Let’s cut to the chase, everyone knows that university tuition is expensive. Because of this, York thankfully provides a lot of financial aid, scholarship and bursary options for both international and domestic students. Aid packages can be based on financial need, academic, athletic or extracurricular merit, community work, disability, your specific major or other factors. With such a wide variety of options, there’s definitely something for everyone to apply to!
Unfortunately, a lot of these rewards go unclaimed, as students are unaware of them or don’t know how to properly apply for them. Luckily, the new Financial Aid, Awards and Scholarship Application (FAAS App) has streamlined the application process to make it easier for you to get the necessary funds to support your education! Logging into the system for the first time can be a bit confusing, but that’s why I’m here to help simplify things. 😊
Here's how it works.
Logging in
Once you go onto the FAAS website, one of the first things you’ll see is a handy pop-up that tells you some basic information about what FAAS is used for. Click on the "Log in" button to get started.
After clicking on the "Log in" button, you’ll be greeted by a general log-in page where you’ll sign in with your Passport York ID. As a York University student, you wouldn’t need to sign in via the guest login. This will take you to the regular Passport York login, where you’ll sign in as usual.
Congratulations! You are now officially logged into the FAAS App. You should be seeing a screen like the one shown above. This is the FAAS Homepage, which contains all the general information you’ll need to access, from your current applications (drafts, submitted or offered), accepted funding, government aid and payments.
Completing your student profile
One of the first things you’ll need to do in FAAS is complete your student profile. You can start by clicking the “Student Profile” tab on the home page. Your student profile isn’t just used to apply for awards; you also need it to fill out to be eligible for Work/Study positions.
Some information (such as your registered name with the school or your student number) will automatically be filled in, but you’ll have to input other details yourself. You can get started by clicking on your student number.
From there, click on each of the tabs listed below and fill out all the information to the best of your ability. Once everything is at 100%, you’ll be able to start applying for awards, scholarships, etc.
Searching for awards
Pro tip: Awards can be based on academic merit, financial need, specific communities you are a part of or community work you’ve done. They can also require supplemental elements, like an essay submission. Look around and see which ones apply to you!
Click on the “Undergraduate Funding Opportunities” tab to browse all the currently available options for you to read into.
From here, you’ll be able to search for specific awards or application deadlines to find out which awards best suit your needs.
Pro tip: Keep checking FAAS throughout the year to keep your profile up to date and apply for any updated funding opportunities.
Applying for awards
After clicking on an award that piques your interest, you simply need to press the "Check Eligibility" button to see if there are any additional requirements you’d need to complete in order to apply for the award.
Pro tip: Complete your Student Profile and Need Assessment by October 15 to be considered for funding opportunities that do not require any additional info (e.g., personal essays, additional documents).
Receiving awards
Upon receiving an award, you can click on the "Offered Awards" tab under the Application section on the Home Page.
Here, you will be able to view specific information, such as the award name, application type and status. For more information, you can click on the award to see the specific amount awarded and the description.
Questions?
If you still have questions, reach out to faas@yorku.ca for assistance with any inquiries not answered in this blog post, or check the Current Students website!
Well, there you have it. The FAAS App is very new to the York ecosystem, but it is here to make applying for awards easier. Take advantage of FAAS and the funds York has set aside for students like you and apply today! Good luck with all your applications and enjoy the academic year!