Free Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Deadline Is Quickly Approaching
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education encourages all high school seniors and returning college students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by April 15, 2023. Students must file the FAFSA to receive funding and maintain their state scholarships, including the 21st Century Scholarship.
Completing the FAFSA unlocks numerous aid opportunities for students including federal, state and some merit-based scholarships. However, according to the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), Hoosiers left $70 million in federal Pell Grants on the table in 2022 by not completing the FAFSA. The Commission recently announced a 60 percent FAFSA completion goal for high school seniors to improve the pathways to state, federal and institutional financial aid.
“The FAFSA continues to be the main way to open doors to financial aid funding for Hoosiers seeking higher learning,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery. “The Commission and our college and community partners are available to assist families in the filing process leading up to the April 15 deadline. Students and families are encouraged to utilize the support systems in place to access the maximum available financial aid.”
How to file the FAFSA
Students can file the FAFSA online at FAFSA.gov. The first step for students who have not previously filed the FAFSA is to create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. Then, each student will need:
- Social Security number
- Alien Registration number (for non-U.S. citizens)
- Federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of money earned from 2021
- Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
- Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
- Assistance is available
The U.S. Department of Education provides email and live chat assistance for FAFSA filers as well as a helpline at 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Hoosier families can also access free FAFSA help through INvestEd at investedindiana.org.
The Commission’s eight outreach coordinators are available via phone or email. A full list of counties and associated numbers is available here.