Financial Aid & Scholarship Resources

Scholarships are just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to post-secondary education. Below is more information about financial aid and other resources.

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Join our ASF Scholars are they share some common questions and advice about filing the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Financial Aid

The first step in applying for financial aid is to fill out the FAFSA – Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Even if you are just starting to think about attending college or career training next year, you should fill out the FAFSA to find out what funding may be available to you. Over 77,000 students in CT received a Pell Grant, which is "free money", just by completing the FAFSA in 2023! 

The 2024-2025 FAFSA is now open! While the roll-out of the new "Better FAFSA" faced some delays, the new form was designed to make the overall process simpler, with fewer questions to answer. Information and a video explaining how to fill out the FAFSA is available here - studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out

It's important to file your FAFSA as soon as possible. Many schools have priority processing deadlines for financial aid. These deadlines are important to keep in mind so that you can receive the most financial aid possible. 

Once you are ready to apply, you will need to create an FSA ID which will be your login information and allows you to sign your FAFSA. Once your FSA ID is ready, you can then file your FAFSA through Federal Student Aid. 

  • FSA ID - An FSA ID consists of a username and password which gives you access to the U.S. Department of Education’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature when completing electronic documents. Both you and your parent will need a FSA ID. Be sure to save your FSA ID and password in a safe place - you will use it every year! Do NOT use a high school or college email address, as this will be deactived after you graduate. 
  • Federal Student Aid - Federal Student Aid is the US Department of Education's official website for financial aid. You can find information about preparing for college, the types of financial aid available, and other useful information about the financial aid process. This website also has answers to questions you may have about the FAFSA.

Upon completing your FAFSA, you will receive an email which will show your estimated Student Aid Index (SAI) along with what Federal Financial Aid you may qualify for. This may include the Pell Grant, Federal Student Loans, and/or Work Study. You will still need to wait to receive your financial aid award from your school, however this will give you a sense of what you are potentially eligible for. See below for more information about what types of financial aid you may see on your award letter.

RTK Scholar Sierra Pettway

Scholarship Application Tips

There are a number of great resources available to help guide you through the scholarship application process. Below are our top 5 tips for students, as well as links to other helpful guides.

  1. Make a calendar of important application deadlines.
  2. Make extra copies of documents, such as your transcript, so you have them ready.
  3. Check with your school’s guidance office or career center for other local resources.
  4. Beware of scams! No one can guarantee that you will get an award and you should never have to pay money to apply for a scholarship.
  5. Protect your personal information. Most scholarship applications will not ask for your social security number or bank information.  If in doubt - do more research before you apply.

Have questions?

American Savings Foundation strives to be accessible to anyone seeking information about grants, scholarships, or with general questions. Contact us today to get the assistance you need.

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