RICHMOND, Va. — Students and families in Virginia can now get one-on-one assistance when applying for financial aid this spring.
Governor Northam announced on Monday that students filling out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid from March 22 - June 30 will be able to schedule a virtual meeting with an advisor who can walk them through the application process.
This is happening in an effort to increase the FASFA rates that dwindled when the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Many people weren't able to finish their applications.
“The FAFSA is the first step in helping Virginia students qualify for thousands of dollars in state and federal grants and scholarships,” said Governor Northam.
“Completing the FAFSA can be difficult under normal circumstances, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and shift to remote learning have added to the challenge of assisting our high school seniors with filling out their forms. This free one-on-one advising service will support our goal of ensuring every eligible student in our Commonwealth completes an application, and open the doors to affordable higher education and technical training for even more Virginians.”
The Virginia College Access Network and the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia are working together to offer personal FASFA advising at no cost.
“The launch of this new advising tool comes at a critical time when we must double down on our efforts to support the future success of our students and our Commonwealth,” said Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. “While we have a lot of ground to make up this year, we are committed to helping every Virginia student get the federal student aid they are entitled to, and that starts with connecting them with the resources they need to complete the FAFSA.”
Other groups have also joined in to support the effort in improving education access for residents after high school.
VirginiaCAN is leading the mission with help from the following groups:
- Access College Foundation
- ECMC’s The College Place
- GReat Aspirations Scholarship Program (GRASP)
- Virginia Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (VASFAA)
- Virginia College Advising Corps (VCAC)
“Right now, Black, African American, Hispanic, and low-income students are less likely to enroll in college than the state average,” said SCHEV Director Peter Blake. “The Virginia Plan for Higher Education calls for closing gaps in college access and improving FAFSA completion is the first step in closing those gaps.”
According to officials, as of this year, there have been 4,315 fewer high school seniors across the state who have actually finished their federal aid applications. This is 10% less than the prior year.
Individuals who need help with filling out FASFA can visit the VirginiaCAN website to schedule a virtual meeting with an advisor.
