Receiving financial aid can be the difference that allows you to attend college. Each year, CT State receives more than 50,000 applications for student financial assistance to help cover college costs. By completing the FAFSA, you are applying for federal, state, and institutional dollars at our college. The determinations made by completing the FAFSA are intended to supplement your family’s available resources to fund your education. This guidebook is available for you at all times to provide information and answers to your financial aid-related questions.
Check Your Financial Aid Status
Once you submit your FAFSA, it will be processed and made available to the college within 3-5 business days. When we receive your application, you will receive an email to your college email address that will confirm the receipt of your FAFSA. Please be aware that just because you have completed your FAFSA does not mean that you have completed the process. We may ask you for certain pieces of information in order to provide you with a financial aid package. While we will always communicate with you through your college email account, we encourage you to review your financial aid status through your secure online portal at myCTState. You will need your NetID and password to access this system. Once you have logged into myCTState, click myFinancialAid on the Financial Aid card to access Banner Self-Service. Review any unsatisfied requirements that may be needed to fully process your application.
Cost of Attendance and Financial Need
The Office of Financial Aid Services maintains a position that no student should be denied access to higher education because of financial need. Each year, our office uses all available resources to help eligible students fund their direct costs, which include charges for tuition and fees, as well as an allowance for books and supplies. Each year, we collectively award more than $100 million to more than 30,000 students.
To assist in determining your financial need and eligibility for financial aid, we are required to develop a Cost of Attendance for you based on federal regulations. Aside from tuition and fees, this also includes items such as books and supplies, food and housing, transportation, and miscellaneous personal expenses. We understand that food and housing, transportation costs, and personal expenses will vary for each individual and family. For that reason, we use approximated costs for these components based on actual data from The College Board and The Council for Community and Economic Research. Should you experience other costs that are not typical, you have the right to a Cost of Attendance appeal to include additional expenses with supporting documentation. Please note, this does not guarantee any additional award to your financial aid package. Examples of such expenses may include dependent care, disability costs, or the documented cost of a leased or purchased computer.
Financial Need is the calculated difference between your Cost of Attendance and the Student Aid Index (SAI) you receive when you complete your FAFSA. The value of your calculated financial need provides our office with the information needed to award you need-based financial aid, such as grants and scholarships.
While tuition and fee charges are the same for all students at any CT State institution, the calculated Cost of Attendance will vary by college, dependency status, and other factors such as the location within the State of Connecticut. You may view your personal Cost of Attendance within your Self-Service Banner account, accessible from myCTState. From the Financial Aid section, select College Financing Plan. This will display your Cost of Attendance and anticipated financial aid award.
Remember, you are not required to fund your entire Cost of Attendance for enrollment at any of our colleges. Depending on eligibility and the availability of funds, we seek to cover your direct costs to the college, which are your tuition and fee charges, and an allowance for books and supplies.
Our Purpose and Philosophy
As part of the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities system, the Connecticut State Community Colleges provide access to academically rigorous and innovative education and training focused on student success. The colleges support excellence in teaching and learning, make data-informed decisions, promote equity, advance positive change for the students, communities, and industries they serve, and award associate degrees and certificates.
The Connecticut State Community Colleges share a vision to be recognized for exceptional student success, educational leadership, and transformative collaboration with business and industry, government, educational, and key stakeholders while advancing diverse opportunities for Connecticut’s citizens and communities.
Our philosophy from within the Office of Financial Aid Services is to develop institutional packaging strategies to ensure the consistent, fair, and equitable distribution of available funds in order to provide financial assistance to eligible students. To support the educational achievement of our students, each institution shall award financial aid funds from available resources to promote access to higher education, facilitate completion, enable personal and professional growth, and ultimately contribute to the prosperity of the State of Connecticut.