Overview of the Financial Aid Process

All Programs

  • No matter which program you're in, you can apply for scholarships at any point in your education.

    If you are awarded a scholarship or other tuition assistance, bring the award to the Financial Aid Administrator to be included in your Financial Aid Offer.

    Cosmetology Only

    If a Financial Aid Offer has already been created, that's okay. The Financial Aid Offer will be rerun, and if necessary, your loans will be reduced so as to not exceed financial need or the Cost of Attendance (CoA). (See Direct Loans for more information.)

Cosmetology Only

  • Apply for Federal Student Aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) with Creative Hair School of Cosmetology's school code: 040553. Filling the FAFSA out with our school code counts as an initial application for Pell Grants and Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans at Creative Hair School of Cosmetology.

    Which FAFSA do I submit?

    If you intend to start:

    • between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, submit the 2024-25 FAFSA.

    • between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, submit the 2025-26 FAFSA (when it opens).

    Next, if you will be graduating:

    • between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025, also submit the 2025-26 FAFSA (when it opens).

    • between July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, also submit the 2026-27 FAFSA (when it opens).

    What will I need?

    • Your parents’ SSNs if they have SSNs and you're a dependent student

    • Tax returns

      • 2022 for the 2024-25 FAFSA

      • 2023 for the 2025-26 FAFSA

      • 2024 for the 2026-27 FAFSA

    • Records of child support received

    • Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts

    • Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms

    For more tips, go to Filling out the FAFSA form. There are also helpful videos on our Federal Student Aid page.

    Once you have submitted your FAFSA, make sure you review your FAFSA Submission Summary and correct any mistakes! How to Review and Correct Your FAFSA Form

  • FAFSA Review

    Once your FAFSA (and proof of any scholarship or tuition assistance you have been awarded) has been received by our Financial Aid Administrator, she will review your eligibility for Federal Student Aid. First, she will check that you meet the basic eligibility requirements, or that you are maintaining eligibility. (See "Am I eligible for Federal Student Aid?" on our Federal Student Aid page for more information.) Next, she will check your FAFSA for potentially incorrect, missing, or conflicting information. Finally, she'll also check to see if the U.S. Department of Education has flagged your FAFSA for verification or other required actions (for instance, clearing a defaulted student loan). If any issues are found, she will request additional information or documentation and tell you your next steps. 

    Note: Sometimes an action taken to resolve one issue will trigger another issue. For instance, the U.S. Department of Education may select a corrected FAFSA for verification, even if the original FAFSA was not. 

    For some common eligibility issues, including verification, an unusual enrollment history flag, or a defaulted loan, please visit our Verification & Common Student Eligibility Issues page.

    Start Classes!

    The final step to establishing your initial eligibility for Federal Student Aid is starting classes!

  • Once your eligibility has been confirmed, the Financial Aid Office will create your Financial Aid Offer. The Financial Aid Offer will list all the Federal Student Aid you are currently eligible for at Creative Hair School of Cosmetology and any scholarships you have received. Once you receive an official Financial Aid Offer, you can indicate whether you are accepting the entire offer, or if you would like to decline all or part of it (for instance, you may want to decline some or all Direct Unsubsidized Loans).

    Sign, date, and return to the Financial Aid Administrator! If there are additional steps required to receive your financial aid, she will let you know.

  • If you accepted a Direct Loan on your Financial Aid Offer, you will need to complete Entrance Counseling and sign the Master Promissory Note for Undergraduates online. Entrance Counseling is a tool to ensure you understand your obligation to repay the loan. The Master Promissory Note is a loan contract, laying out the exact terms of the loan.

    Important Note!: You are responsible for repaying your loan according to your repayment schedule even if you do not complete your academic program, if you are dissatisfied with the education you received, or if you are unable to find employment after you graduate. If your loans go into default, you are ineligible for receiving further federal student aid, the defaulted loan is reported to credit bureaus, your tax refunds and federal benefit payments may be withheld and applied toward repayment of your defaulted loan (this is called “Treasury offset”), and your wages may be garnished. 

  • Your charges for the payment period (listed on your Enrollment Agreement) are posted to your ledger at the start of each payment period. If you are eligible for Federal Student Aid, the Financial Aid Administrator notifies the U.S. Department of Education, and they disburse your Federal Student Aid for that payment period.

    Financial aid disbursements are first used to pay your tuition and fees. Any money left over is paid to you directly for other education-related expenses. This left-over money is called a student stipend (also sometimes called a refund check). If you are not eligible for enough financial aid to pay the tuition and fees, you will receive an invoice for the remaining balance.

  • At the end of each payment period you will be evaluated to see if you are maintaining satisfactory academic progress (SAP) (see the Creative Hair School SAP policy in the Catalog).

    There are three components that must be passed:

    • maintain a cumulative academic percentage of 75% or higher,

    • maintain a cumulative attendance percentage of 75% or higher,

    • ability to complete within the Maximum Time Frame (MTF) (133% of the length of program).

    If you fail your SAP evaluation, you lose eligibility for Federal Student Aid and may be dropped from the program. The Financial Aid Administrator will inform you of what steps are required to regain eligibility.

  • 1) Apply for (New) Scholarships

    New scholarships and scholarship deadline arrive throughout the year. You can apply for scholarships at any point in your education.

    Step 2) Apply for Federal Student Aid (Again)

    The FAFSA is only valid for one Award Year (the period from July 1 of one calendar year to June 30 of the next calendar year). After that, you must submit a new FAFSA to remain eligible for Federal Student Aid).

    Step 3) Confirm Eligibility (Again)

    When a new FAFSA is received, your eligibility must be rechecked. In addition, at the end of each payment period to see if you are making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and otherwise maintaining eligibility.

    Step 4) Review and Sign Your (New) Financial Aid Offer

    Your Financial Aid Offer is only valid for one Award Year and for the periods covered. For instance, it may only cover one Academic Year (approximately equal to two payment periods). After that, a new Financial Aid Offer must be issued and signed in order to remain eligible for Federal Student Aid.

    Step 6) (More) Financial Aid is Disbursed | (New) Student Stipend Checks & Invoices are Sent Out

    Your charges are posted and financial aid is disbursed at the start of each payment period. Federal Student Aid disbursements are first used to pay your tuition and fees. Any money left over is paid to you directly as a student stipend check for other education-related expenses. If your tuition and fees for that payment period are not completely paid, you will receive an invoice for the balance.

    Step 7) Your Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) is Evaluated (Again)

    Your Satisfactory Academic Progress is evaluated as you reach the end of each payment period.

  • If you received a Direct Loan, when you leave school you’ll have to complete Exit Counseling, a tool to help you understand your student loan obligations and are prepared for repayment.