FINANCIAL AID
Start the Financial Aid Process
- You can send your financial aid application information to up to 10 different schools.
- There is no risk, so don’t delay!
- Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is free and quick.
- If you have a special circumstance or unusual circumstance, contact the Financial Assistance Department at 570-429-4210 or 570-429-2751.
- Examples of a special circumstance in which you could complete a Professional Judgment Request Form are:
- Loss of employment or reduction in hours or wages or assets for the student, spouse, or parent of a Dependent student
- Private elementary and secondary school expenses if not purely of individual choice
- Dislocated Worker or Displaced Homemaker status
- Involuntary expenses paid, such as: unusual medical and dental expenses, funeral expenses, legal fees, moving expenses
- Including a Parent of a Dependent student in the number attending college if the parent is attending college to obtain their first degree or must update their skills to obtain or maintain employment
- Examples of an unusual circumstance in which you could complete a Dependency Override Request Form are:
- A student’s voluntary or involuntary removal from their parents' home due to an extreme situation that threatened the student’s health and/or safety and due to these conditions, parent support was terminated
- Incapacity of parent(s) such as incarceration, mental or physical illness
- Inability of the student to locate the parent(s)
- Human trafficking
- Refugee or Asylee status
- Other extenuating circumstances that can be sufficiently documented
Understand the Types of Financial Aid Available
- Scholarships – Empire Beauty Schools, along with other schools, community groups, and other organizations, offer scholarships. Ask your school’s admissions representative what is available!
- Grants – These government issued funds do not need to be paid back and are awarded to undergraduates who show financial need.
- Federal Student Loans – This borrowed money for college or career school can help you afford your education. These loans must be repaid, with interest, once you leave school.
Apply by Completing the FAFSA
- Go to studentaid.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. You will be required to respond to a series of questions to determine if you are a "dependent" or "independent" student.
Learn About the Aid You Will Receive
- After you complete the initial form, you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR is a summary of the financial information you submitted. This will NOT tell you how much financial aid you’ll receive, however, save this report for your records.
- If you enroll at Empire Beauty School, you will be emailed a Financial Aid Offer informing you of the amount of aid you are eligible to receive.
START THE APPLICATION PROCESS NOW!
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 studentaid.gov.
In order to qualify for federal, state or school financial aid you will need to complete the FAFSA application (School code can be found here).
You can send your FAFSA information to up to 10 schools, so there is no need to wait.
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
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.
Basic Eligibility Requirements:
- Demonstrate financial need
- Are a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- Have a valid social security number
- 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 does not 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 Beauty School:
- Empire Beauty School High School Scholarship: We encourage all high school seniors interested in a career in beauty to apply for an Empire Beauty School High School Scholarship. More than 100 high school seniors will receive scholarships for the full cosmetology program during the coming year. *Not available at all locations
- Empire Beauty School Good Attendance Scholarship: Empire Beauty School students reaching 90 percent cumulative attendance are eligible for a $1000 scholarship. This scholarship is designed for students who complete the full cosmetology program without interruption. Lesser scholarships of $500 are available for those with an 85% to 89.99% attendance average.
- Empire Gives Back Cosmetology Educational Endowment: In conjunction with our Empire Gives Back program, Empire Beauty School students living in an anti-domestic violence program shelter within 6 months prior to school may be eligible for up to $3,000 in scholarship money.
The following scholarships are available to cosmetology students through various industry partners.
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 Beauty Schools are approved to certify 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 approved to certify Veteran’s Educational Benefits.
HOW TO APPLY
Applying for Federal Student Aid begins with the FAFSA application. Go to studentaid.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. You will be required to respond to a series of questions to determine if you are a "dependent" or "independent" student.
ABOUT FAFSA
Once you complete and submit the FAFSA, the schools that you listed on your FAFSA will receive an electronic Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR). You’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Both contain a summary of the financial information you submitted. You should receive your SAR within 5 days 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, save this report for your records.
Your FAFSA is also electronically submitted to higher education agencies in the state in which the schools where you apply are located. Many states have financial aid funds they award based on FAFSA information.
If you enroll at Empire Beauty School, the Financial Assistance Department will utilize the ISIR to determine the amount of Financial Aid that you are eligible to receive and email a Financial Aid Offer to you.
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.
YOUR RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
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 Assistance Department sends you a Financial Aid Offer, you will have the option to indicate which financial aid you want to accept.
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 loans 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 6 months 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, only loans need to be repaid.
2023-2024 FEDERAL STUDENT AID PROGRAMS
| Program | Type of Aid | Program Details | Annual Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal PELL Grant | Grant Does not have to be repaid | Available to undergraduates | $7,395 Maximum |
| Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) | Grant Does not have to be repaid | For undergraduates with exceptional financial need; Federal PELL Grant recipients take priority; funds depend on availability at school | Up to $800 |
| Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant | Grant Does not have to be repaid | For students who are not PELL eligible, due only to having less financial need, 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 the death, less than 24 years of age and enrolled at least half-time in an approved institution. | Up to $6,973 Maximum |
| Direct Subsidized Loan | Loan Must be repaid with interest | US Department of Education pays the interest while borrower is in school. Student must have financial need. Interest rate is 5.50% | $3,500 to $4,500 |
| Direct Unsubsidized Loan | Loan Must be repaid with interest | Borrower is responsible for all interest. Financial need is not required. Interest rate is 5.50% | $2,000 to $6,000 |
| Direct PLUS Loan | Loan Must be repaid with interest | For parents of dependent students. Borrower is responsible for the interest. Financial need is not required. Interest rate is 8.05% | Maximum amount is the cost of attendance minus any other financial aid the student receives. |
| Empire Education Group Scholarships | Scholarship Does NOT have to be paid back | Not based on need. All Empire Education Group scholarships are outlined in our catalog and can be found on our website. | See above for details. |
| Outside Scholarships | Scholarship Does NOT have to be paid back | Not based on need. | See above for details. |
| Institutional Programs | Monthly Payments | Affordable monthly payments designed for each student’s remaining balance. | Designed to cover a remaining balance after all aid is awarded. |
FINANCIAL AID TIMELINE
- Within 3 days of enrolling, complete and submit the FAFSA
- Within 7 days of notification of documentation request, submit requested documents to the school
FINANCIAL AID PROCESS
- Student completes and submits the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
- Student receives Student Aid Report (SAR) and school receives electronic Institutional Student Information Report (ISIR).
- Student is notified by email if additional documents are required.
- Student submits requested documents.
- FA Department reviews submitted documents.
- Upon approval of submitted documents, a Financial Aid Offer is emailed to the student.
- Financial aid is disbursed onto the student’s tuition account after the student attends school.
- Stipend checks from Title IV funding credits are issued to student within 14 days of when the credit occurs during a payment period.