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Attorney General Mike DeWine
DeWine Reminds
Students of Oct. 1 FAFSA Availability
Attorney General’s Student Loan Center Offers Free Resources for
Students
(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine today reminded
students and their families that the Free Application for Federal
Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available on Oct. 1 this year, 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 Jan. 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 Oct. 1.
In addition to being available earlier, the FAFSA also now will collect
income information from an earlier tax year – the “prior prior” year
instead of the “prior” year before the student will start college. 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.
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