Ivy Tech offering FAFSA assistance

Students and parents can get help with financial aid paperwork and the process at a financial aid workshop on Monday, Feb. 25 at Ivy Tech Community College, 915 S. Zinc Mill Rd., Greencastle.

The free program will be offered in Room G114 from 4-6 p.m.

Financial aid representatives will be available on a walk-in basis to answer questions.

The workshop is for students and families to obtain valuable information for completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application form before the state's March 10 deadline.

Most students enrolled at higher education institutions must complete and submit the FAFSA for federal financial aid, including grants and loans, from most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools in the nation.

Filling out the basic form is also the necessary first step in becoming eligible for state aid.

Twenty-first Century Scholars are required to complete and submit the FAFSA to claim their 21st Century Scholarships.

Those planning to attend the workshop should follow these important guidelines: Students age 23 or younger are encouraged to attend with their parent(s) or guardian(s); students age 24 or older may attend alone. Those planning to attend college between July 1, 2013 and June 30, 2014 will fill out the 2013-2014 FAFSA and should bring to the workshop 2012 tax returns, W-2 forms and income/benefit information.

Early submissions of the FAFSA often assist students in receiving greater amounts of financial aid for their postsecondary education. That is why they are encouraged to meet the earliest deadline, which is the state's deadline of March 10, 2013 at midnight.

Students are encouraged to fill out the FAFSA online atwww.fafsa.ed.gov.