Changes to report to the aid office during the year

New money from outside the college

Report every outside scholarship, employer tuition help and VA education benefit to the aid office. Total aid cannot exceed the cost of attendance, and need-based aid cannot exceed need, so the college may adjust your offer. Many colleges reduce loans or work-study before grants, and some states limit how a college can reduce aid for outside scholarships.

Failing to report can lead to an overpayment the college discovers later, which you then have to repay. Telling the aid office as soon as an award letter arrives gives it time to adjust before money is paid.

Changes in enrollment and housing

Tell the aid office when you change your credit load, add a summer term or leave a program. Pell is prorated by enrollment, and many state grants require a minimum load. A move from campus housing to an apartment, or back home, changes the cost of attendance the college uses.

Changing majors, adding a second degree or taking classes at a second college through a consortium agreement are also worth reporting. Each one can change which courses federal aid pays for.

Changes in your family's finances

A job loss, a divorce or separation, a death in the family or large medical bills can change what your family can pay. The FAFSA reports income from two years earlier, so the aid office can review a recent change under professional judgment. Bring documents that show the change and when it happened.

An approved review can raise a Pell Grant or a college grant, though the aid office decides case by case. State agencies may have their own process for state grants, so ask the aid office whether to contact the state as well.

Keep a copy of every message you send and every revised offer you receive. A written record makes it easier to answer questions if the college reviews your file later.