Aid FAQs

How do I check my financial aid application status?
  • Go to Connect
  • Navigate to Self-Service.
  • Select Financial Aid.
  • Select Financial Aid Self-Service.
  • If additional documents are needed, financial aid self-service will direct you to the required forms.
  • If nothing in addition is required you will be able to view your financial aid awards.
  • If your status is processing, contact our office at finaid@parkland.edu for further instruction.
How do I get help filling out my FAFSA?

Simply stop by our office weekdays from 8-4. We have computers you can use and someone will be happy to assist you. You will need your FSA ID and password that you use to login to Studentaid.gov. Tax information should automatically be inserted from the IRS into your FAFSA, but you may need your 1040 tax return and schedules filed from two years previous (ex: the 2025-2026 FAFSA looks at your 2023 taxes).

I was selected for verification. What does that mean? Did I do something wrong?

Being selected for FAFSA verification doesn't mean you did anything wrong or have a reason to be concerned. Verification is a review process in which we determine the accuracy of various data elements reported by you/your parent(s) on the FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education selects a small percentage of all aid applicants for verification. The verification process ensures the accuracy of reported data and that financial aid funds are offered only to qualified applicants.

If selected for verification, you will have to submit tax documents and other information to the Parkland Financial Aid Office. Our office will make any necessary corrections to the data and will continue to process your financial aid application once verification is complete.

How will I know when and how much financial aid I will receive?

When your financial aid file is complete, and you’re eligible for financial aid, the full time amounts will be automatically offered to you. Once the awarding process is complete, you’ll be notified at your Parkland student email account and be able to access your award amounts on Self-Service, which can be accessed through Connect. If you’re offered a Federal Direct Student Loan or Federal Work-Study, you must accept and/or reject these awards on Self-Service and complete loan-entrance counseling and a master promissory note.If you don’t accept and/or reject these offers in a timely manner, they will be canceled.

How do I check to see if I've been offered financial aid?
  • Go to Connect.
  • Navigate to Self-Service.
  • Select Financial Aid
  • Select Financial Aid Self-Service
  • Navigate to View My Awards
  • If you see Federal Work-Study (FWS) or a student loan, you will need to accept or reject these awards.
Why am I only getting a student loan?
The types of financial aid that you’re eligible for are based on your Student Aid Index (SAI), which is calculated based on the financial information you provided on your FAFSA. The higher your SAI is, the lower the amount and types of aid you’re eligible for. Students with a higher SAI may only be eligible for student loans.
Can I use my financial aid to buy my books?
Financial aid can be used to buy books and supplies at the Parkland Bookstore if your aid has been awarded, and you have a refund due because your financial aid covered all of the charges on your Parkland student account. Approximately two weeks before the semester starts, a bookstore credit will automatically be available to you that comes off your refund.
How do I check to see if I have a Bookstore Credit Authorization for the Parkland Bookstore?
  • Go to Connect.
  • Navigate to Self-Service.
  • Select Student Financial Information.
  • Select View Account and Make Payments.
  • Hover over Student Finance and select Account Summary.
  • If the semester shows a negative balance (your aid exceeds your charges), you will be eligible for a bookstore credit of up to $1,350.  If your negative balance is smaller than $1,350, that balance is the amount you will be authorized to spend in the bookstore.
  • NOTE: The bookstore credit is NOT additional financial aid.  By charging items in the bookstore, you are reducing the amount you will receive in your refund.  We encourage you to spend wisely.
What do I have to do to make me independent from my parents for financial aid?
The Federal government has very strict standards that determine whether you are dependent or independent for financial aid. If you don’t meet their definition of independent for financial aid, our office can (in certain circumstances) make you independent of your parents. You must speak to a financial aid advisor in our office if you feel you have circumstances that merit an independent determination.

You can visit Studentaid.gov to view the dependency status conditions.

My parents are divorced. Do I have to list both of their incomes on the FAFSA?
If you're considered a dependent student when you apply for financial aid, you give information for the parent who provided more financial support for the past 12 months. If that parent is remarried, you must include your stepparent's information.

You can find a flow chart to assist you at Studentaid.gov.

I am a working adult. Will I be able to qualify for financial aid?
  • Because financial aid eligibility is determined by the Department of Education, please complete a FAFSA to find out what aid you may receive.
  • Almost everyone can qualify for student loans, even if you don't qualify for grants.
I am a adult student with children of my own in college. Will I be eligible for financial aid?
  • Because financial aid eligibility is determined by the Department of Education, please complete a FAFSA to find out what aid you may receive.
  • Almost everyone can qualify for student loans, even if you don't qualify for grants.
What do I do if I've had a reduction in income or my family has had a reduction in income?
If there has been a reduction in your family's income in the past year, you must speak with a financial aid advisor to see if you qualify for a Special Circumstance. They are available for walk-ins Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 AM and 1:30-4 PM.
What if I need more help with my financial aid?

Our office on the second floor of the U-wing (U286) is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and there is always someone at the front desk who can help you or direct you to additional resources. Our financial aid advisors are available for walk-ins Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 and 1:30-4. You can also contact us by phone at (217) 351-2222 or email at finaid@parkland.edu. 

Are there scholarships for adult students?

Most scholarships don’t have an age requirement. Go to Connect, and click the green "Search Scholarships" button on the home page. You should be able to find a number of scholarships to apply for. Applications for Parkland Foundation scholarships can be found on the Financial aid page. You can also use the Fast Web scholarship search. You’ll answer a series of questions, and Fast Web will give you a list of scholarships you may be eligible to apply for.

How do I check to see if I'm making satisfactory academic progress?
If you have any questions regarding satisfactory academic progress, you must see one of our advisors during walk-in hours (Monday-Friday, 9:00-11:30 AM or 1:30-4:00 PM).  You will be alerted at your Parkland Student email account if you enter financial aid warning, suspension, or are nearing your maximum time-frame for your degree.
I haven't received anything in the mail from your office about my financial aid. When can I expect to hear from you?
We rarely contact a student via postal mail. After your initial award letter, we only contact you, the student, at your Parkland Student email account. If you haven’t activated your Parkland Student E-mail account yet, please do so, and check it regularly.
Why do I owe money back to Parkland?
There can be many reasons why you owe money back to Parkland. For more information, please contact the Parkland College Cashiers Office at 217/351-2233.
I looked up my information on Self-Service, but I still don't understand what it means. What do I do now?

Our office on the second floor of the U-wing (U286) is open Monday through Friday from 8 AM to 5 PM and there is always someone at the front desk who can help you or direct you to additional resources. Our financial aid advisors are available for walk-ins Monday through Friday from 9-11:30 and 1:30-4. You can also contact us by phone at (217) 351-2222 or email at finaid@parkland.edu.

Why won't you give my financial aid information to my parents or spouse?
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a Federal law that protects your rights. Under the law, we aren’t allowed to release any financial aid information to anyone other than students. We are not able to provide specific dollar amounts over the phone.The only way we can release information to someone else is if you, the student, waive your rights under FERPA by filling out the Permission to Release Student Record Information form and providing a notarized signature. In order for us to be able to give information to the person you authorize, they must have a picture I.D. when they come to our office. 

To complete a FERPA form, visit our office and bring a state-issued ID with you. You will be asked to complete the form then sign it in the presence of our notary.