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Financial Aid Steps

Step 1 – Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The FAFSA is the foundation of most other types of financial aid. Use TCF’s school code (030282) to ensure your information is sent to us. Many families use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, which allows tax filers to import their information directly into the FAFSA, saving time and ensuring accuracy. Please note that parts of this process are being updated with the release of the 2024-2025 FAFSA.

Step 2 – Review your Student Aid Report (SAR) from the Department of Education. Once you have submitted your FAFSA, the Department of Education processes it within 3-5 business days and you will receive the results via the SAR being emailed to you. We encourage you to review the SAR to make sure all information reported on the FAFSA was correct and complete. You will be able to make corrections if you see any inaccuracies.

Step 3 – Verify your FAFSA was received by TCF
The Financial Aid Office will receive your FAFSA within a few days of it being submitted. If you have been accepted, you can verify receipt of your FAFSA by logging into our Financial Aid Portal. If you have not yet completed the Admissions process, please contact us via email or phone to confirm FAFSA receipt.

Step 4 – Complete any additional financial aid requirements through the Portal.
Approximately 20% of students are randomly selected to complete a process called Verification. This process ensures that information provided on the FAFSA was complete and accurate so that you are considered for the full amount of federal financial assistance for which you are eligible. If you have been selected for Verification, this will be reflected on the “Documents and Messages” tab within the Financial Aid Portal. Financial aid processing cannot be completed until any outstanding requirements have been resolved.