The Business Office is available to discuss with students their student account records. They provide information that you need in making payments and addressing with you any questions regarding your tuition and fee charges.

How to Apply for Financial Aid

*All financial aid updates are communicated via email. Please check your email regularly.

Step 1: Apply for an FSA ID

If you have never completed a FAFSA before, you will need to create a FSA ID prior to filling out the FAFSA. Simply click the link in Step 2 and "Start New Form." You will be prompted to create an account. Creating a FSA ID will enable you to "sign" documents electronically, access your FAFSA Submission Summary online and make corrections to your FAFSA through the web. If applicable, both the parent and student must each apply for a FSA ID, using separate email addresses. If you have applied for aid in the past years, you can reuse your existing FSA ID.

Step 2: Submit the FAFSA

Complete the FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

You should file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible after October 1st. The FAFSA is used to determine your Student Aid Index (SAI) and your eligibility for federal aid, including federal student loans and the Pell grant. We also use the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for institutional aid.

The FAFSA must be filed every year the student is in school. A FAFSA requires a signature from the student applicant and if applicable, a parent. To sign the online application, you must use your FSA ID (see Step 1).

There is no fee involved in filing the FAFSA and all families are encouraged to apply regardless of their family circumstances. You will need to indicate the College's school code on the FAFSA.

FAFSA FAQs

• What is the school code for BSMCON?
  • 010043
• Am I a dependent or independent student? An independent student must be one of the following:
  • 24 year old before the date FAFSA specifies
  • Married
  • Have a child and provide at least 50% of the child's financial support
• What taxes do I use when completing the FAFSA?
  • Taxes from 2 years prior
    • For example, for the 24-25 academic year, you will use 2022 taxes
• What is my Grade Level and Degree for the FAFSA?
  • All incoming BSMCON students start as 2nd Year/Sophomores and will choose bachelor's degree or 2nd bachelor's if they already have a degree
• Am I working on a master's or a doctorate?
  • No

Step 3: Review your FAFSA Submission Summary

After filing the FAFSA, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS). Correct any mistakes online by logging into your student aid account.When reviewing the FSS, it will instruct you to contact the Financial Aid Office if additional information is required from you or your parent.

Step 4: Submit financial aid forms

Check your email often! If the Financial Aid Office needs additional documentation, you will be notified by email. Follow the instructions in the email and submit all requested documents as soon as possible to avoid delays.

Complete Entrance Counseling and the Master Promissory Note, if applicable.

Entrance Counseling and a Master Promissory Notes for Undergraduates are required for Federal Student Loan borrowers. Both can be completed by logging into https://studentaid.gov/ with your FSA ID. If you have existing Entrance Counseling session completed for another college, you will need to follow these steps to add our College. We will not be able to process any federal loans without both the Entrace Counseling and Master Promissory Note being completed.

• Entrance Counseling reviews your rights and responsibilities when borrowing federal student loans.
• The Master Promissory Note is your promise to repay any federal student loans that you borrow.

A FAFSA is required if you are using the BSMH Guild Tuition Benefit, please see the employee page for additional instructions: BSMH Employees

If you are an employee opting to not use the Guild Tuition Benefit, or an eligible dependent of a BSMH employee, complete the Employee Tuition Discount Form found on our forms page: Forms

Step 5: Less than Maximum Borrowing Options (Optional)

Students with a completed FAFSA will be awarded the maximum federal financial aid they are eligible for.

If you prefer to not borrow maximum federal loans, we also offer the option to borrow only what you need. Complete the Request to Borrow Less Than Maximum Federal Student Loans form located on our forms page: Forms

See the Federal Financial Aid Programs page for information on federal loans.

Step 6: Financial Plan Estimate

New students who have completed a FAFSA will receive a personalized Financial Plan Estimate from a Financial Aid Counselor. This is an estimate of financial aid eligibility for the length of the program and is to be used for planning purposes only. Continuing students may request a current Financial Plan Estimate at any point during their program by contacting one of the Financial Aid Counselors.

Step 7: Apply for Scholarships

You should always maximize the amount of free money you use to pay for college before borrowing loans.

Each spring, the Financial Aid Office will notify students when the Master Scholarship Application (a common application for all scholarships established by the College of Nursing through the Bon Secours Richmond Health Care Foundation Scholarship funds) is available to complete. All students are encouraged to apply regardless of how they are currently paying for college.

You can also use tools like www.fastweb.com to search for national scholarships.

Visit our Scholarships page for more detailed scholarship information and to view our Scholarship Bulletin Board.

Step 8: Review Your Award Letter

The Financial Aid Office will determine what aid is available to help meet your demonstrated financial need. The College will aim to meet as much of your need as possible. The Financial Aid Office will put together a financial aid package. The aid may come in the form of grants, scholarships and student loans. You will receive a 'Review Your Awards' notification email with instructions for:

• Viewing your informational Award Letter
• Reviewing your Registration Bill
  • Student Portal: My Finances > Account Information > Registration Bill
• Accepting and/or modifying the loans that were offered to you
  • Student Portal: My Financial Aid > Award Letter > Review Award Details
    • On this page, you can accept, reduce or zero-out your loans
    • Once everything appears how you want it, select 'Accept All Awards'
• Final review of Registration Bill to see how loans have been applied

Check out our Navigating Campus Nexus page for step-by-step instructions.

If your needs have changed due to illness, unemployment or some other extenuating circumstance, you can try appealing the award. Make sure to have documentation that supports your request.

Your financial aid package may or may not cover your total financial need. If financial need is not entirely met, this unmet need is called a 'gap.' This means that other resources must be found in order to meet the full cost of education. In many cases, this will mean additional student and parent loans.

Step 9: Apply For Additional Loans, If Necessary

The Financial Aid Office will include federal student loans on your award letter if you are eligible. If these loans are not listed on your award letter, you still may be eligible to borrow alternative loans.

While federal options should always be considered first, alternative loans are available to students who need additional financial assistance for tuition fees and living expenses. Visit the Private and Alternative Loans page for more information.

Financial Aid Office
8550 Magellan Parkway
Suite 1100
Richmond, VA 23227
Fax: 804-627-5441 
Email: bsr-confinancial@bshsi.org