Award Letters & Loans

Launch U is here to help you understand the important financial decisions involved with choosing a college and taking out loans. We have two resources, included below, and are also happy to meet and discuss students' options with them at any time, just email us at launchuclassof2018@launchu.org!

Note: These resources must be downloaded and used in MS Excel, not in google sheets.

Understanding your financial aid award letters: Download this excel spreadsheet to help you compare your options

• View these financial aid award letter examples to practice

Understanding your take-home pay and repaying your loans after graduation: Download this excel spreadsheet

Tracking down your Financial Aid Award Letters

• What is a financial aid award letter? The financial aid award letter is different and separate from an acceptance letter (even though your acceptance letter might offer scholarship money). It shows the individual grants, scholarships, and loans that are offered to you based on your FAFSA information (although students who don’t file a FAFSA will also receive award letters). The award letter includes federal aid money (PELL/MAP) if you are eligible for that money via the FAFSA. Some financial aid award letters showcase the cost of tuition/room & board, and others do not (in which case you should seek this information on the financial aid website). View examples of financial aid award letters here.
• How do I find/receive my financial aid award letters? Most colleges mail these to students directly. However, some colleges only post them on the student’s portal. Many colleges do both, so it’s best to check the portal at each school. You can also call the financial aid office directly- make sure to have your student ID (often sent on the acceptance letter) with you so they can look up the file quickly.
• How do I check the portal? In your acceptance letter package or acceptance email, there is usually login information for your student portal. Use this login information to go into the portal at each school where you’ve been accepted and look for things like “award letter,” “to-do list,” or “financial aid.” Sometimes you’ll find that there are missing items (like verification paperwork) that need to be completed before you can receive financial aid. View info about the CSS profile and verification process here.