAR online.
• If an email address was not provided on the FAFSA, the student will receive a paper copy of their SAR in the mail approximately four weeks from the date the FAFSA was submitted.
• If additional information is needed from the student, the EFC may not appear on the SAR.

Reviewing your SAR

After receiving your SAR, carefully review the information for mistakes. If you believe your information is incorrect, you may fix any mistakes by writing the correct answers on the Information Review Form located on the back of the SAR. Once the Information Review Form is complete, you can:

• Contact AAU's Financial Aid Office to determine if the corrections may be submitted electronically, or
• Mail the form to the address designated on the SAR.

Cost of Attendance

The Cost of Attendance (COA) is the total amount needed to attend college each year. Each school determines its annual average COA using a formula established by Congress. A student's eligibility for financial aid will not be based on individual preferences and spending habits, but rather on standard budget allowances.

A student's cost of attendance will include:

• Tuition and fees
• Books, supplies, loan fees and miscellaneous personal expenses
• Room and board expenses
• Dependent care
• Costs related to disability

The cost of attendance for students attending AAU does include expenses related to the direct and indirect costs students may incur. The figure used to determine the indirect cost allowance is the national average obtained from the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

Student Award

After the student has completed the FAFSA and receives their Transfer Credit Evaluation, he/she will then be provided with instructions for logging into the Student Portal. In the student portal, students will find their award status. In addition, it is in the Student Portal where students will find a description of their awards. This process may take longer for students chosen for verification and/or other issues that require additional documentation.