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News and Updates

 

FAFSA Available Earlier

Students will now be able to submit a FAFSA® earlier. Students will be able to file a 2020–21 FAFSA as early as October 1, 2019, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2020.

The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit a FAFSA as early as October 1 every year.

Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, students are required to report income information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2019–20 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2017 income information, rather than their 2018 income information.

Beware of Financial Aid Scams

We have received reports of a student being called and told they could get a financial aid grant of thousands of dollars if they sent in their personal information and a handling fee, possibly using a moneygram or other fund delivery card, like a prepaid debit card. This is a scam.

Applying for financial aid by filling out the FAFSA is online and FREE at http://www.fafsa.gov/. Ensure you are using the “.gov” website. Do not use a ".com" address, as you will be charged for this free process.

There are also many no-fee scholarship sources available. If you have any concern about the validity of any inquiry you receive as a student or parent as it relates to financial aid or the receipt of aid funds please contact our office for assistance.

Misleading Mailings Related to Financial Aid

It has come to our attention that misleading mailings are being received by families of current and prospective students.

These mailings look “official” and often use a seal that might appear to be an official seal of the U.S. Department of Education; it is not.

Students should never pay a fee to access federal, state or university financial aid at Idaho State University. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is just that: free. Please contact our office if you have concerns about any solicitation or mailing you receive regarding financial aid. 

"FSA ID" Replaces Federal Student Aid "PIN"

You need to create an FSA ID to complete your FAFSA.

FSA ID is a username and password combination. The FSA ID has replaced the Federal Student Aid PIN and must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education websites.

If your FSA ID is locked or you have forgotten your username or password, FSA ID retrieval methods are available.

You can watch the video below or view our pdf for more information about creating your FSA ID.

PELL Grant Lifetime Eligibility

The duration of a student's eligibility to receive a PELL Grant has been reduced from 18 semesters (or its equivalent) to the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters.

The calculation of the duration of a student's eligibility will include all years of the student's receipt of PELL Grant funding. If a student has received the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters of PELL Grant, he/she will no longer be eligible for PELL Grant funding.

To see your PELL Lifetime Eligibility Used percentage, log on to the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) using your FSA ID and view your Lifetime Eligibility Used (LEU). The LEU will be found on the Financial Aid Review page.