Financial Aid Information
Financial Aid Information
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Class of 2024-
Please see below for important updates that I have received in regards to the FAFSA. Please read the information carefully. If you have questions/concerns in regards to competing the FAFSA, I suggest that you consider attending the FAFSA Line by Line Webinar, information is below.
The 2024-25 FAFSA has been released via a “soft launch”. Students and families can access the form on studentaid.gov.
Applicants, including parents of dependent students, should create their Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) at least 4 days before completing the FAFSA.
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FAFSA Line by Line Webinar
PHEAA Access Partners will present an overview of the 2024-25 FAFSA process to guide students and families through a step-by-step process of filing the FAFSA and PA State Grant applications. This webinar is scheduled for February 21, 2024 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM (ET). Register at pheaa.org/virtual.
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Please note that there is a Federal Student Aid Estimator available to students and families; it provides an estimate of how much federal student aid they may be eligible to receive. These estimates are based on the Student Aid Index (SAI), used to determine federal student aid eligibility.
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With PHEAA’s new platform, GrantUs, not launching until early 2024, there will be a gap between when students can begin completing the FAFSA and when they can complete the PA State Grant Form (SGF) or Status Notice, if necessary. When GrantUs is available for students, PHEAA will send an email from noreply@grantus.pheaa.org with an invitation to create an account and complete the SGF or Status Notice, if required. To keep up to date with the project, visit pheaa.org/GrantUs.
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PA Forward Student Loans
If you and your senior are wondering how they are going to pay for higher education next fall, you may find the solution with PA Forward. PHEAA’s PA Forward Student Loans offer affordable options with several benefits and a variety of repayment options for PA residents planning to attend school in and out of state.
Reference pheaa.org/PAForward to help them with the planning process.
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Events:
FEBRUARY:
2/6/24 Tuesday Noon; 2/20/24 Tuesday 6:30pm
Advanced Planning for Financing Higher Education
The thought of Higher Education costs can be overwhelming, however planning and identifying what you can do to help lessen those costs is an important step. It’s never too early or too late to start understanding what those costs are and what is available to help maintain, plan and help you make affordable decisions. Join Dan Wray and Suzanne Sparrow of PHEAA’s PA Forward Private Loan Program in a one-hour webinar to begin that process and become prepared.
2/8/24 Thursday 6:30pm; 2/22/24 Thursday Noon
Searching for Scholarships and Affording the Balance
There are many ways to pay for education, and one important step is to search and apply for Scholarships. More free money equals less borrowing. This presentation will review the types of options available, along with tips on applying. It will also offer samples of fun scholarship options to get you started. We’ll then review what to do about the balances that might be left over in order to make affordable higher education decisions. Join Suzanne Sparrow and Daniel Wray of PHEAA’s PA Forward Private Loan Program for an hour of detailed information on this topic.
MARCH:
Refinancing Education Debt – is it right for me 3/5/24 6:30pm
Join us for this informative one-hour webinar on refinancing education debt. Current or previous students of any age with student loans may be overwhelmed with their current repayment options or are moving closer to the repayment phase and wonder if refinance may be a better solution. PHEAA, represented by Dan Wray and Suzanne Sparrow of the PA Forward Private Loan Program, will explain the pros and cons, availability of programs and help those interested in understanding more about this topic.
Financial Aid Timeline – Financial Aid Timeline – Know what to do when 3/7/24 Noon and 3/26/2024 6:30pm
This one-hour presentation will provide the starting points and web resources for effective research before, during and after your student makes post-secondary decisions. The journey will begin before high school and end in the land of understanding choices. One thing is for certain – it’s never to early to start planning for a successful higher education experience. Join PHEAA’s Suzanne Sparrow and Dan Wray of the PA Forward Private Loan program as they guide you along the exciting, and sometimes bumpy, road to planning for an affordable education. Knowing what to expect and to plan for it is the key, as Failing to plan, is Planning to fail!
Here is the registration link:
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RESOURCE:
https://www.pheaa.org/tools-resources/parents-students/index.shtml
EVENTS:
Understanding the Offer Letter and Balances
Thursday, December 14th, at Noon; Tuesday, December 19th, at 6:30PM
The Offer letter, or Financing Plan, that you receive to provide an idea of the cost associated with attending post secondary education can be confusing as each school formats their information differently. PHEAA, represented by Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray of PA Forward, will assist you in this one-hour webinar, in understanding and navigating the types of Aid that are listed, what you are being offered, and identifying the balances and next steps needed so you can make knowledgeable and affordable decisions. Q&A interaction is encouraged!
Financial Aid and Planning Open Q&A with PHEAA
Tuesday, December 12, at 6:30PM; Thursday, December 21, at Noon
Articles related to funding a higher education are in the news almost every day and it can lead even the most knowledgeable of us into information overload. Have you ever wanted to simply ask a few specific questions, yet couldn’t find anyone to ask? Maybe you have questions about planning for college, finding the right school, applying for scholarships and for federal and state aid, understanding offer letters, competing loan applications, comparing federal loans to private loans, repaying/refinancing loans after graduation – etc. Join Linda Pacewicz and Daniel Wray of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) for a wide open one-hour Q&A session. Hope to see you there!
PHEAA News:
Creating an FSA ID account prior to completing the FAFSA:
“If you plan on applying for financial aid for college, you will need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). Dependent students will need an FSA ID for one or both of their parents as well. All students and contributors (such as parents and spouses) must create an FSA Account—even if the contributor does not have a Social Security number.
The FSA ID (account username and password) allows students and parents to identify themselves electronically to access, complete, sign, and submit a FAFSA form. If you don’t already have an FSA ID, go to: studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch to create an FSA ID now.
Parents: If you previously created an FSA ID, you don’t need to create another one. You can only have one FSA ID linked to your Social Security number. However, if you don’t remember your username, select “Forgot Username.” If you verified your email address or mobile phone number during account creation, you may enter your email address or mobile phone number instead of your username. If you forgot your password, select “Forgot Password,” and follow the prompts to reset your password.”
Industry News:
Colleges Work to Make Financial Aid Award Letters Clearer
More than 400 colleges and universities have committed to a standardized set of standards for their financial aid offer letters. Per Justin Draeger, NASFAA president and CEO, higher education institutions in the College Cost Transparency Initiative (CCTI) say they are committed to making financial aid information more complete and transparent. This initiative includes a set of principles and standards to make sure the financial aid offers are consumer-friendly and accurate.
Resources:
Financial Aid 101 Webinar
Financial Aid 101 Webinar on December 13 at 6:00 PM information will be provided on the financial aid application process, types of aid are available for students, and strategies to start considering affordability before applying for postsecondary school admission. Time will be provided for your questions regarding the financial aid process. Register at pheaa.org/virtual.
To attend the above events:
Register Here or copy/paste: https://www.pheaa.org/virtual
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Paying for College:
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Additional Resources: