DeWine: FAFSA application out sooner

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COLUMBUS — Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine reminds students who plan to attend college next year and their families that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available today, three months earlier than in previous years.

The change impacts high school seniors, continuing college students, and others who plan to attend college during the 2017-2018 school year, as they apply for grants, loans, or scholarships.

“Figuring out how to pay for college is a significant undertaking, and completing the FAFSA is usually part of that process,” Attorney General DeWine said. “Because the FAFSA will be available earlier this year, we want Ohio students and families to be prepared. Generally, the earlier a student applies, the better.”

The FAFSA is used to calculate a student’s financial aid eligibility. In previous years, the FAFSA wasn’t available until January 1 of the year the student planned to start college. Now, however, students who plan to attend college next fall (during the 2017-2018 academic year) can complete the FAFSA beginning October 1.

In addition to being available earlier, the FAFSA also now will collect income information from an earlier tax year — two years before a student will start college, instead of the “prior” year. For example, high school seniors who plan to start college in the fall of 2017 can complete the FAFSA using their parents’ 2015 tax return information (rather than waiting for 2016 information).

Changes to the FAFSA could affect college application and priority financial aid deadlines, which are unique to each school, so students should check with their preferred institution of higher education to learn about the school’s deadlines.

To help Ohioans navigate student loans and plan for college, Attorney General DeWine’s office provides an online Student Loan Center for prospective, current, and former college students. It outlines different types of financial aid, lists resources for exploring careers, schools, and financial aid options, and offers calculators to help students budget their expenses and plan loan repayments.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Student Loan Center is available at www.OhioAttorneyGeneral.gov/StudentLoans.