Students and families can access free FAFSA filing help at Ivy Tech Madison on “College Goal Sunday”

Ivy Tech will help parents and Students fill out the FAFSA

MADISON, Ind. – On Sunday, February 25, financial aid professionals will volunteer at Ivy Tech Madison to help Hoosier students and families successfully complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) – the required form for federal financial aid and state grant funding, including the 21^st Century Scholarship and Frank O’Bannon Grant. Volunteers will be on campus from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 590 Ivy Tech Drive, Madison, IN 47250 to provide free assistance to all.

The initiative is part of College Goal Sunday, a statewide effort of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA) to increase the number of high school seniors, adult learners and returning students who complete the FAFSA by April 15, 2024 – Indiana’s priority filing deadline.

Filing the FAFSA is the first step Indiana students and families can take to make education and skills training beyond high school more affordable. Indiana high school graduates left $76 million in Pell Grant funds on the table in 2023 by not completing the FAFSA, according to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The College Goal Sunday event at Ivy Tech Madison aims to help community members take full advantage of the federal and state funding available to them.

“We want students to capitalize on every opportunity that puts high-quality, affordable education and skills training within their reach,” said Dr. Amanda Harsin, Chancellor, Ivy Tech Madison. “Ivy Tech is proud to participate in College Goal Sunday to help students and families access federal and state funding that can open the floodgates of opportunity.”

Students and parents should bring the following to College Goal Sunday:

• FSA ID: It is strongly recommended that every student and parent apply for a FSA ID at studentaid.gov. The FSA ID serves as your electronic signature on the FAFSA and allows for tax information to be automatically entered.
• Personal Documents: Students and parents should know and be prepared to securely share their Social Security Number, driver’s license number, alien registration number or permanent residence card.
• Tax Documents and Proof of Income: Students and parents should bring a 2022 Federal Income Tax Return if they were required to file, 2022 W-2 forms, or other records of money earned or received.
• Documentation of Assets: Students and parents should bring documentation detailing their financial assets, including:
  • Bank statements (cash, savings, and checking);
  • Child support received in the past calendar year;
  • Current value of investment accounts (non-retirement) and real estate (excluding the home you live in); and
  • Current net worth of any ownership in a business or farm.

Volunteers will walk through the online form line-by-line and answer questions as needed. All sites offer FAFSA online capabilities, and many have Spanish interpreters. Students who attend the event and fill out the appropriate form will be eligible to win one of five $1,000 educational prizes from Indiana College Goal Sunday, which is funded by the Lilly Endowment and InvestEd. For more information, visit www.collegegoalsunday.org.