Financial Aid Guidelines
FIDM offers several different types of financial assistance. You may apply for federal and state grants and loans, merit-and talent-based scholarships, and work-study programs, and browse Career Center listings for part-time employment. FIDM is also a military friendly school and accepts most VA (Veterans Affairs) education benefits for veterans, spouses, and dependents.
Application Procedure
It is the student's responsibility to ensure that processing of the financial aid package is complete before clearance for registration. It is FIDM's responsibility to administer assistance programs in such a manner as to insure strict compliance with regulations governing financial aid.
To Be Considered
To be considered for financial aid, students must first notify their Admissions Advisor, Student Advisor, or the Financial Aid Office directly of their intent to apply for financial assistance. It is the student's responsibility to complete and return all documents requested by the Student Financial Services Office. Applicants should check the status of their application to insure proper processing. Federal aid programs are awarded on a fiscal year basis, beginning July 1 and ending June 30. Thus, an applicant may need to apply for aid more than once during an academic or calendar year. Important: Federal Aid applications for California State Grant programs are available in January of each year. The filing deadline is March 2.
General Guidelines
Students receiving any type of financial aid must make satisfactory progress toward the completion of a specific educational program. Failure to do so may result in the termination or reduction of financial aid. Proof of attendance on a quarterly basis is required before any aid may be disbursed. Student eligibility for a maximum award requires full-time (12 units per quarter) attendance at the college. Federal financial aid is available for only one repeat of a specific course in which a grade of D- or better was received. Some aid types are given on a first-come first-served basis. All financial aid must be awarded before the student may register for classes.
FIDM Code of Conduct Regarding Student Loan Lenders
FIDM maintains professional relationships with all student loan lenders. FIDM staff understands and adhere to the following:
- FIDM has no revenue sharing agreements with any student loan lender.
- FIDM does not solicit nor receive compensation from a lender for inclusion on FIDM's lender list.
- FIDM does not participate in "opportunity pool loans".
- FIDM does not solicit or accept offers for office staffing assistance from lenders.
- FIDM and its employees neither solicit nor receive gifts or compensation of any kind from lenders.
- FIDM staff receives no compensation from lenders or guarantors for service on advisory committees.
- FIDM does not assign a lender to a first-time student loan borrower. A student borrower is free to choose whatever lender they wish, whether or not that lender appears on FIDM's list of lenders.
- FIDM does not delay certification of loans to lenders that are not on our lender list.
