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Financial Aid

FAMILY FINANCIAL AID NIGHT PRESENTATION
 
This year's Financial Aid presentation was full of useful information for families and students. If you missed the presentation or attended and would like to review the content, we've provided the presentation below for your use. 
 
A big thank you to Ryan Forsythe from MEFA and Worcester State University for providing the presentation to our community for our use! 

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

For students who are graduating from FCTS in the Spring of 2024, and who are planning on entering college in the Fall of 2024, you need to file your FAFSA as early as possilble.  Filing early is important, as funds are determined and awarded on a ‘first come first served' basis.

This year, the Department of Education is releasing a new, updated FAFSA form. The changes to the FAFSA should make filing easier and faster. There are fewer questions and the information needed, for many families, will be easier to provide. While an easier to file form is welcome, the date that FAFSA will be available has been delayed; it should  be available for students and families on December 31, 2024. 

Applications can be submitted online through the Department of Education Website at FAFSA.gov (be aware of other websites with similar-looking addresses).

The official FAFSA application is free, and if you have gathered the information you need to file, it should take less than an hour to fill out the form. Common information and documents Contributors can gather in advance are:

Note: FAFSA "Contributors" are the student AND any person who will be contributing to the FAFSA filed for that student. This typically is one parent (for parents with joint tax returns) or guardian or multiple parents and gaurdians.

  • Your Social Security number
  • Your Driver's License (if you have one)
  • For non-U.S. citizens an alien registration or permanent resident card
  • Your  Federal Student Aid ID (to create a FSA ID, go to FSA ID)
  • Parent FSA ID (to create a FSA ID go to FSA ID)
  • Information to report significant cash holdings
    • Any existing bank balance statements, including checking and savings accounts
    • Current investment records, such as real estate, stocks, bonds
    • Records of untaxed income such as child support, interest, Veterans benefits
    •  
  • A list of any colleges you are likely to apply to
    • FAFSA will send financial aid information to up to 10 schools (you can add more later). You can look up school Institutional Codes here:http://www.finaid.org/fafsa/tiv.phtml
    • You may include schools you might apply to but are unsure
    • You should still file FAFSA even if you don’t know what schools you will apply to

 

Financial Aid/FAFSA Resources

Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority - MEFA

The Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority (MEFA) has resources for families to help understand Financial Aid and the application process:

  • Planning Tools
  • Savings Products
  • Loan Products
  • Guidance on paying for college
  • Webinars, articles and events
  • Cost Calculators
  • Loan refinancing information
  • Information about 529 plans
  • Information about the U.Plan and the U.Fund
 
U.S. Department of Education, Office of Federal Student Aid
The office of Federal Student Aid provides publications, fact sheets, online tools, and other resources to help you prepare and pay for college or career school.