Financial Aid Resource Hub
Welcome to the Financial Aid Resource Hub!
Here you will find information and resources to help you with applying for and understanding financial aid.
Save the Date: FAFSA Completion Night will be at BEA on Wednesday, November 13th at 7pm.
Reminder: The FAFSA is changing this year! The form will now open on December 31st and will look different than you may have been used to in the past.
Financial Aid 101
Start Here!
The PHEAA PA Student Aid Guide is a wonderful resource. It will answer many of your questions about financial aid. Please take some time to read through it!
Financial Aid Glossary
Learn the lingo with this helpful glossary of important financial aid terms from Federal Student Aid: https://studentaid.gov/articles/financial-aid-dictionary/.
Types of Financial Aid
Check out this video about the different types of financial aid from Federal Student Aid:
A quick one-pager from the PHEAA Financial Aid Resource Manual:
scan_emma.holmes_2022-09-30-13-49-36.pdfFSA ID Creation
You will need to create an Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) in order to file your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This is ID is used complete and sign off on your FAFSA. Both the parent and the student filing for student aid will need to create one. If the parent already has an FSA account from previous children who attended postsecondary education or for themselves when they attended college, they do not need to create a new account. This is your account for life. In order to create the FSA ID you will need: your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and a cell phone number or email address for two-factor authentication. The FSA ID can take 4-5 days to be verified by the Social Security Administration, so create at least several days before you want to start the FAFSA.
A quick guide to creating your FSA ID from PHEAA:
FSA_ID_Handout.pdfA walkthrough of how to create your FSA ID from Federal Student Aid:
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your first step in obtaining financial aid after you have created your FSA ID. The FAFSA can be tricky! Review the resources below before beginning the application so you can be prepared and informed.
Where Do I File the FAFSA?
Studentaid.gov, the official website of Federal Student Aid, is the only website you should use to file your FAFSA. The FAFSA is free to file and you should never pay another website to file it. This website also features a ton of helpful financial aid resources and information. Check it out!
Filing Process
Not sure where to begin these helpful videos can get you started. Be sure to check out Federal Student Aid's full YouTube account for videos on many different topic you may have questions about!
FAFSA Tips
Access the PHEAA FAFSA Tip Sheet: https://www.pheaa.org/partner-access/toolkit-downloads/fafsa/pdf/FAFSA_Tipsheet.pdf
FAFSA Changes
Summary of the changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form:
Who Will Need To Provide Info On My FAFSA Form?
Not sure which parent(s) you need to put on your FAFSA? Check out this quick video from Federal Student Aid for more information. Here's a quick summary:
If you live with both parents and they file their taxes as "married, filing jointly" only ONE parent needs to provide info (I recommend having the parent who handles more of the financial aspects in your household to do this for easy access to documentation).
If you live with both parents and they file their taxes separately, BOTH parents will need to provide info.
If your parents are not married, the parent who provides the MOST financial support to you will need to provide info. If both of your parents provide an equal amount of support, the parent with the HIGHER income will need to provide info.
If you live with someone who is not your parent, they will not need to provide info. Please contact Mrs. Colletti (emma.colletti@beasd.net) to discuss your circumstances for personalized guidance on how you will file your FAFSA form.
PA State Grant
After you file your FAFSA, the website will prompt you to fill out the PA State Grant. This is another opportunity to receive free money for college! After filing the FAFSA, you will receive email reminders with a link to apply. Click here to apply! For a full guide to completing the PA State Grant Application Form click here.
If you plan to attend a trade/tech school, you might qualify for the PA Targeted Industry Program (PA-TIP). This is a separate application. Click here to see if the program you plan to apply qualifies. The HVAC, Auto Mechanic, CDL, Dental Assisting, CNA, and LPN Programs apply at CPI. Click here to apply.
How much money could you expect to receive? Check out this graphic from PHEAA. It pays to take the time to fill out this extra application!
how-much-can-i-receive.pdfScholarships
If you are still in need of more money to fund your education, consider applying for scholarships. Eligibility for scholarships can be in a wide variety of factors including GPA, SAT scores, extracurricular activities you participate in, organizations you are a member of, a particular identity you hold, and more! While you may think they aren't worth much, even a few $500 scholarships add up quickly!
Reputable Scholarship Search Websites: