First Generation and Non-traditional Student Guide

FAFSA: A federal form for student financial aid that determines how much the student can expect their family to contribute to paying for college. You will need your tax return from the previous year to apply, and if you are young you may need the information for your parents as well. This form is filled out every year.

Flex: This is a spending account that can be accessed through your VSU ID card. Most places to purchase supplies on campus use Flex, but there are even some off-campus stores that accept it. Scholarship and student loan money can be placed into the Flex account through your Banner early in the semester, but make sure that you only transfer money that is in excess to the charge of your tuition.

Dining Dollars: If you have a dining plan you might have what they call dining dollars. These are like having a gift card that can only be used at restaurants on campus and you use your student ID to use them. Tell the employee that you would like to use your dining dollars or your Flex when you get food so that they charge the meal to the right account.

Career Services

The career services office helps students find volunteering and work opportunities local to the college. Try contacting them if you need help with:

The 1Card Office

The 1card office handles the making of VSU ID cards and manages Flex accounts. Contact them if you are needing help with:

• transferring financial aid funds to Flex
• replacing your lost VSU ID
• depositing money into your Flex account

The Bursary

The bursary handles many of the money transactions with tuition. Speak to them if you need to know about:

Financial Aid Department

The financial aid department is the best place to go if you have questions about your money for college. Do not hesitate to contact them or visit in person if you need to know about: