HOW TO APPLY

We urge you not to assume that you'll be turned down for aid. Qualified students— 90% of current students— receive some form of financial aid. After applying for admission, just complete the following steps and you may be eligible.

Step 1

Financial Aid consists of grants, scholarships, loans and Work-Study. Everyone is eligible for something, but you must apply to find out!

Approximately 5-6 months before the enrollment season for which you are applying, file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The CIA's federal code is 007304. When you have received a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the federal processing center, you'll know that your application has been processed and the review procedure can begin.

Step 2

Some applicants may be asked to file the Institute Supplemental Form and to submit copies of their and/or their parents' federal tax returns from the prior year. You will be notified by the Financial Aid Office if this documentation is needed.

Step 3

After completing the FAFSA, students selected by the Federal Processing Center will have their financial aid file verified. Selected students and/or parents will be required to submit documentation to the Financial Aid Office to verify information supplied on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Such documentation includes, but is not limited to, Federal tax returns, W-2 forms, and the Institute Supplemental Form.

When there is a conflict in data between the FAFSA and the documentation, the student will be notified as to what is required to resolve the conflict. This might include providing additional documentation or statements. This documentation must be supplied within 60 days of the request. If verification is not complete by 60 days or the start of the term, it is possible that a student will not be awarded campus-based aid for that term. A student will know that verification is complete when his/her aid has been credited to his/her account. If an initial award changes due to verification, a new award letter will be sent when verification is complete.

Students who are not eligible for any other financial aid will be notified that they can apply for an Federal Unsubsidized Stafford Loan.

If the CIA suspects that an applicant has misreported information and/or altered documentation for the purpose of increasing his or her student aid eligibility or fraudulently obtaining Federal funds, we will report suspicions and provide any evidence to The Office of the Inspector General (OIG).

Step 4

After you complete the FAFSA and submit any required documentation, the CIA will develop a financial aid package for you.

Step 5

You'll receive an award letter 2-4 months prior to the enrollment season for which you applied.

See Enrollment Season Schedule for Filing Timetable