Need financial aid for the 2018-19 academic year?

The US Department of Education is reminding students to remain cognizant of deadlines when completing the FAFSA.

While the FAFSA is primarily used to award federal financial aid, many colleges, states, and scholarship programs also use the form to assess eligibility for their aid programs.

“There are at least three deadlines you need to check: your state, school, and federal deadlines,” according to a recent article published on the department’s Homeroom blog.

• Federal Deadline: The 2018-19 FAFSA is available through June 30, but some federal programs have limited funds.
• State Deadline: Many states award financial aid funds only until they run out, so the sooner you apply, the better your chances. View state deadlines.
• College Deadlines: These deadlines vary from school to school, but they usually come well before the academic year starts.

The bottom line? “Even if your deadlines aren’t for a while, we recommend you fill out the FAFSA form as soon as possible to make sure you don’t miss out on any aid,” the blog notes.

Learn more about paying for college.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.