The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you will be attending a technical school, community college, or 4-year university or college after high school graduation, you will need to complete the FAFSA.
COMPLETING THE FAFSA IS THE GATEWAY for MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL! Many schools require your FAFSA to award you HOPE Scholarship or HOPE grant, need-based or merit-based scholarships or grants at that college, and other programs to help students and families pay for education after high school.
Seniors graduating May 2021 who will begin college classes in August 2021 or January 2022: you and a family member will need to complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA.
COMPLETING THE FAFSA IS THE GATEWAY for MANY DIFFERENT WAYS TO PAY FOR SCHOOL! Many schools require your FAFSA to award you HOPE Scholarship or HOPE grant, need-based or merit-based scholarships or grants at that college, and other programs to help students and families pay for education after high school.
Seniors graduating May 2021 who will begin college classes in August 2021 or January 2022: you and a family member will need to complete the 2021-2022 FAFSA.
It doesn’t matter what your income is—completing the FAFSA is imperative for many reasons:
- Many universities will not consider students for merit aid (which is not based on family financial need) without a filed FAFSA.
- Universities build their freshman class with a portion of families who can pay in full, so by completing the FAFSA and demonstrating that you do not qualify, it might give another student an edge in admissions.
- Families may be surprised that they actually do qualify, especially if they have multiple children in college at the same time.
- Families’ situations may change. Most universities have funds set aside for instances such as a student’s parent losing a job and now this student cannot make their tuition payments. Schools usually prioritize giving these funds to students who have completed the FAFSA.
- For students to be eligible for low-interest federal loans, their families must complete the FAFSA.