Featured Scholarship 

Graduate Students in studies related to Stormwater Quality (Florida Stormwater Association Educational Foundation)

FAFSA Lessons Learned

Avoid delays with these FAFSA tips!

Click the link above to avoid delays caused by the most common FAFSA mistakes. Tips courtesy of NASFAA, the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 

Save Your Money - Save Your Identity!

The 2012-2013 FAFSA is available to complete online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.  One way to prepare for completing the online version is to first download the 2012-2013 FAFSA on the Web Worksheet (pdf).  This helps you gather the required information and determine your answers to questions before you go to the FAFSA website.

Students with Federal loans

New and returning Students with Federal loans must make important decisions about their loans and advise the Financial Aid Office (FAO):

Stafford Loans

Stafford Loans never appear on your student account until after you accept the loan, complete an Entrance Interview (online counseling session) and complete a Master Promissory Note (MPN).  All Stafford and PLUS Loans are provided by the Federal Government with commercial firms providing the loan servicing.  New students who will rely on Federal Stafford or PLUS loans to help finance their education must complete a Master Promissory Note on the Federal Department of Education website, StudentLoans.gov. More information about this process for new and returning students is also available on our web site -- see Stafford Loans.

Petitioning Graduates with Stafford Loans or Graduate PLUS Loans

Petitioning Graduates with Federal Stafford loans and/or Graduate PLUS loans must complete Exit Counseling as one of the obligations you accepted when taking the loan.  You may complete the counseling online at NSLDS.ed.gov where you will also find the current status of all your Federal education loans.  NSLDS updates their data every 30 days from both the lenders and the reporting schools.  NSLDS does not track private education loans.  You will need to contact your lender directly if you have a non-Federal student loan.

Petitioning Graduates with Outstanding Perkins Loans

Graduates with outstanding Federal Perkins Loans must also complete a separate Exit Counseling for that loan.  Exit Records are normally created for petitioning graduates with outstanding loans a month or two before graduation.  At that time you can complete your Exit Interview online at your convenience. Please use FL Tech School Code U7 for Perkins Loan Exit Counseling. Live Customer Service is available online to assist you.  If you do not find an Exit Record available to electronically sign, email us at finaid@fit.edu so we can set one up and advise you when it is ready.  

Panther Payment Plans

Florida Tech Panther Payment Plans enable you to spread out your payments for tuition and fees. One feature enables students to authorize a parent or other person to access their account information and make payments for them.  To learn more about the payment plan, including enrollment dates for each semester, go to Panther Payment Plan.

You may also want to check out other information on the Student Financial Services website.  You can find helpful FAQs, information about the Student Account Center, plus links to policies and procedures about Account Refunds or about the Flight Instruction Account of special interest to flight students.

Upcoming Important Dates

Students planning to attend Florida Tech after June 30, 2012 should complete the 2012-2013 FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov

Florida Tech complies with federal statues requiring that students be enrolled in a degree-seeking program and maintain satisfactory academic progress each semester in order to continue receiving financial aid.

For Main Campus and Extended Studies Students

For Florida Tech University Online Students

PAWS Financial Aid Information

LOGIN PROCESS

• Save http://www.fit.edu/paws in your browser or use the PAWS link on the Florida Tech home page.
• Your TRACKS Username and Password are also your PAWS Username and Password. 
• If you have problems logging in to PAWS, go to https://tracks.fit.edu/tracks/howto

HELPFUL HINTS

• PAWS displays data in real time -- financial aid updates appear as the staff enters them.
• After 10 unsuccessful logins, PAWS will disable your account for 10 minutes.
• PAWS will also end your session after 15 minutes with no user activity.
• Avoid using browser back buttons -- use the menu links that appear on each page.

NAVIGATING IN PAWS

• PAWS navigation consists of tabbed windows containing menu hyperlinks. 
• Tabs include a Personal Information tab plus other tabs depending on your relationship with Florida Tech.
• The Personal Information tab allows you to view and update addresses and email information. 
• Students also see a Student tab and a Financial Aid tab.
• Federal Work Study student employees see an Employee tab.

The menu pick Payment/Student Account Information appears in both the Financial Aid tab and Student tab. 

• Review the current status of your student account.
• Make payments on your account.

FINANCIAL AID MENU

The Financial Aid tab also contains menu picks for Financial Aid Status, Eligibility, and Awards. 

• Financial Aid Status summarizes your current financial aid status and links to many of the details. 
• The Eligibility menu provides status of your financial aid tracking requirements.
  • Completed requirements
  • Outstanding requirements -- the ones that can delay or prevent aid payments to your account.
• From the Award menu you can
  • See all awards currently in your financial aid package.
  • Accept any awards that are not automatically accepted for you.
  • See the expected date when awards should pay to your student account.
  • View and print a complete history of your fianancial aid awards at Florida Tech.

STUDENT MENU

The Student tab also contains menu picks for Admissions, Registration and Student Records.

• File an application for admission
• Determine your admission status
• Register for or change classes
• Review your grades
• Track progress towards completing your degree (Degree Evaluation)
• Request an official transcript