by Molly Vincent |
President Obama confirmed changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms last month.
Under the updated system, students can begin filing their FAFSA forms on Oct. 1, 2016. In past years, the forms became available for filing on Jan. 1.
The date change will allow students to complete and submit a FAFSA form that coincides with the college admission process.
Janet Turner, UP’s Director of Financial Aid, believes another benefit of the deadline change is that families will already have their tax returns completed from the previous year.
“This will help because even people who file late will have their taxes done,” Turner said.
UP’s Department of Financial Aid will start awarding financial aid offers to incoming freshmen in November 2016.
Turner said that the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Conference at the beginning of December will aim to tie up loose ends of the change, such as clarifying the technology associated with the aid application process.
For more information, check out the White House’s FAFSA Fact Sheet for Students. Molly Vincent is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at vincentm17@up.edu.
