Students should apply for aid every year by filing out the FAFSA, even if they are not certain they qualify. There are many factors affecting eligibility for financial aid, like a change in family financial circumstances. For example, a student who didn’t qualify one year might become eligible during the next year when a brother or sister enrolls in college. To apply for student financial aid from the federal government, including Direct loans and work-study, you will need to submit financial aid applications. The most important application is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Before you fill out the FAFSA, it’s imperative that you get to know the form a little better. In doing so, you may be able to qualify for more financial aid, helping you further along the path of going to college. Learn More: 10 FAFSA Mistakes that Affect Financial Aid If you want to get an early estimate of what the government thinks you can afford to pay for your education, try Finaid’s Financial Aid Estimation Form. It lets you play what-if games to give you an idea how changes in income and assets affect the expected family contribution (EFC). Finaid also has a variety of other calculators that can be found here: EFC calculators |