Department of Higher Education

Thursday is the priority deadline for Missouri’s largest student financial aid program.

Students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, by Feb. 1 to receive an Access Missouri Grant – if they meet all eligibility requirements.

The grant is the state’s only student aid program based on financial need.

“Thousands of students rely on the Access Missouri Grant to help pay college costs,” said Zora Mulligan, Missouri commissioner of higher education.

Students must file a FAFSA every year they will be in school to be eligible for most federal and state financial aid programs, including the Access Missouri Grant. That includes high school seniors planning to attend college the following academic year.

Students completing the FAFSA after the Feb. 1 priority deadline but before the April 2 final deadline could still receive a grant if funding is available.

More than 44,000 students received an Access Missouri Grant during the 2016-17 academic year. The average grant award was $763 for students attending a public two-year college or vocational technical institution and $1,883 for students attending a four-year college or university or State Technical College of Missouri.

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.

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://fafsa.ed.gov/.

For more information about the Access Missouri Grant, including all eligibility requirements, visit dhe.mo.gov/ppc/grants/accessmo.php.