Last night we we had a pretty good turnout (23 participants) for our discussion of the different types of financial aid available for students wishing to attend post-secondary institutions. We talked about grants, loans, work study and scholarships.
One thing I hope everyone took away from this meeting is that every student and family should complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) when it comes available on January 1st. Often students say” I’ll never qualify for financial aid” but that is the wrong approach; you may be pleasantly surprised. Unless you fill out the FAFSA you’ll never know!
One question that came up is what can we do now to prepare for January 1st.? The answer is: get your documents in order, apply for your PIN, and complete the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet so you’ll be all set to go on January 1st.
Our international participants were interested in financial aid for international students so we discussed that as well. I really enjoy that Keystone has students from all over the world. However, international students do not qualify for American federal financial aid; the best source of financial aid for overseas students wanting to attend college in the United States comes directly from the institution in the form of merit scholarships and grants.
International students need to submit a statement of financial feasibility stating that they can afford to come and study in the U.S.; this is needed to get their I-20 which is needed for a student visa.
I hope all students remember, if you want to go to university or college, you can! Don’t let paying for it stop you, because the money is out there.
If you were unable to attend last night's meeting or want to learn more about the different ways you can pay for college, parents and students get the link to the recorded session in the Guidance Course in Blackboard.
