More about FAFSA

Documents and information you will need to complete the FAFSA (www.FAFSA.gov):

1. Although we strongly suggest using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to enter income, you may also manually enter the information from your Federal Tax Returns (1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) and W-2's.
2. Student (and parent if applicable) FSA ID
3. Worker's Compensation or Unemployment - statement of earnings
4. Social Security Benefit Statement (retirement or disability)
5. Child support amounts (received and paid)
6. Any other income
7. Driver's license

FAFSA is not complete until you see a confirmation page. Print and save for your records.

• The process is not complete unless you get a confirmation number after clicking "submit FAFSA" button at the end of the process.
• Please make sure you answer step 6 regarding your housing plans. Leaving this question blank will affect the amount of aid you are eligible to receive.

We strongly recommend FAFSA be completed by October 1 in order to have your financial aid file completed by the first day of class for the following Fall Semester.

You will receive an award letter once your file is completed, which may be followed by a second award letter if anything changes with your aid.

You will receive an email from GTC’s Financial Aid office once we have received your FAFSA. (If you have been accepted to GTC, check your student Gmail account. If you have not yet been accepted please check the email account you used when submitting the FAFSA.) If you do not receive any information from the Financial Aid office within 10-15 business days contact our office at (864) 250-8000.

• If you are selected for verification, which is a random process of the Department of Education requiring a student to submit information, you will receive an email from the Financial Aid office listing the documents you are required to submit to the Financial Aid office.
• This process usually takes 1-3 weeks, and your file WILL NOT be completed until all documents are submitted.

If FAFSA is not completed by the payment due date:

• Pay 20% of tuition costs to hold classes. Otherwise, classes will be deleted.

If FAFSA is completed but your GTC financial aid file is not:

• Complete the Do Not Purge promissory note and pay the fee to hold your classes. Otherwise, classes will be deleted.

I do not live with my parents and they do not claim me on their income tax. Do I have to put their information on the FAFSA form?

Yes. You will have to include parent information, unless you can provide proof of unusual circumstances as defined by the Department of Education. None of these are considered unusual circumstances:

• Parents refuse to contribute to your education.
• Parents are unwilling to provide information required to complete the FAFSA, or for verification.
• Parents do not claim you as a dependent for income tax purposes.
• You demonstrate total self-sufficiency.

Unusual circumstances do, however, include an abusive family environment or abandonment by parents. In such cases, an override in dependency status may be warranted. Contact the Financial Aid office to see if you are eligible.

The school I attended last year granted me a dependency override - am I approved for this year?

No, an override or override paperwork will not carry over from one year to the next. The Financial Aid office must reaffirm the status each year.

For more, check out the Frequently Asked Questions for Financial Aid.