INDIANAPOLIS — Financial aid professionals from across Indiana will be volunteering with college-bound students and their families on Sunday to help them fill the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
Students and families can get help filling out the FAFSA starting at 2 p.m. Sunday during College Goal Sunday's virtual event.
The FAFSA allows students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and loans.
There is a growing concern as the pandemic is leading to a decrease in the number of students filing for the FAFSA.
Bill Wozniak, the co-chair of College Goal Sunday, said he believes the decrease is due to kids being disconnected from school during the pandemic, as counslers are the main drivers of students filing the FAFSA.
"Either in the fall, less students will get education behind high schools," Wozniak said. "Or if they then say 'I am ready I am going to go get my education,' they won't have the FAFSA done. They could miss out on thousands and thousands of aid just because they didn't file it on time. The FAFSA numbers being down are very very disconcerting on a lot of levels."
The deadline to file the FAFSA in Indiana is April 15.
Once you log on, you will be placed one-on-one with a financial aid expert to help you.
Here's what you'll need before the event:
- Students and parents will need to bring personal documents, like their social security number, driver's license number, or alien registration number or permanent residence card if you're not a U.S. citizen.
- Your parents' completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 forms, and 2019 income and benefits information
- Students who worked last year should bring their income information
- Students 24-years-old or older can attend alone, but should bring their own completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 form, and 2019 income and benefits information
- Students and parents should apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs before the event. You can do that here.
Click here between 2-4 p.m. EST Sunday to join the event and learn more information.
