FAFSA, which stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, does not charge any fee to complete the application. Any website requesting any money or payment information to complete a FAFSA is the WRONG SITE. Be careful. There are many sites on the web that try to appear as if they are the FAFSA site.

https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

You will be able to apply before June 30, 2022 for the 2022-2023 academic year. There are a few federal student aid programs that have limited funds, so be sure to apply as soon as you can once the FAFSA is available for the year you’ll be attending school.

Starting now, seniors and their parents should create a FSA ID. The FSA ID provides access to individual student information on Federal Student Aid Web sites and allows individuals to electronically sign a FAFSA.

1. Access  IRS tax information and have it automatically inserted into the FAFSA. The FAFSA will include a brief series of questions to determine whether an individual is eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). Those eligible are strongly encouraged to utilize the tool.

2. Upon completion of the FAFSA, New York state residents will receive a link to complete the Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) application apply for NY Tap  as long as you have indicated you are applying to at least one school in NYS.

3. Once the FAFSA is processed, students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that indicates a calculated Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The student should review the SAR for accuracy and correct school codes.

Click here for a GREAT resource: The official blog from the US Department of Education. 

The (HESC) website provides information about a number of programs to help individuals and families pay for college.
HESC also provides a wealth of information on its site including Grant/Scholarship/Awards,  Podcasts, articles and helpful links to related topics such as FinAid.org and 529 College Savings Programs.

HESC has launched a College Financial Aid Award Letter Comparison Tool to help college-bound students and families interpret financial aid award letters and get the bottom line cost of each college before making a final decision. The tool allows students and families to see side-by-side comparisons, highlights net costs and estimate the full two or four-year cost of each college.

Planning to attend college in New York? Learn about a State-sponsored, fixed rate student and parent loan program called NYHELPs (New York Higher Education Loan Program).

• Call toll free at 1-800-808-1790, Mondays through Fridays, Noon – 5:00 pm

• Or, Email anytime at FAFSAhelp@HESC.ny.gov.

New York State STEM Scholarship Process:

• Are you planning to pursue a Science, Technology, Engineering or Math (S.T.E.M.) major in college this fall?

• Will you be enrolled full-time as a matriculated student at a SUNY or CUNY school?

• Are you in the top 10% of your graduating class?

After graduating college, scholarship recipients agree to work in a STEM field in New York State for 5 years. NYS STEM Incentive Program scholarships can cover as much as FULL TUITION for 4 years.
For information about eligibility, award amounts, and how to apply visit the HESC website.

The Center for New York City Affairs at The New School (a university in NYC) has issued a new publication that may be of helpful for those looking to navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

FAFSA: The How-To Guide for High School Students (And the Adults Who Help Them) is a 24-page booklet available as a PDF for free download and also in printed form from The New School by request (see the last page of the PDF for contact information). The publication is a graphic intensive publication with Q&A’s which include discussion of undocumented youth.

• Details and a download link are available at: FAFSA – The How-To Guide for High School Students