Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Financial aid counselor
provides financial counseling to students, parents and others regarding financial aid programs offered by federal, state, private and institutional sources.
Financial Aid Counselor Duties & Responsibilities
To write an effective financial aid counselor job description, begin by listing detailed duties, responsibilities and expectations. We have included financial aid counselor job description templates that you can modify and use.
Sample responsibilities for this position include:
Collect and/or analyze financial data on students to make awards within federal, state, donor and/or institutional guidelines
Including, but not limited to, changing processes and procedures quickly to respond to the changing needs of students, the university, the Financial Aid Office and changes financial aid regulations, policies and procedures
Collects and/or analyzes financial data on students to determine aid eligibility and make awards within federal, donor and/or institutional guidelines
Develop and recommend new or revised institutional policies, procedures and guidelines, as appropriate
Reviews and updates awards packages, adjusting aid as necessary to comply with state, federal and institutional guidelines
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of federal state and institutional guidelines
Analyzes various system-generated reports to verify compliance and eligibility of students receiving aid under federal and institutional guidelines
Collects and/or analyzes financial data on student to determine loan eligibility and make awards within federal and/or institutional guidelines
Analyzes various system-generated reports such as grades and enrollment status or award status to verify continued compliance and eligibility of students receiving aid under federal and institutional guidelines
Review student eligibility for outside scholarship funds per University policy and donor guidelines
Financial Aid Counselor Qualifications
Qualifications for a job description may include education, certification, and experience.
Education for Financial Aid Counselor
Typically a job would require a certain level of education.
Employers hiring for the financial aid counselor job most commonly would prefer for their future employee to have a relevant degree such as Bachelor's and Collage Degree in Education, Business, Counseling, Communication, Humanities, Public Administration, Communications, Management, Military, Faculty
Skills for Financial Aid Counselor
Desired skills for financial aid counselor include:
Regulations
Federal
State
Institutional rules
Donor
Government
Guidelines
Procedures
Procedures for awarding of financial aid
Policies
Desired experience for financial aid counselor includes:
Strong basic computer software (MS Office) skills exposure to more concentrated financial aid/EDE software programs such as Banner
Counsels and advises students about financial aid eligibility, application procedures, aid programs, costs, indebtedness, money management and financial planning and individualizes information to the particular needs and situations of the students
Exercises judgment by making adjustments or revisions to costs or aid as exceptions to prescribed progress
Provides support to Loans area management with special projects
Assists Loan Manager with unit/office training sessions
Notifies students of changes in eligibility of awards and alternatives to amend the situation
Financial Aid Counselor Examples
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Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our growing company is looking to fill the role of financial aid counselor. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for financial aid counselor
- Manage the successful origination and delivery of Federal Direct Loans
- Award new summer students with appropriate federal aid
- Assists in aid eligibility assessment, funds disbursement, and aid reconciliation procedures
- Reviews Florida Residency documentation and verifies eligibility for state aid
- Advises students and their families on all aspects of financial aid including application procedures, processes, eligibility, appeals, costs and resources
- Make appropriate revisions to student eligibly, cost of attendance or financial aid to accommodate the circumstances that are within the law and institutional policy and funding guidelines and defensible
- Communicates complex financial information and application procedures to prospective students, current students, and their families in a clear, timely and professional manner
- Program Management – Financial Literacy and Social Media
- Responds promptly to financial aid questions from prospective and current students including walk-ins, scheduled appointments, telephone and emails
- Attends conferences, seminars and lectures to keep abreast of current trends in financial aid
Qualifications for financial aid counselor
- Candidates should expect in-depth contact with students and families via e-mail, telephone and in-person
- Prior Financial Aid/Federal Loan program experience preferred
- Respond to a high volume of requests for information via email
- Serve as main point of contact for walk-in and phone traffic to the Financial Aid Office
- Documents student interactions when appropriate
- Occasionally assist with data updates
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Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is looking for a financial aid counselor. Thank you in advance for taking a look at the list of responsibilities and qualifications. We look forward to reviewing your resume.
Responsibilities for financial aid counselor
- Financial aid Counselors must understand federal, state and institutional financial aid rules and regulations related to aid eligibility, awarding and disbursement
- Counsel students and families on federal, state and institutional aid sources, loan and other financing options, such as private educational loans and the Extended Payment Plan
- Calculate financial need and construct financial aid packages in accordance with federal and institutional guidelines
- Perform Verification of applicant data and use Professional Judgment to adjust federal aid applicants’ eligibility
- Respond to inquiries with accurate information and high quality of customer service
- Serve as “on-call” counselor when necessary
- Provide financial aid information at campus open houses and prospective student weekends, and at area schools/events
- Assists in other activities to support the continued improvement of the office's customer engagement goals
- Answer questions, inquiries or requests from students, parents, high school counselors, or guardians on phone, in person or via email regarding scholarship programs and eligibility
- Work queries and complete other processes relevant to the eligibility and disbursement of merit/financial aid
Qualifications for financial aid counselor
- Coordinate Scholarship Appeals Process
- Implement recruitment strategies as outlined in the admissions Key Result Area (KRA) goal plan in the assigned territory to include high school and/or community college visits
- Attend college fairs, area receptions, and events
- Handle the resolution of rejected loan originations and/or disbursements from the U.S. Department of Education
- Oversee the processing of Direct PLUS Loans
- Proven administrative, financial and problem-solving skills
3
Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our company is searching for experienced candidates for the position of financial aid counselor. Please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications. While this is our ideal list, we will consider candidates that do not necessarily have all of the qualifications, but have sufficient experience and talent.
Responsibilities for financial aid counselor
- Assist in other activities to support the continued improvement of the office's customer service goals
- Revise financial award packages based on changes in enrollment status, professional judgment, making sure corrections to a student’s status are noted
- Develop skills and knowledge to become a subject matter expert in critical financial aid processes
- Completes verification for students selected by the Department of Education institutionally selected students
- Resolves SAR C-flags and confirms student eligibility when FAFSA confirmations fail
- Posts, processes and originates/certifies Direct Stafford, Parent and Graduate PLUS
- Processes Private loans and ensures receipt of MPNs, Entrance Counseling and certification records
- Monitors and adjusts student's borrower based aid year information
- Coordinates with Athletics, Resident Life, and other university departments in awarding grants, scholarships, GSA and GRA awards
- Assist families in the review of cases for special conditions and/or professional judgment
Qualifications for financial aid counselor
- During peak enrollment and processing periods must be able to handle high volume of phone calls and student inquiries
- Duties require extended periods of sitting, standing, talking, listening and computer usage
- Three years of responsible financial aid processing experience
- Experience with computerized financial aid management systems
- Ability to utilize BANNER, CAMPUS Logic or a similar relational database
- At least one year’s related higher education experience in a large volume, multi-program office
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Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is hiring for a financial aid counselor. To join our growing team, please review the list of responsibilities and qualifications.
Responsibilities for financial aid counselor
- Perform review of information provided on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and other file review processes based on federal Title IV regulations
- Assign appropriate Cost of Attendance to students and award federal, state and institutional aid to financial aid recipients to ensure aid is paid in a timely manner
- Assist in researching rules and regulations concerning Title IV funding eligibility issues and participate in determining OSFA policy and procedures
- Complete federal verification processes and making necessary corrections to students’ financial aid application
- Must possess working knowledge of Federal Systems in which the individual will interact with regularly (EDConnect, COD, CPS, NSLDS)
- Assists with the loading and review of CSS Profile and IDOC files
- Assists with external communications including aid notifications, missing information notices, website updates, and social media
- Assists with graduate student financial aid awarding and loan counseling
- Maintains confidentiality of student records in compliance with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- Assists with projects and special assignments
Qualifications for financial aid counselor
- Knowledge of federal, state, university and private assistance programs and payment options
- Understand financial aid professional judgment with the ability to interpret and apply regulations to allow for non-standard exceptions over a range of situations including overriding standard policy and procedure in need analysis, the establishment of the cost of attendance and approving modification of awards in order to facilitate educational objectives of providing financial assistance for student to continue in school
- In-depth knowledge of regulations in interpreting and administering of federal Title IV (FFELP, Grad PLUS, Work Study, Perkins), Title VII (SDS, LDS, HPSL) and university financial aid programs to ensure compliance which includes researching, reading, interpreting, evaluating and applying complex rules and laws, writing and presenting concise findings with recommended course of action
- A bachelor’s degree granted by the date expected to begin employment
- One year of professional experience in counseling and working with students or two years of experience working with students as a part-time or student employee at an institution of higher learning (one year of part-time or student employment counts for 6 months of professional experience)
- 2-3 years relevant experience in a financial aid office preferred
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Financial Aid Counselor Job Description
Job Description Example
Our innovative and growing company is hiring for a financial aid counselor. We appreciate you taking the time to review the list of qualifications and to apply for the position. If you don’t fill all of the qualifications, you may still be considered depending on your level of experience.
Responsibilities for financial aid counselor
- Determine financial aid eligibility based on institutional policy and state/federal guidelines
- Requires knowledge, understanding and interpretation of federal aid regulations
- Package incoming students with institutional aid and state/federal aid
- Under the direct supervision of the Financial Aid Lead Counselor, performs professional student service work in the areas of university wide review of confidential financial aid applications for eligibility, correctness and completeness
- Under the direct supervision of the Financial Aid Lead Counselor, advises students individually and in groups on financial aid issues
- Under the direct supervision of the Financial Aid Lead Counselor, provides telephone and counter receptions, answers inquiries from students, parents, and other campus staff and faculty covering a variety of financial aid concerns
- Conduct financial aid presentations in the community and on campus regularly
- Collaborate with the Admissions Office, Student Accounts and the Registrar’s Office to ensure student successful registration and retention
- Continually update working knowledge of all aid programs
- Assist with documents, files, projects and phone calls as needed
Qualifications for financial aid counselor
- Knowledge of all aspects of scholarship/financial aid and billing programs, policies, procedures, and practices
- Additional knowledge specific to focus area
- Work experience demonstrating attention to detail
- In accordance with Federal regulatory requirements, the incumbent must be in good standing on any outstanding Federal Title IV loans
- Each counselor with in this unit may manage a student aid program, in accordance with interest and skill set
- Ability to explain financial aid issues to students and parents in detail