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Financial Aid

Contact Us

In person financial aid services are centralized for all CR locations at the Eureka campus. 

Email Us Here

Or send us an email at finaid@redwoods.edu

For form submission please use the eForms platform to submit forms to the financial aid office.

Student Services Building

Fall 2023 Hours

Monday – Thursday
9am-4pm

Friday
11am-3pm

707.476.4182

 

Direct Loan Application Process


Loan Application Dates & Deadlines

Summer 2019 Only Loans: Past Due
Fall 2019/Spring 2020 Loans: For Updates Click Here

Delay Notice: Due to technical difficulties we have been unable to launch the new online student loan request module in myFinAid, this has resulted in us pushing back the application date. Our office, the IT department and our third party vendor are working on the issues, we hope to have the module open before the above date. Please keep checking this page for updates, we will make sure there is ample time to process loans before the Fall 2019 semester begins. We thank you for your continued patience as we convert many of our financial aid processes from analog to digital. For questions or concerns, please email finaid@redwoods.edu or call 707-476-4182. 

In the meantime: Make sure you have completed Steps 1-3 before requesting a student loan, make sure you are meeting the requirements as outlined in Steps 4 & 5. Completing these steps before requesting a student loan will reduce any delays that may occur during loan processing.

PAGE DIRECTIONS:

Completion of the 2019-20 Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and all additional requested documents is required in order to assess eligibility for a Direct Student Loan. Carefully review the loan application steps as outlined below (click on the links to access required forms or websites).

Your responsibilities:

You are responsible for meeting applicable deadlines, reading all loan information and ensuring you have completed all required steps. Late or incomplete loan forms will not be processed and may be returned to you. This includes inaccurate or incomplete information submitted on any section of the Direct Loan Application, or any other required forms submitted as part of the loan application process. This includes ensuring that you have completed the FAFSA application and all additional requested documents PRIOR to the Loan Application deadlines listed above.

Submission options:

  • Electronically via your Student Email (mycr.redwoods.edu)
    • Send To: Finaid@redwoods.edu
    • Tip: Use a scanner device or use your smart phone camera (make sure image is clear and you send the full image size, do not compress).
    • Tip: If your smart phone camera isn't good, use a mobile scanner app such as Microsoft's 'Office Lens.'
      • Disclaimer: Use scanner apps at your own risk - always read the terms and conditions of any software or app before using.
  • Turned into the Financial Aid Office at your campus location
    • Tip: Can't make our window hours? We have a drop box in the student services lobby and a drop box outside the student services building around the back at the Eureka Campus.
  • Sent via US mail
    • College of the Redwoods - Financial Aid Office. 7351 Tompkins Hill Rd. Eureka CA 95501.

 
Please Note: No faxes will be accepted for security purposes. Faxed copies of any loan forms will not be processed and may be returned to you. It is recommended that you make copies of all completed forms for your records.

1. WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU APPLY FOR A LOAN?

Borrow only when absolutely necessary. Students who are planning to transfer should be aware that loans are generally the largest portion of a financial aid package at four year colleges. Consider your total educational debt before borrowing at College of the Redwoods.

Disbursements:

IMPORTANT: Student loan disbursements for first-time borrowers will be made no earlier than 30 days after the first day of the term. Please see our disbursement schedule for when loans disburse, all loans have a minimum of two disbursement dates if originated before the midterm date.

Loan appeal process:

Students who have reached a considerable amount of loan debt in relation to the federal loan limits, including the current requested amount and/or students who have previously defaulted on a student loan, may need to submit a direct loan appeal form. Students must submit a direct loan application first. If requested to submit a direct loan appeal form a student will be notified via student email with the link to that document.

Student Loans Can Be Declined/Reduced:

Financial Aid staff may use professional judgment to decline or reduce the loan requested for students at risk to default on a case-by-case basis per HEA Sec. 479(A)(c), 34 CFR 685.301(a)(8), DCL GEN-11-07 . In circumstances when professional judgment is used, a written explanation will be provided to the student

Application Resources:

The following are resources to answering REQUIRED questions on your application, these resources can also be found on your Loan Application.

  • We highly recommend you complete a personal budget/worksheet to review your current debt level and understand how you are spending your money. Loans are fairly easy to get, but difficult to repay. We want to be sure you are well-informed so you only take out loans if absolutely necessary. This will help you figure out the appropriate amount you need to borrow.
  • For students with prior student loan debt, please visit nslds.ed.gov or studentaid.ed.gov and use your FSA ID and Password to login. You will be able to obtain your prior loan debt and the name of your loan servicer(s). Accurate information about your prior loan debt and who your loan servicer(s) are REQUIRED on your loan application and should be known prior to submitting your loan application.
  • Please use the loan payment calculator to calculate your estimated loan payments, the loan amount should include your prior loan debt and the new amount you are requesting if you are a previous borrower. An estimated loan payment is REQUIRED on your loan application

If you have questions about the loan process, need application assistance or need help with understanding your prior loan debt, please contact the financial literacy advisor at 707-476-4183 or email the financial aid office at: finaid@redwoods.edu

2. WHAT STEPS ARE REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR A LOAN?


Step 1:
Complete the 2019/20 FAFSA application process. Submit any follow-up documents that are requested by the financial aid office. You will receive a student email notice when your Financial Aid file review is complete. Note: The email subject heading will be: Financial Aid Award Notification or Financial Aid Eligibility Notification.

Step 2:
Complete a Loan Agreement (Master Promissory Note) online at StudentLoans.gov (one time only). Note: If you completed an MPN at a previous institution you will need to login to studentloans.gov and resubmit the MPN to College of the Redwoods.

Step 3:
Complete a Loan Entrance Counseling session online at StudentLoans.gov (one time only). Note: If you completed entrance counseling at a previous institution you will need to login to studentloans.gov and resend your completed entrance counseling to College of the Redwoods by using the "Notify Additional School" function.

Step 4:
Meet and maintain Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) requirements.

Step 5:
Enroll in and maintain 6 or more eligible units.

Step 6:
Complete and submit the NEW Direct Loan E-Request Form (coming soon)* (repeat annually)

*We highly recommend you complete a personal budget/worksheet to review your current debt level and understand how you are spending your money. Loans are fairly easy to get, but difficult to repay. We want to be sure you are well-informed so you only take out loans if absolutely necessary.

3. WHAT HAPPENS AFTER I SUBMIT MY LOAN PAPERWORK?


Financial Aid Staff will review your Direct Loan Request Form to determine your eligibility. The loan certification process may take from 4-6 weeks, or longer depending on when you submit your application, from your loan application submission date (as long as all required steps have been completed). If you have any questions about your application, want to make a change to your original request, or need to make an appointment to come in and talk with the Financial Literacy Specialist, please call (707) 476-4183.

After the loan certification, students will receive an award notification at their student redwoods.edu email account regarding updated loan award amounts. This email will include information on disbursement timelines. Student will also receive an award letter in the mail, please make sure your address is updated in Webadvisor.

Exit Loan Counseling:

Students are required to complete Exit Loan Counseling BEFORE they graduate, withdraw, or drop below 6 units. Students will receive an email towards the end of each semester about completing exit loan counseling. To complete Exit Loan Counseling please go to: studentaid.ed.gov. You will need to log in with your FSA ID and Password and then select "complete exit counseling."

Options to Complete Exit Loan Counseling:

  • Online at studentaid.ed.gov, you will need to use your FSA ID and Password
  • In Person, appointment will need to be made (45 minutes)
  • Via US Mail, you will need to request the paper work and mail back a form to CR
Contact: studentloanassistance@redwoods.edu | finaid@redwoods.edu | 707-476-4183 | 707-476-4182

  2023 College of the Redwoods