FAQs

Q. How is financial aid eligibility determined?

A. A Georgetown financial aid officer conducts a thorough review of each student’s financial circumstances and then determines each student’s eligibility for financial aid. This review employs formulas and guidelines that have been carefully developed and are widely used by most of the country's leading colleges.
 

Q. Will I receive more financial aid if I apply for admission in the early action or in the regular decision cycle?

A. Your financial aid award is based solely on your family's demonstrated need. Any financial aid decision we make would be the same regardless of whether you apply early action or regular admission. 
 

Q. What is the income cutoff for financial aid eligibility? 

A. There is no income cutoff because income by itself is not the only consideration. We consider income, tax liability, family size, medical expenses, standard living expenses, cost of living in your area, your parents’ assets, their age and whether they have the necessary funds for retirement.

Because many factors make each family's financial situation unique, we cannot make our judgments on income alone. In recent years, many families with incomes above $100,000 have received financial aid and a few with incomes below $60,000 have not.
 

Q. Am I eligible for financial aid if I am an international student?

A. Although financial assistance is limited for international students (students who are neither U.S. citizens nor eligible non-citizens), some funding is available. 
 

Q. I'm having trouble getting my forms in on time for the Feb. 1 deadline. Can I still apply for financial aid?

A. We ask that your application be complete by Feb. 1 (March 1 for transfer students) so that you will have a financial aid decision along with your admission decision. We will consider your application if it is late, but please remember that you may not be notified of any aid you are getting before you have to make an enrollment decision. 
 

Q. My parents/I will not complete their/my federal tax returns before the priority deadline for filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and CSS PROFILE. Should I wait until their/my tax forms are finished before I complete my financial aid forms?

A. No. You can complete the FAFSA and CSS PROFILE financial aid applications based on reasonable estimates of your family’s prior year income. However, if you are dependent, you will later need to submit copies of your parent’s or parents’ federal tax return(s) as well as your own if applicable to the Office of Student Financial Services (OSFS). This allows OSFS to verify that the information you reported on your aid applications was accurate and recalculate your eligibility if necessary. 
 

Q. Why must I submit a copy of my W-2 form in addition to my federal tax return?

A. The information on W-2 forms is used to verify total tax-deferred income. 
 

Q. My parents will not be claiming me as a dependent on their tax returns.  Can I file my financial aid applications as an independent student?

A. Probably not if you are an undergraduate student. To determine if you meet the federal definition of an independent student, review the questions in Step 3 of the FAFSA.

However, except in rare cases, even if you meet the federal definition of an independent student, you still must provide your parents' financial information on the FAFSA and CSS Profile to be considered for Georgetown scholarship assistance. 
 

Q. What happens if parents are divorced, separated or never married and one parent is unwilling to submit any information to the financial aid office or to contribute towards my Georgetown expenses?

A. In fairness to all, Georgetown expects that parents will pay what they can, and we must assess each parent's ability to contribute to college costs by reviewing complete financial documents from each household. Georgetown cannot award financial aid funds based only on what a parent is willing to provide.

You might explain to the parent unwilling to submit financial information that his or her information will remain confidential. Your parent should also know that providing such information no way obligates him or her to contribute to your Georgetown education.

Although we cannot increase our scholarship aid to fill the gap if a parent declines responsibility, you may be able to borrow more. If you believe your situation is special, please write us a detailed letter of explanation.
 

Q. Should I report the total accumulated in IRA and Keogh plans on the FAFSA?

A. No. You do not have to include retirement plan accumulations when totaling the value of assets. However, annual contributions must be reported since they are discretionary payments that reflect your ability to pay for college. 
 

Q. Why must I verify my sibling's college enrollment?

A. If the siblings reported on your original aid application do not enroll at least half-time for the entire academic year in the colleges reported on the original aid application, your family's ability to contribute to your educational costs will change and your aid package must be revised.

If Georgetown needs your assistance to verify sibling enrollment, the OSFS will mail you a form that must be completed by the financial aid office of the school(s) at which your sibling(s) enrolled.
 

Q. I’m wondering about the status of my application for financial aid awards or loans. What should I do?

A. You can check the status of your financial aid application and award through MyAccess. If you have questions, you can email us or call us at (202) 687.4547. 
 

Q. When will financial aid decisions be mailed? Will I know about the financial aid decision when I find out if I have been admitted?

A. If your financial aid application is complete by the Feb. 1 priority deadline you will receive your award notice within several days of your notice of admission For transfer students that have met their March 1 priority application deadline, notices will be sent during the months of April and May.

Financial aid decisions for returning students whose applications were complete by the April 15 deadline will be available for review in MyAccess beginning in late June. 
 

Q. What is a "memo credit" on my billing statement?

A. Memo credits reduce the amount that you would otherwise have to pay to Georgetown. The university offers this benefit to students with financial need who, through no fault of their own, are waiting for financial aid funds to be paid by an outside sponsor or lender. 
 

Q. I am hoping to receive a refund or credit balance. How do I go about getting what is owed to me?

A. If you expect to receive a refund of a credit balance created by financial aid being paid to your student billing account, you must request a refund from the Office of Student Accounts. 
 

Q. When will I receive a billing statement from Georgetown and when do I have to pay?

A. You will receive a billing statement for the fall semester in early July. Another billing statement for the spring semester will arrive in mid-December. If our office determines that you are eligible to receive a Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan or a Federal Perkins Loan or has been notified of an award for you from an outside scholarship sponsor, these amounts will appear on your billing statement as estimated credits until actual funds are received. 
 

Q. What should I do if my financial aid won't cover all of my expenses?

A. Discuss your concerns with your counselor in the OSFS to help you work through what financing options may be available to you.
 

Q. Will my eligibility for financial aid change if I change my enrollment status?

A. Yes, if you withdraw from Georgetown or change the number of credit hours for which you are enrolled, your eligibility could change. You should contact your financial services counselor in the OSFS to discuss how it may affect your eligibility for financial aid.

If you enroll less than full-time, your cost of education will be recalculated using actual reduced tuition costs. Your family contribution will not be revised, as you are expected to contribute the same amount regardless of your enrollment status.

Your eligibility for aid will be reduced in proportion to the reduced tuition or other charges that result from less than full-time study. You must be enrolled in at least a half-time status to be eligible for financial aid assistance.

 

Q. What if my family financial circumstances change after I receive my financial aid award?

A. You and your family are obligated to notify our office if you have a change in your family circumstances that is likely to affect your expected family contribution. These changes include an increase in income, a decrease in the number of family members in the household or supported by parents or a decrease in the number of family members attending college.

It is important to keep a copy of your completed financial aid applications as a record of what was reported. Other changes such as a loss or reduction of family income also may constitute a reason to ask us to re-evaluate an earlier award. This process requires families to submit in writing a specific explanation of their situation, including an itemization of any reduction in income. Complete a 2012-2013 Report of Special Circumstances form and send it to us or drop it off at our front desk. 
 

Q. If I choose to live off-campus, will my financial aid be affected?

A. Financial aid is not reduced or increased when you live off-campus. Whether or not you will live on campus, the same standard room and board amounts are used to calculate your budget of annual costs.

If there is a credit balance on your student account once tuition and fee charges have been paid, you may use this credit to pay for off-campus rent and food expenses. A refund of any credit balance on your student account is obtained directly from the Office of Student Accounts. 
 

Q. Will Resident Assistant (RA) benefits change my financial aid package?  

A. Students with RA benefits receive free room and board. Both federal law and university policy require that the value of the RA benefit be considered when determining the amount of financial aid a student is eligible to receive.

The amount used to adjust an aid package for RA benefits is equal to the room and board allowance in the standard expense budget. RA benefits will be used to reduce or eliminate your loan or student employment before any adjustment in your need-based scholarship award will be made. 
 

Q. Do I need to reapply for aid consideration every year?

A. Yes, we must reassess your need for financial aid on an annual basis because your need may change from year to year. Please complete the required financial aid applications every year. As a courtesy, over winter break Georgetown sends emails to those students who are receiving financial aid for the current year to remind them to reapply for aid.
 

Q. What do I do if I have questions about my billing statement or Georgetown's payment plans? 

A. Contact the Office of Student Accounts at (202) 687.7100 or visit their website. 
 

Q. What office do I contact if I have a question about my health insurance?

A. All students enrolled for at least nine credits are automatically billed for health insurance unless they provide proof of other insurance. A Student Health Insurance acceptance/waiver survey must be completed online through MyAccess. Contact the Health Insurance Office at SHI@georgetown.edu or call (202) 687.4883.
 

Q. I have a question about my housing charges. Who should I call?

A. Call Housing Services at (202) 687.4560.
 

Q. How do I address a question about my dining services or meal plan charges?  

A. Call Dining Services at (202) 687.5379.
 

Q. What is the difference between Student Financial Services and Student Accounts?

A. The two offices have separate administrative functions. The Office of Student Financial Services determines eligibility for scholarships, loans, work-study and other financial aid and college financing programs. The office also disburses payments to eligible students.