Financial Aid Saturdays
Did you know that students who complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are 350% more likely to go to college, according to the Student Futures Project? Even if the student does not qualify for federal aid, the FAFSA must be submitted before many universities will consider granting scholarship and institutional aid to students. Since securing financial aid is so important, and the submission process is so difficult to understand, the Austin Chamber of Commerce partners with local businesses and school districts to offer application support.
Volunteers at Financial Aid Saturday events provide personal assistance with filling out the FAFSA. Students and families can also bring other financial aid applications they need help with, including the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) and scholarship applications. It is our mission to help students secure the financial aid they need to go to college. Below is a list of items to bring to the event; even if you do not have all of the documents, we can still help. Services at these events are free and open to the public. Be sure to spread the word to all students and families who may benefit from these services. Select sites will also offer tax preparation services from the Foundation Communities Community Tax Centers. View the Financial Aid Saturday calendar online or print it in English or Spanish.
Remember, the earlier you apply the better! Submitting your application before March 31 may increase your financial aid opportunities.
In the spring of 2009, over 350 business and civic volunteers made 6,000 phone calls to high school seniors and supported 24 Financial Aid Saturday events across 10 school districts. These joint efforts helped more than 1,056 students and families with the financial aid process. Across Metro Austin, the number of FAFSA submissions increased by 11%, surpassing our goal of a 7.5% increase in submissions. This spring, 29 Financial Aid Saturday events were scheduled across 14 school districts. Over 440 volunteers worked with 1,217 students and families who attended the events. Volunteer support is crucial to ensure the success of the Financial Aid Saturdays events. Visit Get Involved if you are interested in raising awareness of events or providing personal assistance with filling out the FAFSA. Volunteer Training sessions begin again in January 2011.
For more information contact Gilbert Zavala, Austin Chamber of Commerce Vice President, Education and Talent Development, 512.322.5644.
Financial Aid Saturdays Events
We successfully completed 29 Financial Aid Saturdays events across 14 school districts. Volunteers helped over 1,200 families fill out the FAFSA and other applications; over 530 FAFSA applications were submitted on site. New Financial Aid Saturdays Events will resume February 2011. Join our mailing list to receive updates on Financial Aid Saturdays events.
The following items are necessary to answer questions on the FAFSA and TASFA; however, we can still help you if some of the information is missing.
*Required inforamtion
- List of colleges and/or universities the student is interested in attending
- Student’s driver’s license number
- Student’s alien registration card, if the student is a legal permanent resident*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ PIN number for FAFSA application (Can be requested or reset if lost)*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ Social Security Number*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ W-2 Forms and other records of money earned in 2010*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ 2010 Federal Income Tax Return*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ 2010 untaxed income records (Example: public assistance benefits) (If applicable)*
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ 2010 bank statements
- Student and Parents’/Guardians’ 2010 business and investment mortgage info and other investment records(If applicable)
Corporate Sponsors
Thank you to these corporate sponsors for making Financial Aid Saturdays Events possible.
