Common Questions for Students Among the LGTBQ Community at BSU
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Visit the Dependency Status Page to learn more
On the FAFSA form if you complete your application with a name that is not your legal name the college will receive the FAFSA as a mismatch and the federal government will “flag” the FAFSA. The college you decided to attend will we be required to collect a copy of your SSN card and state or federal ID. The financial aid office will need to take a copy of these documents so that they may update the FAFSA with the legal name. Any information that the BSU Financial Aid Office receives remains confidential and is used on an annual basis to confirm FAFSA flags. Each year, you will receive notice of a mismatch if you are unable to get your legal name changed to your preferred name and financial aid will ask you to provide documentation each year. Please keep in mind that all your communications from the Department of Education and Lenders will remain in the current legal name on file with the government and state.
Private student loans will often request a cosigner. The cosigner needs to be a US citizen and have excellent credit history.
Federal Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans do not need cosigners and are in the students name only.
Yes: you should use the legal marriage date for date of marriage.
You need to visit with your financial aid counselor so that we can help you through this process.
Yes, the Barney Frank Equality Scholarship was created to help current students stay matriculated at BSU who have lost financial support from their parent or guardian as a result of disclosing their LGBTQ+ identity. More information about the scholarship is available through the BSU Pride Center.