A contributor is anyone (you, your spouse, your biological or adoptive parent, or your parent's spouse) who is required to provide information on the FAFSA form, sign the FAFSA form, and provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into the form.
Financial aid is paid (i.e. disbursed) to the student’s account the first Monday after
the main census (drop/add) date, (except on holidays in which case payment will occur
on Tuesday). See the academic calendar for full dates.
Typically, your grants and loans will be applied to your outstanding tuition and fees
first. If there is any leftover money, it will be issued to you as a financial aid refund. Work-study funds are paid throughout the applicable term.
You will need to fill out the FAFSA once for each academic year that you will attend school. The further in advance you do it, the better!
The FAFSA for next academic year (July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025) was launched December 31, 2023.
If you need help with student loan repayment, contact the holder of your loan, the financial aid office at the college or university you attended, or the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman at (877) 557-2575. You may also like the Student Loan Borrower Assistance website. Find out about Public Service Loan Forgiveness and Income Based Repayment.
You can create a StudentAid.gov account for free with no SSN if you are a partner or spouse of a student who is completed the FAFSA OR if you are a citizen of the Freely Associated States and need to complete the FAFSA.
Verification is the process schools use to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate.
Being selected does not mean you did something wrong; students are randomly selected by Central Processing Center.
If you are selected, we will ask for additional documents. You access this via your myPikesPeak Portal Dashboard by selecting the Financial Aid Requirements icon.
The purpose of the CASFA is to determine need for financial aid awarding purposes to students historically excluded from receiving state and federal financial aid.
Who can Apply?
Graduate from a public or private Colorado high school (or homeschool) after attending for at least one year or obtain your GED after living in Colorado for at least one year.
Get admitted to a Colorado institution of higher education or attend a reciprocal program.
Non-U.S. citizens and those that are not permanent residents of the U.S. can use the CASFA to apply for institutional aid
Yes, you can use the aid estimator: https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/
Changes in funding: Your financial aid award is based on projected funding from federal, state, and institutional sources. If the projected funding is more than the actual funding available, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.
Changes in federal and/or state regulations: All federal and state-funded programs are subject to change at any time because of legislative action. If there are changes which impact on your eligibility, your financial aid award(s) will be adjusted to reflect these changes.
Receiving financial assistance from other sources: If you receive any additional funds from outside sources, including scholarships that were not included on your financial aid award notification, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can include the funds in your award offer. Students are required by federal regulations to notify the financial aid office of all outside scholarships. If the amount of funding from the outside source changes from what is listed on your award, please contact our office immediately so we can adjust your award accordingly.
Completion of Verification/Special/Unusual Circumstances : If you are selected for verification, you must submit additional documentation to determine your financial aid eligibility. Once the verification and/or special/unusual circumstance has process is complete, your awards may be revised to reflect your correct eligibility. Students who fail to complete the verification process will not receive the financial aid funds provided on their initial award notification.
Updates to enrollment: The amount of your financial aid award depends on the number of credit hours you are taking. Your initial award is prepared based on full-time and will prorate based on enrollment. Adding, dropping and/or withdrawing from courses will have an impact to your financial aid. Please contact our office anytime you make or plan to make changes to your schedule.
If you receive any additional funds from outside sources, including scholarships that were not included on your financial aid award notification, please contact our office as soon as possible so we can include the funds in your award offer. Students are required by federal regulations to notify the financial aid office of all outside scholarships. If the amount of funding from the outside source changes from what is listed on your award, please contact our office immediately so we can adjust your award accordingly.
The amount of your financial aid award depends on the number of credit hours you are taking. Your initial award is prepared based on full-time and will prorate based on enrollment. Adding, dropping and/or withdrawing from courses will have an impact to your financial aid. Please contact our office anytime you make or plan to make changes to your schedule.
Yes, the SB 22-008, Higher Education Support for Foster Youth provide financial assistance to Colorado resident students who, any time after reaching age 13, have been in foster care or noncertified kinship care (following adjudication as neglected/dependent). The IHEs must provide for the remaining balance of total cost of attendance in excess of all private, federal or state financial assistance received by the student.
ASCENT is a fifth-year high school program that allows students to participate in concurrent enrollment the year after 12th grade. Qualified students who have completed at least 9 credit hours of postsecondary coursework prior to completion of their 12th grade year may be eligible for the ASCENT Program. ASCENT expanded in 2022 to allow unlimited number of participants.
Students & Parents: Please check with your high school counselor for specific information regarding how your school district administers the ASCENT program. ASCENT students typically participate in high school graduation after 12th grade. Complete the FAFSA to determine whether ASCENT is the best financial option for you.
Advancing Students for a Stronger Tomorrow (ASSET) allows eligible students to pay instate tuition at Colorado’s public colleges and universities if they meet certain qualifications.
Students eligible who meet the criteria to be classified as an ASSET student can qualify for Colorado Student Aid by submitting the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA).
Asset students are not eligible for Federal Student Aid.
You can calculate your Federal Student Loan repayment options with the loan simulator.
Review your DegreeCheck and look for the "courses do not apply" section. Courses listed in this section may not be covered with Financial Aid. Only classes needed for graduation in your current major will be covered, this includes prerequisite classes, including Learning Support and ESL courses (if otherwise eligible).
Students enrolled in courses impacted by CPOS will be notified via their student email. Students will only be notified if CPOS impacts their federal financial aid eligibility. Please note, some portion of your federal aid may be prorated/reduced based on less than full-time status.
The Financial Aid Department does not review appeal on individual courses. Please speak with your Academic Advisor and Faculty Advisor about a course modification.
Electives must satisfy a requirement of your declared major. If you have been notified that an elective course us not counting toward your financial aid eligibility, contact your Academic Advisor. They can reevaluate your program of study to see if an override is needed.
Yes, developmental courses are eligible for financial aid funding up to 30 attempted remedial hours, to include ESL courses.
Learn more about how to best support your student through the financial aid process
Single Stop: Single Stop connects students to local community and governmental resources (e.g. SNAP, TANF, WIC, Food pantries, etc.). Single Stop is an online screening tool that can estimate in minutes what supplemental resources students might be eligible to receive.
Pikes Peak Workforce Center - Funds for Worker Training: Pikes Peak Workforce Center helps residents of El Paso and Teller Counties who are unemployed, underemployed, or employed by providing them with job training programs and career development resources. Our clients range from entry-level to professional, including youth, adults, people returning to the workforce, and those with barriers to employment. We provide job search and training opportunities, including 20 different job seeker workshops at no cost.
Work Study offers students a chance to earn money for education expenses by working part-time. They get paid every two weeks through federal and state funds, with a starting wage at least the local minimum.
The Financial Aid Office at Pikes Peak State College is committed to supporting your
academic journey. Whether you're just starting the financial aid process or need help
at any stage, we are here for you.
