FAFSA Application Checklist

Create your FSA ID

• An FSA ID consists of a username and password you create to gain access to the U.S. Department of Education’s online systems, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Four steps to create your FSA ID

• Go to FAFSA.gov or StudentAid.gov/FSA-ID/Create-Account/Launch.
• Provide your Social Security number, full name and date of birth.
• Create a username and password, including identifying a security question so you can retrieve your account information if you forget it.
• Provide contact information — either your personal mobile phone number or email address.

Fill out the FAFSA for Federal Student Aid

• If you are unsure of which FAFSA application to complete, please refer to the chart below:

The school code for Dallas College is 004453 (may show as Dallas College-El Centro or El Centro College)

Find out if your parent(s) or spouse will need to be contributors (contribute their info on your FAFSA form). Each contributor should create their own StudentAid.gov account. Even if a contributor doesn’t have a Social Security number, they will be able to create an account.

Set up your Dallas College student account in Workday

• Tutorials to set up Workday

Watch for missing information requests

If your Dallas College file is missing any information, you will receive an email regarding Financial Aid Action Items Needed. You can also check your Workday account to look for those items. Check your email regularly. Sometimes even after you have completed all the steps in the financial aid process, Dallas College will need more information from you. If this happens, we will send you an information request by email. (If you do not receive financial aid funds when you expect to, it may be because we need more information.)

Important Note: If you are a returning or continuing student who was enrolled and received financial aid within the last semester, you do not need to complete the following steps.  

Submit official high school and all prior official college transcripts before the deadline

• All official college transfer transcripts must be submitted and evaluated by the Admissions Office before financial aid will be awarded and/or disbursed. Request transcripts be sent by your prior schools directly to Dallas College. Email StudentTranscripts@DallasCollege.edu for assistance.
• You must submit official, final high school transcripts, GED transcripts or equivalent transcripts to Admissions (if applicable).

Select a program of study

• Financial Aid will only pay for classes that are part of your program of study.
• You must select a primary program of study, if you have not done so already. Schedule a meeting with a success coach to discuss Dallas College programs and select one: DallasCollege.edu/MeetYourCoach.

Set up your student Outlook email

• Please use your student email address when emailing Financial Aid.
• Directions on how to set up your Outlook email: DallasCollege.edu/MSOffice.

Set up Touchnet Payment Center preferences under Student Financials in Workday

• Set up Payment Selections and ACH Refunds in Workday.
• For payment center help, please contact PaymentCenter@DallasCollege.edu, call 972-669-6400 or email Cashiers@DallasCollege.edu.

Submit all required documents

• If you need to submit documents electronically, please do not email them. Upload them in Workday.
• Please check if your documents need to be notarized before submission.
• If you are interested in a work-study position, please check this page for info and directions on applying: DallasCollege.edu/WorkStudy.

Read the Initial Award Letter for an overview of your award in Workday.

• Pell Grant amounts are estimated based on full-time enrollment (12 or more credit hours). Enrolling in fewer hours will reduce your award.

Review all awards and accept, adjust or decline all awards.

If you do not want loans — decline them!

If you want Federal Direct Loans, you must also complete these steps at StudentAid.gov:

• The school code for Dallas College is 004453 (may show as Dallas College-El Centro or El Centro College).
• To be eligible for student loans each semester, students must be enrolled in and have verified participation in at least six (6) credit hours of coursework required for their primary program of study at the college.
• Complete online Loan Entrance Counseling and Sign Master Promissory Note (MPN): StudentAid.gov

Remember to accept your financial aid award letter when all your choices are made.

Dallas College will begin disbursing funds after your classes have been certified.

Any funds released to you will be adjusted after the certification date.

This adjustment is based on your class certification status, which occurs after the 12th day of classes for 16-week classes or after the sixth day of classes for flex classes or eight-week classes. (Summer and Wintermester classes may adjust on a different class certification schedule based on class dates.) This means that you must be certified as attending your credit class(es) by your professor.

Visit the academic calendar to view attendance certification dates by semester. 

Review disbursement schedules.

To learn more about the Dallas College financial aid disbursements and refunds process: DallasCollege.edu/DisbursementSchedule

You must be certified as attending your classes by your professors to be eligible for financial aid funds.

Any tuition or fees you owe will be deducted from your financial aid at certification date.

If there are any remaining eligible funds, they will be disbursed to your account via the Touchnet Payment Center (requires Workday login). DallasCollege.edu/Disbursement

Keeping Your Financial Aid

Understand our Satisfactory Academic Progress policy

You must maintain these standards of academic progress to keep your financial aid eligibility: DallasCollege.edu/SAP.

Grant access to your records via FERPA Release in Workday

If you want to give another person (such as your spouse, parent or grandparent) access to your financial aid and student records, you must give us permission to communicate with them by completing the FERPA Release/Proxy Authorization via Workday (Family and Friends section). View a tutorial on granting access via your Workday dashboard.