Aid Resources

• FSA ID Instructions (PDF)

To begin, an FSA ID will need to be established:

• A student and designated contributor (parent) must have an FSA ID on the Federal Student Aid website.
• An FSA ID is an account and password that gives you access to the Federal Student Aid’s system and serves as your electronic signature. Students will create an FSA account and invite a contributor (parent) to their FAFSA. Contributors provide household and financial information on the application.
• To invite a contributor, you will need to provide their name, date of birth, social security number, and email address.
• Contributors (designated custodial parent) and other contributors, such as your parent(s) or spouse, or stepparent, should be sent an invitation to create their FSA ID.
• If you have an existing FSA ID, there is no need to create a new one. If you are creating an FSA ID for the first time, please allow several business days for your information to be verified before you start the FAFSA.

Once you have your FSA ID, you are ready to begin the FAFSA. The application will take approximately one hour to complete, and you can save the form and return to it later if needed.

Visit www.studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa to begin the application. Contributors (parent) will need to log in with their own FSA ID to provide information. Collect information and documents you may need to have available.

• Tax Returns
• Records of child support received
• Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
• Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms

Provide your consent and approval to retrieve and disclose your federal tax information (FTI). With your consent and approval, your tax return information will be obtained automatically from the IRS to help you complete the FAFSA. You must provide consent and approval even if you did not file a U.S. Federal Tax Return or did not file.

Important Notes

• If you do not provide consent and approval, you will not be eligible for federal student aid, including grants and loans.
• Every contributor must provide consent and approval for you to be eligible for federal student aid.
• It will take 1-3 days for your FAFSA to be sent to the college you listed. You can add a maximum of 20 colleges to receive your FAFSA.
• Once you complete the FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA submission summary which includes your Student Aid Index (SAI) - the number used by the Department of Education to determine federal aid eligibility.
• Please keep your FSA ID in a safe place to use for future use as it will be needed to complete the requirements for federal loans, such as signing your Master Promissory Note (MPN), complete Entrance Counseling (EC), and applying for a Federal Parent PLUS Loan.

 

• Is My Parent a Contributor When I Fill Out the FAFSA? (PDF)

A parent means your legal (Biological or adoptive) parent or a person that the state has determined to be your legal parent. A stepparent is considered a parent if they have adopted you. Stepparents that have not adopted you will be identified as a parent spouse. 

Are your biological or adoptive parents married to each other?

Your parents' marital status is married (not separated), and both of your parents' information must be included on the FAFSA form. If your parents did not file taxes jointly, then both of your parents are contributors. Their individual information, consent and approval, and signatures will be required on the FAFSA form. If your parents filed taxes jointly, only one parent is required as a contributor and will report information for both parents. 

Note: Dependent students are required to report parent information on the FAFSA form, and in most cases, a parent will be identified as a contributor for these students. All contributors are required to provide their information, signature, and consent, and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA form. Being a contributor on the FAFSA form does not mean an obligation to pay for the student's education. 

Do your biological or adoptive parents live together?

Your parents' marital status is unmarried (both legal parents living together), and both of your parents are contributors, even if they were never married, are divorced, or are separated. Their individual information, consent and approval, and signatures will be required on the FAFSA form. 

Did one parent provide more financial support than the other over the past 12 months?

• The individual information, consent and approval and signature of the parent who provided more financial support over the past 12 months will be required on the FAFSA form, and this parent will be identified as a contributor. 
• The individual information, consent and approval, and signature of the parent who has the greater income and assets will be required on the FAFSA form, and this parent will be identified as a contributor. 

Has this parent married/remarried?

• Your parent's marital status is married/remarried. Your stepparent will also be identified as a contributor on the FAFSA form if they didn't file their taxes jointly with your parent. 
• Your parent's marital status is single (never married), separated, divorced, or widowed. An additional parent will not be identified as a contributor. 

(September 2023)

 

2024-2025 FAFAS FAQs

• Why is the FAFSA delayed for the 2024-2025 academic year?

On Dec. 27, 2020, Congress passed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which included the FAFSA Simplification Act—a sweeping redesign of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid. For 2024-2025 only the FAFSA will become available by December 31. The Department of Education will not be transmitting FAFSA data to institutions until late January/early February.

• What is the Student Aid Index (SAI)?

Students and families will see a different measure, the Student Aid Index (SAI), of their ability to pay for college and will also experience a change in the federal methodology used to determine aid. The new federal formula removes the number of family members in college from the calculation and allows a minimum SAI of negative $1,500 to give financial aid administrators more insight when making determinations for students with especially challenging situations. Any student who has a -$1,500 SAI will receive maximum Federal Pell Grant. 

SAI Fact Sheet

• Is it true that the FAFSA will no longer consider family members in college?

The new federal formula removes the number of family members in college from the calculation for federal eligibility.  

The College Board CSS Profile will still ask for the number of family members in college and will utilize this in their calculation. This means that when we award need—based institutional aid we will consider number in college.  

• How will starting the FAFSA be different?

Parents are now referred to as “contributors” and must provide consent for the FAFSA to be processed. Parents will be notified by email when they've been identified as a contributor by the student. You will start the FAFSA by entering an FSA ID (that the student must define) and initiating a contributor (parent) to include family financial information. The parent (contributor) will then receive an email inviting them to complete their portion of the FAFSA. The parent (contributor) will have 45 days from the date of the email to complete the FAFSA. If the parent (contributor) does not complete their portion before the 45 days is over, then the student will have to start the FAFSA again. 

• What is FTI and consent? Why is it important?

Parents are now referred to as “contributors” and must provide consent for the FAFSA to be processed.  The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)--used to collect Federal Tax Information (FTI) directly from the IRS and bring it to the FAFSA--is now known as the Future Act Direct Data Exchange. All information will be masked for confidentiality. The contributor (parent) must consent for the Department of Education to use their FTI to determine eligibility for federal aid. Contributors must consent annually. Without the consent of FTI, families are ineligible for federal grants and loans. 

The online consent permits the Department of Education to use your FTI (Federal Tax Information) for the purpose of determining eligibility for federal student aid. The information brought in from the IRS will be masked. Consent includes the authorization (valid for an entire aid year) to redisclose FTI to institutions of higher education, state higher education institutions, and designated scholarship organizations. Without the consent of FTI families are ineligible for federal grants and loans. 

• How is my household size determined now?

The household size will be determined by the tax return, the number in college will not be used in the calculation.  

• Who will be listed as my parent on the FAFSA?

The parent listed on the FAFSA is the parent that provides the greater financial support. There is no longer the requirement that the student must live with that parent.   

Confused about which parent is the contributor? The Department of Education will provide the Parent Wizard to help determine which parent to list as the contributor on the FAFSA and complete it accurately.  

There are a few scenarios to consider:  

• For dependent students with married parents who filed taxes jointly, only one parent has to be the contributor and provide consent.  

• For dependent students with married parents who filed taxes separately, both parents are required to be the contributor and provide consent.  

• Parents or contributors who report their marital status as divorced or remarried may be prompted to enter their tax information manually.  

• For independent students the spouse is a contributor and must provide consent.  

If parents are divorced or separated, the parent that will be listed on the FAFSA will now be the parent that provided the greater portion of the financial support. It is no longer a requirement that the student has to live with that parent the most. If there is exactly equal support between the custodial and non-custodial parent, the parent with the greater income will complete the FAFSA. 

• Can I get an FSA ID without an SSN?

For those with no social security number, non-citizen spouses or parents, an FSA ID will be required, but will be authenticated with additional verification questions. 

Note: Please be aware that it may take several business days to create the FSA ID and being able to utilize it. Contributor information is verified appropriate federal agencies. 

• How does the delayed FAFSA impact my financial aid offer as an EDI or EDII applicant?

For prospective applicants applying for either Early Decision I (EDI) or Early Decision II (EDII) the Office of Financial Aid will provide estimated awards while we wait for the Department of Education to release the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Bryn Mawr College remains committed to meeting 100% of demonstrated need and the delayed release of the FAFSA will not impact an applicant’s eligibility. EDI applicants should complete their CSS Profile, federal tax returns, schedules and W2’s by November 15, and EDII applicants should complete these items by January 1.  We will send out communications to students who were admitted under EDI or EDII when the FAFSA becomes available so that we can finalize our financial aid offers.  

• Where can I find key terms and definitions?

You can read more in depth about key terms and definitions on the Department of Education's website.

• College Board Frequently Asked Questions 
• CSS Profile for International Applicants
• Information for Parent Account Creation

• Repayment Calculator
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)

Need additional help? Go to our Repayment video

Students should research the cost of their books and materials and plan to save money for purchasing books before they arrive on campus. Students who will be working on campus may plan to use some of their earnings from work to help purchase books for the spring semester.

The Bryn Mawr College Bookshop provides a tool that allows you to select your classes and compare the prices of books in the store and online. There are many options for purchasing books, including used books, book rentals, new books, borrowing a book from the library, or locating PDFs online.

Review frequently asked questions about the new financial aid portal here. Please use a fresh browser window when accessing the financial aid portal.

• How do I access my financial aid information?

Log in to BiONiC. Each term you will be required to enter demographic information. If you do not update this, you will not be able to access the below screen. Next, click “Financial Information,” then click “View BMC Financial Aid.”

Once you click “View BMC Financial Aid” a new window will open for you to enter your BMC credentials to enter the BMC Financial Aid portal.

• How do I see what documents are missing?

Select “Documents and Messages” from the menu in the top left corner of the financial aid portal to view the status of your application documents.

If a document appears as “Received” or “Approved,” no further action is needed. The following statuses require action from you:

-“Not Received”- We have not received the document.

-“Incomplete”- You have submitted the document, but something is still missing.

-“Not Signed”- We received the document, but it is missing a physical signature.

• Where do I upload the missing documents?

All tax documents (including tax returns, tax transcripts, and W2s) MUST be uploaded to IDOC, the College Board’s secure document portal. To protect your identity, do not submit any tax documents or items with your social security number via email.

• Where do messages from the Office of Financial Aid appear?

You will see messages from the Office of Financial Aid on your “Documents and Messages” page under “Messages”.

You may also see important messages about specific documents by clicking on “Click to View Message” next to a document.

You may also find a message specific to your financial aid resource on the “Awards” page by clicking the link “Click to View Message” next to the resource.

• Where do I view and accept my award offer?

You will view your offers on your student portal under “Awards.” You will be able to review your offer here and accept, reduce, or decline your student loan eligibility under the “Status” dropdown.

• Who should I contact with questions?

Please contact the Office of Financial Aid with any financial aid questions. Contact information is posted on the home page of the student portal or on the financial aid website. Find your financial aid counselor here. If you need assistance with your BiOnIc log-in credentials, contact the Help Desk.

• What other information can I find on my student portal?

-Online Applications: Returning GSWWR Students can find their returning social work application by clicking the link “Returning Social Work App”. This application is required for all Master of Social Work students who receive Social Work Grant or are interested in borrowing loans. This must be completed online.

-Student Employment: You will find FAQs and contact information for working on campus.

-Financial Aid Resources: You will find helpful videos and websites from the federal government and the Bryn Mawr community.

• How can I see past award offers?

Select the award year in the top right corner of the “Awards” page for the academic year 2020-2021 and forward. The “View Financial Aid History” menu option is for the purpose of looking up historical information about past financial aid offers, before 2020-2021.

 

We are excited about this change and strongly encourage students to read carefully through the below FAQs for more detailed information.

• How was this financial aid policy change made possible?

In the 2022-23 academic year, the College provided $42.8 million in total institutional financial aid to undergraduate students. Increasing Bryn Mawr’s ability to provide financial aid was among the key goals of the College’s recent “Defy Expectation” fund-raising campaign. Currently, 78% of Bryn Mawr students receive financial aid, with an average award of $62,230.

“Equity and inclusion are an explicit part of Bryn Mawr’s mission and these additional investments in financial aid help put a Bryn Mawr education more within reach for students with financial need,” says Bryn Mawr Former President Kim Cassidy. “Prioritizing need-based financial aid in building the College’s budget and the generosity of our donors has allowed the College to take this critical step to live our mission of excellence and access.” 

• What is the policy change?

The policy change will impact two groups of students: 

• Students with a total family income of less than $110,000 and total family assets of less than $500,000. For these students, 100% of demonstrated need, as calculated by the student’s financial aid application, will be met with grant and work-study. Starting in the Fall 2024 semester, loans will no longer be used to meet need. 
• For students with total family income above $110,000 who receive need-based institutional aid and with total family assets of less than $500,000, these students will receive an additional $4,000 in grants from the College to help offset or eliminate a portion of their loan obligation needed to pay their college expenses. While these students will still see a loan in their financial aid offer*, part of this loan will help cover their calculated Student Aid Index (SAI), instead of meeting their need. 

*Per Federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid will continue to notify students of their loan eligibility. 

• What does “total income” refer to in the new policy?

Total income includes taxed and untaxed income reported by a student’s family (or families in the case of separated/divorced parents) on the financial aid application.

• What does “total assets” refer to in the new policy?

Total assets include money in cash, savings, and checking accounts; the value of businesses or farms; investment farms; real estate, UGMA, UTMA accounts that the parent is the owner; stocks, bonds, certificates of deposits, etc. reported by a student’s family (or families in the case of separated/divorced parents) on the financial aid application.

• What does it mean to meet 100% of demonstrated need?

Bryn Mawr has had a long-standing commitment to meet 100% of the demonstrated need of our students. This means the College offers students enough financial aid to cover the difference between the college’s cost of attendance and a family’s ability to pay, or student aid index (SAI, as determined by the financial aid application required by the Office of Financial Aid. This policy change will increase the amount of grant used to meet the need of all need-based aid eligible students. 

Please keep in mind that students also have a responsibility to contribute towards their educational costs. Please read about this in more detail here.

• Is this for domestic students and international students?

This policy change is for both domestic and international students. This type of classification of the student is defined at the point of admission or if there is a change in citizenship status while enrolled. As international students do not reapply for financial aid, their eligibility will be based on their financial aid application at the time of admission.

• What is my SAI and how does that interact with this policy?

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is calculated using the reported income and assets of all parent households on the financial aid application and is also impacted by the number of undergraduate students in the family. This can sometimes also be referred to as a measure of a family’s ability to pay. This policy change will increase the amount of grant used to meet the need of all need-based aid-eligible students.  Students with a total family income of less than $110,000 and total family assets of less than $500,000 will see a small loan included in their financial aid award to help cover their student aid index (SAI) as determined by their financial aid application. For students with total family income above $110,000 who received need-based Bryn Mawr Grant, these students will still see a loan on their financial aid offer, part of this loan will help cover their calculated SAI. 

• What does this policy mean for my indebtedness?

This policy will meet the need of a qualified undergraduate student with more need-based grant than under our previous policy. This means that the student will have lower out-of-pocket costs and more financial aid available to them. Some students and families may still choose to borrow loan funding to assist with their family contribution.

• Will I still have an out-of-pocket bill?

Students will see an increase in the grant aid received depending on family income and assets. A student who is eligible for an increase in grant will see a decrease to their out-of-pocket bill, but the amount due or refund will vary student-to-student based on their overall financial aid eligibility.

• Will this affect my ability to work?

This policy should not affect the student’s ability to work, either through the Federal Work-Study program or through Campus Employment. There may be limited situations where a student’s work award can be affected if they have other need-based aid awards, like outside scholarships, that will make their total aid greater than the cost of attendance. All outside aid will continue to be adjusted under our normal policy.

• If my family’s total income is under $110,000 and assets under $500,000, why am I still seeing a loan in my financial aid package?

Per Federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid will continue to notify students of their loan eligibility. For students who will no longer have loans used to meet their need, any loan eligibility to help cover the student aid index (SAI) will be included in the student’s financial aid package. As always, the student can accept or decline the loan in their student portal. 

• I applied for need based financial aid during the 2023-24 academic year, but only received a merit scholarship and a loan. Will this change impact me?

Students who are ineligible for a need-based Bryn Mawr grant will not see a change to their financial aid eligibility. However, we encourage U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents and their families to complete the financial aid process annually, as we will reassess your eligibility for Bryn Mawr Grant every year.

• When will I know how this policy impacts me specifically?

For current students, financial aid applications are due on April 15. Until we have received and reviewed a student’s financial aid application, we will not be able to definitively let a student know how their grant eligibility will increase. We recommend completing your financial aid application as soon as possible if you are unsure how this change in policy will impact you.

• Are there other circumstances that could impact my financial aid for 2024-25?

U.S citizens and Permanent Residents must reapply for need-based financial aid every year. Financial aid eligibility can fluctuate based on a change in income, change in assets or change to the number of siblings enrolled as undergraduate students. Please remember that while we are basing your financial aid eligibility on 2022 for the 2024-2025 academic year, in future years we will ask families to reapply with the next tax year. As financial aid eligibility is assessed every year if your family income or assets went up in 2025 or 2026 your aid eligibility will go down in future years (if all other factors remain similar)

• If I need to borrow a loan, can I still borrow one?

Per Federal regulations, the Office of Financial Aid will continue to notify students of their loan eligibility. For students who will no longer have loans used to meet their need, any loan eligibility to help cover the student aid index (SAI) will be included in the student’s financial aid package. As always, the student can accept or decline the loan in their student portal. 

• Will this affect my ability to submit a request for reconsideration if my family’s financial circumstances change?

Students may always submit a request for reconsideration if their family has experienced a significant change in financial circumstances or when a family’s circumstance has changed after the applications for financial aid have been filed. Students can refer to the change in financial circumstance page for situations that the Office of Financial Aid can consider. Please note that students are required to exhaust all self-help opportunities (such as loans and student employment) before they are eligible to be considered for an appeal grant.