Federal Financial Aid is available at Atlanta Institute of Music (AIM) for those who qualify. AIM currently administers the following Title IV Federal Aid Programs: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Loans, and Federal Direct PLUS Loans. Once a student has been accepted for admission to AIM and has applied for Federal Financial Aid, their Financial Aid File will be processed. All Federal Aid Applications and required supporting financial documents must be submitted at least 30 days prior to the student's first day of class. Please direct any questions regarding financial aid to the Financial Aid Office.

To receive federal student aid to assist in paying your tuition at the Atlanta Institute of Music, an individual must:

• Have a high school diploma or a GED
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
• Have a valid social security number
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress
• Register with the selective service, if required

All Federal Financial Aid is contingent upon a student satisfying the following requirements to achieve Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP): Students must successfully complete a minimum of 60% of each level's coursework and a minimum of 225 clock hours per level. If a new term begins and the student is deficient in hours and/or completed grades, he or she will be required to make a cash payment while completing hours/making up grades in order to satisfy SAP requirements and restore financial aid eligibility. Schools are prohibited from making aid disbursements while a student is not meeting SAP.

Other financial aid options include Veterans' Benefits and Alternative Loans. You may apply for FEDERAL STUDENT AID by first completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online at www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

The information you provide on the FAFSA will be summarized in a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR will reveal your eligibility for the Pell Grant and other federal aid programs and will summarize any previous financial aid history you might have.

To complete the FAFSA for 2011/2012 you will need a copy of your 2010 federal tax return, if you filed one. A W-2 or 1099 is not sufficient to complete the FAFSA, because it does not contain all of the information required to complete the FAFSA form. If you did not retain a copy of your 2010 filing you may request a summary transcript from the IRS by completing a Form 4506-T, Request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form. Or, you can request a Form 4506-T by calling IRS Forms Service at (800) 829-3676.