Hi sorry if this has been asked but I could not find an answer. I recently graduated from Community College in May and decided to take a gap semester so I won’t be applying to a new school until Spring 2017. Am I suppose to apply for the 2016-2017 aid? I’m not sure if I can because the deadline was June 30th (although I have applied after the deadline when going to CC for Fall 2014/2015). Or can I apply for the 2017-2018 aid in October? Looking around has told me that the academic year for 2017 does not begin until July 2017, so I would not have any aid for the Spring. However, I am not sure if this is true and given that there is a 3 month period between then and when I’m suppose to start school, it is enough time for information to process. Worst case scenario seems as if I am too late to apply for 2016-2017 aid and 2017-2018 aid won’t apply for Spring and I’m confused if this is true or not. Any insight into this is appreciated.
You would be using the 2016-2017 FAFSA. Look carefully at the date. The last date THAY can be filed is June 30, 2017.
But your college probably had a deadline for submission of applications for aid for students starting in January 2017. What is THAT deadline?
The other thing to consider…usually second semester isn’t the best time to begin…many two term courses start in the fall…with the second term offered in the spring. In other words…you would be a bit out of sequence in terms of courses.
What sort of financial aid are you hoping to get? Have you talked to the transfer advisor at your CC? Does your four year college offer aid to transfer students from CCs? Ask!
The spring 2017 semester is part of the 2016-2017 academic year…so the 2016-2017 FAFSA is what you would need to submit.
If you are eligible for a Pell Grant. Or want the Direct Loan, you can submit that FAFSA any time during the academic year, and you will get those. Just make sure your forms are submitted several weeks prior to the end of the academic year…or sooner (like soon) so they have time to process before the end of YOUR school’s academic year.
If you are hoping for school based need based aid…then contact the college, and ask THEM your question about submission. They will tell you whether you can submit for institutional aid for spring…or not.
File 2016-17 for spring 2017. You can file that now.
File 2017-20118 for fall 2017 and 2018. You can file that in Oct.