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Applying for Financial Aid

Applying for financial aid doesn’t have to be difficult.  Below is a step-by-step guide to applying for financial aid to assist you in the process!

All students applying for any type of aid (scholarships, grants, loans, or work-study) should apply at StudentAid/FAFSA. Use Northwest’s school code: 002427.

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Before You Start
GET ORGANIZED! You can complete your FAFSA as early as October 1st. It is recommended that you have a folder to collect all of your college information in one place. You will need the following information for both student and parent: Social Security number,  birthdate, email address, and the following forms: Federal 1040, 1040A, or 1040 EZ for you (if you filed taxes) and your parents (for 2020 FAFSA) and W2 forms for you and your parents.

Step One

  • Create an FSA ID to access the Federal Student Aid online system and electronically sign the FAFSA.
  • If you are a dependent student (typically under 24 years of age), a parent must also create an FSA ID and electronically sign the FAFSA.
     

Step Two

  • Complete the FAFSA at www.fafsa.gov using the above information.
  • It is strongly recommended that you utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the FAFSA to retrieve your income tax data directly from the IRS. If you do not utilize this tool, the Department of Education may require an official IRS transcript of your tax return which could delay processing of your financial aid by 2-4 weeks. Incomplete or inaccurate information creates delays in processing your financial aid.
     

Step Three

  • Create a Verification Account. You must wait 5 days after filing your FAFSA before creating your verification account.
  • Since the U.S. Department of Education randomly selects FAFSAs for a mandatory review process called “Verification,” you must create an online Verification Account at Northwest Mississippi Community College: go to www.northwestms.edu/financialaid and then select "Financial Aid" then "Verification for Financial Aid."

 *If your file is flagged for verification by the government please provide the requested documents ASAP to avoid any delays in receiving your award.  Check for emails from the Financial Aid Office for what is needed to complete the financial aid process.

Thumbnail of What is the difference between a dependent and an independent student?  

What is a Dependent Student?

If you are under the age of 24, unmarried and do not have a child that you are actively supporting, you are typically considered “dependent.”
If you believe you have extenuating circumstances that would warrant a review of this, you can visit the Financial Aid Office to discuss your situation.

DON’T FORGET!

  • List NWCC school code: 002427
  • Answer all questions; don’t leave anything blank!
  • File your FAFSA as soon as possible. You must file the FAFSA every year!

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