Happy New Year! We hope you had a restorative break and we are looking forward to supporting you this year.

FAFSA Form is Open

The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is currently available as part of a soft launch. Pauses for site maintenance and technical updates are to be expected. This new FAFSA is supposed to be easier to complete, previously the application had 108 questions and now it's only 36 total. Check out this video about the new changes.

If your students are experiencing difficulty accessing the FAFSA, encourage them to start with these important steps:

1. Create FSA IDs (Parents and Student)

2. Gather Important Documents 

3. Review Understanding FAFSA guide 

New York State's Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)

The recommendation is still to have students complete the FAFSA first and then move on to the New York State's Tuition Assistance Program Tuition Assistance Program (TAP). TAP awards range from $500 to $5,665 per year. This is money that students do not have to pay back.
Additionally, encourage high school students to attend Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC)’s Virtual Events and connect with NYCPS Next Step Advisors 1-1 virtually Tuesday-Friday 5:00-8:00 pm to answer questions regarding FAFSA & TAP completion. For additional questions, contact CollegeandCareerPlanningTeam@schools.nyc.gov.

January is NYCPS Scholarship Month

For high schools, once seniors complete their financial aid applications, encourage them to apply for scholarships: Ever Fi and OSP scholarship list.

For Elementary schools, encourage Families with kindergarteners, newly enrolled 1st and 2nd grade students to activate their children's NYC Scholarship Accounts (refer to Building Block 1) and check out the resources below:

1. Use the Building Block 1 Toolkit for family outreach resources including scripts and templates.

2. Visit The NYC Scholarship Month 2024 Toolkit for family engagement resources and activities.

3. Display your school’s Money Tree Poster in a central location - complete this form if you need a replacement.

4. Register for Professional Learning and NYC Scholarship Month Coaching Sessions for additional support. 

NYC FinEdFEST 2024

Lastly, sign-up to participate in the NYC FinEdFEST 2024 on Monday, January 29. This event is designed exclusively for K-12 school leaders, teachers, and parent coordinators who are committed to shaping the future of our youth by ensuring their success through financial literacy.  

We know that it can be difficult to effectively support students when important forms are undergoing major changes, we will continue to share resources and updates in the coming weeks. We extend our deepest gratitude for helping our students access these vital financial forms and resources.

Images included are from HESC and Understanding FAFSA

For questions  contact: Kmodesto@schools.nyc.gov.

Want to invite someone to receive these emails?  Complete this form here.

Want to invite someone to receive these emails? 

Want to change how you receive these emails