Financial Aid Process

Apply For Federal Aid

In order to apply for federal aid, you must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) through the U.S. Department of Education.  A new FAFSA must be submitted for every new academic year. The new year for Estrella Mountain Community College begins in every Fall semester. Every student should complete the FAFSA form as soon as possible.  Be sure to use the federal school code 031563 for Estrella Mountain Community College

Apply For FAFSA FAFSA Assistance

After Applying

Generally within 5-7 days after you have submitted your FAFSA with all required signatures, it is sent to the school. Whenever forms are submitted to the Financial Aid office, please understand additional processing time is required. Depending on the time of year and number of financial aid applicants, the processing time may be anywhere from three business days to three months. Students should always plan ahead and submit paperwork as early as possible. This applies to all types of forms, Federal Financial Aid forms, scholarship forms, public assistance forms, etc.

Additionally Information Needed

  • If the financial aid office requires additional information from you, it will be listed on your "Tasks". It is the student's responsibility to check their financial aid status on the Student Center online system regularly.
  • If selected for verification, regular tax returns will not be accepted. Instead it is required that you submit an IRS Tax Return Transcript along with the verification documents. To obtain the IRS Tax Return Transcript, you can contact the IRS by phone at 1-800-908-9946 or through the IRS website.

Making Changes to A Submitted Application

How can I tell if my FAFSA was submitted successfully?

You can log in to your FAFSA account at studentaid.gov to review the status of your application. If your FAFSA shows processed and your college school code is listed, no additional action is needed at this time. 

How can I add my Social Security Number
If you have attempted to update your SSN once, you will not be able to do it again. You’ll need to follow these steps below:

  • Log in to the Student Center using your MEID and password
  • Go to the Profile tab
  • Navigate to Citizenship Data
  • Click on the numbered hyperlink under the SSN row.
  • A pop-up box will appear where you can view or change your SSN.
  • Enter the correct SSN and click Save. 

If you have attempted to update your SSN once, you will not be able to do it again. You’ll need to follow these steps below:

  • Student Information Update
  • The Student Update Form is located in: Student Center > My Student Forms > Admissions & Records Forms > Student Update Form (Tab on the left)
  • Students may use this form to update their Legal Name, Date of Birth, Social Security Number, and Legal Sex.

Application Status & Reminders

You can check the status of your financial aid on Student Center. Simply click on "View Financial Aid" link, then the year link. If you have been awarded, your award will be posted. If you have not been awarded yet, there will be no data available.