College-bound students to get free help filing for financial aid through IU Northwest

Gary, Ind. - Financial aid professionals will volunteer at Indiana University Northwest and 36 other Indiana sites to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday, set for 2 to 4 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 23 in the Arts & Sciences Building, Room 3070.

The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, and loans and scholarships at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide.

FASFA filling must take place by April 15 to be eligible for state aid.

Now in its 30th year, College Goal Sunday, a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), helps Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time, opening the door to financial aid for college.

Volunteers walk through the form line-by-line and answer families’ individual questions.

What students should bring                                    

Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s) and bring their parents’ completed:

  • 2018 IRS 1040 tax returns;
  • W-2 Forms; or
  • Other 2018 income and benefits information.

Students who worked last year should also bring their income information.

Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed:

  • 2018 IRS 1040 tax return,
  • W-2 Form; or
  • Other 2018 income and benefits information.

The FSA ID ― a username and password ― has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN and must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. Your FSA ID confirms your identity when you access your financial aid information and electronically sign Federal Student Aid documents including the FAFSA. Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at fsaid.ed.gov before coming to the event.

Attendees may win educational prizes

Students may also win one of five $1000 scholarships. Students who attend any of the College Goal Sunday sites and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in March, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.

Twenty-first Century Scholars benefit

Twenty-first Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in the seventh or eighth grade promising they will graduate from high school, meet grade point requirements, fulfill a pledge of good citizenship, and apply for college financial aid. Upon high school graduation, scholars who have fulfilled the commitment receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for eight semesters at eligible Indiana colleges. To fulfill their pledge, scholars must submit a completed FAFSA form on time.

For more information about College Goal Sunday, call the Helpline at 800-992-2076 or visit www.CollegeGoalSunday.org.

The IU Northwest Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships can be reached at (219) 980-6778.

About Indiana University Northwest

One of eight campuses of Indiana University, IU Northwest is located in metropolitan Northwest Indiana, approximately 30 miles southeast of Chicago and 10 miles from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. The campus has a diverse student population of approximately 4,000 degree-seeking students and 1,500 dual-credit students. The campus offers Associate, Baccalaureate and Master’s degrees in a variety of undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional degree options available from the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Health and Human Services, the School of Business and Economics, the School of the Arts and the School of Education. The campus is also host to IU School of Medicine-Northwest-Gary, which actively involves students in research and local healthcare needs through its four-year medical doctorate program. IU Northwest emphasizes high-quality teaching, faculty and student research and engagement on campus and in the community. As a student-centered campus, IU Northwest is committed to academic excellence characterized by a love of ideas and achievement in learning, discovery, creativity and engagement. Indiana University Northwest is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer committed to achieving excellence through diversity. The University actively encourages applications from women, minorities, veterans, persons with disabilities, and members of other underrepresented groups.