Montclair State University · 2 days ago
Financial Aid Counselor
Montclair, NJ
Full-time
Onsite
Entry, Mid Level
$64K/yr - $80K/yr
2+ years expMontclair State University is seeking a Financial Aid Counselor responsible for managing core areas of financial aid eligibility and ensuring regulatory compliance. This role involves reviewing federal verification documentation, evaluating tax transcripts, and providing individualized financial aid counseling to students and families.
EducationHigher EducationUniversities
Responsibilities
Review, interpret and implement Federal Title IV and State Student Assistance Authority regulations to ensure compliance
Review and process federal verification documentation for selected FAFSA applicants
Evaluate tax transcripts, W-2s, household information, and other required documents to resolve conflicting information
Update student ISIR data and repackage financial aid as needed
Review C-Flags and eligibility for students who did not complete academic engagement
Communicate with students clearly and professionally regarding verification status and required documents
Monitor and evaluate SAP at the end of each academic year
Review SAP appeals and supporting timely to render a decision
Ensure consistent application of SAP policies and compliance with federal guidelines
Review requests for special circumstances (e.g., loss of income, unusual expenses) and process aid adjustments per federal regulations
Evaluate and decide on dependency override requests using professional judgment and institutional policy
Maintain complete documentation for all professional judgment cases in accordance with audit standards
Counsel/Notify students on the eligibility statues, appeal process, documentation requirements, and outcomes
Provide individualized financial aid counseling to students and families regarding eligibility, appeals, SAP, and aid adjustments
Assist with financial literacy and outreach programs as needed
Respond to inquiries via phone, email, and in person in a timely and courteous manner
Stay informed about federal and state regulations affecting financial aid eligibility
Assist in developing internal procedures for verification, SAP, and appeals
Ensure all decisions and communications are documented in compliance with institutional, state, and federal policies
Communicate effectively with Red Hawk Central and respond to escalated SNOW tickets timely
Participates in University events (admitted student day, open house, orientation, etc
Perform other duties as assigned
Management retains the right to change or add job duties at any time
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university
Minimum two years' experience working in operational support of financial aid processing, preferably with Banner or Workday
Experience with report generation, preferably in COGNOS
Knowledge of State and Federal regulations affecting financial aid
Experience supporting Federal grants, State grants, Private and Direct Lending process
Preferred
Prior experience in handling professional judgement request or appeals
Familiarity with institutional and third-party study abroad programs
Proficiency in Spanish
Experience with state grant systems
NASFAA credentials
Benefits
Health insurance
Retirement plans
Tuition assistance
Company
Montclair State University
Montclair State University is a school in Montclair.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
Montclair State University has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (19)
2024 (12)
2023 (15)
2022 (19)
2021 (11)
2020 (12)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$3.41MKey Investors
AmeriCorps Public AlliesNational Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
2024-07-09Grant· $0.73M
2023-01-10Grant· $0.15M
2022-06-28Grant· $0.03M
Leadership Team
Benjamin Durant
Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations
Jerry DeSanto, Ed.D.
Interim CIO/VP Information Technology
Recent News
24-7 Press Release Newswire
2025-09-29
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