While you are visiting schools and deciding which is right for you, it’s important to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible.

The FAFSA application is free and quick and gives you access to the largest source of Federal Financial Aid to pay for school. To complete this important application go to www.fafsa.gov.

In order to qualify for federal, state or school financial aid you will need to complete the FAFSA application.

You can send your FAFSA information to up to 10 schools, so there is no need to wait.

Your FAFSA application will help you apply for various types of Financial Aid.

Every student who meets certain eligibility requirements can get some type of federal student aid, regardless of age or income.

Those who are eligible meet the following basic requirements:

• Demonstrate financial need.
• Are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.
• Have a valid social security number.
• Register with Selective Service if you are a male between 18 and 25 years of age.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress in college or career school.
• Have a H.S. diploma, GED or have completed a homeschooling program approved by your state.

There are 2 categories of federal student aid: grants and loans.

Grants are money that doesn’t have to be repaid. There are several types of grants available through the U.S. Department of Education and other sources.

• Federal Pell Grant: Undergraduates with financial need can receive a Federal Pell Grant for up to 12 semesters (or a total of 6 years).
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant: For undergraduates with exceptional financial need. Funds depend on availability at school.
• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant: For students who are not PELL eligible due only to less financial need, but whose parent or guardian died as a result of military service in Iraq or Afghanistan after 9/11 and who were, at the time of death, less than 24 years of age.

Loans are borrowed money for college or career school that must be repaid. There are several types of loans available through the U.S. Department of Education:

• Direct Subsidized Loans: For undergraduates who have financial need. The U.S. Department of Education pays interest while borrower is in school and during grace and deferment periods.
• Direct Unsubsidized Loans: For all undergraduate students. The borrower is responsible for all interest.
• Direct PLUS Loans: For parents of dependent undergraduate students. Borrower is responsible for all interest.

Scholarships, like grants, do not have to be paid back. Empire Beauty Schools, along with other schools, community groups and other organizations offer scholarships.

The following scholarships are available through Empire Education Group:

• Empire Education Group High School Senior Scholarship: We encourage all high school seniors interested in a career in beauty to apply for an Empire Education Group High School Senior Scholarship. More than 100 high school seniors will receive scholarships during the coming year.
• Empire Education Group Good Attendance Scholarship: Empire students reaching 90 percent cumulative attendance are eligible for a $1000 scholarship. This scholarship is designed for students enrolled in the full cosmetology program. Lesser scholarships are available for those with an 85% to 89.99% attendance average. * Not available at all locations.
• Empire Gives Back Scholarship: In conjunction with our Empire Gives Back program, Empire students living in an anti-domestic violence program shelter within 6 months prior to school are eligible for up to $3,000 in scholarship money.

The following scholarships are available to cosmetology students through various industry partners.

• The Alice Madden Barton Scholarship Program: A Great Clips Cosmetology School Scholarship for current students, high school students and anyone interested in cosmetology or barbering as a career can apply for a scholarship through the Alice Madden Barton Scholarship program. These scholarships can be used at any cosmetology or barbering school. The scholarships are given out twice a year in January and July to applicants who can demonstrate a passion for the craft and dedication to developing their skills. The deadlines for applications are June 30 and December 31.
• Beauty Schools Marketing Group Scholarship: Beauty Schools Marketing Group is offering a $2,500 cosmetology school scholarship to help cosmetology school students live their dreams! Apply for the Beauty Schools Marketing Group scholarship at beautyschoolsdirectory.com

Veteran's Education Benefits

Some Empire Education Group schools are approved for Veteran's Educational Benefits for veterans, eligible dependents of deceased or disabled veterans and active status National Guard and Reserve personnel. Any student interested in this type of benefit must verify with the school representative that the school is eligible for benefits.

Applying for Federal Student Aid begins with the FAFSA application. Go to www.fafsa.gov to complete this step. You will need to provide information about you and your financial situation, such as your name, Social Security number, date of birth, address, etc. You may need to provide information about your parents if you are a “dependent” student. The website will ask you a series of questions to determine if you are a “dependent” or “independent” student.

Once you complete the FAFSA application, your information is shared with the schools you listed on your FAFSA (up to 10 schools can be listed).

The financial aid office at your listed school uses your FAFSA to determine how much federal student aid you may receive at that school. If the school awards its own funds (in the form of scholarships) it might use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for their awards.

Your FAFSA also goes to higher education agencies in the state in which the schools where you apply are located. Many states have financial aid funds they give out based on FAFSA information.

Once you fill out this initial form, you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR is a summary of the financial information you submitted. You should receive your SAR within 3 days to 3 weeks after you submitted your FAFSA. If you provided an email on your FAFSA application, a link will be emailed to you where you will find your electronic SAR. Otherwise, you will be mailed a paper copy. This will NOT tell you how much financial aid you’ll receive, however, if all of your information is correct, save this report for your records.

Next if you enroll at Empire, you will be mailed an award letter from the school informing you of the amount of aid you are eligible for.

How much aid you receive depends on several factors including the cost of attendance, Expected Family Contribution (the number used to calculate how much financial aid you’re eligible for based on the information in your FAFSA), year in school, and if you are attending full-time or part-time.

Student loans are borrowed money and need to be repaid, with interest.

You do not have to accept all of the aid you are offered. When your school’s financial aid office sends you an award letter, they will ask you to indicate which financial aid you want to accept. It’s a good idea to start with aid that does not need to be repaid, such as grants and scholarships. From there you can determine if you will need to accept student loans to pay the remainder.

Just like car loans and home mortgages, you cannot have these loans cancelled because you didn’t like the education you received, didn’t get the job you anticipated, or are having financial problems.

Because you will need to pay these funds back, you will want to think about the amount of loans you’ll need to repay before you accept the loans. We suggest only borrowing as much money as you need, even if you qualify for more, so there will be less to pay back after school.

While you may be responsible for repaying your loans immediately after you stop attending school, you can also pay on your loans while you are in school.

Again, grants and scholarships do not need to be repaid.

To learn more about about Federal student aid programs for 2016/17, read below.