Financial Aid
In order to apply for financial aid, you must first complete the FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You may begin the FASFA form on October 1, 2021 using your 2020 tax information and the earlier it is completed the better. Even if your completed application does not qualify you for aid, many colleges require the FAFSA to initiate the scholarship process. Colleges also offer scholarships based on merit, honors, programs of study, and athletics. Be sure to check deadlines because these types of scholarships typically have an early application deadline. The earlier you apply and are accepted at a college, the better your chances of getting financial aid.
Again, don't choose not to apply to a college solely based on cost of attendance. Apply to the school, apply for financial aid, and wait to receive your financial aid award package before making final decisions.
FSA ID Numbers
FSA ID numbers will allow you to electronically sign your FAFSA application. Go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out/fsaid to register. Both the student AND one parent MUST register for a FSA ID number.
Then go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete your application.
What Information do I need when I fill out the FAFSA?
You should have the following information and documents with you as you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
● Your Social Security number
● Your driver’s license number if you have one
● Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. citizen
● Your parents’ Social Security numbers if you are providing parent information.
● Federal tax information or tax returns-copy of your 1040 and your parent’s 1040 for 2019. If taxes have been filed , you will be able to use the IRS DATA RETRIEVAL tool to transfer financial information into your FAFSA.
● Information on cash, savings and checking account balances, investments including real estate but not the home in which you live, and business and farm assets for you, and for your parents.
If you are doing the FAFSA without parental help, additional information that you might need includes:
● Parent’s birth date: mm/dd/yyyy
● If parent is divorced/separated or deceased, mm/yyyy of divorce/separation and death
If you need help you may call 1-800-433-3243 or visit www.studentaid.ed.gov
CSS: Financial Aid PROFILE for nonfederal financial aid. Some schools require this and it allows students to complete one form and apply online for non-federal financial aid from almost 400 colleges, universities, professional schools and scholarship programs. You may access the PROFILE at https://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile. The PROFILE opens October 1 and the cost is $25 for the initial application and one college or program report. Additional reports are $16.
Scholarships
There are scholarship opportunities available to you that Mrs. Mosby will announce through the website and Google Classroom. All available applications are linked from this website. Scholarship Page
Some scholarships require a lot of work from you, whereas others simply ask you to sign-up. These are a lot like winning the lottery, but someone has to win and it could be you. If you are willing to put time into research and writing essays, you will have the possibility of earning several scholarships. All scholarships specific to Radford High School are available in the spring.
If you think you may qualify for an honor scholarship at a particular school, make sure to check the school's website for requirements and deadlines. Usually, in order to be eligible to receive merit-based scholarships, applications have an earlier deadline. Many colleges automatically notify you if you qualify based on your application.
The following is a list of reputable scholarship search sites. It is helpful to establish a new email account for scholarships because the emails can get overwhelming. Again, if you put in the time and effort, you are likely to receive several scholarship awards.