Financial Aid FAQs

Commonly Asked Questions About Financial Aid

• What is the FAFSA?
  FAFSA stands for Free Application For Federal Student Aid. It is the form used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine your eligbility for federal financial aid including grants, loans, and work-study.
• When can I apply?
  If you are a senior in high school, you can begin filling out your FAFSA after January 1st. Priority is given to early filers and some forms of financial aid are on a first come, first serve basis.
• Where do I find the FAFSA?
  You can locate and complete your FAFSA on the Web. Doing your application online minimizes errors and autmatically skips questions that are not relevant to you. You don’t have to be intimidated by all of the information that is requested. The FAFSA is easy to fill out and, in most cases, takes very little time. For assistance filling out the FAFSA, click the “Before Beginning the FAFSA” link on the FAFSA website.
• How do I apply for financial aid?
  There is a standard procedure your family must follow to apply for financial aid. Notice that this process starts in early January and continues until late August. This process is separate from applying for admission to a college. It may seem complex, but if you take one step at a time, it will be easy.
• Where can I go for help?
  The financial aid office at the college that interests you, your guidance counselor, and ICPAC Hotline staff can help you. They can tell you what forms to fill out and the steps to follow to get all the financial aid available to you. Follow their instructions carefully. Filling out a form wrong or turning it in late could cause you to lose money.
  The Forms
  To apply for financial aid you will need to complete:
  Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  You must file this form to be eligible for federal and state aid. You send the FAFSA to the Federal Student Aid Processing Center.
  Institutional aid forms
  Some colleges require their own forms. After completing these forms, you return them to your college’s financial aid office. Be sure to check with each college you are applying to about financial aid forms and application deadlines.
  Supplemental application forms
  One common type of supplemental application is the CSS Profile. This form is required by a small number of Indiana colleges.
• When do I file the FAFSA:
  The Deadline for the FAFSA is April 15.
  Be sure to apply as soon as possible after January 1 of your senior year (or the year when you plan to enroll in a college, university, or other school).
• We don’t have our tax forms completed yet; should we wait to file the FAFSA until we do? Completed 1040’s make completing the FAFSA easier, but it is not essential that your 1040 be completed. You are allowed to use estimated information on the FAFSA. If you use estimated information, you will be asked to verify that information later. To ensure you meet the April 15 filing deadline for Indiana, use either estimated or completed 1040 tax information.
• Who completes the FAFSA?
  The student applicant and the parent(s) with whom the student lives fill out the FAFSA.
• What if my parents are divorced, separated, or have remarried?
  If your parents are divorced or separated, you and the parent you live with fill out the FAFSA. If you also live with a stepparent, his or her information must be included on the FAFSA.
• What should I do after completing my forms?
  Make photocopies to keep for your files. Then get a certificate of mailing from the post office when you mail your financial aid application form. This certificate verifies the mailing date and destination of your form.