Nevada incoming and current college students urged to file FAFSA

Nevada’s higher education system is urging incoming and current college students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which became available Thursday.

The FAFSA is used to determine if students are eligible for federal financial aid, as well as many forms of state and school aid, the Nevada System of Higher Education said in a news release.

Students should fill out the FAFSA if they’re planning to attend college during the 2021-22 school year. And NSHE is urging students complete the form as soon as possible since aid is often awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

“It is imperative that we get the word out to all of our students seeking financial aid to apply as soon as possible, as the FAFSA application is often the first step for many financial aid programs including Nevada’s Silver State Opportunity Grant and the Nevada Promise Scholarship,” NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose said in the news release.

The priority FAFSA deadline is Nov. 1 for UNLV, Jan. 15 for Nevada State College and no later than February for the College of Southern Nevada.

For other in-state schools, the deadline is Feb. 1 for University of Nevada, Reno, mid-February for Truckee Meadows Community College in Reno, and no later than February for Western Nevada College in Carson City and Great Basin College in Elko.

For students seeking Nevada financial aid, students should apply as soon as possible for the Silver State Opportunity Grant and by March 1 for the Nevada Promise Scholarship.

To complete the FAFSA, visit FAFSA.gov. Students can also fill out the form through the myStudentAid mobile app.

Before filling out the FAFSA, students will need to set up a Federal Student Aid (FSA) identification.

Students can get help with the FAFSA from a school financial aid counselor or at studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.