Students’ questions about financial aid, registration and student accounts were answered Tuesday night in the Kansas Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union during a financial aid forum.

All students are encouraged to fill out the Federal Application For Student Aid form, said Jone Zieren, director of financial aid. In doing so, a student is applying for any need-based loans, state scholarships and subsidized loans.

If a student is denied, then they can apply for an unsubsidized loan, Zieren said. Subsidized loans are for students who demonstrate financial need. In the case of an unsubsidized loan, students are responsible for paying the interest from the date the funds are disbursed, according to a financial aid brochure.

Students can file for the FAFSA form on the Internet, as well as on paper, Zieren said .

If students fill out the form on the Web, they are advised to go through Eastern’s homepage, said Diana Ensign, financial aid advisor and supervisor of aid processing.

“A parent called today and filled out the FAFSA form, and it cost her $89 because she went to fafsa.com” Ensign said.

If parents and students fill out the form through Eastern’s homepage, the cost is free, she said.

After filling out the FAFSA form, the financial aid office will send the student an award letter, said Zieren, and they will set the student up with the maximum money they can borrow.

“We want to get financial aid awards on the Web instead of you waiting on a letter from us,” said Zieren. “We want to put the information in your hands, so you can access it at anytime.”

Eastern’s homepage (www.eiu.edu) contains information on employment, scholarships, loans, entrance and exit counseling and much more, she said.

Alternative loan programs also are available, she said. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid. Pell Grants are awarded to undergraduate students who have not earned a bachelor’s or a professional degree, according to a brochure.

Linda Coffey, director of cashier and student accounts, said the office is in charge of sending out student bills, answering questions on bills and taking financial aid.

Student bills are always detailed on what they owe, Coffey said. The bills include tuition, fees, housing, parking tickets, library fines, course charges, textbook rental and anything unpaid on the student’s account, she said.

In special circumstances, such as divorce or the death of a parent, students can discuss certain matters with a financial aid counselor, Zieren said. If parents remarry, both of their incomes have to be counted. Students should not be afraid to ask questions, Zieren said.

“We’re here to help the students,” she said.

Sue Harvey, director of academic records and registration, said her office deals with transferring hours and course work, good student discounts, loans, course deficiency, scheduling drop and add information and what courses are open. The records office also works with the Panther Access to Web Services program on the Web. The PAWS Web site contains transfer information, earned work hours, class level and more. PAWS will be adding more services, Harvey said.

“It’s a whole lot easier than the touch-tone system,” she said.

For more information, students are encouraged to visit Eastern’s Web page or call one of the above administrators.