CSS/Profile Code: 3080 | FAFSA Code: 003682 | Financial Aid Graduate Deadlines

New Students

Financial assistance for graduate students who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens is available in the form of unsubsidized federal student loans. Any student interested in applying for financial aid must submit a FAFSA by the April 1 or September 1 deadline, and the online Bennington application and additional information packet as soon as possible after.

FAFSA

• FAFSA website
• Before filing, get a Federal Student Aid ID, known as a FSA ID here.
• Make sure your name on your FAFSA matches your name as it is on your Social Security card. Filing a FAFSA prompts a match the the Social Security database.
• Use the IRS Data Retrieval tool if you have already filed your tax return.

Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note and, if a new borrower, Entrance Loan Counseling

• Federal Direct Loan Master Promissory Note

• Federal Direct Loan Entrance Loan Counseling

• Complete online at studentloans.gov with your FSA ID.

For students who decide to matriculate at Bennington

• Check My Financial Aid, to see whether other forms are required, and print any required forms. Send these directly to the Financial Aid Office.
• If you want a Federal Direct Student Loan, but did not borrow last year, complete loan counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN).
• Accept, decline, or reduce the funds in your financial aid award at My Financial Aid.
• Submit loan authorization and other forms (as required per My Financial Aid) directly to the Financial Aid Office.

Continuing Students

• Note: Most U.S. citizens must use the IRS Data Retrieval process to pull correct tax figures into the FAFSA, or submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript. Please read the instructions carefully. We cannot accept tax returns.

FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

• FAFSA Website
• You will need your FSA ID.
• Make sure your name on your FAFSA matches your name as it is on your Social Security card. Filing a FAFSA prompts a match the Social Security database.
• Use the FAFSA's IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). Don't send Bennington College copies of your tax return. If your IRS Data Retrieval is not yet available, you may file the FAFSA using estimates, but you must log in again later to request IRS Data Match corrections for your FAFSA. The aid application will not be complete until the IRS-FAFSA Data Retrieval has successfully transferred relevant tax information.
• Students who do not qualify for the IRS DRT (for example, married filing separately) will provide tax account information directly from the IRS to the Bennington Financial Aid Office in the form of a Tax Return Transcript.
• List Bennington College, Bennington, VT, as a recipient (college code 003682).

After You Receive a Financial Aid Award

• Check My Financial Aid, to see whether other forms are required.
• Accept, decline, or reduce the funds in your financial aid award online at My Financial Aid.
• If you did not borrow through the Federal Direct Student Loan program last year, you must complete a new Master Promissory Note (MPN) and possibly student loan counseling at studentloans.gov.