Financial Aid Professionals

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Vermont Grant System Frequently Asked Questions for Education Professionals

 Tips and Reminders

• Select the appropriate Active Year at the top of grant screens.
• When information is updated on a student’s file the grant will not disburse until a reevaluation of the student’s eligibility is complete. 
• Click on the question mark icon to view any additional information.

To-do task instructions

1. Please add a complete budget.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Manage Program Budgets
• Click Add Program Budget
• On the Add Program Budget screen:
  • Complete all white fields to match your costs for a Vermont Resident
  • Add your Term/Disbursement Periods dates (bottom of the screen)
  • Click Save-Budget Approved at the bottom of the screen

2. Complete program budgets for upcoming fiscal year.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Manage Program Budgets
• Click Add Program Budget to add a new budget, or click the name of an existing budget to modify it
• On the Add (or Edit) Program Budget screen:
  • Complete all white fields to match your costs for a Vermont Resident
  • Add your Term/Disbursement Periods dates (bottom of the screen)
  • Click Save-Budget Approved at the bottom of the screen

3. Awards have disbursed. Follow this link for additional information.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Reports button
• Select your school from the Branch
• Click the View Reports button
• Click the Disbursement Detail Report
• Select the Year
• Select the Activity Date
• Click Generate PDF or Generate CSV

4. Student(s) require budget assignment.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Manage Program Budgets
• Click Manage Students to the right side of Students not assigned to a budget
• Select students from the list by checking the box to the left of the student's name
• Reassign students to (select a budget name from the drop-down menu)
• Reassign Selected Students or Reassign ALL Students in This Budget as appropriate

**Note: You may see this To Do for an academic year before your budget is finalized. Budgets do not need to be complete for you to assign students to a budget. If you have an idea of what budget the student will be in, assign the student to that budget. Otherwise, you can leave the To Do outstanding and assign students when you are ready. 

5. Student(s) enrollment is ready for verification.

Access your list of students*

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Online Enrollment Verification
  • Choose Enrollment Type
  • Choose Program Budget Term
  • Click Show Roster

Verification
For each student:

• Confirm all data in the white boxes under the student's name and make appropriate updates
• To remove students who are not attending your institution, simply change their enrollment status to Not Enrolled
• Check Verification Complete across from the student's name
• Click Save and Refresh
• Confirm your changes

*If your school has a large number of students to verify, consider using the Receive/Send Roster File option.  For more information e-mail schoolservices@vsac.org, or call us toll free 888-307-8722.

6. Unable to award student(s), missing Pell SAI.

Obtain your list of students missing Pell SAI

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Reports button
• Select your school from the Branch
• Click the View Reports button
• Click Missing Pell SAI Report
  • Select the Active Year
  • Click Generate PDF or Generate CSV to run your report
  • Your list of student should display. Use this list in the next step.

Update the Pell SAI on the student's file

• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• In the Main Menu use Search for Students
• Click Verification Data
• Populate the Pell SAI field with the appropriate value
• Save Changes

After the Pell SAI is added, if the student’s file and your program budget are complete, the student’s grant eligibility should display on the Verification Data screen.

7. Your school owes VSAC a refund.

Download the grant refund policy > (PDF) 

When a student’s grant eligibility is reduced after funds are disbursed to the school, VSAC nets the difference from the school’s next disbursement. At the end of the fiscal year if a balance is owed to VSAC we will contact the school for payment.

Because the Vermont grant system automatically uses this netting process it can get complicated if a school mails a refund check and subsequent disbursements occur before the check is applied to the school’s account. For this reason, we encourage schools to use the netting process. 

If you prefer to mail a check please make it payable to VSAC, include the student’s name with the check and mail it to:

VSAC Grant Department
PO BOX 2000
Winooski, VT 05404

General questions

1. I received a grant check and need to know who it is for.

If you do not have MyVSAC access please contact schoolservices@vsac.org and VSAC will provide you the name of your school’s MyVSAC administrator.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Reports button
• Select your school from the Branch
• Click the View Reports button
• Select Disbursement Detail Report
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down
• Select the Activity Date
• Click Generate PDF or Generate CSV to run your report

2. How do I obtain a list of students awarded a Vermont Incentive Grant for my school?

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Reports button
• Select your school from the Branch
• Click the View Reports button
• Click the Awards and Disbursements Report
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down
• Enter the Awarded or Revised Since Date
• Click Generate PDF or Generate CSV to run your report

The Search for Student feature in the Main Menu of the Grants tab provides access to individual student files.

3. How do I assign students to a program budget?

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Manage Program Budgets
• Click Manage Students to the right side of Students not assigned to a budget
• Select students from the list by checking the box to the left of the student’s name.
• Reassign students to (select a budget name from the drop-down menu)
• Click Reassign Selected Students or Reassign ALL Students in This Budget as appropriate.

4. How do I remove a student from my list who is not attending my school?

Students must be assigned to a program budget before they can be removed.  

If you have multiple budgets, assign the student to any of your program budgets.

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• From the Main Menu click Manage Program Budgets
• Click Manage Students to the right side of Students not assigned to a budget
• Select students from the list by checking the box to the left of the student’s name. 
• Reassign students to (select a budget name from the drop-down menu)
• Click Reassign Selected Students or Reassign ALL Students in This Budget as appropriate.

Once the student is assigned to a budget, access the student’s file via Search for Students or Advanced Search at the top of the Main Menu.

• Click the Verification Data tab
• Use the drop-down option under Enrollment Status to select Not Enrolled under each term the student has listed on this screen.
• Click Save Changes

5. How do I change a student’s enrollment status? 

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• Access the student’s file via Search for Students or Advanced Search at the top of the Main Menu
• Click the Verification Data tab
• Use the drop-down option under Enrollment Status to select the appropriate status
• Click Save Changes

6. When can I verify enrollment?

Enrollment can be verified, for a student who has been awarded a grant, when the term start date of the budget is reached. When the start date is reached, an e-mail is sent to the school requesting online enrollment verification.

Your school provides program budget details, including the cost for a Vermont resident, and term start and end dates.

VSAC runs the first awarding each academic year in April. Students with a complete grant application, whose file is attached to a complete budget, are awarded immediately.

If your institution has not signed the Agreement Covering Participation in Vermont Incentive Grant Program, enrollment verification is requested five weeks after the start date of your term. Most institutions have signed this form and enrollment verification is requested the business day after your term start date. 

7. When will the grant disburse?

Most schools select automatic disbursement. In this case, the disbursement process begins when student files are verified online.

If a school selects to manually request payment, the disbursement process begins when the Request Payment option is clicked.

In most cases, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) disbursements are deposited in the institution’s bank account two business days after verification. 

In most cases, paper checks are mailed the business day after verification. 

When information is updated on a student’s file the grant will not disburse until a reevaluation of the student’s eligibility is complete. 

Manage your Disbursements by following these instructions:

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• Select Manage Disbursements from the Main Menu to view your institution’s disbursement setup, and make changes as applicable.

8. Where are grant checks mailed?

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• Select Manage Disbursements from the Main Menu
• The Disbursement Address is displayed on the Manage Disbursements screen.
  • Contact VSAC School Services if updates are required.
  • We can be reached at schoolservices@vsac.org and toll free at 888-307-8722.

9. How do I get a list of the students verified today?

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Reports button
• Select your school from the Branch
• Click the View Reports button
• Click the Students Verified Report
• Select the appropriate Active Year from the drop-down
• Click Generate PDF or Generate CSV to run your report

This report is only available the same day files are verified.   

10. Where is the To Do email sent?

• Log in to MyVSAC
• Click the Work with Grants button
• Select the Active Year from the drop-down at the top of the screen
• Click Institutional Information on the Main Menu
• The email address in Contact Information for VSAC’s use receives the automated emails
• Remember to click Save Changes when updating this field

The system currently holds one email address. If multiple people at your Institution need to receive To Do emails, consider using your general office email address. To Do notifications do not contain student specific details.

11. I receive an error I do not have access to the requested function within the grant system.  What do I do?

Contact schoolservices@vsac.org.

12. Does a student need a MyVSAC account to apply for a Vermont grant?  

Yes, students must have (or create) a MyVSAC account to complete the online Vermont Grant Application. VSAC does have paper applications for students who are unable to complete an online application.

Students may create their MyVSAC account and submit their grant application in the same session.

Students and families can reach us at info@vsac.org and toll free at 800-882-4166 for help with the application process.

13. What documents are students required to provide in paper form rather than completing online?

Students complete most items online; however the items listed below must be provided in paper form:

• Divorced / Separated Parental Worksheet
• Natural Parent Worksheet
• Verification of Citizenship
• Social Security Number Verification
• Tax Returns & W2s*
• Non-Degree Parent Income/Asset Worksheet

*Tax Returns and W2 forms may be uploaded through MyVSAC.

Students and families can reach us at info@vsac.org and toll free at 800-882-4166.

14. I completed the items(s) on the To Do list, but the item is still there. How do I clear the item off the To Do list?

Some To Tell notifications require users to indicate the notice has been read before it will come off the To Do list. Click on the task name and follow the directions in the pop-up window to manually clear the item from the To Do list.