Did you miss the state FAFSA deadline?

Kathy Jamieson<jamies13@msu.edu>, Michigan State University Extension -

Even if you missed your state’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline, you can still qualify for Federal Aid.

In doing your career research, you discover the occupation you want to enter requires post-secondary education. Figuring out how you will pay for education after high school can be overwhelming. The cost of post-secondary education continues to rise and can be a financial challenge for many students and their families.

If you are planning on pursuing post-secondary education, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can help you and your family reduce the cost regardless of your financial status. Remember, the FAFSA is free and should not have a cost associated with filing. To be considered for the most financial aid programs, it is recommended that students file the FAFSA as soon as possible after Jan. 1 each year for the following fall semester. Student aid is finite. There is only so much to go around. The sooner you apply, the more aid you may be eligible for and the more likely you will comply with the various deadlines.

FAFSA deadlines are important. March 1 was the state of Michigan’s FAFSA deadline. The federal deadline is June 30. In addition, the post-secondary education institution you plan on attending may also have their own deadlines that affect how their college aid programs are distributed. Even if you missed the state and college deadlines, you may still qualify to receive federal loans, grants and other financial aid as long as you follow the federal deadlines. However, many programs may even run out of money before the June 30 deadline.

Keeping track of all the deadlines and applying for financial aid can be confusing. There are many websites and programs to help along the way. StudentAid.ed.gov is a website provided by the U.S. Department of Education. This site has tools on planning for college, types of aid, who gets aid and applying for aid. MI Student Aid site has saving and planning tools and information on scholarships, grants and loans. “Affording College in Michigan Guidebook for Students and Families” is designed to help high school and college students prepare for and complete their post-secondary education. For those future Spartans, Michigan State University Office of Financial Aid has college-specific information.

For more information on career preparation or money management and other Michigan State University Extension programs, go to www.msue.anr.msu.edu. 

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension. For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu. To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters. To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts, or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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