PHEAA Reminds Specific Groups of Students of Deadline for 2009-10 Pennsylvania State Grant
FAFSA should be filed by August 1
Harrisburg, PA (July 27, 2009) - The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency reminds specific students of the upcoming August 1 deadline to file their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine possible eligibility for a need-based 2009-10 Pennsylvania State Grant.
Students who qualify for the August 1 FAFSA deadline must be first-time applicants enrolled in a two-year program of study at:
- Business, trade or technical schools
- Hospital schools of nursing
- Community, junior or four-year colleges or universities – two-year, non-transferable programs of study only
“Every student should complete the FAFSA in order to provide themselves with the opportunity to be considered for a need-based State Grant,” noted Representative William F. Adolph, Chairman of the PHEAA Board. “In these difficult economic times, free money awards are something that very few students and families can just walk away from.”
State Grant applications filed late but received from applicants with recent special consideration circumstances (death, disability, retirement, unemployment or separation from the military which occurred on or after January 1, 2009) may be considered for possible processing depending on available funding. In addition to the FAFSA, all first-time applicants must complete a brief State Grant Form which collects a few state-specific data elements currently not included on the FAFSA.
“Students who have questions about what they need to do to secure financial assistance should know there are resources available to help them,” said Senator Sean Logan, Vice Chairman of the PHEAA Board. “PHEAA.org offers comprehensive information about the student aid process, information and eligibility requirements for all of Pennsylvania’s aid programs, and guidance on completing the FAFSA on the Web.”