Register
 

Links

Essential Links

  • FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)*
  • PIN (U.S. Department of Education), needed to complete the FAFSA
  • Entrance Counseling for new Stafford loan borrowers ("Online Tools" menu)
    When the counseling has been completed, LTS will automatically receive a notification by email.
  • Master Promissory Note (click "Apply Now")
  • NSLDS (National Student Loan Database System): If you've borrowed through the Title IV or Pell Grant programs before, you can review information about your current and past loans at NSLDS, the U.S. Department of Education's central database for student aid. (Includes the status of your loans, balances, disbursements and lender information.)
  • Fed Loan Servicing Center:  You may review Direct Stafford Loan information by setting up a user account with the Pensylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.
  • AES Account Access Center: The majority of Stafford loans borrowed by LTS students prior to Direct Lending are serviced by American Education Services. Such borrowers can access account information on current and past loans on the AES website. (Includes loan amounts, interest rates, unpaid interest, lender information and payment record.)
  • Exit Counseling for Stafford loan borrowers concluding their studies or enrolling for fewer than 6 credits per semester ("Helpful Tools" menu)
* Warning: Beware of phony websites that charge a fee for processing your application! The FAFSA is a FREE application provided by the federal government. The correct site is given above, and will not charge a fee.
 

More Information

A quick and entertaining introduction to completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. For ease of viewing, a high-speed internet connection is recommended.
 
 
Introduction to Financial Aid for Grad Students
A wide range of information on adult education, including guidance on finances, is available at the Education Planner website of American Education Services.
 
A comprehensive public service collection of information about financial aid is available at http://www.finaid.org/, including an explanation of types of aid available, calculators for determining and understanding your options, and answers to frequently-asked questions.
 
 
Introduction to Federal Student Aid (Stafford and more)
Student Aid on the Web—free information, guidance and tools for federal student assistance from the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid.
 
 
Veteran's Education Benefits
If you are a veteran, visit http://www.gibill.va.gov/ and http://www.va.gov for information on education benefits.
 
 
Tax Incentives for Education
See Publication 970, "Tax Benefits for Higher Education"
 
 
Financial Literacy
Financial education can help you to avoid bad financial decisions, credit card debt and poor financial planning for the future. This interactive multimedia course -- ALISON: The Free Global Learning Experience-- will put you on the path to financial fitness. The course is suitable for the young, the workforce and for families – or indeed anyone seeking an introduction to financial skills.
 
 
Financial Planning
Plan Ahead financial planning tool for seminarians: Analyze your financial situation using this tool or the budget calculator of your choice, such as http://www.finaid.org/calculators/studentbudget.phtml. The Church Pension Group of the Episcopal Church has permitted LTS students to use Plan Ahead. Designed for Episcopalian seminary students, the tool can be adapted as necessary. For more information, see our Determining Your Financial Need worksheet.
 
 
Free, faith-based, confidential budget and debt counseling from a certified credit counselor (up to four sessions) is available through Lutheran Social Services of Minnesota and MMA. (Founded in 1945 by the Mennonite Church, Mennonite Mutual Aid --called MMA today--grew out of a long tradition of church communities putting faith into action by sharing resources with each other.) Submit a contact request online or call toll-free (877) 809-0039. Among the services available are:
  • Debt repayment plans.
  • Advice about identity theft issues.
  • Student and vehicle loan questions (borrowing, repayment, default, and repossession).
For more help with sound money management, visit Tabor Community Services, a nonprofit organization in Lancaster, Pa., that offers a Consumer Credit Counseling Service to guide individuals in creating personal budgets, establishing short- and long-term financial goals, paying down debt and resolving credit problems.
 
 
Debt Management/Wise Borrowing
For Americans of all socio-economic backgrounds, borrowing has become a primary way to pay for higher education. The Project on Student Debt works to increase public understanding of this trend and the implications for our families, economy, and society. Recognizing that loans play a critical role in making college possible, the Project's goal is to identify cost-effective solutions that expand educational opportunity, protect family financial security, and advance economic competitiveness.
 
Be sure to visit our Guidance page as well.