Financial Aid Tip of the Month, January 2022

What students should do after filing the FAFSA

After completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), students can take other steps to ensure they receive as much money for college as possible, according to KHEAA.

Submitting the FAFSA is especially important for students who are expecting to receive financial aid from programs with limited funds or with early deadlines.

In the meantime, students should apply for as many scholarships as they can. Thousands of scholarships are offered by schools, companies and other organizations.

Once students submit the FAFSA, it will take several days for the application to be processed.

Students will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) that recaps the information from their FAFSA. Students should review the SAR to ensure the information is complete and accurate. If they need to make changes, they can do so at studentaid.gov under Apply for Aid.

The SAR will also be sent to each college students list on the FAFSA. Students should check with the financial aid offices at the schools to which they’ve applied to make sure the SAR was received and if the school requires more paperwork.

Students should also contact schools if their family’s situation changes in a major way after completing the FAFSA. They may be able to request a review from the school to see if they may qualify for more funds.

KHEAA is a public, non-profit agency established in 1966 to improve students’ access to college. It provides information about financial aid and financial literacy at no cost to students and parents. KHEAA also helps colleges manage their student loan default rates and verify information submitted on the FAFSA. For more information about those services, visit www.kheaa.com.

In addition, KHEAA disburses private Advantage Education Loans on behalf of its sister agency, KHESLC. For more information, visit www.advantageeducationloan.com.