Financial Aid
Making College Affordable
FAFSA
Free Application for Student Financial Aid
FAFSA is an acronym that stands for "Free Application for Federal Student Aid." It is the basic form that must be filled out for all students who wish to participate in Federal student aid programs such as Federal Direct loans, as well as forms of need-based aid like the Pell Grant.
The FAFSA application is free to fill out and many colleges and universities require you to fill out a FAFSA application to help determine scholarship eligibility.
The CSS Profile is an institution-specific financial aid application distributed by the College Board. Only certain colleges require applicants to complete the CSS Profile and it does have a fee to complete. Fee waivers are based upon a calculation of family income and are only granted once the CSS application is completed.
Federal Deadlines: The FAFSA and CSS Profile open on October 1st of each year. It is advised to complete these applications for financial aid as early as possible to receive your award letters sooner and ensure access to the maximum amount of aid.
State Deadlines: Each state has a different deadline. The Massachusetts Grant has a deadline of May 1st to qualify for funds.
College Deadlines: Each college may have a different deadline. Check with the college(s) you are applying to. Most financial aid offices report the deadlines for financial aid consideration on their websites. You may also want to ask your college about its definition of an application deadline – whether it is the date the college receives your FAFSA and/or CSS Profile, or the date your FAFSA is processed.
TRIO ETS (Educational Talent Search): ETS Advisors are in each of the Lynn Public Schools. Students should check in with their TRIO Office to meet with an ETS Advisor to see if they qualify for assistance.