Financial Aid Information

Seniors should be completing financial aid forms at this time. The process may be unique to some schools, but typically students/families will need to apply for financial aid at three levels: Federal, State, and Institutional. More information about each of these levels is provided in the sections below.

Note: No one should assume they will not qualify for financial aid! Scholarships and university programs consider a wide range of factors when awarding money for education. The forms below capture this information for many of these organizations. Families should fill out forms for all three levels regardless of income!

Things to know about financial aid:

1. More than $185 billion in aid is available

There are four main sources:

• Federal government (the largest source)
• State governments
• Colleges and universities
• Private organizations

2. You have to apply to qualify for aid

One thing is for sure: If you don’t fill out financial aid forms, you won’t get any aid. Even if you think you may not qualify, you should still submit the forms.

3. The FAFSA is the place to start — and it’s free

To qualify for many types of aid, you’ll need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This application gives you access to these types of aid:

• Grants and scholarships: money you don’t have to pay back
• Work-study jobs: paid, part-time work that’s generally on campus
• Loans: money you need to pay back, usually after you graduate

Federal Financial Aid is often referred to by the form acronym, "FAFSA". Most institutions and many scholarship programs require the family to file the FAFSA for income verification. There are a few resources people can use to help understand and complete the FAFSA:

Financial Aid Information Nights/Meetings - These meetings are open to all parents and students who would like more information about the federal financial aid application process. Meetings are hosted throughout the Duval County area. Parents may attend any meeting that is convenient for them and they do not have to have a student enrolled in 12th grade to attend these meetings. For a list of meetings, please click DCPS Financial Aid Info Nights!

College Goal Sunday (CGS) - This one day event is amazing! Hosted by FSCJ, this FREE event allows families to work individually with financial aid specialists on the FAFSA. This event is scheduled for February 22nd at FSCJ - ACT Center (downtown). Click here for more information about CGS!

FAFSA on the Web - This website, coordinated by the the US Government, contains and explains all of the federal financial aid program and forms. Families use this website to apply for Federal Financial Aid. Completing the FAFSA takes some time, requires information about income, and is required by many schools. The form is FREE and the website has a lot of information regarding the different types of financial aid. This form can help determine scholarships, grants, work study, and many other types of aid eligibility. Click here to read about or start your FAFSA!

BEACON - This informative presentation is conducted for students at REL in January and covers basic financial aid information. Specific dates and times will be released soon. Watch your webpage announcements!

The State level financial aid program is often referred to as Bright Futures, but the program includes so much more! Students who complete this application are automatically reviewed for over 20 state scholarship programs! It is recommended all students enrolled in Florida high schools apply for Florida Financial Aid regardless of the institution they expect to attend. Sometimes, plans change after high school graduation. Some of the Florida financial aid programs require the application to be on file before the student graduates from high school, but they will hold the money for students for a specified length of time. For example, students enlisting in the military have access to Bright Futures funds for up to three years - if they apply and qualify before they graduate! To read more about Florida Financial Aid or to start your application, click here!

The Florida Financial Aid application is not as lengthy as the FAFSA, but it requires careful attention to detail. Do not complete this application without using the Helpful Hints! Many applications were denied last year because students did not pay attention to the Helpful Hints, particularly questions #22, 23, 25, 26, 28, 33, & 34. Do not assume you know these answers without looking at the Helpful Hints! Click here for HELPFUL HINTS when completing the Florida Financial Aid application.

Complete the Institution's Financial Aid application. This will be unique to every school, as each school will have their own process for awarding their Foundation money. Everyone should check out their school's financial aid process, because this application process usually includes reviews for multiple awards. Once a student has submitted an application to a college/university, check out that school's Financial Aid website.