Whether you're an undergraduate, graduate, degree completion, or certificate program student, you should follow these basic steps each academic year. You must be formally accepted into your program of study and be enrolled at least half time to be eligible, and you must also maintain satisfactory academic progress to keep your aid.
Important Information for the Leadership Academy & CAGS: Please note that the Leadership Academy is not eligible for Federal Student Loans. Individuals needing to borrow for the Leadership Academy and/or CAGS are only eligible to borrow through the Smart Option Loan offered by Sallie Mae. Leadership Academy students do not need to complete the FAFSA in order to apply for a Sallie Mae Smart Option loan.
School Code: 002187 MCLA CEEB #: 3521
To start or to continue your FAFSA, you must go to StudentAid.gov or use the myStudentAid mobile app.
The new, simplified FAFSA is now available for the 2024-2025 award year. The priority deadline for financial aid is March 1. Financial aid offers are based on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Tips: Complete all sections accurately. To electronically sign before submitting, you and
at least one parent (if you are dependent) must have a FSA ID.
If you have been selected for verification and need to provide this document (or any
other), you will be notified by Student Financial Services.
Priority Application Date: March 1 for the full academic year. December 1 for spring acceptance.
You may be asked to verify the accuracy of your information by providing documents
such as an IRS Tax Return Transcript. You may complete most verification forms electronically,
or you may print and complete forms, and send them to the Student Financial Services
Office. Verification documents can be found here. Students selected for verification are notified by Student Financial Services. If
you are unsure what verification documents are required, if any, contact Student Financial
Services at 413.662.5219 or FinAid@mcla.edu.
Your financial aid offer describes any grant aid and loans you are able to receive from federal and state governments, and MCLA needs-based resources. It also lists work study opportunities available to you.
New & Prospective Students: Expect to see this offer in early March for the 2024-2025 academic year.
Returning Students: You will receive notification via your MCLA email that your package is available to
review on Banner Self-Service Account. For the 2024-2025 academic year, this notification
will be sent out after the fall 2024 pre-registration period ends.
Direct Student Loans: You need to complete Entrance Counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) if you are a first time borrower. Accepted loans will not be applied to your
student account until both the entrance counseling and MPN are completed.
If you need additional financing to cover costs, you may want to apply for a MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) loan, which is a fixed-rate loan available to students attending a Massachusetts school,
or a federal Direct PLUS Loan for Parents.
You may also want to consider an alternative student loan. Many of these educational loans have variable interest rates and are credit based. Their terms are often not as favorable as government-sponsored loans.
If you plan to apply for a loan, you should wait until you receive your bill before you complete a loan application.
If you received any outside scholarships, such as from your high school or scholarship organization, copies of the scholarship notifications need to be sent to Student Financial Services. In some cases, expected outside scholarships can be noted as an expected payment on your student bill.
Your aid may be adjusted if you receive a scholarship or outside assistance. Student Financial Services treats outside scholarships by reducing any unmet need first, then reduces self-help aid such as student loans or College Work Study and then reduces any institutional grants. Any tuition waivers received by the student, such as the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship, Veterans Tuition Waiver, or the Mass Rehab Tuition Waiver, will replace any need-based Tuition Waiver the student may have previously been awarded by the College.
