Financial Aid for College

Student Aid Programs

TIP - Tuition Incentive Program

TIP Fact Sheet

FAFSA

Completing and submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the single most important action you can take to get money for college.

The FAFSA is used by schools to put together your financial aid package, including grants, work-study, federal student loans, and even state and school financial aid.

New FAFSA Submission Date

If you’re applying for financial aid for academic year 2019-20, you can now submit your FAFSA starting October 1, 2018, using your 2017 income tax return.

Be sure to submit the FAFSA every year you’re in college.

Aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so know your deadlines and apply as early as you can to maximize your financial aid.

StudentAid.gov - For the most current information on this and other changes

How to complete the FAFSA

These three simple steps can make the process faster and easier.

Step 1: Gather all the information you’ll need, including:

Your drivers’ license and Social Security number

Your parents’ Social Security numbers and birthdates

Your family’s latest federal income tax returns

W-2 forms

Bank statements

Information on your family’s investments

Step 2: Bookmark www.FAFSA.gov

Don’t fall for scams. The only site you should use to fill out and submit your application is FAFSA.gov.

There’s no charge for submitting the FAFSA.

This is where you get your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID; the user name and password give you access to the site.

The site also has the most up-to-date information on upcoming changes.

Step 3: Submit your FAFSA

The easiest and fastest way is to file online with your FSA ID. Your application will be processed within 3-5 days.

You can mail in a paper application, but the processing time will take about 7-10 days.