<p>I am looking to continue college in the fall. I was told that you get up to $5,000 in financial aid if you are "on-campus". This spring I filed "off-campus" and wasn't given any extra money for housing. What would be the go abouts if I were to change my housing preference on my FASFA application (even though I'm actually going to be living off-campus). </p>
<p>Keep in mind, I am attending a community college and there are no dorms here. Would they still grant this? Would I need to supply them with a copy of my lease agreement off campus? How much would I get? So many questions and 0 answers :(</p>
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I was told that you get up to $5,000 in financial aid if you are "on-campus"
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Who told you this? Was it about your specific campus or just a generalization? There is not one answer for every school. For instance at my daughter's school the amount in the COA for room and board is @$7,600 so that is what her aid is based on. At my son's school the amount in COA for room and board is @ $3600 so that is what his aid is based on. There is no '$5000' for being on campus unless your school estimates that the average cost for a student living on campus at your school is $5000.</p>
<p>A school awards aid based on their own COA (Cost of Attendance). This is unique to each school. Most schools include an average student cost tuition and fees/books/room and board/travel/miscellaneous. At some schools the room and board element may be the same if you live on campus or off. At others it may be different. At my daughters school the COA is exactly the same for living on or off campus unless you are living with parents, then it is lower. </p>
<p>If your school does not have dorms then it will not have a COA that includes on campus room and board so saying you are living on campus when that is impossible would not get you any extra aid. You have to remember that it is the school that is awarding you aid based on their estimate of average student costs. The best thing to do is talk to your school's financial aid office and see if they even include any room and board costs for financial aid purposes.</p>