Announcements
FAFSA Simplification
FAFSA Simplification Act—is a redesign of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid. The new law makes it easier for students and families to complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form and expands access to federal student aid.
Changes to FAFSA
- In prior years, the FAFSA form was available on October 1st. The 2024-25 FAFSA is expected to be available in December. The specific date has not been released yet.
- A new system, Future Act Direct Data Exchange(FA-DDX) replaces the IRS Data Retrieval. The FA-DDX allows the FAFSA to pull federal tax information (FTI) directly from the IRS. All FAFSA contributors (student, spouse, parent) must give consent for the transfer of data from the IRS.
- The custodial parent(s) on the FAFSA will be the parent(s) who provided the most financial support, instead of the parent(s) with whom the student lived more during the past 12 months.
- FAFSA contributors will need to create an FSA ID, if they don’t already have one. There will be a multi-factor verification in order to log in using the FSA ID.
- The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be replaced with the Student Aid Index (SAI) – this is a new need analysis formula that will be used when awarding student aid.
- There will be fewer questions to answer and an easier data transfer from the IRS.
- The number in college will not be used in the SAI calculation but the question will still be asked.
- The use of the SAI and adjusted gross income (AGI) levels should result in more students qualifying for Pell Grant eligibility.
Prepare for 2024-25 FAFSA Launch
- Mark your calendar for December 2023 – we’ll update once we know the official release date
- Collect or create your FSA ID
- Determine if or which parent is considered a Contributor for the FAFSA
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File 2022 federal tax information (FTI) with the IRS for each FAFSA contributor
- Check the financial aid website often for updates
2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The 2024–2025 FAFSA is estimated to be available in December 2023. You can submit it online at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa. To find more information about the application process, visit our Apply for Financial Aid page. Please contact us with any questions or concerns about the application process at (717) 361-1404 or finaid@etown.edu
Refer to the table below to help determine which year's income information is required on the FAFSA application:
| IF YOU PLAN TO ATTEND COLLEGE FROM | YOU CAN SUBMIT THE FAFSA FROM | USING TAX INFORMATION FROM |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022 | October 1, 2020 - June 30, 2022 | 2019 |
| July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 | October 1, 2021 - June 30, 2023 | 2020 |
| July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024 | October 1, 2022 - June 30, 2024 | 2021 |
| July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 | December 2023 - June 30, 2025 | 2022 |
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (2023-2024 Award Year)
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and transfer the tax information directly into their FAFSA from the IRS Web site.
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The IRS DRT remains the fastest, most accurate way to input your tax return information into the FAFSA form.
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For your privacy, the tax information you transfer from the IRS into your FAFSA form will not be visible to you. Instead, you will see “Transferred from the IRS” in the appropriate fields on fafsa.gov, the IRS DRT web page, and on the Student Aid Report.
View Our Step-By-Step Guide: How to Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA
Exit Counseling
The federal government requires all graduating Federal Direct Loan borrowers to complete Federal Student Loan Exit Counseling. Exit Counseling is a federal requirement that helps student loan borrowers prepare to repay their Subsidized, Unsubsidized, Perkins, or Graduate PLUS Direct loans. Prior to completing exit counseling, please view the Loan Repayment Presentation by logging into Jayweb. In addition, Please read the Exit Counseling - Guide for Etown Graduates that provides an overview of the Exit Counseling process. Direct loan exit counseling must be completed by logging into your FSA account on studentaid.gov. Perkins Exit Counseling must be completed online at UASconnect.com.
Federal Student Loan Exit Counseling
The Office of Student Financial Aid is offering Federal Student Loan Exit Counseling workshops for all December graduates who received Federal Direct loans and Perkins loans while attending Etown. The workshops will be held on the following dates in Hoover Center for Business Room 108 at 4 PM:
Tuesday, November 21
Thursday, November 30
Wednesday, December 6
If you have questions, please call 717-361-1404 or email finaid@etown.edu.
Students must complete Exit Counseling to avoid any delays in receiving their diplomas. Please contact us with any questions at finaid@etown.edu or (717) 361-1404.
Email Communication
The Financial Aid Office primarily communicates via the student's Elizabethtown College email address. Students should regularly check their Etown email for important financial aid information and updates.
Community Service Work Study
Community Service Work Study (CSWS) provides part-time employment opportunities for currently enrolled students who have Federal Work Study as part of their financial aid package. CSWS provides opportunities for students to earn money to support their Elizabethtown College education while doing work that benefits the wider community. Placements are with local non-profit organizations and pay competitive wages. Students have the ability to work out schedules to accommodate class schedules. For more information, please contact the Center for Community and Civic Engagement.
Fraudulent Student Loan Forgiveness Scams
We would like to remind everyone to remain vigilant against student loan forgiveness scams. Actors behind these scams will contact victims at random and promise to pay off the outstanding balance on their student loans. The actor will likely request the victim’s Federal Student Aid (FSA) username and password, personally identifiable information (PII), and payment, whether it be an upfront cost or monthly fee.
Legitimate student loan forgiveness programs offered by the Department of Education are free for applicants through their student loan provider (https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation). The Department of Education also offers free services to help lower student loan payments (https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven).
If someone at your institution feels that they have fallen victim to a student loan forgiveness scam, please follow the steps below.
- Share the scam with the NCFTA and other member institutions
- Change the FSA ID and password immediately
- Contact loan servicers to revoke any power of attorney or third-party authorization
- Contact bank or credit card company and request that payments to the student loan debt relief company be stopped
- File a complaint with the FTC at identitytheft.gov
Technology Security Alert: IRS Warns Postsecondary Institution Students and Staff of Impersonation Email Scam
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) posted a warning of an ongoing IRS impersonation scam that appears to primarily target educational institutions, including students and staff of institutions that have ".edu" email addresses. Click here for more information.
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
As of July 1, 2023, the temporary student exemptions are no longer available to students applying or recertifying for SNAP. Some students may no longer be eligible for SNAP or may need to provide additional information when they recertify to continue their SNAP benefits. For more information, see https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/students
American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act - Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund III (HEERF III)
Elizabethtown College was allocated $1,829,262 as part of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARP) to directly support eligible student’s cost of attendance or for emergency costs that arise due to Coronavirus, such as tuition, food, housing, health care (including mental health care) or child care.
The ARP Act requires that institutions prioritize students with exceptional need in awarding HEERF III grants to students. Pell grant recipients received $1,525 and non-Pell grant recipients received $870. Additional funding will be provided on a case-by-case basis, based on remaining available funding.
Eligible recipients must:
- Be currently enrolled in a degree seeking or certificate program for the spring 2021 or summer 2021 terms (high school dual enrolled, visiting non-degree, employees and employee spouses are not eligible)
- Complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA for exceptional need grant consideration
Students experiencing a change in financial circumstances, may qualify for a Professional Judgment (PJ) appeal. Please contact your financial and counselor to discuss your circumstance.
HEERF Student Aid PDF - Quarter Ending June 30,2021
HEERF Student Aid PDF - Quarter Ending September 30,2021
HEERF Student Aid PDF - Quarter Ending December 31,2021
HEERF Student Aid PDF - Quarter Ending March 31,2022
HEERF Student Aid PDF - Quarter Ending June 30, 2022
The Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II)
For information regarding the Coronavirus Relief and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund II (HEERF II), please refer to the link below:
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act
For information regarding the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and the Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF), please refer to the link below: