Financial Aid
At Triton College, we take pride in offering an affordable education. While Triton's tuition costs are less than those of most major colleges and universities, individuals and families on a tight budget may still have difficulty meeting their yearly expenses. The purpose of financial aid is to help students and their families bridge the gap between their own resources and the cost of attending Triton College.
Financial assistance may be available to students who are enrolled at Triton for as little as one credit hour. This assistance may be in the form of grants, loans, work on campus or various scholarships. Most of our financial aid programs are based on each student's financial need. Whatever your financial status, we can assist you in affording college.
In-Person Hours
Student Center - B Building,
Room B-160
(708) 456-0300, Ext. 3155
finaid@triton.edu
Fax: (708) 583-3180
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 a.m - 6:00 p.m.
Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Monday - Thursday: 8:00 a.m - 6:00 p.m.
Friday: Closed
Saturday: Closed
Sunday: Closed
Financial Aid Documents
Submit Documents Online How to Create Your
StudentForms Account
FAFSA Simplification Act
As a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act, Federal Student Aid is updating the FAFSA process to expand access to federal student aid and provide an easier, streamlined FAFSA experience for students and families. Please see the below video on the changes to the FAFSA application.
Financial Aid Events
Register for the FAFSA/Alternative Application Workshop.
Contact Financial Aid Specialist
Financial Aid specialists are assigned based on the first letter of each student's last name.
| Last Name begins with | Specialist | Phone Number | |
|---|---|---|---|
| A - D | LaTanya Walls | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3531 | latanyawalls@triton.edu |
| E - L | Yousuf Hassan | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3741 | yousufhassan@triton.edu |
| M - Q | Eric Mango | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3217 | ericmango@triton.edu |
| R - Z | Karina Vale | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3043 | karinavale@triton.edu |
| Veterans (A - M) | Xochil Lopez-Sarode | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3737 | xochillopez@triton.edu |
| Veterans (N - Z) | LaTanya Walls | (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3531 | latanyawalls@triton.edu |
Financial Aid Basics
Financial aid helps students and their families pay for college. This financial assistance covers educational expenses including tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation. There are several types of financial aid, including grants and scholarships, work study and loans. Financial aid awards may include a combination of the various types of aid.
There are two basic types of financial aid: Gift aid and Self-help aid.
- Gift aid includes federal grants, state grants, scholarships and other benefits (such as veteran's benefits). This type of aid is free and does not need to be repaid.
- Self-help aid includes student loans or work-study. This type of aid must be repaid or earned.
To be eligible for financial aid (gift aid) you will need to meet these requirements:
- U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizenship
- Illinois residency for state grants only (If you are a dependent, the parent whose information is used must be an Illinois resident)
- Demonstration of financial need
- Maintenance of satisfactory academic progress as determined by your college
- No default status on any student loan, no refund owed on any state or federal grant
- No bachelor's degree (you may still apply for a federal loan)
- Compliance with Federal Selective Service registration requirements
- Not currently incarcerated
- High school graduate or GED recipient
- Degree-seeking undergraduate student
The following videos will explain the Financial Aid process in greater detail
How to Apply for Financial Aid
To apply for Financial Aid you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at FAFSA.gov.
Based on the financial information you enter on the FAFSA, the government uses a formula to decide how much you can pay for college out of pocket. That number is your Student Aid Index, or SAI. Triton will subtract your SAI from the school's annual cost of attendance (which includes tuition, living expenses, books, supplies and transportation) to determine your financial need.
If you qualify for need-based financial aid, you will be offered grants to cover some or all of your financial need.
If you do not receive enough gift aid to cover your cost of attendance, or if you did not qualify for any aid at all, you will be given the opportunity to apply for a student loan and/or Triton's work-study program
Financial Aid Application Process
Frequently Asked Questions
In order to be considered for financial assistance, students must complete and submit the following items:
- Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA)
- High School Diploma or GED transcript
More can be found under "Apply for Financial Aid"
Each award has different requirements:
- The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), Federal Direct Student Loan Program (FDSLP), and Federal College Work Study Program requires students be enrolled in at least six (6) credit hours for the semester.
- Monetary Award Program (MAP), students may be enrolled in as few as three (3) credit hours.
- PELL Grants, students may be enrolled in as few as one (1) credit hour.
Staff members are available to assist students in the completion of the FAFSA and any supplemental documents needed to complete the financial aid process at Triton College. Please bring all necessary tax documents (1040 or 1040X and W-2s) as well as any supporting documents (SNAP and Social Security benefit statements), to the FAFSA Lab located in the Financial Aid Office. Call (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3155 for office hours. If a student has questions regarding the completion of verification documents staff members are available to assist. Students may also contact their Financial Aid Specialist.
The student's Financial Aid Specialist is dependent upon their last name.
You can find your Financial Aid Specialist under "Contact Financial Aid Specialist".
Verification is intended to improve the accuracy of the information submitted on the FAFSA. Over 30 percent of all FAFSA applications are selected for the process of verification.
If selected, the Triton College Financial Aid Office staff will e-mail students requesting additional documentation. Once all of the necessary documents have been received and any corrections processed, the Financial Aid Office will send out an award notification via e-mail and students will be able to view their award letter on their Student Portal.
Verification documents are available in the Student Forms Portal.
Note: If selected for verification, it is important to respond to the request for verification documents as quickly as possible, to ensure that the various grant deadlines are met.
The entire process may take between two (2) and three (3) weeks once all required documents have been received.
Yes; however, a student must initiate a payment plan:
3 Payment Options:
- Payment in full by cash, money order, check or credit card (MasterCard, Visa, or American Express)
- Nelnet Tuition Payment Plan
- Complete a FAFSA Application
PLEASE NOTE: To enroll in the payment plan option a student must provide valid bank account or credit/debit card information to the Nelnet Payment Plan server listed under “Financial Information” in the My Triton Portal.
More information about the Nelnet Payment Plan is available through the Cashier's Office and under Tuition and Fees.
YES! The amount of federal financial assistance that a student receives is based on the completion of all registered course work. Any student who withdraws completely or fails to successfully complete any course work from a semester may be required to return a portion of the federal funds that had been applied to his/her account. The final amount of financial aid earned will be based on the period of time that the student was attending during the term.
Please check with the Financial Aid Office prior to dropping classes!
Yes, if a student can document that the he/she and/or the student's spouse/parents will be receiving a substantially lower income in the coming tax year then they may complete a "Special Circumstance Form," available in the Financial Aid Office. A Financial Aid Administrator will review the student's situation and notify them if adjustments can be made on their FAFSA application.
Pending financial aid funds are credited to your account in the Business Office and will be applied to your institutional charges approximately the third week of classes. Students with sufficient pending financial aid to cover all tuition and fees may use a portion of the remaining Pell Grant funds to purchase necessary books and supplies in the Triton College Bookstore.
Any remaining monies after tuition is paid and books are purchased will be issued
to students through direct deposit.
To set up direct deposit for student refunds, please click HERE and follow the instructions to set up direct deposit in the student portal. Alternatively,
students can also visit the Cashier's Office to obtain the Student Refund Direct Deposit
Form. Along with the Student Refund Direct Deposit Form, you will also need to bring
with you a copy of a voided check or bank statement and a copy of a form of identification.
For any questions regarding refunds please contact the Cashier's Office at cashieroffice@triton.edu.
A student can receive any remaining funds after tuition is paid and books are purchased
by setting up direct deposit.
To set up direct deposit for student refunds, please click HERE and follow the instructions to set up direct deposit in the student portal. Alternatively,
students can also visit the Cashier's Office to obtain the Student Refund Direct Deposit
Form. Along with the Student Refund Direct Deposit Form, you will also need to bring
with you a copy of a voided check or bank statement and a copy of a form of identification.
For any questions regarding refunds please contact the Cashier's Office at cashieroffice@triton.edu.
Updates
Textbooks
Financial Aid can now be used online at the Triton College Bookstore. At the time
of checkout, please select the Financial Aid option and enter in your 7-digit Colleague
ID number, which can be found on your schedule. Any purchases are dependent on funds
available. Restrictions may apply.
Scholarships
If a student receives a scholarship that includes book funds, and wishes to buy books
with the funds, they should follow the steps below:
Students will go to the Bookstore and tell the clerk they will be paying for their
books using a book voucher. The cashier will then supply a receipt to the student.
The student will then come to the financial aid office, and submit both their receipt
and student ID to the Scholarship Office. The Scholarship Office will generate a Book
Voucher, and the student can then use the Book Voucher as form of payment at the Book
Store.
It’s time to file or renew your FAFSA application!
Students are encouraged to complete their FAFSA application as soon as possible. Starting
on October 1, the Department of Education will release the 2025-26 FAFSA form for
testing with a limited set of students and institutions. The Department of Education
will make the application available to all students on or before December 1.
The FAFSA application is located at http://fafsa.gov and students should enter Triton College’s school code (001773) when asked which colleges they would like their FAFSA information to be sent to.
In order to better serve our students, the Financial Aid Office has a FAFSA Lab with computers for students to complete and submit the FAFSA. If you are interested in utilizing the computers, please bring appropriate year's taxes and the Financial Aid Office staff will assist with any questions you may have as you process your application. It’s important to create your (and your parent if dependent) FSA ID beforehand as it takes up to 24 hours for the FSA ID to be activated which is required to complete the FAFSA.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Financial Aid Office at (708) 456-0300, Ext. 3155 or at finaid@triton.edu.
Special/Unusual Circumstances
If your financial situation has changed significantly since you completed your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you may contact the Financial Aid Office to conduct a review. Updated income and tax information must be provided for the review.
Examples of changes to you or your parent’s financial situation:
- Unemployment
- Dependency Status Change
- Unusual medical or dental expenses not covered by insurance
- Marital Status Change (divorce, separation, widowed)
Unusual circumstances do NOT include:
- Parents will not provide information on the FAFSA
- Parents do not claim the student as a dependent on taxes or if the student is self sufficient
- Resigning or leaving a job voluntarily
- Voluntarily decreasing work hours to attend college
- Credit card or mortgage debt
If you would like to pursue a special/unusual circumstances review, please email the financial aid office at finaid@triton.edu.
Financial Aid Resources