Academics Admission Athletics Alumni News/Calendars Giving to OC Resources Student Life Home
Photo of 4 students around a table Otterbein College Admission > Financial Aid > How to Apply for Financial Aid

How to Apply for Financial Aid

  1. Complete the application for admission for Otterbein College. For admission requirements see http://www.otterbein.edu/admission/applying/requirements.asp.
  2. Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. You can fill out and submit your application through FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Electronic filing is the fastest and easiest way to apply for financial aid. Be sure to list Otterbein College and our Title IV school code 003110.
  3. You will receive a report called a Student Aid Report, or SAR, through the mail or the internet. The SAR lists the information you reported on your FAFSA, and will tell you your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Review your SAR when you receive it and make sure all your information is correct. Make any necessary corrections or provide additional information.
  4. Receipt of your SAR is your "signal" that the colleges and universities you listed on your FAFSA have received your results and is busy working to put together your financial aid package.
  5. If requested, send signed copies of federal income tax returns (student and parents) and a completed Verification Worksheet. Verification documents must be returned to the Financial Aid Office within 2 weeks of the request. Failure to meet this deadline could impact the student's financial aid eligibility.
  6. Be sure to send Otterbein College any other information requested by the Financial Aid Office.

After we receive your FAFSA results and any other requested documentation and you have been accepted for admission, the Financial Aid Office will send you a financial aid award. First-time students receive a paper award letter packet via U.S. mail. Returning students view their financial aid eligibility online using CardinalWeb for Students.

We encourage you to apply for aid, regardless of your family's financial situation. Please do not assume you will not qualify for assistance. Last year more than 95 percent of our students qualified for assistance.