Financial Aid

Close Up receives some program support from appropriations by the U.S. Congress and from corporate and private donations. This support enables Close Up to make tuition assistance available to defray a portion of the program costs for students who qualify. In addition, teachers may receive full fellowships for enrolling a designated number of students.

The Close Up Financial Aid Program, established by Congress in 1973 and originally named for the late Louisiana Senator Allen J. Ellender, enables students from low-income families to take part in Close Up Washington, D.C. Teachers are responsible for identifying the potential recipient(s) of student financial aid funds and ensuring that eligibility requirements are met.

The legislation that authorizes the Close Up Financial Aid Program requires Close Up to submit certain demographic and background information regarding each financial aid recipient to the U.S. Department of Education. Accordingly and as noted previously, please ensure that your student(s) complete the Student Participant Survey on your Enrollment Form.

This information will not be used at any time as selection criteria for a financial aid. A separate application for student financial aid funds must be completed by each potential recipient and submitted by the Close Up teacher by the date when the program deposit is due. Blank financial aid forms may be copied, but Close Up cannot accept photocopies of a completed and signed application. No financial aid will be awarded after a student has participated in the Close Up program.

Because the federal government is a principal source of funding for Close Up’s student financial aid, we are required to undergo an independent annual audit to ensure that the federal funds are used for their intended purpose. As part of this audit process, schools receiving student financial aid funds will be randomly selected on a monthly basis and asked to verify that the eligibility criteria have been met.

Selected schools will receive a letter requesting a copy of the student-recipient(s) 'income verification. The usual form of verification is a copy of the parents’ or guardians’ most recent federal tax return. If this is unavailable, please contact the Close Up finance office for further instruction.

Student Application Forms and Criteria for Eligibility

Student Financial Aid Application must be faxed separately to: 1-866-262-3293.
(Fax Financial Aid Applications ONLY to this number.)
Student recipients of financial aid funds must meet the following criteria:

Applicants must be eligible to participate in the Close Up program.
No student-recipient may receive financial aid funds more than once.
Foreign exchange students are not eligible to receive financial aid funds.
Applicants must comply with family income guidelines indicated on the financial aid form. The income guidelines are different for participants from Alaska and Hawaii; these differences are noted on the Alaska Student Financial Aid Application and the Hawaii Student Financial Aid Application .
Applicants must pay the correct deposit or the balance due (whichever is less) before fellowships will be awarded.
Applicants must submit a properly completed original application for student financial aid funds before participation. Student financial aid applications must be completed in ink.
Funds are not available after participation.

The most frequent reasons for returning financial aid applications are blank income amount, blank number of dependents, and missing signatures. Incomplete applications and those filled out in pencil will be returned for correction.

All financial aid requests submitted to Close Up will be considered, but submission does not guarantee the financial aid will be awarded. financial aid awards will be credited to the eligible student’s account. Each financial aid award may be divided among a maximum of four qualified students.

Eligibility for Close Up financial aid funds is verified by the Close Up teacher. Instructions for verifying eligibility are printed on the Student Fellowship Application.