Once you’ve applied for admission to Northwestern Connecticut Community College, applying for financial aid is fast and easy! Applying to NCCC first is key to avoiding any delays in receiving notification for your financial aid awards. Once you do that, you must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This one form allows for consideration for all federal, state and college grant programs at NCCC

FAFSA Application Procedures

Step 1: Apply for a Federal Student Aid ID

A FSA ID is required in order to sign the FAFSA when it is time to submit it to the Federal Processor for processing. Here’s how to get your FSA ID:

• Go to www.StudentAid.gov/fsaid.
• Create a username and password and enter your email address. If you’re a continuing student with a FSA PIN, you’ll be able to enter it and link to your FSA ID. You can still create one if you have forgotten or do not have a PIN.
• Review your information and read and accept the terms and conditions.
• Confirm your email address using the secure code. It will be sent to the email address you entered when you created your FSA ID. Once you verify your email address, you can use it instead of your username to log in to the various federal websites.

Step 2: File Your FAFSA Online

• Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov.
• Collect and have the following available to you to file accurately:
  • Federal Tax Returns (Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ) from the 2020 tax year;
  • All Wage and Tax Statements (Forms W-2 from 2020);
  • Social Security Numbers for you, your spouse or parents;
  • Dates of birth of your spouse or parents;
  • Alien Registration Number;
  • Records of untaxed income from the 2020 tax year – such as, worker’s compensation or disability benefits, interest income or educational IRA’s, and untaxed portion of capital gains;
  • Money received from a friend or relative (other than your parents) or cash payments made on your behalf in 2020.
  • Dates of marriage, marital separation, or divorce for you and your parents (if applicable);
  • Amounts paid or received in child support;
  • Amounts of cash, savings or bank accounts for you, your spouse or your parents (if applicable); and
  • Amounts of tax deferred pension – see Boxes 12a – 12d on each Form W-2 from 2020.

Without the above information, it will be impossible to file an accurate and complete FAFSA. It is highly likely that your FAFSA will be selected for verification, especially if it is filed without having first filed your federal tax return. Being selected for verification will add days if not weeks to the financial aid application process.

List on your FAFSA the following federal code number: 001398 to authorize that your FAFSA data be released to Northwestern Connecticut Community College. Take advantage of the opportunity to speed up processing by using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT). The IRS DRT allows you and/or your parents or spouse (if applicable) to allow the IRS to retrieve and report your income tax data to your FAFSA. This will allow you to shave days if not weeks from the application process.

Be certain to sign your FAFSA with your FSA ID. The same holds true for your spouse or one of your parents, if applicable.

Step 3: Receive a Student Aid Report (SAR)

The Federal Processor will send you an acknowledgment or output document called a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR provides you with preliminary results of the actions of the Federal Processor. Read your SAR, learn about any special comments and take immediate action if you find it necessary to correct any data that you initially reported. Go back into your FAFSA to complete the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if you did not initially use it to have the IRS export your income tax data to speed up processing and verification of your income tax data.

Step 4: Continue Monitoring Your FAFSA Status

You’ll receive an email from the Connecticut Community Colleges advising that your FAFSA data has been received. Continue to monitor the status of your FAFSA using the NCCC’s student information system by entering the myCommNet portal. You may access Student Self-Service only if you have a College ID (don’t confuse the portal with the FSA ID).

If you have completed the admissions process and you have a valid College ID number, you may log into the Student Self-Service area:

• Log into http://www.my.commnet.edu/. Then follow the instructions on the log in screen. For more information on initial set up of your account and monitoring Financial Aid status, download the Banner Self-Service Navigation Guide.
• Create your first password (after your very first log in you will be asked to change it), and then select the Student Tab. 
• Next, select Student Self-Service and then choose Financial Aid from the menu. Before you see various submenus, you have to select the time period you wish to view. Select 2022-2023 Aid Year. The following offers you various capabilities:
  • “My Eligibility” – Click on Student Requirements to see if your FAFSA was selected to be verified which then requires you to provide various required forms. As you turn in the required forms, the unsatisfied notification will change to satisfied and further processing will be able to continue in the Financial Aid Office.
  • “My Overall Financial Aid Status” – Check your overall financial aid status, your estimated Cost of Attendance and your Academic Progress status for financial aid participation. Note that the all-inclusive Cost of Attendance shows both direct costs (out-of-pocket) as well as indirect costs (living expenses, transportation and miscellaneous expenses). You are not billed for indirect costs and NCCC does not have residential facilities.  These other expenses are acknowledged, but not funded.
  • “My Award Information” – This area shows your estimated eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and also reports to you any other financial aid awarded. Select the Aid Year 2022-2023 and click on the Details header to view the actual names and amounts by academic term. Note that you can also receive details about the Terms and Conditions of any aid awarded. You may also enroll in Direct Deposit, to have any remaining funds that are to be refunded to then be deposited in your personal checking account. To receive a refund or to authorize your credit balance to remain on your account, you must first complete a Title IV Authorization.
  • “My Financial Services” – Go here to look at your Account Summary. Review your tuition and fee charges and compare your anticipated financial aid which appears as an advance credit on your tuition bill. Understand that all financial aid “awarded” is based on an “assumption” of full-time. If you do not register for classes as a full-time student (12 credits for more), the amount that will pro-rate on your tuition account will adjust to three-quarter time or half-time. If there is a negative symbol in the “Balance Due” area, it means that you have more anticipated aid than your actual tuition and fee charges. Having more aid thaN your charges means that you have a tuition “credit balance”.