FAFSA

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

HERITAGE HILLS HIGH SCHOOL

HHHS FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS 2024-2025
Click above

FINANCIAL AID MEETING

Thursday, December 5 from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

HHHS library

A financial aid expert from the University of Evansville will discuss the different types of financial aid, creating the Student Aid /FSA ID Account and completing the FAFSA.

After the meeting, seniors and their parents/guardians may stay to get assistance creating their FSA ID, which is the electronic signature that is required prior to beginning the FAFSA. School computers will be provided. A SSN, phone number and personal email will be needed. Ask a counselor if you have questions!

2025-26 FAFSA Financial Aid Night Presentation.pptx

FAFSA – FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID

The “FAFSA” (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is used to help a family determine if a senior is eligible for state or federal aid for postsecondary education (community college, technical or trade school, 2 year or 4 year university). Financial aid can be in the form of grants, scholarships or loans.

Starting with the Class of 2024, the State of Indiana began expecting all seniors to file the FAFSA, regardless of their plans after high school. There is much money available for students to earn an education beyond high school. The idea of this initiative is to encourage seniors to better evaluate the financial aid that they could potentially get for college, with data they can get only by filing the FAFSA. If a student decides against postsecondary education, nothing is lost; but submitting the FAFSA by the April 15 deadline ensures that a student may be eligible for aid as they finalize their college or career plans. In 2024, Indiana had the highest FAFSA completion rate in the country!

HOW TO FILE THE FAFSA

The easiest way to file the FAFSA is online at the FAFSA website at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. The website also provides a printer-friendly PDF if you prefer to mail your FAFSA. Remember – you should NEVER pay any money to file the FAFSA. It is free.

Here are the steps you’ll take when filling out the FAFSA:

Step 1. Create Your FSA ID

The FSA ID process consists of these main steps:

· Access the “Create Account” page at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

· Provide a unique username.

· Enter your email address.

· Provide a unique password.

· Provide your name, date of birth, and Social Security number (SSN).

· Provide your mailing address.

· Select your language preference.

· Provide your mobile phone number. Select the box to indicate if you would like to register your mobile phone to receive one-time secure codes if you forget your username or password. (You will be required to provide either your email address or your mobile phone number and to opt in to messaging before you can proceed.)

· For security purposes, complete the challenge questions and answers.

· Confirm and verify your information.

· Agree to the terms and conditions.

Step 2. Gather The Necessary Documents

Make sure you have the following documents prepared before you file the FAFSA:

· Your Federal Student Aid ID (the FSA ID is a username and password you can create on the FAFSA website; see the section above for details on getting an FSA ID)

· Your Social Security number (found on a Social Security card)

· Your driver’s license number (if you have a driver’s license)

· Your and/or your parents’/guardians’ most recent federal tax returns (IRS forms 1040, 1040EZ or 1040A) for the 2023 tax year

· Records of money earned, including W-2 forms and recent bank statements

· Alien registration numbers or permanent residence cards, if you or your parents/guardians are not U.S. citizens.

Helpful Hint: Use The IRS Data Retrieval Tool

When you get to the income portion of filing the FAFSA, select the “IRS Data Retrieval Tool” option. On the IRS website, enter the requested information exactly as it appears on your tax return. If you get an error that there’s no match, double-check your information, including the exact mailing address on your return. If you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer your tax return information from the IRS, the information won’t display on the FAFSA form. For your protection, our system replaces the answer to each question with “Transferred from the IRS.”

Step 3. Answer The FAFSA Questions

The FAFSA has many different questions concerning your personal information, your family’s income information and information on the colleges you are interested in attending.

RESOURCES FOR ASSISTANCE

Remember, all colleges have a financial aid office that can more specifically answer questions for all situations. Families are encouraged to contact them for expert advice!

LOCAL Resources for getting assistance with the FAFSA

Contact INvestEd: https://www.investedindiana.org/funding/completing-the-fafsa/
Contact your Outreach Coordinator: https://learnmoreindiana.org/contact/
Contact CHE’s Financial Aid Support Center at 1-888-528-4729

FEDERAL Student Aid Help

Federal Student Aid Information Center

Phone: 1-800-433-3243 (1-800-4 FED AID)

Website: fafsa.gov.

Student Aid on the Web, Website: studentaid.gov

Hours of Operation

Monday: Open 8 a.m.– 9 p.m ET, FAFSA support available until 10 p.m. ET

Tuesday/Wednesday: Open 8 a.m.– 8 p.m ET, FAFSA support available until 10 p.m. ET

Thursday/Friday: Open 8 a.m.– 6 p.m ET, FAFSA support available until 10 p.m. ET

Saturday/Sunday: Closed, FAFSA support available 12 p.m. – 5 p.m. ET on Saturdays

Closed on Federal Holidays

“College Goal Sunday” provides an opportunity for parents to get help filling out the FAFSA at no cost. The date is Sunday, February 23, 2025 from 2:00 -4:00 site time. Local locations include Ivy Tech in Evansville (2:00 CST) and VUJC (1:00 CST). Go to College Goal Sunday for more information. It is important that any contributor to the FAFSA - parent(s) and student - create their FSA ID at studentaid.gov/ at least one week prior to the event; as the FAFSA cannot be accessed without this initial step!

SCHOLARSHIPS

As they become communicated to HHHS, scholarships are posted and updated at: Scholarships and Financial Aid - Heritage Hills High School. Seniors must check this scholarship link regularly to be aware of the many scholarships available. Seniors should also check the website of the colleges/programs they are considering for their specific financial aid/scholarship information and deadlines.

NOTE for students applying to Purdue: The Berkshire Scholarship is no longer “automatic”. It is not awarded to students who apply to Purdue after Nov. 1, who do not have a Spencer County address, or who do not make academic progress. But, it is still not promised, as it depends on the size of the applicant pool and the funds available for the given year. Students should view this award as supplemental in their financial aid planning. Questions about Berkshire should be directed to the financial aid office at Purdue.

TWENTY FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS: (you know who you are!) Be sure to access Scholar Track, complete Scholar Track tasks and affirm the Scholars pledge. More info: www.scholars.in.gov or email [email protected]. Contact your counselor if you have questions!

MORE HELPFUL RESOURCES:

Learn More Indiana: Home

College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics

www.affordablecolleges.com

www.CollegeProwler.com

www.Scholarships.com

www.Collegeboard.com

www.Fastweb.com

see below/next page for helpful handouts