Financial aid professionals from across Indiana will be volunteering at 40 sites, including three locally, to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday on Saturday, Feb. 27.
The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships, and federal student loans at most colleges, universities, and vocational/technical schools nationwide.
The program will be offered at 2 p.m. at IUPUC, 4601 Central Ave., Columbus, at Jennings County High School, 800 W. Walnut St, North Vernon, and in Franklin at Ivy Tech Community College, 2205 McClain Drive. Information on additional sites around the state is available at collegegoalsunday.org/locations.
The FAFSA must be filed by April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. One of many reasons College Goal Sunday is important is that many families perceive the form to be too complicated and time-consuming to complete. In less than one afternoon during College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form.
“Filing the FAFSA can seem daunting to Hoosier students and families,” said Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education Teresa Lubbers. “However, it’s an important step for anyone interested in education beyond high school. College Goal Sunday provides an opportunity for individuals to receive one-on-one assistance from financial aid experts to insure their FAFSA is completed accurately before the deadline.”
Students should attend College Goal Sunday with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parent(s) should bring completed 2020 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2020 income and benefits information. Students who worked should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2020 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2020 income and benefits information. Students and parent(s) are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before logging in to the event.
Now in its 33rd year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 94,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time. College Goal Sunday is a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA). More information is available at collegegoalsunday.org.
