Midwest City, Okla. – Students can now file for the Free Application for Federal Student AID (FAFSA) beginning October 1 of any given year – a full three months sooner than in the past. This is thanks to a change made by the Department of Education to help students complete the application sooner which will help schools process awards faster. The FAFSA is an application for students to determine if they are eligible for the Pell Grant or federal loans.
Until now, students could not complete a FAFSA for the upcoming school year until January 1. It required students and sometimes parents to file the previous year’s taxes as quickly as possible to meet some state and federal deadlines for aid. This change to the filing date allows a quicker turnaround time in the completion of the application. While the state of Oklahoma has not announced a change to their deadline for state aid, it is still critical for students to complete their applications as quickly as possible after October 1. State aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
Who should complete their FAFSA beginning October 1?
Any student planning to attend college in the 2017-2018 school year can complete their FAFSA on October 1, 2016 or after. This includes high school students graduating in 2017 and current college students returning for Fall 2017, Spring 2018, or Summer 2018.
The chart below shows which year’s income information is required to complete a FAFSA.
When a Student is Attending College (school year) |
When a Student Can Submit FAFSA | Which Year’s Income Information is Required |
July 1, 2016-June 30, 2017 | January 1, 2016-June 30, 2017 | 2015 |
July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 | October 1, 2016 – June 30, 2018 | 2015 |
July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019 | October 1, 2017 – June 30, 2019 | 2016 |
A full document outlining changes is available here (link to: https://www.rose.edu/media/5447/fafsa-changes-17-18-faq.pdf).
Start your FAFSA now! www.fafsa.gov
For questions regarding your application for federal student aid, contact the Rose State College Financial Aid office at (405) 733-7424.