Guidelines for Eligible Citizen/Noncitizen Documentation

Summary Chart of Acceptable INS Documentation

Citizen Not Born in United States
Certificate of Citizenship must have student's name and application number, certificate number and the date the certificate was issued.
Certificate of Naturalization must have student's name and petition number, certificate number, alien registration number, name of the court and date where naturalization occurred.
Certificate of Birth Abroad form FS-545, DS-1350, or FS-240, Report of Birth Abroad must have embossed seal specifying "United States of America" and "State Department."
U.S. Passport
Noncitizen National
U.S. Passport must be stamped "Noncitizen National."
Permanent Resident
Alien Registration Receipt Card form I-151, I-551, or I-551C; I-551C must have a currently valid expiration date.
Passport must be stamped "Processed for I-551" with expiration date.
I-94 must be stamped "Processed for I-551" with expiration date, or "Temporary Form I-551," appropriate information filled in.
Other Eligible Citizen
Temporary Resident Card form I-688 must have expiration date.
Arrival-Departure Record form I-94 must be stamped as a Refugee, Asylum Status, Conditional Entrant (before April 1, 1980), Parolee or Cuban-Haitian Entrant.*
Family Unity Status form I-797 approved "Application for Voluntary Departure Under Family Unity Program." Must also have I-797 with approved "Visa Petition for Spouse" or "Immigrant Petition for Relative."

Note: Institutions are required to obtain original documentation that confirms eligibility. However, some students may not be able to present the documentation to our office easily in person. While the reproduction of certain immigration-related documents is statutorily prohibited, the Department of Homeland Security will allow a photocopy, scan, or other image of the documentation for the limited purpose of applying for federal student aid. If you are providing a copy or image of your original document, you must also send a signed, dated and officially notarized affidavit in order for our office to accept the copy or image. We will not be able to accept your citizenship documentation without the signed, dated and officially notarized affidavit. You may obtain such Affidavit (PDF 60kB) here.

*Effective April 26, 2013, DHS began automating the admission process. An alien lawfully admitted or paroled into the U.S. is no longer required to be in possession of a preprinted Form I-94. Students without I-94 documentation may have their status confirmed by a Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) stamp, showing class of admission and date admitted, on their passport, although an I-551 is preferable, if available. 

Contact Us

financialaid@esc.edu

Fax: 518-580-4863

Mailing Address: 
Empire State College
Financial Aid
111 West Ave.
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866

Questions? Contact 1Stop Student Services at 518-587-2100 or 800-847-3000.

1 Stop Student Services

FAFSA Info

Code: 010286
Name: SUC Empire State College

TAP Codes

Undergraduate Associate: 0916

Undergraduate Bachelor's: 0913

Graduate: 5680 (for graduate students applying for Veteran Tuition Awards)

Announcements 

For students who plan to enroll in courses beginning May 2022 and thereafter, please submit the 2022-2023 FAFSA.  

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the PDF files on this site. If Acrobat Reader is not installed on your computer, you can download it for free from Adobe's site. If you are still unable to view the file, please contact us at financialaid@esc.edu or call 800-847-3000.

Financial Aid Questions? (Ocelot) Watch Videos