Steps to Apply

Create an FSA ID

• Student: An FSA ID is your account username and password. You need it to sign the FAFSA form online. If you don’t have an FSA ID, you can create an FSA ID online to complete federal student aid tasks. It takes about 10 minutes to create an FSA ID.
•  Parent: If you are the parent of a dependent student, you need to create your own FSA ID to sign your child’s FAFSA form online. As a parent, you’ll be able to use your FSA ID right away.

Start the FAFSA form

You should complete the FAFSA form as soon as it’s available. 

• If you are the student: Select “I am a student and want to access the FAFSA form.” Then, log in using your FSA ID.
•  If you are the parent: Select “I am a parent filling out a FAFSA form for a student.” After selecting the parent role, you will need to provide your child’s name, their date of birth, and their Social Security number. 

Fill out the Student Demographics section.

• The Student Demographics section includes your name, date of birth, etc. If you either completed the FAFSA form in the past or logged into the FAFSA form with your FSA ID, most of your personal information will prepopulate to save you time. Make sure you enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. (That’s right, no nicknames.)
• Parents: Remember that the FAFSA form is the student’s application and not yours. When the FAFSA form says “you” or “your,” it’s referring to the student (unless otherwise noted). Pay attention to whether you’re asked to provide student or parent information.

List The American University in Cairo to receive your FAFSA information. 

•  AUC school code: American University in Cairo - G05034.

Answer the dependency status questions.

• In the dependency status section, you’ll need to respond to a series of specific questions to find out whether you’re a dependent or independent student. The answers to these questions will determine whether you need to provide parent information on the FAFSA form. 

Fill out the Parent Demographics section.

• Your parent(s) will need to provide basic demographic information. Remember, it doesn’t matter if you don’t live with your parent(s); you still must report information about them if you are a dependent student. 

Provide your financial information.

• Next, you and your parent(s) (if applicable) will provide financial information. This step is incredibly simple if you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). The IRS DRT allows you to import your IRS tax information into the FAFSA form with just a few clicks. Also, using this tool may reduce the amount of paperwork you need to provide to your school. So, make sure to use it, if you’re eligible. 

Sign and submit your FAFSA form.

• You’re not finished with the FAFSA form until you (and your parent, if you’re a dependent student) sign the form. The quickest and easiest way to sign your FAFSA form is online with your FSA ID. 

The MPN is the legal document, which is your promise to repay the loan and any accrued interest and fees to the US Federal Government. It explains the terms and conditions of your loans. Although you may have previously signed an MPN to receive Direct Loan Program loans, previous MPN’s cannot be used to borrow direct loans. Because AUC is a foreign institution you must complete the MPN with each award year.

• Complete the Direct Loan MPNs online 
  • You will need your Federal user ID and password to log In.
  • You need to complete a MPN for each loan you are requesting; Direct loans and Plus loans.
  • A parent borrower must sign the MPN with their own user ID.
  • Retain a copy of your MPN(s) after you complete the form electronically.

The Federal Government requires you to complete the entrance counseling to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and obligations you are assuming. 

If you are completing the entrance counseling to borrow a loan as an undergraduate student, then the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans.

If you are completing entrance counseling to borrow a loan as a graduate or professional student, the entrance counseling will fulfill counseling requirements for Direct Unsubsidized Loans and Direct PLUS Loans.

Students who need to borrow enough money to cover their entire Estimated Cost of Attendance or at least more than the Stafford Direct loan program offers, should apply for the PLUS/Grad PLUS loan which requires a credit check.

• Request a Direct PLUS Loan
  • Visit the Federal Student Aid website and click on Request a Direct PLUS Loan
  • Select the loan suited to your grade level. Undergraduate students need only one parent to borrow a PLUS on their behalf. All graduate students should select Grad PLUS which they borrow in their own name.
• You will receive a response to the credit decision almost immediately.
  • If your credit is denied, you will have options: Asking for Reconsideration, Appealing or Adding an endorser to the loan. You will receive an email from the Department of Education (DOE) with instructions for all these options. It is important to save this email as it includes an endorser code.
  •  If you need an endorser, click on Add an Endorser. The endorser must have their own user ID.

AUC is pleased to announce the new CORE Financial Aid system where you will be able to view your financial aid information for the academic year 2023 - 2024. All required documents and forms will be available through your student portal account.

New students who have been accepted in a degree program and have not borrowed federal loans in the past at AUC, must complete this process to self-register in our new CORE system. This is a one-time registration step while you seek federal aid at AUC.

Once you complete the self-registration you must email the FA office your acceptance letter and your course registration plan for the academic year (fall and spring semester). Based on this information, AUC will confirm your enrollment status on CORE. You will receive an automatic email with information on how to access your student portal. Within the body of the email, click the secure link to set your password. Remember the link is only good for 72 hours.

Existing students who have registered in the past with the CORE and received loans from AUC do not self-register. Access your Student Portal account.

In order to provide you with Funding Estimate (the FA award letter), you are required to submit the following documents directly through your Student Portal or via email.

• Enrollment agreement: AUC acceptance letter
• Proof of graduation:
  • Graduate Students: Copy of your BA/BS diploma
  • Undergraduate Students: Copy of your HS diploma
  • Transfer Students: Copy of your transcript from prior school(s)
• Identification Students: Copy of your US passport/green card
• Credit Balance Authorization Form-: eform located on your Student Portal

The financial aid office will determine your financial aid package (direct loans) for the academic year (half will be disbursed at the beginning of the fall semester and the remaining half will be disbursed at the beginning of the spring semester). Your loan amounts depend on several factors, including your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), your dependency status, and your enrollment status at AUC. 

Note that AUC will not be able to process your federal loans unless we have your complete information on the student portal and matched with your FAFSA. You also must be accepted in a degree program and registered at AUC before the funds are disbursed to you. Then your file will go through a verification process.  If additional information is needed in order to process your file, you will receive a tracking letter in your email requesting the specific documentation.

Once your file has been thoroughly reviewed, you will receive the Funding Estimate (an award letter) in your student portal. That award letter will have all the information you may need in it; the amount of aid, the type or types of aid and the anticipated disbursement dates. 

All students are required to sign the funding estimate in order to receive loans. You will receive an email notification to electronically sign your award letter within ten calendar days.

You must inform the financial aid office if you want only part of the loan amount that you are eligible for. You do not have to accept the loan nor the full amount that is offered.

The funds are released to the school approximately ten days prior to the start of the semester (provided the student has completed all the necessary steps, including course registration). The school will credit the students account within three days of receipt and within 14 days deliver any credit balance refund to the student.

Delivery Method

These funds are released to students using the following method:

• Wired to the student’s declared domestic or international bank account
• Check mailed to the student’s preferred address

Complete and return enrollment plans and loan refund method form.

• After crediting the tuition and fees you owe to the school AUC  will transfer the credit balance refund to you, as per the delivery method you provide to AUC.

Private Education Loan Option at AUC

The Sallie Mae Smart Option Loan is a private credit-based loan which is also available to AUC undergraduate and graduate students in need of supplemental funds. We do not award or process these loans through AUC, so you will need to deal directly with Sallie Mae.