Category Archives: Financial need

Financial need, Grants and scholarships, Money Management, Types of Financial Aid, UCanGo2 Resources

Spring Scholarships

Congratulations! You’ve finished your college applications and submitted your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.) Now it’s time to find scholarships! There are thousands of scholarship opportunities available based on a variety of criteria. So where do you find these scholarships?

  • UCanGo2.org: Here you can find scholarships organized by category and deadline. There are scholarships year-round, so be sure to explore the opportunities listed on this site.
  • OKcollegestart.org: Create a Scholarship Profile! You’ll answer questions about your education, goals and more. The profile will narrow down current opportunities that you qualify for!
  • Unigo.com: There are over 3 million scholarships on this website. Opportunities are available every month and the more scholarships you apply for, the better your chances of receiving free money.
  • Your college’s website: Institutional scholarships are often available at various times throughout the year. It’s a good idea to check the scholarship listings on your college website every week.
  • Your financial aid office: Check with your financial aid office to see if there are any new opportunities available at your college. They can also help you find more scholarship resources.

Some scholarships require essays while others only require transcripts and references. Be sure to double check requirements for each scholarship before submission. For a list of additional scholarship websites, see UCanGo2’s publication  Are You Looking for Money?

Financial need, Money Management, Students and Parents, UCanGo2 Resources

New Year, New Goals

Welcome, 2021!

Optimism is in the air! You’re ready for new beginnings and opportunities to change some habits in order to achieve your goals. In addition to health and financial goals, there are some helpful academic goals that will give you a jump start in the new year.

Federal Financial Aid: By completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you’re investigating your eligibility for different types of federal and state financial aid to help you pay for college. The FAFSA for the 2021-22 college year is now available, so be sure to submit it ASAP at FAFSA.gov. We encourage you to “start with FAFSA,” and then continue seeking scholarship opportunities throughout the year.

Scholarships: Not sure how to start your scholarship search? Here are some ideas:

  • Check out UCanGo2.org for new scholarships by category and by deadline.
  • While you’re there, take a look at the Scholarship Success Guide to review tips for applying for scholarships and find a list of additional scholarship search websites.
  • Create a profile on OKcollegestart.org to view scholarship applications that are the perfect fit for you. It’s important to apply for as many scholarships as possible year-round, so make a habit of applying for 2-3 scholarships a week.  

Study Habits: While the FAFSA doesn’t take your grade point average (GPA) and class rigor into consideration, schools will look at them when considering your eligibility for academic scholarships as well as acceptance to their school. Your grades in college will also determine if you can maintain certain scholarship offers from year to year. To start or improve good study habits, check out the tips listed in The Perfect 10 Study Habits Guide.

Extracurricular Involvement: Many colleges will also ask if you’ve participated in any school or community programs outside the classroom. Join a club or volunteer in your community after school hours. Not only will your involvement look impressive on a college application or a resume, it will also give you opportunities to serve others and make a difference in your community. Are you already in college? Join a club or find opportunities in your community to share the skills and knowledge that you’re developing. Whether you’re still in high school or you’re headed into the career field, extracurricular involvement is an important commitment to make in the new year.

Happy New Year! Be sure to share your optimism with everyone around you!

Apply Online, Financial need, Students and Parents

The New FAFSA Mobile App

Have you completed your 2021-2022 FAFSA yet? If not, now’s the time! In fact, you can complete this important financial aid application directly on your phone or tablet.

The new myStudentAid mobile app has recently been released with an updated look and a variety of new tools provided by Federal Student Aid (FSA). This app offers a more user-friendly design, as well as a Financial Aid Summary that allows you to keep track of your student loan and grant history. It also offers the ability for borrowers to track their loan repayment progress.

To access this tool, students, parents and borrowers will need to download FSA’s myStudentAid app. From there you can set up your FSA ID, or use your current ID to complete and submit your FAFSA as well as take advantage of these new features. Check out the updated myStudentAid app today!

Mobile phone screenshots of the app
Apply Online, Financial need, Grants and scholarships, Money Management, Types of Financial Aid

Make the Most of Your Holiday Season!

This time of year brings merriment and joy to those as they celebrate the holiday festivities. And while you’re enjoying a few weeks off from school, why not spend a little time preparing for college? If you’re currently a high school senior you should complete and submit your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to apply for federal and state aid.

You should also do a little scholarship searching. Scholarships provide FREE money to help you pay your college expenses. Whether you’re in high school or college, scholarships are available to you. There are even awards for students in middle school and younger. You just need to do some research.

Below you’ll find links to some great festive scholarships to get you started.

Holiday Celebration Scholarship
Amount:  $1,000
Deadline:  December 31, 2020

Timber Works Tree Care Scholarship
Amount:  $1,000
Deadline:  January 18, 2021

Scholars Helping Collars Scholarship 
Amounts:  $1,500, $300, $200
Deadline:  February 28, 2021

Sweet and Simple Scholarship
Amount:  $1,500
Deadline:  February 28, 2021

Angel Scholarship
Amount:  Varies
Deadline:  March 1, 2021 (New posting in January)

Create-A-Greeting-Card Scholarship
Amount:  $10,000
Deadline:  March 9, 2021

National Candy Technologists Scholarship
Amount:  $5,000
Deadline:  April 3, 2021

Flavor of the Month Scholarship
Amount:  $1,500
Deadline:  July 31, 2021  

Ornament Scholarship
Amount:  $1,000
Deadline:  Watch for new 2021 scholarship posting

Sugar Spun Run Scholarship
Amount:  $500
Deadline:  Check for new scholarship posting on Jan. 1

Apply Online, Deadlines, Financial need, Types of Financial Aid, Work Study

Have You Submitted Your FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for next fall became available Oct. 1. That means people are applying for financial aid almost a year before they’ll need it for college. It’s a long time until the next fall semester starts, so why is it so important to file now?

It’s best to file your FAFSA as soon as you can once it becomes available. While some types of financial aid are available year-round, other forms are not.

Federal Work-Study
Work-study is a type of aid that is earned, rather than borrowed. Your eligibility is determined by your financial need. Students use the money they earn at a part-time job to pay toward their college expenses. There is a limit to the number of work-study jobs available each semester, so if you don’t submit your FAFSA early and answer yes to the “I’m interested in work-study” question, those jobs could all be filled before you start the school year.

Oklahoma Tuition Aid Grant (OTAG)
OTAG is a grant funded by the state of Oklahoma for students who are Oklahoma residents and will be enrolled at an Oklahoma college or technology center. It’s an example of first-come, first served aid because it’s funded only once a year. Typically, OTAG receives more eligible applications than can be awarded with available funds, and how early a student applies can be the deciding factor in whether that student is offered an OTAG award. To apply, you simply have to complete a FAFSA. Your eligibility for OTAG is determined by your financial need, and the amount of the award is $1,000 ($500 in fall and spring).

Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant (OTEG)
OTEG is also funded by the state of Oklahoma, and goes to students who demonstrate financial need on a first-come, first served basis. Recipients must be Oklahoma residents. To receive this grant, your annual family income must be at or below $50,000, and the grant can only be used at an approved private/independent, not-for-profit postsecondary institution in Oklahoma. OTEG funds are sent to the approved institutions; students to be awarded OTEG will be selected and notified by the institutions. The grant pays $2,000 ($1,000 in fall and spring).

Visit OKcollegestart.org to learn more about OTAG and OTEG and a list of approved OTEG schools.

Be sure to submit your FAFSA as soon as you can. You don’t want to miss out on these chances for earned and free money for college that doesn’t have to be repaid!

Apply Online, Dependency Status, Financial need, Homeless Youth

Homeless Students and the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) asks up to three questions about homelessness. They ask if you’ve been determined as an unaccompanied youth who was homeless, or you were self-supporting and at risk of becoming homeless any time since July 1, 2020…if you’re completing the 2021-2022 FAFSA. This timeframe is based on the year prior to the academic year for which you will need financial aid for college.

The homeless determination can be given by:

  • A high school or school district homeless liaison,
  • A director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or
  • A director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program.

A student is considered unaccompanied if he or she is not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian. A student is considered homeless if he or she lacks fixed, regular, and adequate housing. This includes students who are living in shelters, motels, cars, parks, or who are temporarily living with other people because they have nowhere else to go. Students are also considered homeless if they are fleeing an abusive parent who would otherwise provide the student with financial support and a place to live.

If you answer yes to any one of the questions about homelessness on the FAFSA, you’ll be considered an independent student; therefore, you won’t have to provide your parents’ income information on the application. Later, you may be asked by a financial aid administrator to provide a copy of the homeless youth determination. If you did not receive a determination provided by one of the officials listed above, you’ll be considered a dependent student on the FAFSA, but you may ask a financial aid administrator to consider making their own decision. The aid officer will probably ask you for additional documentation before reaching a decision.

When providing a street address on your FAFSA, follow these instructions given by the U.S. Department of Education: “You must provide a mailing address where you can reliably receive mail. Your mailing address can be the address of a relative or friend who has given you permission to use it, or it can be your college’s address. If you want to use your college’s address, you must contact the school for permission and instructions to ensure that your mail reaches you.” Don’t forget to update your FAFSA later when you find more permanent housing.

For more information and a list of additional resources for homeless students, read Questions and Answers: Federal Student Aid and Homeless Youth from StudentAid.gov.

We wish you the very best as you begin your journey to a bright future!

Apply Online, Deadlines, Dependency Status, FAFSA Errors, Financial Aid Offers, Financial need, FSA ID, Grants and scholarships, Homeless Youth, Money Management, Student Aid Report (SAR), Student loans, Students and Parents, Tax Information, Types of Financial Aid, UCanGo2 Resources, Work Study

The FAFSA Is Now Available

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available!

It’s the key you need to unlock money that will help you pay for college or other education after high school. Students often ask if the FAFSA is a scholarship, it’s not. The FAFSA is simply a statement about a family’s financial situation, and it’s used to determine how much federal financial aid a student may be eligible to receive.

A new FAFSA is available October 1 each year. You can submit your FAFSA even if you haven’t applied to any colleges yet. In fact, if you’re not sure which college you want to attend, you can request that your FAFSA information be shared with up to 10 different campuses that you may want to learn more about. Every student who may need money for college for the 2021-22 school year should complete this FAFSA.

The current FAFSA is available online at FAFSA.gov.

Need some guidance to get started on your FAFSA? Check out our resources:

FAFSA in Five Steps: This publication explains the steps to completing the application and provides reminders for additional materials you might need.

FAFSA Modules: These five PowerPoint presentations walk through the details of each step of the FAFSA process.

FAFSA and Financial Aid Video: Sometimes it helps to hear someone explain the FAFSA process. Our new FAFSA video walks students through common FAFSA questions.

If you’re still wondering why the FAFSA is so important, keep in mind that during the 2018-2019 school year, $2.6B dollars in federal financial aid for college was left unclaimed by students. They would have been qualified to receive the aid, but they didn’t simply because they didn’t submit a FAFSA. Discover what you’re eligible for by submitting your FAFSA today!

Apply Online, Deadlines, Financial Aid Offers, Financial need, Students and Parents

Everyone Should Apply

Students will make many decisions, from picking a college to choosing a major, but something students should never debate is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA determines a student’s eligibility for various types of federal financial aid, which comes in the form of grants, work-study and student loans. While some students believe they won’t qualify for financial aid, all students should submit a FAFSA. Make sure these common myths aren’t holding you back.

Grades are a factor. Some may think good grades are required to submit the FAFSA, but that isn’t true. The application doesn’t ask about grades, your GPA or class ranking. Instead, it seeks to gather your financial information to determine your eligibility for various forms of federal and state aid.

Your parents make too much. A common statement is, “My parents make too much money, so I won’t get any aid.” Until you submit the FAFSA, you won’t know your eligibility for financial aid. Before counting yourself out, complete the FAFSA to learn about your aid options. Most students are eligible to receive some type of financial assistance.

One time isn’t enough. Unlike an admission application that you submit once, the FAFSA must be completed each year you’d like to receive financial aid. This tip is specifically for returning college students. Renew your application each year after Oct. 1 so you can receive as much financial aid as possible for the next academic year.

Adult learners aren’t included. Financial aid isn’t just for recent high school graduates, it’s for all college students – which includes adult learners. Whether you’re returning to school after many years or immediately diving into a graduate program after completing your bachelor’s degree, be sure to submit the FAFSA to determine your aid eligibility. If your child is going to college and you’ve submitted a FAFSA for them, you’ll still need to submit your own application. This will help the college financial aid office create an aid award for you and a separate award for your child.

Remember, you won’t know how much aid you can receive until you submit the FAFSA. Don’t leave it up to chance. Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after Oct. 1 each year. To learn more about the FAFSA and how to apply, visit FAFSA.gov.

Apply Online, Financial need, Students and Parents, Tax Information

Find Your Latest Tax Return

When you submit your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on or after Oct. 1 this year, you’ll be required to report your income and tax information, along with that of your parents or spouse, if applicable. The tax year will always be two years before the start of the academic term for which you’re applying for aid. For example, if you’re going to submit a FAFSA for the 2021-2022 school year, you’ll need your 2019 tax information.

Many applicants will choose to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT), which will automatically transfer the information from a designated tax return to their FAFSA. But even if your use the DRT, it’s still helpful to have your tax return and W-2s on hand when you complete your FAFSA.

Here are two reasons why:

  • If a tax return was filed as ‘Married, Filing Jointly’ and two people who filed a joint return are reporting their income on a FAFSA, they’ll still need to report their two incomes separately. Their separate incomes are shown on their W-2s.
  • Occasionally, the IRS website may be slow, or the IRS DRT may be a little uncooperative. It’s also possible that a filer may not qualify to use the DRT. In order to continue, you may find it easier just to enter the income and tax figures yourself. In order to do that, you’ll need your tax return. The good news here is that the FAFSA will direct you to the correct line of the tax return for the information requested.

Ensuring that everyone whose information is required on your FAFSA knows the location of their latest tax return will make the whole FAFSA process more comfortable for everyone involved. After all, October is really not that far away!

Apply Online, Deadlines, Financial Aid Offers, Financial need, FSA ID, Student Aid Report (SAR), Students and Parents, Tax Information

Completing the 2021-22 FAFSA

It’s almost time to start the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA! This application will help determine your financial aid eligibility if you plan to attend college in the fall of 2021. We’ve created a helpful list of steps to guide you through the application process.

  1. Gather Materials: Before getting started, you’ll need to make sure you have your Social Security card, current bank statements, and your 2019 W2 and tax return. If you’re a dependent student, you’ll also need your parent(s)’ financial information and 2019 tax returns.
  2. Create an FSA ID: The FSA ID, or Federal Student Aid ID, is a username and password that you’ll use to log-in to your FAFSA. It will also serve as your electronic signature for completing the application. To create an FSA ID, visit fsaid.ed.gov. Remember to use our FSA ID Worksheet (also available in Spanish) to keep track of your username and password. If you are a dependent student, a parent or guardian will also need to create a FSA ID.
  3. Fill It Out: Starting Oct. 1, you can access the new FAFSA at FAFSA.gov.
  4. Sign & Submit: Enter your FSA ID for your electronic signature. If you’re a dependent student, remember a parent will have to provide their electronic signature, as well. Don’t forget to click ‘submit’ at the bottom of the screen!
  5. Follow Up: Keep an eye out for a Student Aid Report (SAR) email, as well as information from the colleges you applied to. Sometimes campuses ask for additional paperwork, so watch for possible requests. If you have any questions after receiving your financial aid offer, follow up with the financial aid office at your campus.

For more details, check out the Finish the FAFSA in Five Steps guide or watch the Finish the FAFSA in Five videos on the StartWithFAFSA website, available in both English and Spanish.