Financial Aid & FAFSA

Money with a little graduation cap

  • Use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school. 

    Many states and colleges set priority deadlines by which you must submit the FAFSA form to be considered for the aid programs they administer. There is also a federal deadline each academic year. 

    Millions of dollars in financial aid monies are available to help fund your education after high school. Financial aid awards come in various sources such as: grants, scholarships, loans and/or work study. 

    These funds may come on a first come first serve basis.  

    All high school seniors are encouraged to submit a FAFSA. Check out the Top 5 Reasons to Complete the FAFSA  and The FAFSA Pipeline!

FAFSA Step-by-Step

  • You can also complete your FAFSA using this walk-through with College Money Method below:

     

     

FAFSA How-to-Guide

  • If you still need FAFSA help and English is not your first language, we have got you covered.

    Check out these FAFSA Guides,choose your language and get started! 
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  • How can I get FAFSA help?

    • School Counselors and BRACE Advisors are available to assist families with the application process.
    • Check out the College & Career Toolkit! We have recorded FAFSA live sessions. You can watch and complete the FAFSA step-by-step, at your own pace.
    • Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-433-3243 or visit the Federal Student Aid Help Center
    • Meet Wyatt℠, your personal FAFSA assistance chatbot. Wyatt is an artificial intelligence, designed to help students complete the FAFSA
    • The National College Attainment Network has an amazing FAFSA Resource Library, all virtual.

  • What do I need to complete the FAFSA?

    Make sure you have:

    1. Student & parent(s) social security numbers                           
    2. Parent(s) drivers’ license number                                            
    3. Beginning on the 2024–25 FAFSA form, students and parent(s) must provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into your FAFSA form.  Contributor is a new term on the 2024-25 FAFSA form, which refers to anyone (you, your biological or adoptive parent) required to provide information on your FAFSA.  Providing consent and approval is mandatory, even if you or your contributors don’t have an SSN, didn’t file a tax return, or filed a tax return outside the U.S.                    
    4. Student and parent(s) records of assets. This includes savings and checking account balances, as well as the value of investments such as stocks and bonds and real estate (except the home in which your family lives).
    5. List of schools you are interested in attending

  • Who is my 'Parent' when completing the FAFSA?

    This question can be confusing for a lot of students.

    Click here for more information. If you have additional questions, speak to your BRACE Advisor.

  • What is a Financial Aid Award Letter?

    • After a college accepts you, you'll receive a letter outlining how much the school will cost and what kind of financial aid package you'll receive for one year. All financial aid award letters do not look the same, but they contain the same general information:

      • Grant, Scholarships, Work-study, Federal student loans
      • Cost of attendance (COA), an estimate of what you can expect to pay for tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, and personal expenses for one year.
      • Expected Family Contribution (EFC), an index number that colleges use to determine financial aid eligibility.
      • The remaining amount, or funding gap, that you’ll have to make up from other sources.

      Click here for more information.

FAFSA for HEART Program

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Contact Information

  • College, Career, & Life Readiness

    1400 NW 14th Ct

    Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33311

    Phone: 754-321-1675

    Fax: --

    TTL: --

    Phone: --

    Dr. Lacresha Cooper

    Supervisor