Dean Einstein and Kiki Davy, financial aid advisor with TCU's Office of Scholarships
and Student Financial Aid, hosted a Facebook Live Q&A answering your questions. They
gave advice on financial aid updates for this year and steps prospective families
can take to maximize their college investment. Watch the video and read below to find the answers to your questions!
Financial aid terms you should know
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - Opens December 2023
Prospective and current students complete this form to determine eligibility for student financial aid. Families must fill out the FAFSA each year of college. This year, the form will undergo an overhaul through the FAFSA Simplification Act. Because of this, the form will open in December 2023. Beyond reducing questions on the FAFSA, there are a few other significant changes. Learn more on TCU's Financial Aid site.
CSS Profile - Opened October 1, 2023
This application helps determine eligibility for institution-based financial aid. The CSS Profile asks for more details for family finances and offers a chance to add unusual circumstances that would not be found in your taxes submitted for the FAFSA. TCU provides twice as much grant money as the FAFSA, so we encourage you to complete both forms. (Please note, international students can only complete the CSS Profile.)
Cost of Attendance
A university's estimate of annual education costs, determined by the Department of Education. This number includes tuition, fees, housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, miscellaneous and personal expenses. Cost of attendance covers both direct and indirect costs to give you a realistic picture of what you'll pay to the university and what you'll need to budget throughout college.
Net Price
This estimates what a first-year undergraduate student can expect to pay, including financial aid packages. Our net price calculator is a helpful tool to better compare actual costs of colleges.
Priority Financial Aid Deadlines
First-Year Applicants: February 1
Transfer Applicants: April 1
Financial aid terms you should know
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) - Opens December 2023
Prospective and current students complete this form to determine eligibility for student financial aid. Families must fill out the FAFSA each year of college. This year, the form will undergo an overhaul through the FAFSA Simplification Act. Because of this, the form will open in December 2023. Beyond reducing questions on the FAFSA, there are a few other significant changes. Learn more on TCU's Financial Aid site.
CSS Profile - Opened October 1, 2023
This application helps determine eligibility for institution-based financial aid. The CSS Profile asks for more details for family finances and offers a chance to add unusual circumstances that would not be found in your taxes submitted for the FAFSA. TCU provides twice as much grant money as the FAFSA, so we encourage you to complete both forms. (Please note, international students can only complete the CSS Profile.)
Cost of Attendance
A university's estimate of annual education costs, determined by the Department of Education. This number includes tuition, fees, housing, food, books and supplies, transportation, miscellaneous and personal expenses. Cost of attendance covers both direct and indirect costs to give you a realistic picture of what you'll pay to the university and what you'll need to budget throughout college.
Net Price
This estimates what a first-year undergraduate student can expect to pay, including financial aid packages. Our net price calculator is a helpful tool to better compare actual costs of colleges.
Priority Financial Aid Deadlines
First-Year Applicants: February 1
Transfer Applicants: April 1
- Is there a place to look for major-specific scholarships? - 10:26
- What information does the CSS Profile provide that calculates a student's need differently than the FAFSA? - 13:23
- Can you apply for financial aid after acceptance decisions are made? - 17:52
- Can aid packages change over the course of four years? - 21:39
- If you applied early decision, how does this affect aid or scholarships? - 23:38
- Is the CSS Profile for international students accepted by TCU? - 25:51
- Where do we apply for the CSS Profile - 26:56
- Are transfer students eligible for other scholarship opportunities beyond academic scholarships? - 27:44
- Does early decision increase the opportunity for higher scholarship dollars? - 28:41
- If we filled out FAFSA for an older child, do we need a new FAFSA ID for our younger child? - 30:31
- In a divorced family, which parent completes the CSS Profile and the FAFSA? - 31:00
- Do you get favored considerably the earlier you apply? - 32:04
- Should we create a parent or student account for FAFSA? - 34:00
- For merit scholarships, do students need to meet all qualifications listed, (GPA and test scores)? - 34:39
- What advice can you give to prospective families? - 41:06
- Is there any advantage of having AP scores in applying? - 44:33
- Are scholarships stackable? - 45:19
- Is there a minimum income per family per year to receive financial aid? - 46:22
- With the FAFSA changes this year, will TCU still factor in aid for families with more than one child in college? - 49:21
- Do international students get more or less financial aid? - 50:20
- What if the parent has student loans? Is this a consideration in financial need? - 52:00
- What financial aid forms do undocumented students use? - 52:41
- What do returning students have to do to keep their financial aid? - 54:34
- Can you apply for scholarship after being accepted or do we do that when we apply? - 57:50
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