Indianapolis, IN — Hoosier students and families are encouraged to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), for the 2023-2024 school year. The FAFSA opens this Saturday (October 1).
The Indiana Commission for Higher Education reminds Hoosiers that filing the FAFSA by the April 15, 2023, priority deadline is imperative for securing money for college and accessing some of the $390 million in state financial aid and billions of dollars in federal aid available for learners. Once the priority deadline passes, financial aid funding will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.
“We encourage all Hoosiers, regardless of family income, who are interested in pursuing education and training beyond high school to file the FAFSA as soon as possible,” said Batesville native and Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Chris Lowery. “Indiana is first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation in providing need-based financial aid. However, each year, millions of dollars in state and federal financial aid are left on the table because students assume they don’t qualify. There is considerable funding available, but Hoosiers must take that first step of filing the FAFSA to qualify.”
Regardless of the degree being pursued – including certificates, associate and bachelor’s degrees – students should file the FAFSA to potentially qualify for available financial aid. Filing the FAFSA is required for many of Indiana’s scholarship and grant opportunities, such as the Frank O’Bannon Grant and the Workforce Ready Grant. Additionally, many colleges require a completed FAFSA to award merit and need-based scholarships.
Completing the FAFSA on time is a necessary step for 21st Century Scholars to earn the full scholarship amount of up to four years of college tuition.
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)
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 Indiana at www.investedindiana.org.
(Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education press release)
