College financial aid deadline near

BOSTON, Mass. (WWLP) - Every high school senior and college student who needs financial aid and plans to attend college this Fall – listen up – You need to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The deadline in Massachusetts is May 1, but some colleges require the form earlier.  It’s recommended that students file their applications by February 1.

“The first deadline could be as early as the end of January, which takes a lot of people by surprise, so you have to make sure that you’re working on this right now to make sure that you have these forms out there,” said Rep. Tom Sannicandro (D-Ashland).

FAFSA makes students eligible for federal and state financial aid. On January 27, there will be seminars held across the state to teach parents and students how to complete the application forms. Students can also apply for aid at private colleges, which according to the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM), provided more than $540 million dollars to students last year.

“Factor in all the aid that the student can receive from that college and from other sources, in fact a private college could be a less expensive alternative than a public college,” said AICUM President Richard Doherty.

Lawmakers at the State House attended a financial aid 101 seminar Tuesday to help their constituents. Legislators told 22 NEWS they hope to pass level funding for higher education in the upcoming state budget.

“I think it’s always one of our priorities,” said House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop).  “We’ll see what comes out in the governor’s budget, then we’ll have our chance as well after that.”

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education says their office receives nearly 400,000 FAFSA forms each year. For more information on how to file the form go to: www.fafsa.ed.gov