For students applying to college for the fall of 2019 term, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) becomes available on October 1st. And while students have until the following spring to submit the form, according to the experts at savingforcollege.com, those who submit the application within the first three months after it becomes available are awarded twice as much grant money—that’s free money that does not need to be paid back—on average as those who submit the application later.
There are some helpful steps you can take now to get prepared for the October 1 opening, and trusted guru Mark Kantrowitz offers an excellent guide to them here.