The Ultimate Guide To Rutgers Financial Aid
Looking for Rutgers financial aid? College nowadays is insanely expensive and paying for it seems nearly impossible. Most likely, you need every last penny you can get, so financial aid is like a lifeline – you don’t want to screw that up! Follow this straightforward guide to Rutgers financial aid and stay organized so you don’t miss a single step!
1. If you didn’t file your FAFSA yet, do it now!
The FAFSA priority filing date for Rutgers is recommended to be December 1st for incoming freshmen, so if you missed that date, make sure to get it submitted ASAP! You’ll still be considered for aid (technically until March), but the sooner you file, the better your chances are of receiving a better package. Get to it!
2. Give Rutgers a call if you’re unsure about something.
The financial aid process is obviously really important, so if you’re not sure if you’re doing something right, call up the financial aid office. Don’t be lazy or assume something because you might make a tiny, unintentional mistake that could jeopardize your whole financial aid package (like submitting it super late) and you might even be selected for verification if your FAFSA information doesn’t quite look right, which is a huge pain, so ask questions if you have them to avoid these things!
You can find the contact information for the different university locations here!
3. Have everything you need on hand so you aren’t rushing at the last minute.
When you’re filling out the FAFSA, you’re going to need quite a few things. You’ll need your social, your parents’ socials, your 2016, 2017 tax info, your parents’ 2016, 2017 tax info, your income info, your parents’ income info….
It’s a lot of work. Don’t wait until the last minute! Prepare all of these things ahead of time and sit down with your parents to just get the whole thing done and out of the way. That way, you can focus on getting excited for college!
4. Bookmark the Rutgers financial aid instructions!
Rutgers put together a ton of informative videos if you’re completely lost in the whole financial aid process. These video tutorials are a great resource and could save you a ton of time, so refer back to them if you start to feel like you have no idea what you’re doing when it comes to Rutgers financial aid!
5. Where will I see my financial aid award?
You can check your financial aid package’s status by logging in online here!
6. When will I find out my financial aid award?
If you completed the FAFSA by the recommended December 1st date, you should expect a financial aid notification in January!
7. Save your spot in the freshmen class!
Make sure you accept your attendance by May 1st, 2018 to reserve your spot in the incoming class!
8. How much will it cost?
Rutgers offers a detailed look at their different costs for attendance here.
An out-of-state student should expect a cost of attendance of about $48,463/year. An in-state student’s cost of attendance totals around $32,649/year, broken down like this:
- Tuition: $11,750
- Fees: $2,017
- Room & board: $12,756
- Books: $1,350
- Travel: $856
- Miscellaneous: $3,013
- Loan fees: $107
9. What’s the average financial aid package at Rutgers?
About 78% of the students at Rutgers receive some sort of financial aid. The average aid offer for a Rutgers student in 2014-2015 was $16,376!
10. Special circumstances are always considered.
You can submit a Change in Family Circumstances form if there’s a sudden income loss that affects your eligibility. This will allow for your financial aid package to be reviewed. For more detailed instructions, you can go here.
