File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, after submitting your college application. If your FAFSA has already been filed, log into the Department of Education's website to change your school code.
Contact the new school's financial aid office to see if other forms are needed, particularly institution-specific forms and the CSS/Profile, the application required by hundreds of colleges to apply for nonfederal financial aid.
Contact state aid agencies to see if grant money or other aid can be transferred. This generally applies only if both colleges are in the same state, although schools along a state border can be an exception.
Determine if any scholarship money is transferable. If provided by an independent organization for academic ability or other talent, it could be, but if provided by the previous school or alumni organization, it will be specific to that college.
Review the policies of any lenders providing you loans. Federal and private loans offered directly to students can be used to pay tuition at the new college, but the lender may need to be informed. If the loan came directly from the college, it will not be transferable.
Review the Student Aid Report, or SAR, that arrives a week to 10 days after filing the FAFSA. Make sure your new college is listed and that all other pertinent information is correct. Submit the SAR to your new college.
Contact the new school's financial aid office to make sure they received the SAR and that no other paperwork is missing.
Withdraw all financial aid applications from the previous college, or decline any offers made. It is against federal regulations to accept financial aid from two colleges simultaneously.
Read the new college's financial aid awards letter carefully to see that it matches the figures on your SAR and includes all sources of transferred financial aid.
Inform the financial aid office if any aid is missing. If the letter is accurate, let the college know in writing that you accept its offer.