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QF Financial Aid Tips

Applying for QF Financial Aid: Georgetown’s Tips for New Applicants

Financial aid loans are provided by QF Student Financial Services. The application is online. Georgetown University has no access to your QF loan application. We are available to advise you, as needed.

QF Student loans carry no interest (0%). The loan amount will be based on your determined need, and may not meet full need. Note that students studying at Georgetown University in Qatar are not eligible for non-FAFSA Financial Aid offered at Georgetown’s main campus in Washington, DC.

Pre-application

  • US citizens must apply for FAFSA to be able to apply for QF Financial Aid. Apply for FAFSA first at https://fafsa.ed.gov/ (the application is open). Georgetown’s code is 001445.
  • Begin translating any documents that are not in English or Arabic.
  • Pre application note for US citizens and eligible non-citizens: Georgetown main campus policies do not necessarily apply to the Qatar campus.

Timeline

  • You can request QF Financial Aid account immediately.
  • The deadline is March 2 for returning applicants and May 31 for new applicants for HBKU loans.
  • Once you submit, check your email at least once per week. Check even when you are traveling.
  • You have up to 10 days to respond to a decision from QF Student Financial Services or to submit information that is requested.
  • If you receive an email saying your loan was rejected, it is probably because there is something missing or needs clarification. You MUST reply and request the reason for the rejection. Your loan officer will then reply and ask for what he/she needs.

Documents

The QF Financial Aid application requires several documents, so you can start gathering those now. Here are some tips from students who have applied in the past.

  • Make a folder on your computer and put all documents there. That way you will be able to find them in the future, and some of them will be requested each year.
  • Bank statements need to be stamped by the bank on each page, and you will need 12 months of statements. Statements printed from the on-line site are not enough.
  • Documents cannot exceed size limitations specified in the application, so learn how to compress files for uploading.
  • Bank statements need to be submitted for every account.
  • Documents must be in English or Arabic. Make sure to obtain an official translation of any document that is in another language.
  • All reported expenses need to be officially documented. For example, tuition expenses for siblings will need to be backed up with an invoice from the school.
  • Provide documents related to the purchase of property or vehicles owned by your family.
  • You will need to provide passport copies for all family members, and a copy of each person’s Qatar ID if you are a current resident of Qatar.
  • You must report all information on your parents’ employment, as these records are being verified. Students failing to disclose any income will be blocked from applying in the future. You will need to submit employment contracts for each working parent.
  • The application allows for information related to self-employed parents. You must provide: a balance sheet, a profit and loss statement showing the company’s financial standing for one financial year, along with official one year of bank statements for the company account and a bank letter.
  • Only official and current documents will be accepted.

Important Notes

  • Your application must be complete in order to submit.
  • You must have a guarantor to receive a loan. The guarantor must be a parent or legal guardian. If you have a special case, contact sfsqfinancialaid immediately.
  • Providing false information, documents, or forged signatures will result in you being denied the ability to apply in the future.
  • More information can be found on the QF website.

Troubleshooting

  • If you have problems with the system, send an email to fao@qf.org.qa, with a screenshot of the error message. A manual reset may take up to three working days.
  • If you don’t understand what is being requested, please ask for clarification from fao@qf.org.qa, and cc: sfsqfinancialaid. If we know the answer, we will respond.
  • Give yourself plenty of time so that you can deal with any unexpected problems getting documents, information, etc.

Once you receive a loan confirmation

Once you have been awarded, you must submit a signed contract. Follow the guidelines stated in the contract, and the steps below, or your award will be canceled. Please pay attention to the dates stated in your award notification.

  1. Print the contract.
  2. Non Residents: Notarize signatures on each page. Residents: You and your guarantor can go to the office and sign in person.
  3. Take a copy of the signed contract so you can upload it to your FA account
  4. Upload the contract and accept the Award online.

If you have any questions as you begin to collect your documents and submit your application, do not hesitate to contact fao@qf.org.qa and cc: sfsqfinancialaid.

We can assist in case of any problems, if you are unsure of what to upload, or you need a contract submission extension and we will do our best to provide you with support concerning your financial aid.