Financial Aid Resources
Updated: September 18, 2025
Embedded Files
We are hosting our annual Financial Aid Event this year. Like last year, it will be a LIVE Virtual Event.
Jonathan Warner, PHEAA's Higher Education Access Partner for Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland Counties, will present information on the financial application process, what types of aid are available for students, and strategies to start thinking about in order to gain affordable access to higher education. Time will be built into the presentation to allow you to ask any questions you may have regarding the financial aid process.
This webinar will be displayed in our Student Union if anyone is interested in joining. You can also join the Virtual event in the comfort of your home. Just be sure you register for the event. Registration and information is on the flyer.
2026-2027 FAFSA Release
The 2026-2027 FAFS form will be available on or before October 1, 2025, for the award year that runs from July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027.
What You Need To Know Now
610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds will be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants due to updates to student aid calculations.
Use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to get an early estimate of what your federal student aid could be after submitting the new form.
Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 FAFSA questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants will need to complete as few as 18 questions, taking less than 10 minutes.
Watch "Federal Student Aid" for helpefuly information and updated on FAFSA.
What You Can Do Now
Make sure to create your StudentAid.gov account—and remember your username and password so you can access and submit the 2026-2027 FAFSA form when it’s available.
Find out if your parent(s) or spouse will need to be contributors (contribute their info on your FAFSA form).
A Contributor is any individual that is required to provide their consent and approval for their federal tax information to be included on the FAFSA form along with their signature.
Contributors include the student, the student’s spouse, the student’s biological or adoptive parent, and the parent’s spouse (stepparent).
All contributors will be required to create an FSA ID. It is recommended that all contributors create their FSA ID beginning in October to avoid delays.
The FAFSA application will not be fully submitted and processed until all contributors have given their consent and signed the FAFSA using their FSA ID.
Students will be prompted to list the email addresses of other required contributors such as parents on the FAFSA application.
For the 2024-2025 aid year, contributors will now be required to give their consent and approval for their federal tax information to be included on the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
Once consent is given, it cannot be revoked for that aid year.
If a contributor refuses to give consent for their federal tax information to be included on the FAFSA, the student will only be eligible for a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan.
An FSA ID will be required to give consent. Again, it is recommended that all contributors create their FSA ID beginning in October.
If your parent(s) or spouse will need to contribute to your form, make sure each contributor creates their own StudentAid.gov account. Even if a contributor doesn’t have a Social Security number, they will be able to create an account when the 2025-2026 form goes live.
Watch our “Preparing for the FAFSA Form” playlist to understand what information and documents you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA form.
types of financial aid
types of financial aid
steps to receiving financial aid
steps to receiving financial aid
Step 1: Create your FSA ID
Page updated
Report abuse