University of Akron students, as well as high school students headed to college in 2017, can benefit now from important changes in the filing of the 2017-2018 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
The most important change to the FAFSA submission process is the start date — it is now Oct. 1. The change from Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 is a permanent one approved by President Barack Obama to make the college admission and financial aid process easier for students and their families.
It’s also easier complete and submit your FAFSA — you can use your already-filed 2015 income tax information. Just transfer the tax data directly to the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Here are other benefits to the earlier deadline:
- Submitting your FAFSA now gives you more time to explore your financial aid options and prepare for the next academic year.
- UA’s priority FAFSA deadline is Dec. 1. By submitting your FAFSA as soon as possible, you can maximize your financial aid eligibility for the 2017-18 academic year.
- You need to fill out the FAFSA to be eligible for federal financial aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, Federal Work-Study and Federal Student Loans.
Even if you don’t think you will receive federal assistance, you should still file the application because it allows schools and states to determine what assistance you are eligible to receive from them.
When you do file, include The University of Akron (UA)’s FAFSA code, 003123.