Financial Aid

Financial aid can help make education after high school more affordable. Use official sources, protect your login information, and ask questions when something is unclear. ‼️

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you're eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.

You must apply for aid every year, but with the right information in hand, it's easy.

Federal Student Aid Application: https://studentaid.gov/ 

The 2027–28 FAFSA is available for students seeking aid for attendance from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028.

Texas Application for State Financial Aid TASFA

The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is a form that students may use to provide certain financial aid application information to institutions. It should not be completed by students who have completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board TASFA Portal provides access to the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA), which allows students who are not eligible for federal aid (such as undocumented or certain non-citizen Texas residents) to apply for state and institutional financial aid.

TASFA Online Application & Paper Application/Resources: https://www.highered.texas.gov/students-families/tasfa/#online 

BEFORE YOU START the FREE APPLICATION for FEDERAL STUDENT AID

• Create/verify your StudentAid.gov account.

• Keep your username and password private.

• Gather required personal/family information.

• Use the correct FAFSA award year.

• Check college and state deadlines.

• Save confirmation and monitor your college financial-aid portals.

UNDERSTANDING AID

Type: Grant

What it generally means: Financial aid that generally does not have to be repaid if eligibility requirements are met.

Type: Scholarship

What it generally means: Aid awarded based on criteria set by a college, organization, foundation, employer, etc.

Type: Work-study

What it generally means: A program that can provide eligible students an opportunity to earn money through employment.

Type: Loan

What is generally means: Borrowed money that generally must be repaid, often with interest. 

• A Direct Subsidized Loan is a federal student loan made by the U.S. Department of Education for undergraduate students who demonstrate financial need 

• An unsubsidized loan is a federal student loan where you are responsible for paying all the interest that accrues from the moment the money is paid out, even while you are still in school. 

‼️SCAM CHECK‼️

• Never share your StudentAid.gov password.

• Be cautious of anyone guaranteeing aid.

• Be cautious when someone demands payment for a scholarship search/application.

• Use official college, government, and trusted organization websites whenever possible.

You can expect your financial aid award letter between January and May after you are accepted to a college and your FAFSA Submission Summary is processed. [1, 2, 3]

Expected Timeline:

• Early Applicants (Early Action/Decision): Offers often arrive between December and February.

• Regular Decision Applicants: Most arrive between March and April, ahead of the May 1 decision deadline. [1]

• Transfer or Two-Year Students: Offers typically arrive in late spring or summer. [1]

Next steps after:

• Review the Package: Compare the Cost of Attendance against your grants and scholarships. [1, 2]

• Calculate the Gap: Subtract free aid from total costs to find your remaining out-of-pocket balance. [1, 2]

Accept Aid in Order:

• Accept grants and scholarships first (free money).

• Accept work-study second (earned money).

• Accept student loans last (borrowed money). [1, 2]

• Complete Requirements: Submit any requested verification documents or sign loan master promissory notes. [1, 2]

Financial Aid Resources

• Financially Safer Schools (blog post): https://www.uaspire.org/news-events/financial-safer-schools-framework

• College Scorecard:  https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ 

• FAFSA Homepage: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

• Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loan Information: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/subsidized-unsubsidized 

• Parent PLUS Loan information: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/plus/parent

• Federal Pell Grant: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell 

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant: https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/fseog 

• CSS Profile Participating Institutions list: (Check to see if your school requires a CSS Profile) https://profile.collegeboard.org/PPI/participatingInstitutions.aspx 

• uAspire’s Guide to Finding and Applying to Scholarships (blog post): https://www.uaspire.org/News-Events/uAspire’s-Guide-to-Finding-and-Applying-to-Scholar 

• Immigrants Rising’s list of undergraduate scholarships for undocumented students: https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/undergraduate-scholarships/

• NACAC Fee Waiver Request Forms: https://www.nacacnet.org/student/fee-waivers/

• Federal Student Aid Estimator: https://studentaid.gov/aid-estimator/

• FSA’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/FederalStudentAid  

• NCAN’s FAFSA Tracker: https://www.ncan.org/Web/Web/FAFSA/FAFSA-Tracker.aspx 

• College Cost Calculator: https://calculator.uaspire.org

• Financial Aid Resources: https://www.uaspire.org/resources/financial-aid-resources 

• Virtual Events for Students: https://www.uaspire.org/news-events/financial-aid-events

• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTzcK0oOtWvhVJh1xw0b2gQ