Where Do I Start

Financial Aid

The first step to receiving all forms of financial aid at Baruch is the FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA determines if and how much you can receive in federal government grants, loans, and work-study funds available to college students. (International students are not eligible for federal or state funding, including the FAFSA, but may inquire about alternative education loans and Baruch Student Employment.)

Why should I apply?

Completing the FAFSA also determines your eligibility for:

  • Grants (Do not have to be repaid)
  • Loans (Borrowed money that must be repaid)
  • Federal Work Study (Money earned by working a part-time job on or off campus)
  • Scholarships

Note: To have the best shot at financial aid if you’re a new student, submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after January 1st. If your parents or guardians do not have their tax information ready, they can simply estimate and then update with actual numbers.

Financial Aid for New York State residents: TAP

If you are a resident of New York State and are or will be an undergraduate student, you may be eligible for Tuition Assistant Program awards. You can fill out your FAFSA and TAP form in the same sitting. Links to TAP are located at the bottom of the online FAFSA application.

The instructions for completing the TAP are available at www.tapweb.org/totw/. Baruch’s TAP code is 1409.

Freshman Merit Scholarships

To be considered for a full scholarship (Baruch College Honors - includes Macaulay Honors), we require at least a 90 academic average and a 1300 on the SAT. Some partial scholarships are also available.

Find out more here: Scholarship information.

  • How to Apply
    Completing the FAFSA

    The instructions for completing the FAFSA are available at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Baruch’s FAFSA code is 007273. We highly recommend you fill out the online FAFSA so your financial reward can get processed faster.

    The following 7 Steps will provide you with information on how to apply for federal and New York State financial aid. This information is from the CUNY Financial Aid website, which contains more information about aid.

    1. Collect Documents

    Collect your income tax returns, Social Security number, W-2 form(s), and other records of income and assets. If you are under 24 years old, you will likely need your parents' information as well. You could estimate your tax information if you did not complete your tax return and correct the information later. It is helpful to fill out the 'FAFSA on the Web' worksheet first. You can get the worksheet at www.fafsa.gov.

    2. Apply for a FSA ID

    Students and Parents should apply for a federal student aid ID (FSA ID) which is comprised of a user-selected username and password. With your FSA ID, you can "sign" your FAFSA electronically and complete the federal student aid process completely online. Also you can make corrections to your application once it is filed and access your information online. If you are under 24 years old, it is likely you and one of your parents will each need an FSA ID. You can apply for an FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov. You will use the same FSA ID to reapply and to access your student aid records each year.

    3. Complete the FAFSA

    The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the application for federal student assistance. You can apply before you have been admitted to CUNY starting January 1 prior to the academic year you plan on attending. Apply online by going to www.fafsa.ed.gov. Internet access is available at the financial aid office at each CUNY college.

    For free help in completing your FAFSA or to obtain a paper FAFSA you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1800-4-FED-AID (1800-433-3243). For federal student financial aid information online you can go to www.studentaid.ed.gov

    Note: To fill out and submit your FAFSA is FREE. There are websites and services not associated with the federal government that will charge you to fill out your FAFSA. You don't have to pay anyone for assistance and once your FAFSA is submitted, your Student Aid Report (SAR) will be sent to you with additional information and instructions, and the financial aid office at the school(s) indicated on your FAFSA should be able to provide all the help you need.

    4. Link to TAP on the Web
    The TAP (Tuition Assistance Program) application is for New York State residents to apply for NY State financial aid. Once you complete your FAFSA online, you will get to the 'FAFSA on the Web Submission Confirmation' page. There you will find a link for New York State residents to complete an application for TAP. Click on the link and you will be directed to the HESC website to fill out your TAP application. If you fill out your FAFSA on paper, you will be notified by email or a postcard on how to complete your TAP application.

    5. Receive a Student Aid Report

    After your FAFSA is processed, you will be emailed a Student Aid Report (SAR) from the U.S. Department of Education within 3-5 days. The SAR contains the information you provided on your FAFSA and a calculation of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). You can access your SAR and make corrections at www.fafsa.gov with your Federal Student PIN.

    Your complete, correct SAR will have your EFC (Expected Family Contribution). This number is a measure of your financial strength and used to determine your federal student aid eligibility. Make sure you review the SAR for accuracy and make corrections if necessary. It's possible that you may need to provide additional information before your Expected Family Contribution can be calculated - a section of your SAR labeled “What you should do now” lists just such information, or may prompt you to contact the financial aid office.

    6. Verify your Data

    The U.S. Department of Education selects a certain number of applicants for a verification process. If you have been selected, you will need to submit tax returns and other documents to your school's financial aid office to verify the data you supplied on your FAFSA.

    Being selected for verification does not necessarily mean that you made an error in filling out your FAFSA but in order to receive financial aid that you have been awarded, you will have to submit tax returns and other documents requested by your school's financial aid office.

    7. Receive the Award Letter

    Once your FAFSA is complete and you demonstrate financial need, your selected college will send you an award letter indicating the financial aid programs for which you qualify. If you are not eligible for need based financial aid, you can contact the financial aid office at your college to find out other options to finance your education.

  • Understanding Your Award
    Scholarships:

    Scholarships are a form of financial aid that does not have to be repaid. There are federal and private scholarships, and we recommend you search extensively for any scholarships you may qualify for.

    All students admitted to Baruch College are automatically evaluated for full and partial merit-based scholarships. There are no additional applications for merit scholarships other than the Macaulay Honors College application.

    Grants:

    Grants are funds from the federal and state government that do not need to be repaid. You can apply for federal and state grants by submitting your FAFSA. The need demonstrated on the FAFSA will determine the amount of state and federal grants a student receives.

    Please click here for a complete list of financial aid available.

    Loans:

    There are a number of loan options available as a part of your financial aid package. The Baruch College Loan Information Website can give you more information. For more information, please contact the following:

    Work Study:

    The Federal Work-Study Program provides jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial need, allowing them help pay education expenses. The program encourages community service work and work related to your course of study. Recipients are offered the opportunity to work 20 hours a week at various types of jobs both on and off campus.

    To apply for work study, you must fill out your financial aid applications and request consideration for FWS by checking the appropriate box on the FAFSA. FWS money is awarded on a first-come, first served basis.

    For more information about work study, please click here.

    FEDERAL WORK-STUDY PROGRAM

    Employment opportunities are offered to United States citizens and eligible noncitizens who demonstrate financial need. Recipients must be enrolled in a degree program and be making satisfactory pursuit and progress toward a degree. Recipients are offered the opportunity to work 20 hours a week at various types of jobs both on and off campus. The starting rate of pay is $7.25 an hour.

    Baruch Student Employment Program

    Funds are available annually to full-time matriculated undergraduate students who are selected strictly on their ability to perform a job function. Baruch Student Employment workers are required to meet the federal pursuit and progress requirements, which involve grade point average minimums and the completion of a specific number of credits in relation to credits attempted. Please consult the chart found in the Schedule of Classes for more specific information.

  • Helpful Links
    Scholarship Search Links

    Loan Search Links

    CUNY Code of Conduct