The excitement of packing, moving, and beginning your educational journey will be starting soon, and it is easy to forget some of the “business” particulars that need to be taken care of in order for your financial aid to be applied to your account. Here are some key things to remember for your upcoming time here at Gonzaga:
Be sure to check your ZagMail email! All correspondence from the Financial Aid Office, from award changes to notification of missing documentation, is sent to this email address.
If you are borrowing Federal Direct Loans for the first time, you will need to complete a Master Promissory Note and Loan Entrance Counseling at www.studentloans.gov. Your loans cannot be applied to your account until we have received this information.
Read Morning Mail! Scholarship listings can sometimes be found in Morning Mail. Although you may not have qualified for a scholarship at the beginning of the school year, we sometimes receive notification of available scholarships throughout the year. These are posted through Morning Mail and also on our online Scholarship Search.
Confirm your charges! If you have not accepted your charges with Student Accounts, your financial aid may not disburse to your account. Once you receive your billing statement, you need to respond via email to confirm your charges. Your billing statement from Student Accounts has directions on how to confirm your charges via email.
Contact Us! If something has changed in regards to your financial situation or if you just need clarification or guidance for financial aid, we are here to help! We understand that each of our students is unique and our goal is to help families finance their student’s education to the best of our abilities. However, we cannot help you if you do not communicate with us!
Research, research, research! For some families, Gonzaga institutional funding and federal aid is not always enough to help with covering costs. It is ultimately the family’s responsibility to fund a student’s education, but that can also be tough. With the Internet and a little leg work, it is possible to supplement your financial aid funding with outside scholarships and grants. The Office of Financial Aid does have a list of scholarship sites, but there are many different scholarship sites, some that we do not even know about! Be sure to talk with those in your community (churches, organizations, clubs, etc.) about possible scholarship opportunities as well.
