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Student financial aid awards depend upon two major factors: financial need and the availability of funds. To determine need, an evaluation must be made of the financial circumstances of both the applicant and the applicant's family.

The first step in obtaining financial assistance at OSU-Okmulgee is to file a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Applications are available in the Student Financial Services Office or at a high school or on the web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. By completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, an applicant may apply for the Federal Pell Grant, the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, the Federal Work-Study Program, the Federal Perkins Loan, the Federal Stafford Loans and the Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid can be mailed directly to:

Federal Student Aid Programs
P. O. Box 7001
Vernon, IL 62864-0071

or filed electronically over the internet (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Students can obtain more information about various financial aid programs and services by contacting Student Financial Services at 918-293-4684.

To be eligible for consideration for student financial aid through any program, an applicant must meet the following requirements:

A. The applicant must be enrolled as a regular student in an eligible program of study leading to a degree or certificate.

B. The applicant must meet one of the following criteria:

• A U.S. Citizen or U.S. National. (This includes citizens of American Samoa, Swains Island and Northern Mariana Islands.)
• A U.S. Permanent Resident. (Documentation of the Form I-151 or Form I-551 from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services may be requested to prove eligibility for financial assistance.)
• A citizen of certain Pacific Islands. (Otherwise eligible citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau may receive assistance through Federal Pell Grants, Federal SEOG and Federal Work-Study.)
• An Eligible Non-Citizen. (Documentation of eligible non-citizen status from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Services will be requested to prove eligibility for financial assistance.)

C. The applicant must maintain satisfactory academic progress in an eligible program of study.

D. The applicant must have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or must pass an independently administered test approved by the U.S. Department of Education which shows "ability to benefit". Any student who makes application for financial aid and has not attained either a high school diploma or GED will be required to take the COMPASS assessment test. This assessment documents the student's ability in Reading Comprehension, Sentence Skills, Arithmetic and Algebra. The student will be required to attain the following minimum scores on COMPASS in order to demonstrate "ability to benefit" at OSU-Okmulgee.

Students may test two times to attain the minimum score. Students who do not attain the minimum score required on each section of COMPASS will be deemed ineligible for student financial assistance. The COMPASS Test is administered through the OSU-Okmulgee Assessment Center.

E. Applicant must have a social security number.

F. Applicant must sign a statement of educational purpose/certification statement of refunds and default in order to receive federal student aid. A signature warrants that a refund is not owed on a Federal Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental educational opportunity grant, a Federal Perkins Loan, Federal Stafford Loan and that the amount borrowed under those loan programs does not exceed the allowable limits. The student also agrees to use student aid only for educational related expenses.

G. Applicant must register, or arrange to register, with the Selective Service. The requirement to register applies to males who were born on or after January 1, 1960, are at least 18 years of age, are citizens or eligible non-citizens and are not currently on active duty in the armed services. (Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, or Palau are exempt from registering.)

H. Applicant must demonstrate financial need. Exceptions are eligibility for PLUS and Federal Unsubsidized Stafford loans.