Start Here | St. Thomas Aquinas College

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At St. Thomas Aquinas College, we refuse to let finances keep students from receiving a high-quality education. 97 percent of our students receive financial aid and we take pride in helping each one access the resources that will empower them to thrive. Grants, loans, and scholarships have ignited the future for thousands of our students and they can do the same for you.

Follow these simple steps to receive the maximum amount of financial support for your college experience.

Step 1: Apply to St. Thomas Aquinas College

Before you can apply for financial aid, you need to apply and be accepted to the college. Apply here!

Step 2: Apply for FAFSA

Upon acceptance to St. Thomas Aquinas College, complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. We cannot evaluate you for St. Thomas Aquinas grants without the FAFSA, so even if you don’t think you qualify for federal funding, please fill out the FAFSA.

Before you file, establish an FSA ID for the student and one parent, respectively, at fsaid.ed.gov.

On December 31, 2023 the 2024-2025 FAFSA officially became available. However, the launch is being treated as a soft launch period by the Department of Education and you may experience issues on the website. Learn more about the new FAFSA. Contact Student Financial Services at 845-398-4042 or sfs@stac.edu with any questions.

St. Thomas Aquinas College’s school code is 002832.

The FAFSA website will walk you through all of the necessary documents required to submit the form. Common documents for both student and parent include:

Social Security cards
US Permanent Resident Cards (if non-citizen)
Federal tax returns and W-2s for the prior year
Records of untaxed income such as child support or interest
Cash, savings, and checking account balances
Investments: stocks, bonds, real estate (does not include retirement accounts or value of primary residence but does include values of 529s)

Upon completion of the FAFSA, you may be randomly selected by the government for a process called Verification. If so, the St. Thomas Aquinas Financial Aid Office may request additional financial or tax information from your family. We use Inceptia as our Verification servicer, where you can quickly respond to any inquiries or requests for documents in order to keep the process moving smoothly.

Step 3: Review Your Student Aid Report

The federal government will send you a form called the Student Aid Report (SAR) approximately 2–3 weeks after you file the FAFSA. This form will indicate your Expected Family Contribution (the amount of money the government believes your family can contribute to your education). This form will also be sent to St. Thomas Aquinas College.

Please read through the SAR completely to ensure that no additional information is being requested.

Step 4: Receive Your St. Thomas Aquinas Financial Aid Package

St. Thomas Aquinas College will put together a financial aid package for you based on the results of your completed and processed FAFSA. The packages are sent to students beginning in March, which may be later than notifications of merit-based scholarships. The financial aid package will include a breakdown of your costs and list your eligibility for:

Federal aid amounts, including loans
State aid (estimate)
Institutional aid in the form of merit awards, scholarships, and grants
Work-study programs

Step 5: Consider Outside Scholarships

In addition to federal, state, and St. Thomas Aquinas College financial aid, you may be eligible for merit-based scholarships at the local, regional, or national level. Find St. Thomas Aquinas scholarship opportunities here and research other scholarships at fastweb.com and finaid.com. Community organizations and employers in your area may also offer scholarships.

New York State Residents may be eligible for grant money from the state. Apply at hesc.ny.gov. Our school code is 0830.