Financial aid is money loaned or given to you to help pay for college tuition and related expenses. Financial aid can come from the state or federal government, the college you attend and other resources. Depending on the type of aid you receive, these funds can be used to cover your college tuition and fees as well as other education-related expenses like room and board or textbooks. You must complete the FAFSA in order to be eligible for financial aid!

Overview of the Financial Aid Process

Grants vs. Loans

Determining whether a college is a good financial fit for you and understanding how to pay for college are important parts of the college application process. By filling out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) you determine your eligibility for three different types of federal student aid:

Financial Aid - West Prairie High School

How to Fill Out the FAFSA:

Who should complete the FAFSA?
All student/families should complete the FAFSA whether they believe they will be eligible for need-based aid or not. Because circumstances can change and the range of college costs is wide across the country, it is in every student’s best interest to submit a completed FAFSA by the deadline to maximize all financial aid (need-based AND merit-based) opportunities. If you do not apply you may be limiting your options!

When should you complete the FAFSA?

On October 1st of your senior year the FAFSA application will become available at fafsa.gov. The Indiana deadline to complete the application is April 15th, however some colleges and programs require an earlier submission. Please check with each college that you are applying to for individual deadlines.

After submitting the FAFSA, what happens next?

Some advice on responsible borrowing:

Financial Aid Resources

- www.studentaid.ed.gov -- Federal student aid information from the U.S. Dept. of Education
- www.studentaid.ed.gov/sa/eligibility -- Learn about eligibility criteria for federal student aid programs
- www.in.gov/ssaci/ -- Student aid information from the state of Indiana
- www.learnmoreindiana.org -- College and financial aid information with links
- www.cashforcollegeindiana.org -- Learn how to save and find money for school
- www.bigfuture.collegeboard.org -- College and financial aid information with links
- www.triptocollege.org -- College and financial aid information with links