Every year, the federal government and the State of Texas allocate hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans for college students.

Students who plan to attend a college or university during the 2020-2021 academic year can request funds to pay for higher-ed costs by submitting two forms: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA).

January 15th is the priority deadline for both federal and state financial aid. FAFSA applicants may be eligible to receive more funds if they apply before the deadline. Missing the cut-off date on TASFA might result with little to no student aid.

Which one should I fill out?

All American citizens and permanent residents can request federal funds to help with college expenses by submitting the FAFSA. The application is available on FAFSA’s website at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa (in English and in Spanish).

Parents and students can also access the application through the “myStudentAid” mobile app. This software is available for Apple and Android phones.

Texas residents who are not U.S. Citizens, legal permanent residents, or eligible noncitizens can still receive student aid from the state. The students who do not qualify for FAFSA are encouraged to complete the TASFA.

“It is recommended that applicants complete and submit this application and any other required documentation to the financial aid office on or before January 15,” states the Texas Financial Aid and Scholarships website.

Students can fill out the TASFA for the 2020-2021 school year on at https://www.finaid.txstate.edu/more-info/TASFA.html