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Financial Aid

Important Things to Know

Our FAFSA Priority Date is April 1st for 2024-2025. Even though you could complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA as of December 31, 2023, we do not start processing that FAFSA information until late February. At that time, we will start sending out any follow-up letters requesting additional information, if needed. We will start awarding new incoming student files beginning April 1st. The initial group of new incoming students should all be awarded by June 1st. You should receive a Financial Aid Offer from us during that April-June time frame. Please note that the Lake Area Tech Foundation Scholarship deadline for 2024-2025 is March 31st.

1098-T Tax Information for 2023

By January 31, 2024, the Lake Area Tech Business Office will mail a 1098-T form to you if you paid Tuition & Fees during 2023. You will also be able to view this information on your Student Portal under Student/My Finances/1098-T info starting January 31, 2024.

Contact the Financial Aid Office

To contact the Lake Area Tech Financial Aid Office, please call 605-882-5284 or toll-free 800-657-4344.  You can also email our office at FinancialAid@lakeareatech.edu.

Ext. 255 – Kayla Bossly
Ext. 254 – Carrie Jordanger
Ext. 301 – Julie Forman
Ext. 274 – Elizabeth Clobes

Lake Area Tech Financial Aid Information

This page contains information on:

  • Applying for Financial Aid
  • Verification Policy
  • Types of Financial Aid Available
  • How to Apply for Direct Loan/ Direct PLUS Loan
  • Private Education Loans
  • Part-Time Jobs
  • Other Agency Sources
  • Other Important Information

See also Frequently Asked Questions about Financial Aid

Department of Education Videos

The Department of Education offers a variety of videos on the FSA ID, the FAFSA, and related financial aid topics. Check out any of these videos below.

NOTE:  The 2024-2025 FAFSA is going to experience a major overhaul through FAFSA Simplification. Normally the FAFSA is available October 1st for the upcoming award year. The 2024-2025 FAFSA, which is based on 2022 income, will not be available until December 2023.

Applying for Financial Aid

To apply for federal financial aid, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Click here to access the FAFSA or go to www.studentaid.gov.

Lake Area Technical College Federal School Code for the FAFSA is 005309

Lake Area Tech does not make a Financial Aid Offer until you have been accepted for admission. Please make sure the Admissions Office has all of the required paperwork and that you have taken any required admission tests.

Verification Policy

Lake Area Tech will verify ALL FAFSA applications selected by the FAFSA processor. We also reserve the right to institutionally select a student for verification if not previously selected by the FAFSA processor. Verification documents will be requested of the student upon receipt of the FAFSA and after admission to the student’s program of choice. Documents must be received and verification performed before any disbursement of financial aid will be made. If corrections are required, Lake Area Tech will make the applicable updates to your FAFSA.

Any documents received after 120 days after the last date of enrollment (or date published by the Department of Education, whichever is earlier) will not be processed.

If you request any changes or corrections to your aid record after aid has already been disbursed to you, the U. S. Department of Education could select your record for verification. In this event, you will be asked to provide various documents to verify the accuracy of your aid record according to the following deadlines:

  • Federal Pell Grant: If you have already received Pell Grant funds prior to being selected for verification, you must provide requested documents by the date published by the Department of Education or no later than your last date of attendance for the academic year, whichever is earlier. Subsequent disbursements of Pell Grant funds will be withheld until verification is completed.
  • Federal Direct Loan, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG) and Work Study: The requested verification documents must be received within 60 days of the first notification that documents are needed. Subsequent disbursements of Federal Direct Loan and SEOG funds will be withheld. You will also be asked to suspend Federal Work Study employment pending the completion of verification.

If verification reveals that your aid eligibility has changed, it may be necessary to repay aid already disbursed to you. Failure to repay aid funds for which you have been determined ineligible will make you ineligible for further Federal Student Aid (whether grants, loans or work-study) at any institution until the aid is repaid in full. Your account will also be referred to the U.S. Department of Education to record your ineligibility for further Federal Student Aid.

Types of Financial Aid Available

The FAFSA determines eligibility for the following federal programs (click below for more info):

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Federal Work Study
Federal Direct Loan (Subsidized and Unsubsidized)
Federal PLUS Loan

How to Apply for Direct Loan and Direct PLUS Loan

Once you have been awarded and have returned a Financial Aid Offer accepting a Federal Direct Loan, you will need to complete these additional steps before we can request your loan funds.

Students:

  1. This link will take you to studentaid.gov.
  2. Once there: Sign in using your FSA ID.
  3. You will be required to complete a Master Promissory Note and Entrance Counseling for Undergraduate students.
  4. The student must complete the Entrance Counseling and MPN. If another individual completes it for you, it is not valid!

Parent:  If you would like to apply for a Federal PLUS Loan please follow these steps.

  1. This link will take you to studentaid.gov.
  2. Sign in using your (parent) FSA ID.
  3. Select “Complete PLUS Request Process”.
  4. If credit is approved, you can complete a “PLUS Loan Application” and “Master Promissory Note” by clicking on “Sign Master Promissory Note.”
  5. If you are denied the PLUS during the preapproval process, you will be notified. The student is then eligible for an additional unsubsidized Direct loan up to $4,000. You can also reapply with an endorser or appeal the denial.
  6. Additional paperwork will be sent to you from our office.

Private Education Loans

Private education loans are offered by several lenders through their own private loan programs. Students should exhaust all federal financial aid options before applying for a private education loan. If you decide to borrow a private education loan, you must select your private education loan lender. The Financial Aid Office cannot select one for you or make recommendations.

Please carefully review all options available to you so that you can make an informed decision. Click here to learn more about the private education loan lenders we work with and that our students have used in the past few years. You can also apply for a private education loan through this link. If you still have questions or need more information, please contact the Financial Aid Office.

Private education loan borrowers are required to fill out a Self-Certification of Private Loans. Most lenders will provide this to you. Click here for the Self-Certification of Private Loans document.

Helpful Hints

  • Due to “truth in lending” regulations, processing time will take from 20-30 days from application approval by lender to disbursement.
  • Loans are disbursed by semester, unless otherwise requested.
  • Be prepared! Start planning early so that you have your funds available when school starts, if that is when you need them.
  • Apply on-line, if possible.

Loan Counseling Information

Students who borrow federal student loans are required to complete Entrance Loan Counseling before receiving their first Federal Direct Loan. Exit Loan Counseling is required when the student graduates, withdraws from school, or drops below half-time enrollment status.  

Entrance Loan Counseling

The purpose of Entrance Loan Counseling is to ensure that students understand their rights and responsibilities as a student loan borrower. All first-time Federal Direct Loan borrowers must complete Entrance Loan Counseling and a Master Promissory Note before their loan funds can be disbursed. You can complete the online entrance loan counseling at https://studentaid.gov/.

Steps For Completing Entrance Loan Counseling

  • Go to https://studentaid.gov/
  • Log in with your FSA ID
  • Select Complete Aid Process
  • Complete Entrance Counseling
  • I am an Undergraduate Student
  • Select LATC as the school to notify
  • Complete and submit
  • LATC will be notified within 1-2 business days

Steps for Completing a Master Promissory Note (MPN)

  • Go to https://studentaid.gov/
  • Log in with your FSA ID
  • Select Complete Aid Process
  • Complete a Master Promissory Note
  • I am an Undergraduate Student (MPN for Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans)
  • Complete and submit
  • LATC will be notified within 1-2 business days

Exit Loan Counseling

The purpose of Exit Loan Counseling is to provide student loan borrowers with essential information to ensure they understand their student loan obligations and are prepared for repayment. Before graduating or dropping below half-time enrollment status, students with federal student loans must complete exit loan counseling. You can complete the online exit loan counseling at https://studentaid.gov/.

Additional Information

Federal Direct Loan Servicer – Student loan borrowers can find out who their Federal Direct Loan Servicer is by logging into https://studentaid.gov/ using their FSA ID and password. Student loan borrowers can then set up an online account with their loan servicer.

Federal Student Aid Ombudsman – Students who have a dispute or other problem involving their federal student loans that they feel has not been resolved by the school or their loan servicer can contact the Federal Student Aid Ombudsman Group for assistance. More information can be found here.

Questions – Students with questions regarding Entrance Loan Counseling and Exit Loan Counseling can contact the LATC Financial Aid Office at 605.882.5284 or 800.657.4344 or via e-mail at FINANCIALAID@LAKEAREATECH.EDU.

Part-Time Jobs

If you are interested in a part-time job that is not based on eligibility for Federal Work Study, please visit the South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation Office, located in the Net on the Lake Area Tech campus.

http://dlr.sd.gov/

Other Agency Sources

Lake Area Tech also works with the following agencies and programs to assist in providing funding for our students:

Tribal Funding
Vocational Rehabilitation
Veterans’ Benefits
National Guard Tuition Assistance
Workforce Investment Act (WIA)

Tax Information for Students and Parents

There are a number of tax credits, deductions, and savings plans available to tax filers that can help with higher education expenses. For more information on these, you can find more information on the IRS website by clicking here.

Tool Programs

Are you going into a program that requires tools and you need some ideas for funding options?

Student Consumer Disclosure Information

Student Consumer Disclosure Information

Mapping Your Future

Mapping Your Future