Financial Aid FAQ
Financial Aid FAQ
Longwood University
FAFSA / Application Process
Q: I am a new student and completed my FAFSA, when will I receive my financial aid offer?
A: Financial Aid offers are sent out weekly as new FAFSA’s are received. It takes approximately 2 weeks for us to post your financial aid offer after you submit your FAFSA. You will receive an email when your offer is ready to view through your MyLongwood portal. A hard copy of your offer will also be mailed to your permanent address. If you completed your FAFSA more than two weeks ago and have not yet received an email notification, please contact our office.
Q: I am a returning student and completed my FASA, when will I receive my financial aid for next year?
A: Returning students are awarded financial aid at the end of May, after spring grades have been posted. You will be notified through your Longwood email account when your financial aid is ready to view through your MyLongwood portal.
Q: My FAFSA was selected for verification. What does that mean? Will my financial aid change?
A: If your FAFSA was selected it is not a reason to be concerned. Approximately 1/3 of all FAFSA’s are selected for verification which means the school must verify the information on your FAFSA. More often than not, the verification proces does not result in a change to a student’s initial financial aid offer. If the documentation you submit does not match what is on your FAFSA, it is possible for your aid offer to change. You will be notified by email if this happens. Using the IRS data retrieval tool when initially completing the FAFSA significantly reduces the chance that your aid will be impacted by verification.
Q: What is the deadline to turn in documents and how do I submit them?
A: Deadlines can change from year to year, but your email notification will include any applicable deadlines. You may fax documents to 434-395-2829 or mail them to: Longwood University, Office of Financial Aid, 201 High Street Suite 107, Farmville, VA23909.
Q: Do I have to file a FAFSA each year? Is there a deadline?
A: Yes, you must file a FAFSA every year if you wish to receive financial aid. The FAFSA opens October 1st for the following academic year. Longwood’s priority filing deadline is March 1st. Complete your FAFSA here.
Q: What happens if I don’t file by March 1st?
A: Longwood has limited grant funding available, so students who apply after March 1st are not guaranteed the maximum aid package they might otherwise qualify for.
Q: I am a new student and was offered a scholarship through the Admissions Office, is that renewable or only for my first year?
A: Yes, scholarships offered through the Longwood Admissions Office are good for four years. Students must complete 30 credits at Longwood each year and achieve a 3.0 cumulative grade point average to continue receiving the award. Grades and credit completion are reviewed annually after spring grades are posted. Students may use the summer term to meet the requirements, even if notified that their scholarship is not being renewed based on their fall and spring performance.
Q: I am a returning student and am afraid I will not meet the requirements to continue receiving my merit scholarship. I had a medical issue that impacted my grades in the spring. Is there an appeal process?
A: Yes. Any student who does not meet the merit renewal requirements will be notified by email. The email will contain instructions on how students may appeal to keep their scholarship if they encountered exceptional circumstances during the academic year that had an impact on their academic performance. The appeal process is quick and easy, and the committee will return a decision to you as quickly as possible.
Q: I am a new student and I received a scholarship through my high school, do I need to tell you about that? How will I receive those funds?
A: Yes. The Office of Financial Aid must be notified of any scholarship you receive from outside the Longwood community. Please send a copy of the scholarship notification to our office as soon as possible. Most scholarship granting agencies will send the check directly to the school you attend to be applied to your student account.
Q: Are there other scholarships I can apply for through Longwood?
A: For incoming students the majority of our scholarship funding is offered through our merit program. Additional scholarships are offered to students admitted to the Honors College. Once you are a student at Longwood, there are also scholarships available through our academic departments. More information will be made available about that during each fall semester.
Federal Work-Study
Q: I was offered Federal Work-Study, what is it?
A: Federal Work-Study is considered a need-based form of financial aid, but is not applied directly to the student’s account like most other forms of aid. Federal work-study allows the student to work on campus and earn a bi-weekly paycheck. The amount offered is the amount a student may earn in a year. Students are not placed in positions, they must search and apply for jobs through Longwood’s Handshake system, available in the MyLongwood portal. Again, the student earns these funds through work and the funds are paid directly to the student in a bi-weekly paycheck.
Q: I was not offered Federal Work-Study, why not and can I still work on campus?
A: To receive Federal Work-Study you must indicate on your FAFSA that you are interested, as well as demonstrate a certain amount of financial need. There are plenty of jobs on campus that do not require federal work-study, so it does not prevent you from working. However, if you were not offered Federal Work-Study but are interested, feel free to contact the Office of Financial Aid to see if you may be eligible.
Student and Parent Loans
Q: I was offered student loans, do I have to take them?
A: No, student loans are optional. You may accept the full amount offered, accept a reduced amount, or decline them entirely.
Q: I was offered a subsidized loan and an unsubsidized loan, what does that mean?
A: A subsidized loan means the federal government is paying the interest on that loan while the student is in school. Interest on that portion of a loan will begin accruing six months after the student graduates or stops attending college at least half-time. Unsubsidized loans begin accruing interest as soon as they are paid to the student’s account.
Q: I would like to accept my student loans, what do I need to do?
A: First, log in to your MyLongwood portal and accept your loans. You may accept the full amount offered or accept a reduced amount. If this is the first time you have borrowed a loan at Longwood, login to studentaid.gov and complete Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Note. If you complete those requirements before May, please know we will not load them into our system until the beginning of May.
Q: My financial aid offer includes a parent loan, do we have to take it?
A: No. Parent loans, referred to as PLUS loans, are optional. If your parent would like to apply for a PLUS loan they must log in to studentaid.gov and complete a Parent PLUS Loan application. The PLUS loan application opens on June 1st for the upcoming academic year.
Q: What if my parents will not qualify for a parent loan?
A: PLUS loans are credit-based, so adverse credit history may result in a denial. Families have two options when a parent is denied a PLUS loan. The first option is to obtain an endorser, essentially a co-signer. More information on this will be offered immediately after the application has been processed. If the parent does not wish to obtain an endorser the student may elect to borrow additional Federal Unsubsidized Direct Loan, the amount will be based on the student’s grade level.
Special Circumstances
Q: The financial aid I received is not enough to cover my bill. What do I do?
A: We understand that education is a major investment and families often struggle to cover the cost. Our financial aid advisors are here to talk this through with you. Please contact us any time. We will gladly go over the estimated cost of attendance, your financial aid offer, and options for covering any gap that may exist. This is what we do, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want to be sure you understand your options and get answers to any questions you may have.
Q: One of my parents recently lost their job. Is there more financial aid available?
A: We understand that circumstances change, more so recently than ever. If the income information on your FAFSA no longer accurately represents your current financial situation please contact our office. We prefer you call us, or send an email, with a summary of your situation before sending supporting documentation. Every situation is different so the information we need will depend on your individual circumstances. A request for review does not guarantee additional aid will be available, but we do everything we can to support our students and families.
Billing, Payment, and Books
Q: When will I receive a bill and how?
A: Fall semester bills are generated around the first week of July and are typically due the first week in August. Spring bills are generated around the first week of December and are typically due the first week in January. Students and authorized users (see below) will receive an email notification when the Ebill is ready. More information is available here.
Q: Can my parent receive emails when my bill is ready?
A: Yes, you may set your parent (or anyone else) up as an authorized user so they may view and pay your bill. More information on how to do this is available .
Q: How will I pay for books?
A: If the total of all financial aid and payments on your student account exceeds your semester charges, you may use those funds to purchase books. Before refunds are processed, excess funds are available for use at the Longwood Barnes & Noble bookstore, you simply swipe with your Lancer Card to pay or use it online.
Q: Am I required to buy my books at Barnes & Noble?
A: No. You may purchase books wherever you like. However, refunds from financial aid or other payments are not generated until approximately three weeks into each semester. So if you plan to utilize those funds, using your Lancer Card at Barnes & Noble ensures you have books in time to begin academic coursework. If you are not paying with excess funds on your student account, you may purchase books anywhere you choose.
Q: How will I know if I am receiving a refund?
A: Any financial aid that has been secured (accepted & requirements completed) by the date the bill is generated will show as pending aid on the student’s account. If your balance is a negative number, you have a credit balance on your account (pending refund). If it is a positive number, that is the amount you still owe. It is important to remember that whenever a student adds/drops a class, or changes a meal plan, the bill changes accordingly.
Q: My parents can afford to make a small payment monthly in addition to my financial aid, but cannot pay all at once when the bill is due. Does Longwood offer a payment plan?
A: Yes, you may sign up to make monthly payments toward the bill for any amount you choose, even if it is only to cover a portion of the bill. More information is available here.
Q: My parents have a 529 plan for me. How do we get that money?
A: The account holder must contact Virginia529 College Savings Plan (VCSP) to request payment distribution. Click here for detailed instructions on how to process funds from your 529 plan.