State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana

Introduction to the SSACI Website

April 14, 2011

Mission Statement

The State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana’s (SSACI) mission is to make college affordable through need-based grants and to

allow choice by granting awards to those attending public, independent and proprietary colleges. SSACI attempts to increase college preparation through its Twenty-first Century

Scholar program and by giving increased grant amounts to those graduating from high school with Academic or Technical Honors Diplomas.

Mission Statement

SSACI accomplishes its mission with:• Grant and scholarship programs for full-time and

part-time college students• Early intervention programs for Twenty-first

Century Scholars• Research to better understand the needs of

Hoosier students and families; and• Technology to make the delivery of awards as

simple as possible for students and colleges.

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2355.htm

SSACI Home Page

www.ssaci.in.gov

SSACI Home Page

The left side of the SSACI home page is comprised of four sections:

1. General agency information

2. All Indiana Grants and Scholarships

3. Information

4. Professional Partners

SSACI Home Page

The center of the home page includes important links via the billboards. Also available is the mission statement and links for notable publications and research, including SSACI’s annual reports.

SSACI Home Page

The right side of the SSACI home page is made up of four sections:

1. Links to online data systems

2. Direct link to eStudent

3. FAQs

4. Direct link to Application Filing Deadlines webpage

SSACI Home Page

Potential Changes:• Moving the publications and research section under SSACI’s “About

Us” in the left menu• Reformatting the webpage to resemble the www.in.gov home page

eStudent

eStudent is SSACI’s self-service website for students who have filed a FAFSA as residents of Indiana.

www.ssaci.in.gov/estudent

What does eStudent do?

• Indicates if there are any issues with the FAFSA that could prevent students from receiving state aid

• Allows students to see their state grant award and state grant history

• Allows students to view their grant application which includes information from the FAFSA, the high school diploma type, Twenty-first Century Scholar and National Guard status, and their school of choice

• Allows students to update their school of choice

Where is eStudent?

• The right side of the website under Online Services-Colleges Financial Office

• The blue oval• Billboard on the home page• Hyperlinks embedded

within the text of information pages throughout the site– Ex. Application Filing

Deadlines page• www.ssaci.in.gov/estudent

eStudent Landing Page

• Who is eStudent for?

• What does it do?

• Where do I register or login?

• When can I use it?

• Why should I use it?

• How do I use it?

eStudent Registration/Login Page

eStudent Registration

When registering:• Data must match the

FAFSA• One student per e-

mail address

eStudent Login

eStudent

• The red stop sign indicates edits on the student’s account

• Award Notification reflects the award at the student’s current college choice– PDF Grant Notification

eStudent – Change College Choice

• Select the correct school year, college choice and semester/term if prompted.

• Be careful when making changes!

eStudent – Student Information

Changing information in eStudent will only notify SSACI.

To change the e-mail address, students must register for a new eStudent account.

eStudent - Award History

eStudent – Application History

Why use eStudent?

• 24/7 access online, anywhere!

• View Grant Notification

• Review account history and eligibility units used

• Change College Choice

• Update contact information directly with SSACI

Questions?

xGrads

A secure internet application that allows you to:• Reconcile and refund state grants• Process billings and refunds for scholarships and other

SSACI awards• Download data files for each of SSACI’s processing

cycles – application, notification and reconciliation• Upload data files to SSACI for processing• Download information files about SSACI processes and

policies• View and print reports which provide information about

grant reconciliations, award billings, payments and refunds that are specific to your institution

Where is xGrads?

The right side of the website under Online Services-Colleges Financial Office

xGrads Login Page

• Requests for a username and password must be verified and submitted from your financial aid director

• All new users must complete an IRUA

• Updates and requests for xGrads users should be sent through xGrads@ssaci.in.gov

xGrads – The Welcome Screen

Any new messages will be displayed at the top of the welcome page.

xGrads – File Transfers Menu

• Information Files – documentation for all SSACI program processes and policies

• Download from SSACI – Application, Notification, Reconciliation and Billed Awards cycle files

• Upload to SSACI – upload converted data files• Convert Data Files – the SSACI converter• School Change – view students with pending school changes by year and

term

xGrads – Billed Awards Menu

The Billed Awards menu allows you to create and refund any billed awards in which your school participates.

xGrads – Grants Menu

The Grants Menu allows you to reconcile and refund, as well as create Part-time Grant awards for individual students.

xGrads – Reports Menu

The Reports Menu allows you to see data reports that are specific to your institution.

The newest report to be added, Initial Allotments and Up-Front Payments, allows each participating school to view its own up-front payments and program allotments received from SSACI.

xGrads – My Account

My Account allows you to change your password. Other login issues should be e-mailed to xGrads@ssaci.in.gov.

The upper right hand corner provides a link to the xGrads Help Guide & FAQs; the Logout button; and the status of your school’s reconciliations for the current term/semester.

xGrads – Professional Judgments

• PJs can be cleared via xGrads “xx Professional Judgments” link

• Search by student SSN or alphabetically

• To clear a PJ with SSACI – a reason code must be entered

xGrads – Loan Defaults/Overpayments

• Students reported as being in default or an overpayment status can be viewed via the link in the center of the top menu bar.

• Search by student SSN or alphabetically

• Defaults and Over-payments may also be cleared via APPL files

Questions?

SSACI Programs

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2359.htm

Frank O’Bannon GrantTo qualify for state grant consideration the applicant must:• be an Indiana resident by December 31st the year prior to applying

(December 31, 2010 for the 2011-2012 school year) • be a U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen • be a high school graduate or hold a GED • attend, or plan to attend, an eligible college or university • be enrolled, or plan to enroll, in a course of study leading to an

associates or first bachelors degree; • be a full-time student, or plan to enroll as a full-time student. (The

state grant defines full-time as at least 12 credit hours per term); and

• file an application (FAFSA) - received by March 10th of the academic year preceding the academic year the applicant plans to enroll.

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2346.htm

Nursing and Minority Teacher/Special Education Services Scholarships

Nursing Scholarship:• Recipients of the

scholarship must work for 2 years as an RN/LPN in an Indiana health care setting following graduation

• Students are to submit their applications to their schools

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2343.htm

Minority Teacher/Special Services Scholarship:

• Recipients of the scholarship must work in an approved Indiana setting as a teacher, special education teacher, PT or OT for 3 of the first 5 years of certification

• Students are to submit their applications to their schools

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2342.htm

Summer State Work Study

To be eligible for the Summer Work-Study program the student applicant must meet the following criteria:

• Have received and used a state grant award during the academic year prior to the summer the student plans to work;

• Not be graduating before August 31st; • Plan to enroll as an undergraduate in the fall following

the summer that the student participated in the work-study program.

Students must apply online by May 1st

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2340.htm

Indiana National Guard Supplemental Grant

SSACI eligibility requirements are similar to that of Frank O’Bannon; however, they do not need to exhibit financial need.

Additional eligibility requirement:• The student must be in active drilling status for each

academic term. The unit commander is the sole determiner of this status.

• Students who have not yet recertified for a semester should speak with their unit commander or the appropriate ING education office.

Part-Time Grant

• Program was designed for students exhibiting financial need but attending school less than full-time (less than 12 credit hours).

• Students must be otherwise eligible for State aid.

• Awards are determined each semester/term.• Minimum award is $50 and is applied to tuition

and regularly assessed fees.

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2362.htm

Child of Veteran and Public Safety Officer Supplemental Grant Program

Applications submitted through SSACI:• A child or spouse of a public safety officer killed in the line of duty;

or of an IN state police trooper permanently and totally disabled in the line of duty

• A child or spouse of a member of the IN National Guard who suffered a service connected death while serving on state active duty*

Applications submitted through IDVA:• Child of Purple Heart Recipient; of deceased or disabled veteran; or

of POW/MIA from Vietnam War• Former students and/or graduates of Morton Memorial High School;

Former residents of the IN Soldiers and Sailors Children’s Home• IN Veterans who are Purple Heart recipients

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2338.htm

Contact Information

• Schools: collegefa@ssaci.in.gov• Students: grants@ssaci.in.gov• Data access: xGrads@ssaci.in.gov• Twenty-first Century:

21stScholars@ssaci.in.gov• Phone: (317) 232-2350 or (888)-528-4719• Fax: (317) 232-3260

http://www.in.gov/ssaci/2348.htm

Reminders

Deadlines:

2011/12 FAFSA Edit Correction – May 16th

2010/11 Final Reconciliations - May 18th

Questions?

Thank you!!!