I have a TN Strong scholarship that pays all my tuition. Tn strong is a tuition scholarship that pays back at the end of the semester. Since I already have a 100% tuition scholarship, I want to get my tuition money from TN Strong and put the FAFSA in my pocket. If I accept Fafsa, the funds will be deducted from my tuition since Fafsa is a tuition priority scholarship type, and Fafsa will deduct the money from my tuition even though I already have a scholarship that pays 100% of my tuition. For example, TN Strong pays me 5000 dollars, which is my entire tuition, without using FAFSA, but if I use FAFSA, it is deducted from my tuition, and TN Strong pays me 1000 dollars instead of 5000 dollars because FAFSA reduces my tuition. I want to put this FAFSA scholarship in my pocket and use it for my future college expenses. Do you guys have any idea how can I take FAFSA Scholarship money into my pocket?
From the (somewhat limited) knowledge on this topic, I don’t think this is possible. I’m going to assume that the TN Strong Scholarship will meet any remaining costs after FAFSA is processed. The FAFSA doesn’t deal out scholarships, it calculates your SAI - Student Aid Index. The SAI is then used by colleges to help determine your families expected contribution, and from there gives you aid as appropriate.
The FAFSA is only a tool used to calculate how much aid you can get, and does not “award” scholarships depending on the SAI given. SAI is subjective to each institutions interpretation, and can result in a variety of outcomes concerning amount of aid (some schools may give more, some may give less.) The only “funding” that can take place as an outcome of an SAI is being potentially able to take out Federal loans - Subsidized/unsubsidized or Parent PLUS Loans at the undergraduate level.
What your college is doing is that they’ve received the FAFSA, and have seen your SAI. Based upon this SAI, they calculated how much aid you would receive (as if the TN Strong scholarship doesn’t exist) as an incoming student. Now that the initial processing is done, and you have a net cost-per-year, the TN Strong Scholarship is covering what’s left after any federal aid you may have received to make the net cost 0.
At least, this is what I’m believing of what your post is saying.
FAFSA is a form, not a scholarship. It helps determine level of need and gives access to a government loans.
FAFSA itself does not give you any money.
So I don’t understand the question.
With a full merit tuition, there is nothing more.
Do you have room and board expense that you need a loan for?
Loans get paid back - with interest.
Are you saying you would be eligible for the Pell grant by filling out the FAFSA and you want to be able to get that plus the full scholarship?
What do you think you will get as a result of completing the FAFSA. Are you entitled to any portion of the Pell Grant? Do you want to take out a Direct Loan?
You need to look at and understand the terms of this scholarship. If they clearly state that any federally funded aid will reduce this scholarship amount, then there is nothing you can do about this.
Here is what I found…looking online…
As a last-dollar reimbursement, the amount of state tuition reimbursement is offset by any other funds received. This includes any other state and federal aid including Federal Tuition Assistance, Pell Grant, TSAA award, HOPE scholarship, and any other tuition-specific scholarship; institutional or otherwise. The tuition reimbursement will be made to the educational institution on behalf of an eligible member for no more than 120 credit hours toward a first time bachelor’s degree or 40 graduate credit hours toward a master’s degree (inclusive of any previously earned or awarded hours).*
It sounds like it’s not possible to do what you hoped to do. If the scholarship wasn’t last-dollar reimbursement, you may have been able to get Pell (assuming you qualify) in addition to the scholarship. As it is, the scholarship pays after Pell pays.
If you need a loan for expenses, you would be able to borrow (assuming the school participates in the federal loan program).