<p>Right now I am attending a University two hours away from my home. I hate it there and i’m totally miserable every day. I miss my family and friends and I have some family issues that I would rather be home for. I am transferring to the school’s branch campus a half an hour away for winter quarter. I can go to this school free based on my ACT scores. Well my question is, since all but $300 was paid at my University by grants and loans, will I receive this financial aid back when I transfer schools? It would really help me out since I need a car to commute back and forth to school so I don’t have to use my parents’ car. Any information would be appreciated!!</p>
<p>*I can go to this school free based on my ACT scores[/I</p>
<p>Are you sure that you’d still be given the scholarship based on ACT scores at this point? Usually those scholarships are given to incoming freshmen, which you no longer are. Do not do this until you have **written **confirmation that you would still get this scholarship if you transfer in the spring. </p>
<p>Usually, you lose that scholarship opportunity once you accept and go to another school.</p>
<p>As far as financial aid is concerned, that is based on the cost of the school you are actually attending. If this branch has a different cost then they will have to calculate a new financial aid award for you based on their cost of attendance, not the cost of attendance at the branch you were attending. Any scholarships you get reduce your financial need and therefore your financial aid. If you do get a free ride based on ACT scores (which *is *unusual for a transfer) then you will have no remaining financial need so therefore will probably not get any financial aid. The exception may be the Pell, if you got that. Not sure but I think you might still be able to get that. Other aid cannot go over the school’s cost of attendance less your EFC less any scholarships (including tuition waivers etc).</p>
<p>You need to check with your school if you need to resubmit FAFSA to the branch you are transferring to. Different branches of schools often have different school codes for financial aid application. I know the school my son goes to has 3 branches in 3 different cities and they are all different schools with different school codes for FA on FAFSA. They each have different COAs so a student going to branch A would not get the same aid as at branch B, the aid would not be transferable between branches, and a student transferring from A to B would have to reapply for aid at branch B. So check with them ASAP.</p>
<p>^^</p>
<p>I could be wrong, but I think the OP means that he/she could go to the nearby school for free - meaning free tuition (not a free ride). There would still be some COA costs that are higher than tuition (books, fees, transportation, etc.)</p>
<p>However, I’m not sure that that scholarship based on ACT is still available to the OP since it was probably for an incoming freshman student who is starting in the fall. Not a transfer student.</p>
<p>The OP needs to file for FA at the school he/she will be attending in the spring. They can determine what aid, if any, he/she will be eligible for at that school.</p>
<p>I double checked and sure enough, the free tuition based on ACT scores is only for students entering in the fall. Even still, the branch campus tuition is a significant amount less - not sure exactly how much but i won’t be paying room & board/meal plan, etc. I emailed the main campus financial aid department to find out about resubmitting a fafsa, but does anyone have any idea if i’ll get back the difference for loans and grants? Sorry so many questions, I find this all to be very confusing. haha</p>
<p>Also, when I contacted someone at the Branch campus they told me I would only need to notify Financial Aid and Housing at the main campus that I wouldn’t be returning and that registering for classes was the same but to use the code for the branch campus classes.</p>
<p>If you are asking whether you get the balance of your current aid then the answer is no. You need to refile FAFSA with the codes for the branch campus and you will get a new FA package from the branch campus. Financial aid cannot exceed the COA (less your EFC) of the school you are actually attending. </p>
<p>Any loans and grants for the spring will be based on the costs of the campus you are attending in the spring. As the school is cheaper than the one you are currently attending then you will be awarded less in loans and grants than you were at your current school. Once any direct costs are paid to the school out of the new aid you are awarded then any money left over should be paid to you. But this will based on a new financial aid package at the school you are moving to, not the current one you have. Your current financial aid package ceases to exist once you change to a different school with different costs. </p>
<p>For instance if the COA at your current school is $10,000 for a semester the your financial aid was based on that cost of $10,000. If the school you are transferring has a COA of $3000 for a semester the your new financial aid will be based on the COA of $3000, not the $10k from the current school. If you have a 0 EFC your need would now be $3000. If your need is fully met you would get aid of $3000. If the direct costs at the new school are $2,000 then you would get the balance of $1,000 ($3000-2000) paid to you.</p>
<p>*I emailed the main campus financial aid department to find out about resubmitting a fafsa, **but does anyone have any idea if i’ll get back the difference for loans and grants? **Sorry so many questions, I find this all to be very confusing. haha
*</p>
<p>Since you’ll be commuting to your new school, your COA should be quite low if it’s an in-state public. Your COA is probably about $9k per year. </p>
<p>What school is it?</p>
<p>Do you qualify for any fed grants?</p>