Students must file a FAFSA by Feb. 1 to meet new Access Missouri priority deadline
The new priority deadline for the Access Missouri Grant Program – the state’s largest student financial aid program – is quickly approaching. Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, by Feb. 1 to be guaranteed a grant award if they meet all eligibility requirements.
This is the first year Missouri has set a priority deadline for the grant program. Students completing the FAFSA after Feb. 1 but before the April 3 final deadline could still receive a grant if funding is available.
The grant is the state’s only student aid program based on financial need.
“The Access Missouri Grant helps make higher education more affordable for thousands of Missouri students and their families every year,” said Zora Mulligan, Missouri Commissioner of Higher Education.
More than 48,000 Missouri students received funding through the program during the 2015-16 academic year. The average grant award was $612 for students attending a public two-year college and $1,582 for students attending a four-year college or university.
Maximum grant amounts are determined primarily by available state funding and the number of students eligible to receive the grant each year. Specific award amounts are based on students’ financial need, the type of college they attend and other financial aid they receive.
Students must file a FAFSA every year they are in school to be eligible for most federal and state financial aid programs, including the Access Missouri Grant Program.
The first step to file a FAFSA is to obtain an FSA ID – a user name and password needed to sign and submit the FAFSA electronically. More information about obtaining an FSA ID can be found at fsaid.ed.gov. Students and their families can learn more about filing a FAFSA at https://studentaid.gov.
For more information about the Access Missouri Grant, including all eligibility requirements, visit dhe.mo.gov/ppc/grants/accessmo.php.