(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indiana students planning to attend college can get free, in-person help completing financial aid forms later this month during College Goal Sunday events held statewide.
Financial aid professionals will staff 34 locations across Indiana at 2 p.m. local time Feb. 22 to assist students and families with filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA. The form is required to qualify for federal and state grants, many scholarships and federal student loans at most colleges, universities and technical schools.
Students must file the FAFSA by Indiana's April 15 priority deadline to guarantee consideration for state aid, officials said.
Organizers say many families find the application confusing or time-consuming, which can cause students to miss out on aid. During the event, volunteers guide attendees through the online form and answer questions, often allowing families to complete the process in a single afternoon.
Now in its 37th year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 98,000 Indiana students and families file the FAFSA on time. The program is run by the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association.
Organizers said this is the second College Goal Sunday event of the school year after recent delays in the rollout of the FAFSA limited previous scheduling.
Students are encouraged to attend with a parent or guardian and bring 2024 federal tax returns, W-2 forms and other income information. Independent students age 24 or older may attend alone with their financial documents. Families are also urged to create StudentAid.gov accounts in advance to speed the process.
Many sites offer Spanish interpreters, and all provide internet access to complete the online application.
Attendees who complete an evaluation form will be entered into a drawing for one of five $1,000 scholarships, which will be sent directly to the winners' chosen colleges.
Completing the FAFSA is also required for Indiana's 21st Century Scholars program, which provides tuition assistance to eligible students who meet academic and citizenship requirements.
College Goal Sunday began in Indiana and has since expanded to more than 30 states.
A full list of participating locations is available at CollegeGoalSunday.org.